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Lakeside promenade · Ajijic, Jalisco
Malecón de Chapala
Chapala’s promenade, with a pier, boats to Isla de los Alacranes, and early 20th-century summer houses.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Discover
About Malecón de Chapala
Chapala, about 7 km from Ajijic, was a resort for the elite of Guadalajara and Mexico City in the early 20th century, and it preserves summer houses, some in an English style, along the lake shore.
The malecón is wide and tree-lined, with fountains, food stalls and the pier where boats depart for Isla de los Alacranes, a small island with restaurants and a chapel, and for Isla de Mezcala, which has the ruins of a fort used in the war of independence.
In Chapala’s center are the parish of San Francisco, with blue towers, and the old train station from 1920, now a cultural center.
On weekends, families from Guadalajara fill the malecón, and the stalls sell fried charales, the little lake fish.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
One to two hours.
Best time
In the morning for the boat ride; on weekends to see the activity.
How to get there
In the center of Chapala, about 7 km from Ajijic, by local bus, taxi, or car.
Tip
Try the fried charales, the little lake fish sold at the malecón stalls.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Malecón de Chapala
What to do in Chapala?
Walk the malecón, take a boat trip to the islands, and see the summer houses and the old train station.
How far is Ajijic from Chapala?
About 7 km, roughly 15 minutes.
What are charales?
Little lake fish, sold fried at the malecón stalls.