Impressions of Ajijic.
Ajijic was not what I expected.
I didn’t expect Ajijic to be so small. It surprised me. You always hear about Ajijic, it’s one of the most popular expat locations in Mexico. You somehow expect it to be much bigger. It isn’t, it actually has a population of about 11,500 (thought to made of 50% locals, 50% expats from mostly Canada and the US). That’s tiny. Compare that to San Miguel de Allende for example which has a population of about 175,000.
Everything is within a few minutes’ walk. Highlights? (it is one of Mexico’s Pueblos Magicos after all). They include the Malecon (the boardwalk with its peaceful views over the lake), the Plaza Principal (a pretty unassuming main square by Mexican standards), and the Parroquia San Andres (again, quite unassuming).
Ajijic is a pretty town with lots of charm. I don’t know if I know of any other town in Mexico with as high a concentration of murals (maybe Atlixco?). Lots of colourful buildings painted in wonderful murals. Beautiful. They give the town a lot of charm. Ajijic also has those (very) cobblestoned streets that remind me of San Miguel de Allende (but without the treacherous sidewalks of SMA). That also adds to the charm, along with all the cafés, art galleries and little shops you see everywhere.
But the highlight of Ajijic, for me, would have to be the scenery. The lake (Lake Chapala, Mexico’s largest lake) is beautiful and peaceful. There’s something special about being on the lake…or just looking at it from the Malecon. I also love the green hills and mountains behind the town, if I ever came back I’d love to hike them.
There’s no doubt it’s a special place and I can see why expats retire here*.
*The Pros and Cons of living in Ajijic according to long-term expats I’ve talked to
Pros
- You’ll often see references citing Ajijic as having the 2nd best climate in the world, a place that doesn’t suffer in extremes of heat, cold or humidity owing to a combination of its altitude and the moderating effect of the lake.
- Good expat infrastructure (including a Walmart), excellent variety of restaurants.
- Safe compared to many places in Mexico.
Cons
- Lots of expats, most over 60. It can feel like you’ve never left home (that can be a good or bad depending on where you stand)
- High rental/real estate prices in addition to general “gringo pricing”
- Lake Chapala is very polluted.
- Traffic, combined with those cobblestoned streets, has gotten worse in recent years because of Ajijic’s popularity
But my goal in coming to Ajijic was to see the town and the lake as a tourist (which I did taking this tour).
From that point of view, I thought Ajijic was charming and I’m happy to have seen it. It’s small: it won’t take more than an hour to get a general idea of the town and to visit its highlights. But if you combine it with the town of Chapala (which has a very different character than Ajijic) and Jocotepec (another popular town), it really makes for a great day trip from Guadalajara.
Related: Where to Stay in Guadalajara
Related: Lake Chapala or Tequila: comparing the two most popular tours from Guadalajara
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