Is there diving, SCUBA or snorkeling in and around Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico?

There is no scuba diving or snorkeling in Lake Chapala because the water of this lake is muddy and not clear so you couldn’t see anything in it. Many of the local Mexicans would not consider swimming in the Lake Chapala. Sometimes there are people who come from Guadalajara that go swimming in Lake Chapala but they don’t stay in the water for a whole day.

 

During the first day of winter, December 22, the Polar Bear Club usually swims in a very...

There is no scuba diving or snorkeling in Lake Chapala because the water of this lake is muddy and not clear so you couldn’t see anything in it. Many of the local Mexicans would not consider swimming in the Lake Chapala. Sometimes there are people who come from Guadalajara that go swimming in Lake Chapala but they don’t stay in the water for a whole day.

 

During the first day of winter, December 22, the Polar Bear Club usually swims in a very cold place. Last year, they went to Lake Chapala, although it wasn’t that cold in Lake Chapala during that time. They just went in the water just to show that they are macho!

 

If you want to go scuba diving, the closest place is Manzanillo, which is 3 and a half hours away from Ajijic. You can also go to Puerto Vallarta, or Barra de Navidad, which are some of the beaches that are close by. There are lots of scuba diving spots in Manzanillo. The water is clear and lots of people go there to scuba.

 

There is a place before you reach Manzanillo coming from Ajijic, which is very famous for surfers for its the “green waves”. Green waves are very tall waves that many surfers go after during summer.

 

(Surfable waves, Manzanillo,  Mexico, pictured.) 

Scuba diving is not available in Chapala and Ajijic, but if you just love to scuba dive, you can drive for 2 hours and 30 - 45 minutes and get to different beaches. If you drive to Nayarit, you can go to all the beaches at Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita and San Pancho. If you drive to Colima, which is south of Nayarit but about the same distance or a little less from Chapala and Ajijic, you will find Manzanillo and other beaches.

 

Also, the airport is only 30...

Scuba diving is not available in Chapala and Ajijic, but if you just love to scuba dive, you can drive for 2 hours and 30 - 45 minutes and get to different beaches. If you drive to Nayarit, you can go to all the beaches at Puerto Vallarta, Sayulita and San Pancho. If you drive to Colima, which is south of Nayarit but about the same distance or a little less from Chapala and Ajijic, you will find Manzanillo and other beaches.

 

Also, the airport is only 30 minutes away, and from there you can take a plane to Cancun. Aeropuerto Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the international airport that belongs to Guadalajara, is the closest airport to Ajijic and Chapala. If you’re driving at a regular speed of 80-90 km / hour (50-56 mph) like I do, and there’s no traffic or road accidents, you’ll get to the airport from Ajijic in 25 - 30 minutes. Ajijic is closer to the airport than Guadalajara, and since it’s an international airport, you can fly to Europe, to Asia, or anywhere you want to from there.

 

(Manzanillo beach, Colima, Mexico, pictured.)

I don’t know if there are diving or snorkeling activities in Chapala and Ajijic. I don’t think that the water in Lake Chapala lends itself to those water activities.  There are parts of our lake we have trees half submerged under water, many roots and lirio (water hyacinth), which I would think make diving and snorkeling difficult and perhaps dangerous.

 

If somebody wants to go diving, we are not far from many great beaches. The closest...

I don’t know if there are diving or snorkeling activities in Chapala and Ajijic. I don’t think that the water in Lake Chapala lends itself to those water activities.  There are parts of our lake we have trees half submerged under water, many roots and lirio (water hyacinth), which I would think make diving and snorkeling difficult and perhaps dangerous.

 

If somebody wants to go diving, we are not far from many great beaches. The closest ocean from Chapala and Ajijic takes 3 or 4 hours to drive to in a car. There are quite a few beach resorts like Puerto Vallarta and Barra de Navidad you might also check out also Boca de Iguanas and Guayabitos, all of these are in the state of Jalisco, which is where Ajijic is located.  If you head towards Puerto Vallarta, you can easily drive down the coast from here and find some fabulous beaches and scuba, snorkeling or diving opportunities.  

 

( Barra de Navidad, Mexico, pictured.)

There are great places in Mexico where you can go SCUBA diving, although they’re not close to here. You'd have to go to Cancun, or the Mayan Riviera area, where the waters are incredibly clear. Cancun and the Mayan Riviera are a thousand miles from Chapala.  

 

(Beach at Akumal, Qunintana Roo, Mexico, pictured.)

There are great places in Mexico where you can go SCUBA diving, although they’re not close to here. You'd have to go to Cancun, or the Mayan Riviera area, where the waters are incredibly clear. Cancun and the Mayan Riviera are a thousand miles from Chapala.  

 

(Beach at Akumal, Qunintana Roo, Mexico, pictured.)