Getting Around Lakeside

My wife and I are visitors when we go to Lakeside and really don't have much of a clue where things are located. We drive in from Morelia and since Tere is a Mexico native the attraction there is the Alto North American culture, the restaurants in particular. We have found a hotel we like on the west end of Ajijic, Danza del Sol, and its spaciousness balances well with the price, we get a huge suite for less money than in the center of Ajijic. That puts us further away from some of the attractions and the more recommended restaurants and gives us a bit of a travel problem. Searching out the recommended places in the narrow streets then finding parking is often troublesome, for us for now at least.

What is the lowdown on public transportation there? What does taxi fare typically run? and how well do buses or combis (do you even have combis there?) cover the areas.

Just looking for some general information or perhaps other suggestions or tips for exploring Lakeside. Driving everywhere seems to complicate matters and create limitations. How does a tourist get by in a town that really is not a tourist place but more a residential community. BTW, love your yellow taxis, very American. I don't see those in other parts of Mexico.

There seems to be buses everywhere running about every 15 minutes. They even run down the main drags of Ajijic. The taxis are fairly inexpensive. Chapala to Ajijic is about 70 pesos or so. I have always rented a vehicle and driven around there with no problems. Click the map link at the top and you will see some very nice maps of all the towns on the north shore.

Hey, thanks! I missed seeing the maps in the menu line before. That is a big help.

Peter wrote:My wife and I are visitors when we go to Lakeside and really don't have much of a clue where things are located. We drive in from Morelia and since Tere is a Mexico native the attraction there is the Alto North American culture, the restaurants in particular. We have found a hotel we like on the west end of Ajijic, Danza del Sol, and its spaciousness balances well with the price, we get a huge suite for less money than in the center of Ajijic. That puts us further away from some of the attractions and the more recommended restaurants and gives us a bit of a travel problem. Searching out the recommended places in the narrow streets then finding parking is often troublesome, for us for now at least.

What is the lowdown on public transportation there? What does taxi fare typically run? and how well do buses or combis (do you even have combis there?) cover the areas.

Just looking for some general information or perhaps other suggestions or tips for exploring Lakeside. Driving everywhere seems to complicate matters and create limitations. How does a tourist get by in a town that really is not a tourist place but more a residential community. BTW, love your yellow taxis, very American. I don't see those in other parts of Mexico.

The local bus stops right behind the Danza del Sol on Ocampo and will take you locally from San Juan Cosala to Chapala stopping anywhere you wish. Other buses along the carretera needed to travel to places like Jocotepec or directly to Chapala or Guadalajara run right in front of the hotel and you catch them by simply taking the very short walk from the Danza del Sol to the carretera. The bus fare on the local line is perhaps four pesos within Ajjijic proper. I have never seen a combi at Lakeside and taxis are relatively expensive but fairly reasonably priced* but they rarely cruise about for passengers so a phone call may be required but the sitio is on the main plaza a short walk or bus ride away. Always negotiate the price up front and, as an example, expect to pay $5 to $70 Pesos peer ride or even more.

The Danza del Sol and West Ajijic are close (within walking distance) to the main plaza (15 minutes), the great new Ajijic malecon and beach walks to the municipal pier and the great leafy burb of La Floresta, a number of good restaurants and some very good restaurants are all within easy walking distance and there is no danger in walking about the village at night although you should remain alert. You are not really as far away from good restaurants as you may think in West Ajijic whether walking or taking the local bus that comes by every 15 minutes or so during the day.

By the way, driving about "Lakeside" and parking are not problems except in the center of places like Ajijic and Chapala during the middle of the day. I wouldn´t worry about that. Parking in front of the Danza del Sol is always easily available and no problem at all during the week.

* I found it very difficult to say Ajijic taxis are "reasonably priced" without regurgitating. Taxis in San Cristóbal de Las Casas constantly cruise the streets and always cost $25 Pesos no matter where you go within the city. Taxis at Lakeside are far more expensive and I have rarely noticed one cruising city streets in the ten years we have lived here.