Where to go?
What do you want to do?
Who do you want to travel with?
What grade?
Chapala
Jalisco
User Ratings
Located in the southern parts of the state of Jalisco, this place is surrounded by mountain chains and beautiful communities that invite you to contemplate the peacefulness of its atmosphere; a lovely water mirror called the Chapala Lake has been marked as one of the biggest fresh water ponds in all of México, and it is best known as “the place of grasshoppers above water”, and it awaits you with hotels, parks and tours that will invite you to relax and have fun.
If you love adventure, this destination has one of the best attractions for any kind of tourist, given that, since 1898, a Renaissance-styled hotel called “Nido” (Nest) that was always available became the Municipal Palace later on.
There are several old constructions that morphed into something else, like the old train station that is now the House of Culture of Chapala.
Other Renaissance-styled buildings are the ranches of the Ramón Corona Avenue, the San Francisco de Asís and the San Andrés Parishes in Ajijic; you can admire them as well as the lighthouse and the “Malecón” in a relaxing horseback ride.
The cuisine is based on products from the lake, like roe tacos, golden charales, michi broth, catfish, whitefish, caviar, ceviche and carp birria.
Milk and roasted candies are exquisite as a dessert.
Also, remember to try specialties like the tamarind, Jamaica and arrayán.
The traditional beverage is the tequila, which is a symbol of the state of Jalisco, but you can also try rompope, fruit punch and sangria.
If you have the chance to visit us during the month of September and beginnings of October, you will encounter several holiday festivities in honor of San Francisco de Asís, where you will witness pilgrimages, dances and fireworks; the most important celebration of the locality takes place during the month of November and it is called the “Fiesta Conmemorativa de los Orígenes e Historia de la Población (Commemorative Festival of the Town’s Origins and History).
The typical costumes that thrive in this place are the charro and manta suits.
The most popular artisanal crafts are pieces carved in quarry, wood and bone, woolen yarn, silk fabrics, pottery, ceramics and embroideries.
So, remember to always bring your camera so you can never forget your extraordinary time in this lovely town.
Infinito México recommends
you can rent a boat and tour the islands.
The most famous one are the “Alacranes” and the Mezcala Islands, where you will find archeological sites, a strong medieval vibe with an elevated bridge that is located above a dried well, cave paintings and an incredible panoramic view of the lake.
The marine wildlife gives us an incredible visual spectacle, and during winter, you can observe migratory birds using this place as a natural have.
One of the most popular types of bird is the white pelican and the heron.
The lukewarm waters of the lake are home to species like the whitefish, carps, charal, breams, catfish and tilapia.
Its depths are not ideal for swimming, but if you can practice kite surfing, which is a relatively new sport for our country, offering great bursts of fun and pure adrenalin.
During February, Chapala comes to life with its Carnival, an amazing festival that starts its celebration with the “Entierro del Mal Humor” (Burial of Bad Humor); a parade of carriages, gatherings and serenades that fill the main plaza.
It is said that this festival is in honor to the “queen of the celebrations”, where the “ugliest king” is also crowned.
The outdoor parties include the tradition of breaking eggshells filled with confetti and colored aniline; white carnations are given away to the women of the town while the people wait for the party’s climax: the firework competition, where the representatives of each locality highlight their skills by showing the “best castle” and the “most viewed bull”.
Among tons of smiles and colors, have fun watching the burro racings, the waiter competitions, charreadas, boat competitions and the masquerade balls; the party feels like it may never stop.
Also remember to try roasted gusanas, a type of tender chickpea, as well as the popular “nieves de garrafa”, a true delicacy of the region.
Enrich your trip by including these destinations to your visit: Ajijic (10 kilometers away, offering art galleries, artisanal crafts, gastronomy, temazcal, nightlife, petroglyphs, archeological sites and paleontological remains), Guadalajara (47 kilometers away, offering museums, temples, tours, walkways, exhibitions, festivals, gastronomy, concerts and routes), Sayula (128 kilometers away, offering museums, temples, gastronomy, paragliding, mountain biking, zip-lines, horseback riding, ATVs, fishing, spas, tours, walkways, routes and artisanal crafts), Tapalpa (140 kilometers away, offering gastronomy, artisanal crafts, temples, extreme sports like paragliding, alpinism, hiking, parties, fishing, gotcha, rappelling, zip-lines, canoeing, camping and swimming, tours, walkways and trekking).
Things to see and do
bird watching, boat rides, horseback riding, kite surfing, gastronomy, nightlife, galleries, temazcal, spas, massages, aquatic amusement parks and hot springs.
Read +
If you love adventure, this destination has one of the best attractions for any kind of tourist, given that, since 1898, a Renaissance-styled hotel called “Nido” (Nest) that was always available became the Municipal Palace later on.
There are several old constructions that morphed into something else, like the old train station that is now the House of Culture of Chapala.
Other Renaissance-styled buildings are the ranches of the Ramón Corona Avenue, the San Francisco de Asís and the San Andrés Parishes in Ajijic; you can admire them as well as the lighthouse and the “Malecón” in a relaxing horseback ride.
The cuisine is based on products from the lake, like roe tacos, golden charales, michi broth, catfish, whitefish, caviar, ceviche and carp birria.
Milk and roasted candies are exquisite as a dessert.
Also, remember to try specialties like the tamarind, Jamaica and arrayán.
The traditional beverage is the tequila, which is a symbol of the state of Jalisco, but you can also try rompope, fruit punch and sangria.
If you have the chance to visit us during the month of September and beginnings of October, you will encounter several holiday festivities in honor of San Francisco de Asís, where you will witness pilgrimages, dances and fireworks; the most important celebration of the locality takes place during the month of November and it is called the “Fiesta Conmemorativa de los Orígenes e Historia de la Población (Commemorative Festival of the Town’s Origins and History).
The typical costumes that thrive in this place are the charro and manta suits.
The most popular artisanal crafts are pieces carved in quarry, wood and bone, woolen yarn, silk fabrics, pottery, ceramics and embroideries.
So, remember to always bring your camera so you can never forget your extraordinary time in this lovely town.
Infinito México recommends
you can rent a boat and tour the islands.
The most famous one are the “Alacranes” and the Mezcala Islands, where you will find archeological sites, a strong medieval vibe with an elevated bridge that is located above a dried well, cave paintings and an incredible panoramic view of the lake.
The marine wildlife gives us an incredible visual spectacle, and during winter, you can observe migratory birds using this place as a natural have.
One of the most popular types of bird is the white pelican and the heron.
The lukewarm waters of the lake are home to species like the whitefish, carps, charal, breams, catfish and tilapia.
Its depths are not ideal for swimming, but if you can practice kite surfing, which is a relatively new sport for our country, offering great bursts of fun and pure adrenalin.
During February, Chapala comes to life with its Carnival, an amazing festival that starts its celebration with the “Entierro del Mal Humor” (Burial of Bad Humor); a parade of carriages, gatherings and serenades that fill the main plaza.
It is said that this festival is in honor to the “queen of the celebrations”, where the “ugliest king” is also crowned.
The outdoor parties include the tradition of breaking eggshells filled with confetti and colored aniline; white carnations are given away to the women of the town while the people wait for the party’s climax: the firework competition, where the representatives of each locality highlight their skills by showing the “best castle” and the “most viewed bull”.
Among tons of smiles and colors, have fun watching the burro racings, the waiter competitions, charreadas, boat competitions and the masquerade balls; the party feels like it may never stop.
Also remember to try roasted gusanas, a type of tender chickpea, as well as the popular “nieves de garrafa”, a true delicacy of the region.
Enrich your trip by including these destinations to your visit: Ajijic (10 kilometers away, offering art galleries, artisanal crafts, gastronomy, temazcal, nightlife, petroglyphs, archeological sites and paleontological remains), Guadalajara (47 kilometers away, offering museums, temples, tours, walkways, exhibitions, festivals, gastronomy, concerts and routes), Sayula (128 kilometers away, offering museums, temples, gastronomy, paragliding, mountain biking, zip-lines, horseback riding, ATVs, fishing, spas, tours, walkways, routes and artisanal crafts), Tapalpa (140 kilometers away, offering gastronomy, artisanal crafts, temples, extreme sports like paragliding, alpinism, hiking, parties, fishing, gotcha, rappelling, zip-lines, canoeing, camping and swimming, tours, walkways and trekking).
Things to see and do
bird watching, boat rides, horseback riding, kite surfing, gastronomy, nightlife, galleries, temazcal, spas, massages, aquatic amusement parks and hot springs.
Read +
What to Do
Reviews
