Ajijic: Full Time Favorite

Comparing various potential retirement areas over the past 8 months has been really useful as we have not only learned much about each area, but our stays have helped define what is important for us in a winter home and what would be important in a full time home. The lakeside area where we are currently (Chapala, Ajijic, Jocotepec) in the Mexican state of Jalisco (just 40 minutes south of Guadalajara) reminds me a lot of Maui in Hawaii. It’s lush, dramatic mountains frame the valley full of fragrant and colourful flowers. The large lake at the bottom gives focus from the terraced streets of numerous lakeside developments.

In our opinion, Ajijic is clearly the winner when it comes to attractiveness of lakeside towns. Chapala is bigger and has a lovely central square and malecon, and it is cheaper to buy real estate there, but it is more chaotic, and far less colourful and there are limited vistas as the town is on the flats – not built up the side of the mountain like Ajijic. Jocotepec is larger still, and has an amazing park, but is noisy and lacks any sort of charm. Ajijic is like Banff, Whistler or Mont Tremblant. There are endless shops and delightful restaurants. The streets are full of colourfully painted houses. Even the garbage cans and street poles are works of art. The sidewalks, though often difficult to navigate, are also quite artistic.

It is charming, delightful, and quiet. Ajijic is also much cleaner than anywhere I have been in Mexico, with the exception of Merida.

Best of all (for me) in Ajijic you can purchase an immense variety of fresh, locally grown fruits, herbs, and vegetables. Because of the tropical, yet high elevation climate, you can grow bananas and spinach, broccoli and grapes, blueberries and lemons.

I am so delighted to be where I can find quality produce at exceptionally low prices. Yesterday I bought a HUGE bunch of giant spinach – enough to have an amazing salad every day for a week, and it cost 35 pesos (that’s about $2.25 Canadian). I topped the spinach off with some locally grown blueberries and raspberries, some backyard basil, some locally grown apples, drizzled a homemade dressing made with lemons off the backyard tree, and some feta (imported) and mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Produce is very reasonably priced, and there is even a better supply of fresh fish and seafood here than in Utila which is an island with a fishing industry – go figure! In Ajijic, seafood is driven in from the west coast which is less than a day’s drive away. Last night we ate filet mignon at a cost of $5 CAD per filet. That is twice the price of filet in Utila – but it was more than twice as good. It was aged, tender, juicy, and of far superior quality than what we could buy in Honduras, yet still half the price of in Canada and cheaper than in Bucerias.

If I were to live in Mexico full time, I would absolutely consider Ajijic. The perpetual spring weather is amazing, and even though we are here in the rainy season, we have needed our umbrella only once. That is because it usually only rains at night. Last night around 3 a.m. we awoke to the most spectacular lightening show. It was as though there was a strobe light in the sky: several flashes of lightening per second. It was breathtaking. By morning the rain and clouds are always gone, and it remains sunny and warm until around 5pm when it starts to cloud up again. It is perfect! Not too hot, low humidity, warm enough to swim in the afternoon, and cold enough at night that you need blankets. YEAH! Snuggle time!

Another reason I would choose this as a good full time place to live is because the gardening potential here is endless. Like in Oliver - I could grow so many things here. The real estate is very affordable (both to rent and to purchase), there is a huge pickle ball club, and it is close to world class medical facilities in Guadalajara – something that Utila, sadly, could not offer. Lastly, it is only a three hour drive via the new highway to the west coast tourist hub of Puerto Vallarta where one can enjoy ocean and beaches!

As a winter only destination, however, the verdict is still out on Ajijic: Like Utila, we definitely need to come back during the winter and try it on!