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Ajijic, a small town on the shores of Lake Chapala and less than an hour from Guadalajara, has become home to many thousands of Americans and Canadians. The lakeside region is one of the most popular expat havens in the world.

Why?

• It’s a very charming place, as my Ajijjic photo collage shows. (That page is rather slow-loading, so I’ve set this link to open in a new window.)
• People love to live by water, or with water views.
• The weather is described as “spring-like year round” and when we were there one December and January, sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s were delightful.
• Access is easy, with the Guadalajara International Airport less than half an hour away.
• The cost of living is generally lower than in the US or Canada, though the popularity of the region means that Ajijic and other Lakeside real estate is quite high priced for Mexico.
• There are lots of other foreigners: estimates I’ve seen range from 5,000 to 15,000, with more there during the winter than at other times. Besides plenty of people you can meet, this concentration means that many services and retail stores provide for your needs, often in English.
• There’s a yacht club and plenty of golf and tennis.
• The Lake Chapala Society makes it easy for newcomers to make friends, learn Spanish, take classes, use the library, and much more.

found the area still to have the flavor of Mexico, though seeing foreigners everywhere was an adjustment after spending most of my time in less touristed parts of Mexico. But the Mexicans I met here were interesting and often spoke good English.

Other Lakeside Towns

San Antonio Tlayacapan, where we stayed for a few months, and San Juan Cosala,  where we live,  are small towns adjacent to Ajijic. Chapala and Jocotepec are larger towns, also on the northern shore of Lake Chapala. All are worth exploring, whether on a vacation or in looking for a place to live.