Lake Chapala Information from Ajijic, Mexico
Lake Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico
Lake Chapala is the largest lake in Mexico and is the gem of Ajijic. Ajijic is nestled between the Sierra Madre Mountains and Lake Chapala making our climate the best and most moderate in the world.
Over the years the lake has gone up and down but the wonderful rainy seasons of the last few years has brought the level up substantially. For some reason real estate activity seems to depend on the level of the lake even though no one really uses it for aquatic activities. Lake Chapala provides us with wonderful views and a dramatic backdrop for our magnificent thunder and lightening storms which grace the rainy season from June 15 to October 15 yearly,
Over the years the lake sometimes becomes filled with lirio (water hyacinths) and at one point manatees were put into the lake to eat the lirio but, infortunately, the Mexicans ate the manatees so this was not a viable plan.
There are many fishing boats out on the lake which are depicted beautifully by many local artists.
In Chapala at Cazadoras Restaurant there are marks on the wall where the lake level reached many years ago.
There were also golf courses and tennis courts built on the beach but now are under water because the lake level has gone up considerably, not to the flooding of days gone by level, but making everyone who depends on Lake Chapala very happy indeed.
There is a group from Ajijic who have taken the saving of Lake Chapala very seriously and have submitted it to the association to protect it with great success.
Over the years the beach has been drastically improved in Chapala, Ajijic and Jocotepec.
Now is Ajijic a project is under way to create a Malacon (beach front park and recreation area) to rival those in Cancun and Chapala. Many families come out from Guadalajara on holidays and week-ends to enjoy Lake Chapala and all the wonderful restaurants on her shores.
The number one question asked of prospective buyers is “does the property have a view of the lake?” Many homes do have fantastic views of Lake Chapala but some prefer the grandeur of the mountain views. We are very fortunate, indeed, to be able to offer both.