Many people living along the north shore of Lake Chapala have spent time gazing across the lake, wondering just what it’s like on the south shore.
There are hints, as one can just make out the cultivated fields and berry greenhouses blanketing the lower mountainsides. Some have visited Jocotepec, but even there is off the beaten path for many. The far east end of the lake is even more of a mystery, and yet, it’s not that far away.
So many people brave the long and somewhat harrowing drive from the U.S. border to the Chapala area, and arrive as if coming upon an oasis in a great desert. Once settled in to the comforts of the safe community, many never venture out again.
If you feel like it’s time to finally see some of real Mexico, a drive around the lake is an easy one-day tour. Depending on your taste for adventure, you can choose to stay on the main highways around the eastern portion, or to brave the back roads that hug the shores. Both routes are about the same distance, but expect the back roads to add an extra 90 minutes to what would otherwise be a four-and-a-half hour tour, if you travel non-stop.
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