LAKE CHAPALA & VICINITY

Nestled in the Sierra Madre mountains of southwestern Mexico is Lake Chapala, the country's largest natural lake. It is located in a valley at an elevation of around 5,000 feet. The protective mountains and lake offer a natural ameliorating effect on the climate, which is rated one of the best in the world.

Lake Chapala's shores are dotted with charming and peaceful towns. Approximately 20,000 North Americans (some estimates go as high as 30,000) reside on the lake's north shore. Although the lake measures 55 by 15 miles wide, most of the expatriates live within 20 miles of one another in the North shore towns of Chapala, Ajijic and Jocotepec (and numerous smaller towns in between). With its near-perfect climate, cobblestone streets, flowering trees, lush mountains, tranquil lifestyle and low cost-of-living, Lake Chapala has become a popular destination for foreign visitors and retirees.

The north shore of Lake Chapala, sometimes called the Chapala Riviera, is situated about 45 minutes south of Guadalajara, Mexico's second largest city, and about 35 minutes south of the Guadalajara international airport. Offering easy highway access to such popular destinations as Puerto Vallarta, the Costa Alegre (Manzanillo, Barra de Navidad, Melaque), Morelia, Zacatecas, Patzcuaro and San Miguel de Allende, Lake Chapala is indeed ideally located. Almost everything you could want can be found either at Lakeside or nearby Guadalajara.

A wealth of information is available through the web sites of the local newspaper.

CLIMATE

Probably the principal attraction to Lake Chapala is its semitropical climate, rated among the best in the world. With an average temperature of 75° Fahrenheit, the sun shines almost every day. Even when the cooling rains come (June to September), it almost always rains during the late-night or pre-dawn hours, with the sunshine returning during the day, leaving the humidity just high enough to keep the brightly colored flowers blooming and turn the surrounding mountains a lush tropical green.

Almost every day in the Lake Chapala valley is mild. Many homes have garden terraces or patios as many people live outdoors much of the year. It would be difficult to find a more ideal climate anywhere in the world. In the winter months, temperatures dip low enough to appreciate a fireplace, though, generally, heating and air-conditioning are not needed.