Getting Here
Ajijic is located in the state of Jalisco on the north shore of Lake Chapala. It is the largest lake in Mexico. To travel to your 360 XQMX residency, you would fly into the Guadalajara International airport. Ajijic is a mere 30-40 minutes south of the airport. Most major airlines have Guadalajara as a destination.
Helpful Hint:
VOLARIS is a Mexican airline that is offering a membership with an "annual pass". If you are someone who travels between the USA, Central and South America, as well as Mexico on a regular basis ... the $500 annual fee might be covered by your first flight. You have to be flexible with your flights, booking happens within the (72) hours prior to your departure and there are minimal taxes you would pay on each flight. But again if you are a fequent traveler and flexible with your travel times ... it could be a fabulous money saver for you!
“After a beautiful and adventurous journey from Europe, we found ourselves in a taxi descending the hills of Sierra de San Juan Cosala with the full moon reflected in the lake. The words “magia and maravilla” crossed my mind and I got goose bumps. Chapala is indeed a magical place, colourful, charming and very safe with friendly people everywhere. We were blown away by the bird life, vegetation, architecture, which are so different from ours in Hungary.”
Money Exchange:
If you haven't exchanged money at your local bank prior to arrival, you have several options. There is an exchange kiosk before you exit the baggage claim / customs area into the main airport lobby. Their rates will be higher than you will find once in Ajijic, but I recommend exchanging $100 USD (or the equivalent of your currency). This will give you enough funds to pay (and tip) the driver (more about that below) and have some walking-around-money for your first day in Ajijic. There is an exhange office in Ajijic Centro as well as a bank that does exchange. Both are withing a 5-10 minute walk of the 360 XQMX headquARTers. Most shops and restaurants take credit or debit cards (VISA/MC) but AMEX is often not accepted here. Local ATM's are readily available and provide pesos .
PLEASE ALERT YOUR BANK AND CREDIT CARD COMPANIES THAT YOU WILL BE TRAVELING IN MEXICO.
EVEN IF YOU DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO, YOUR CARD MAY BE DENIED WHEN USED.
Safety:
Travel between the airport and Ajijic is on a major highway and completely safe. As foreigners living in Ajijic, we are thrilled at the proximity of our village to the city of Guadalajara. For several years I was driving between the two on a weekly basis. Guadalajara is a modern, contemporary city with incredible architecture, galleries, museums, beautiful shopping malls, theater, live music and delicious restaurants There is no need for you to be concerned about safety. We love living so close to the airport and a city of 7.5 million people, while enjoying the charms of a smaller community that is nestled between the beautiful mountains and Lake Chapala.
Taxis:
At this time, the Guadalajara airport is making major improvements and is under quite a bit of construction. The airport taxi line is a little chaotic and some people have had to wait several hours for an available taxi. UBER is available, but it is a bit of a walk to get to their designated pickup area. I highly recommend that we send a driver for you. We have a list of reliable and responsible drivers that will communicate with you in advance and meet you as you exit the baggage / customs area, entering into the airport lobby. They will be holding a sign with your name and will happily drop you at the entrance to our 360 XQMX headquARTers. Cost is usually between $500 MXN - $700 MXN for the trip and tipping the driver 15-20% is customary.
PLEASE FORWARD YOUR FLIGHT INFORMATION. I WILL BE HAPPY TO PUT YOU IN TOUCH WITH ONE (OR SEVERAL) OF OUR DRIVERS AND YOU CAN ARRANGE YOUR PICKUP WITH THEM DIRECTLY.
Once here:
The 360 XQMX headquARTers is ideally located just blocks from the plaza and the malecon. Our location is within a residential neighborhood, but is surrounded by all of the necessities you will need while you are here. You will find two pharmacies, a grocery store, a FEDEX location, the weekly street market, a movie theater and a dozen (or more) fabulous restaurants ... all within a five minute walk. It is incredibly convenient to all of your needs.
Local Transportation:
The public bus stops directly in fron of the 360 XQMX headquARTers and heads east towards Chapala. You can catch the westbound bus, which heads to Jocotopec, just three blocks from the headquarters. Cost to travel is betwen 12 MXN to 20 MXN. We do have secure parking places, but it is not necessary to rent a car for your entire stay. If you wish to do an excursion and drive yourself, there is a reliable rental agency just a few blocks from us. A paved bikepath was constructed between Chapala and Jocotopec) and it is just three blocks from us. It is excellent for walking, running or biking and bike rental shops are also nearby.
I think that should give you plenty of information to get you started. If you have additional questions, you are welcome to email me.
