Information about Ajijic and Lake
Chapala area
A brief outline of the history
of Lake Chapala and the various communities along its shoreline.
There is no consensus on the origins of the name Chapala, but
the most popular theory is that it is derived from Chapatla or
Chapatlan, a contracted form of Chachapatlan, which is derived
from the root word Chachapatli, which means 'clay pot', with the
suffix tlan which denotes abundance. Hence Chapala may mean the
place with an abundance of clay pots. This could be a reference
to the aboriginal practice of throwing small clay pots and figurines
into the lake as an offering to the god Ixtlazalteotl, or it could
be due to the location of the village of Chapala, on an alluvial
fan that would provide clays for making pottery.
The Coca tribe of Indians are said
to have arrived in the Chapala basin about 1400 A.D., after conflict
with the Purépecha (or Tarascans) -- the dominant group
in Michoacán. They settled at Cutzatlán (modern
San Juan Cosala) and founded settlements at Axixic (Ajijic) and
Xilotepec (Jocotepec).
The first conquistador to reach
the Chapala valley was Don Alonso de Avalos who arrived in 1531
with friar Martín de Jesús (or de la Coruña),
though there may have been visits by this and other clerics in
the preceding few years. They met with no resistence from the
native population. In what is now the town of Chapala they found
chief Chapalac ruling a small band of Nahuatl speakers (the same
language group as the Aztecs). Chapalac was christened Martín,
and was to be the last traditional chieftain of this band. On
his death he was succeeded by Francisco Ixquixúchil and
Nicolás Xuili, who were civil administrators under Spanish
authority. That the Spanish named the town (and in turn the lake)
Chapala after this chief Chapalac is one of the more believable
origins suggested for the name.
Ajijic
Ajijic (ah-hee-hee-k) is a small
village nestled on the north shore of Lake Chapala in the Sierra
Madre mountains. Because of its elevation
of 5000' it enjoys moderate temperatures year round. It has become
home to over 10,000 foreigners from many different parts of the
world.
The Sierra Madre Mountains, translating
to ‘Mother Range', consists of 3 mountain ranges: the Sierra
Madre Occidental, the Sierra Madre Oriental and the Sierra Madre
del Sur.
Ajijic is approximately 30 miles
from the Guadalajara airport. (Guadalajara is Mexico’s second
largest city.) Originally Ajijic was a small
village of Nahuatl speaking people, but is now a community of
citizens from Mexico, Canada, the United States and other parts
of the
world.
The Lake
In the Nahuatl native language,
Ajijic, pronounced Ah-ee-heec from the older spelling Axixique
or Axixix) means; “The Place Where the Water Springs Forth”.
It is located on the north shore of Lake Chapala, the largest
natural lake in Mexico measuring approximately 75 kilometers (48
miles) long from east to west with a maximum north-south width
of about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) wide at an altitude of approximately
5000 ft. Lake Chapala is quite shallow as it is a basin lake.
It measure about 4 meters at its shallowest and has a maximum
depth of less than 30 meters.
The Climate
The semi-tropical climate in Lake
Chapala, Mexico is probably the first major attraction to
the area.
Because the lake sits about 5,200
feet (1,584.96 meters) above sea level, we get virtually no humidity.
The triple mountain range surrounding the lake protects the area
from prevailing northerly winds creating this excellent micro
climate we enjoy so much. The effects of the lake and mountains
ensure that temperatures are pleasantly warm year ‘round,
averaging about 23.34° Celsius (74° Fahrenheit).
April and May are our hot and dry
months with temperatures in the 30°'s Celsius (80 to 90°
Fahrenheit) with nighttime lows around 60°. Fortunately it
is the sun not the air that is hot. When you step into the shade
you can feel at least a ten degree difference, so we are always
comfortable, no matter the time of year.
Communities around Lake Chapala
Ajijic
Ajijic is the area's centerpiece.
80% of the village is on the lake side of the Chapala-Ajijic highway.
The central areas are what remains of the old village. You often
have no idea of what lies behind the walls.
The 400-year-old fishing village
of Ajijic has many things for visitors to explore and do. Days
can be filled with exploring the alley ways, art galleries, gift
shops, and fine restaurants or sitting on the shores of the largest
lake in Mexico. Cobblestone streets and spectacular gardens hidden
behind hand-carved wooden gates and colorful walls contribute
to its charm. This is where most foreigners choose to live and
although it is a laid-back place, there's nightlife, lots of restaurants
and adequate shopping (for serious shopping, Guadalajara is an
hour's ride away). English is spoken, making adapting to this
new home easier than in other parts of Mexico.
Chapala
In the 1910s Chapala began to be
the holiday destination for wealthy Mexicans and foreign nationals.
A few foreigners even settled in the town, and began to promote
local tourism. By the 1940s a few of these foreign visitors began
to discover the charm of nearby Ajijic, a quite village that then
had none of the amenities of Chapala, but offered a more authentic
Mexican experience.
Since the 1960s, Chapala has been
frequented by both Mexican and international tourists. Among the
area's cultural attractions is mariachi music, for which the state
of Jalisco is particularly known. While many fine mariachi bands
have been based in Chapala, the most famous groups are based in
larger cities nearby. The most famous mariachi in Mexico is Mariachi
Vargas de Tecalitlán, founded in the late 1800s in the
southern Jalisco city of Tecalitlán, Jalisco, but now based
in Mexico City. Although mariachi music is believed to have originated
in the town of Cocula, the greatest concentration of mariachis
can be found in the city of Guadalajara, located about 30 miles
north of Chapala; it is considered the city that most epitomizes
the external concept of Mexico propagated by the international
mass media (characterized by charros,
tequila, sombreros, and mariachis). A worldwide mariachi festival
is held there each fall, mariachis from throughout the world (including
Europe and Asia) regularly participate.
The town of Chapala is the largest
municipality in the area. It is the commercial center for the
Lakeside community and has several banks and plenty of stores.
The picture to the left shows the
Fountain of the Fishermen in the lakeside park in the town of
Chapala. In the background is the cathedral. Chapala is a great
place for a Sunday afternoon stroll along this park, checking
out all the Mexican tourists from Guadalajara. Behind the fountain
toward the lake are located many vendors selling products from
arts and crafts to food.
Chapala, along with its namesake
lake, is well established as a weekend getaway destination primarily
for inhabitants of the city of
Guadalajara. People from Guadalajara come to Lake Chapala for
the weekend or just for dinner on the lake.
More
information of the history of Chapala....
Chula Vista
Chula Vista is a popular development
East of Ajijic on the way to Chapala where you will find the local
nine hole golf course. The development has two parts, lower Chula
Vista with lower prices and older, smaller homes generally, and
upper Chula Vista that can feature beautiful lake views and more
upscale prices. The municipal water here is potable. The golf
course fairways wind through much of upper Chula Vista. It is
only a three minute drive to Ajijic and a 5 minute drive to Chapala.
Chula Vista Norte
This upscale development is only
two minutes from Ajijic on the bypass from Guadalajara. It has
a mixture of townhouses and upscale homes with nice views.
Ixtlahuacan
This Mexican town is located in
the first town north of the Lake Chapala basin on the way to Guadalajara.
It is about 7 minutes north of
Chapala. Since you pass over the ridge of the mountains surrounding
the lake to get to this village, there are no views of the lake,
but a
development of new homes (Villas de Ixtlahuacan) here does have
nice views to the North, overlooking the village.
Jocotepec
This town is officially a little
smaller than Chapala, but in reality it is probably bigger. It
is located about 13 minutes West of Ajijic. It is
populated mainly by Mexicans with a few foreigners. The town seems
to always be busy and the shopping is good.
Most of the people who work in
Ajijic live in Jocotepec. This town is not completely obsessed
with cobblestone streets, so many of the
streets are paved. It is a fun place to visit too, with many fiestas
and other activities in the town plaza.
This is the western edge of Lake
Chapala. From here the secondary highway takes you to the Colima-Guadalajara
highway, or you can turn left and proceed around the lake to the
South shore.
La Floresta
This development is located on
the eastern edge of Ajijic, close to all services. It is composed
of two distinct areas, Upper La Floresta on the high side of the
Chapala-Ajijic highway with some views, and Lower La Floresta,
located from the highway down to the lake.
This is a nice non-gated development.
Most homes have walls all around the property lines in the Spanish
tradition. Homes on the lower side are generally on larger lots
and more up-scale. The Real de Chapala Hotel is also located in
this area. The streets are wide and built with cobblestones. The
landscaping is generally mature and there are some beautiful trees
often located in the center of the broad intersections. Septic
tanks are used here, but the lots are big enough to handle them.
