Although it’s already the dry season, Lake Chapala’s water level remains good, making it a popular spring break destination for residents of Guadalajara, other parts of Mexico, and abroad.
Over the weekend, families even went into the water to enjoy the lake’s refreshing coolness, as did the family of Ricardo Luna, a visitor from Guadalajara.
“It’s been about five years since I’ve been here. It looks beautiful, it’s full of water, and it’s great that there are waves,” remarked Luna on the lake’s shore, while his daughter swam.
“It’s really cool, it’s a family atmosphere. I also came with my daughter, she’s always in the water, so it’s very pleasant, really, it’s a great way to de-stress from the city.”
According to a report from the National Water Commission, as of April 3, Chapala was at 68 percent of its capacity, with an elevation of 95.62 meters above sea level.
So far, it’s been a good year for the lake, as on this same date in 2025 it was 13 percentage points lower in capacity and more than a meter below its current level.
However, the most recent monitoring of the lake’s water quality, at the point closest to the Chapala boardwalk, shows a red alert, as it is contaminated and exceeds the indicators for fecal coliforms and chemical oxygen demand.
National and international visitors highlight the lake’s attractions.
For Martín, who visited Chapala with his girlfriend’s family from Torreón, Coahuila, visiting Mexico’s largest lake was a tourist attraction compared to the desert landscape of his home state.
“Here there’s water, because back home it’s all desert, but it’s really cool, honestly. There’s everything here in Jalisco: cabins, beaches, there’s Lake Chapala, there are many interesting things here,” said the visitor from Torreón.
Gerardo Ramírez is from Guadalajara, but he visited Chapala with family from Canada. For him, it’s a must-see tourist destination during Holy Week and Easter.
“The Canadians had already been, yes, only the baby hadn’t,” Gerardo explains, pointing to the youngest member of the family.
“It’s beautiful (the lake), the water, the traditions, the people, the music, the whole atmosphere.”
Gerardo, a frequent visitor to Chapala, says that this year he found the lake cleaner and the businesses more organized, but he notes that more parking spaces are needed, especially during the holiday season.
The tourists enjoyed Mexican snacks, charales (small fish), drinks for all tastes, and, to beat the heat, delicious homemade ice cream.
“It’s really beautiful, and we’re so happy here, enjoying the delicious ice cream with the vendor,” says Guille, a visitor from Guadalajara, next to his granddaughter, after buying some ice cream at the “Jesus the Fisherman” stand on the Chapala boardwalk.
“Come and enjoy this beautiful scenery and come here for the ice cream with the vendor, and the delicious food that’s available everywhere,” he invites.
Felipe de Jesús proudly claims to be the third generation of his family to sell ice cream on the Chapala boardwalk, a trade he learned from his father-in-law and passed on to his children at the stand located right in front of the statue of Jesus the Fisherman on the boardwalk.
“The weather is very comfortable, there are a lot of people compared to other years, the lake is at a very good level, which is something tourists really appreciate, it’s very beautiful right now,” says ice cream vendor Felipe de Jesús. “We have a lot of tourists. The holidays started and a few more people came. Before the holidays, sales were slow, but now we’re recovering, thank God.”
Despite the ongoing challenges and promises to protect Lake Chapala from the pollution carried by the Lerma River and discharged by the surrounding municipalities, the appeal of spending a pleasant afternoon with family remains strong for visitors to the country’s main lake.
Source: udgtv
