Mexico’s largest freshwater lake, Chapala, is about an hour’s drive from Guadalajara. The towns of Chapala and Ajijic on the north shore of the lake are magnets for ex-pats because of the mild climate, low cost of living,  easy access to a big city, and proximity to an international airport.

They’re also damn cute, especially Ajijic, with its cobblestoned centro and colorfully painted colonial-style buildings.