International Living, August 11, 2010
by Glynna Prentice
Mexico’s
climate is so varied that there’s pretty much something for everyone, no matter
what your taste. But if it came to a vote on the very best climate in Mexico, Lake
Chapala, in central Mexico, might
well win out. If you’re looking for a Mexico
retirement spot with a mild climate, Lake
Chapala is about as
perfect as it gets.
No less an arbiter than National Geographic, which has covered more
places on earth than most people ever visit, ranks Lake Chapala’s
climate second-best in the world. Temperatures here are pretty pleasant all
year round, and—even better—with no extreme highs and lows. Highs at mid-summer
may reach the mid-80s F; lows during the depths of winter may drop to the high
40s. Most of the year, therefore, temperatures are in the 70s and 80s F. Add in
the location—a large lake surrounded by mountains and sitting at about 5,000
feet above sea level—and you have a destination that’s easy on the eyes and
gentle on the body.
Perhaps it’s no wonder, then, that the Lake Chapala
area is home to the largest community of North American expats in the world.
As many as 15,000 foreigners, most of them from the U.S.
and Canada,
choose to live here full or part-time.
Mexico’s climate, and the comforts of home
Most of the expats at Lakeside, as the area is commonly known, live on the
lake’s North Shore. There are no large cities here;
instead, there is a string of villages with names like Chapala, Ajijic, and San Antonio. Thanks to
the large, long-established expat community, you’ll have no shortage of English
speakers or of shops selling familiar U.S. and Canadian items. Costco,
Home Depot, McDonald’s and Starbuck’s are all here, for instance. (You can even
get English-language movies at the local Cineplex.) There are also plenty of
social groups to keep expats busy, including a theater, music appreciation,
and—at last count—at least 80 special interest clubs through the Lake Chapala
Society, offering everything from line dancing to creative writing.
Lake Chapala’s mild climate also makes
outdoor activities possible all year long. Golfing, hiking, gardening and more
are all available. (And if you want that garden but not the work it involves,
you can hire a local gardener to tend it for you at $3 to $4 an hour.
Inexpensive hired help is another plus here.)
Housing costs are moderate in Lake
Chapala, too. You can
find one-bedroom apartments to rent for about $500 a month, and two- to
three-bedroom houses starting at about $900. To buy, you can find comfortable
properties from about $150,000, and plenty of choices in the $250,000 range.
Getting to Lake
Chapala is easy. It’s
just half an hour from the international airport in Guadalajara,
Mexico’s second-largest
city, where you can get direct flights to the U.S.
If you want more than one destination to choose from, however, here’s my own
pick for runner-up: Ensenada, on the coast of Baja California.
Only about an hour from the U.S./Mexico border, Ensenada
basically has the same climate as San
Diego. Days tend to be warm and sunny, and nights are
cool. The Pacific Ocean is right at hand—Ensenada
has a lovely little marina, and miles of coastline just outside town. Stay near
the water and you’ll find plenty of English-speaking tourists and locals, with
dollars accepted as readily as pesos. But go inland half a dozen blocks and you
can stroll wholly Mexican neighborhoods and markets.
Like California’s, Ensenada’s
climate is fairly dry, without the lush greenery you find in Lake Chapala
at certain times of year. Ensenada’s
temperatures also vary more than Chapala’s,
with greater highs and lows.
But if you prefer the seaside to the lakeside—or you need to be closer to
the U.S. than a plane-ride
away, Ensenada
is a comfortable second choice.