Sayula

Sayula is one of the stand-out charming little towns of Jalisco. At the verysouthern tip of the fantastic Sayula wetlands, it's a landscape of green houses and farm fields. Perhaps most famously, it was the land of Juan Rulfo, one of Mexico's most important 20-century writers. He single-handedly etched an idea of the area, its towns, hopes, and struggles, into the national consciousness and that memory lives on very much today. 

Today, people visit especially for Carnival in February, but even more so for the performance of El ánima de Sayula (The Soul of Sayula) nightly in the porticos of the main town square every April. It's a fantastic setting and one that gives insight into the hearts and minds of the entire region. Of course, the traditional Plaza de Armas, the Temple of the Immaculate Conception, and the Museum of Sacred Art give testimony to the region's great wealth year round. The Juan Rulfo House of Culture also houses two museums that can broaden the understanding of any visitor.

The cuachala, a traditional chicken stew made with the regionally celebrated cuachalo chili is available nearly year round in either of the two big central markets. These are on either side of the esplanade and town kiosk. Make sure to try the pomegranate punch, too.

With a population just under 30,000, Sayula is a Pueblo Mágico, but not quite even as big as a town. It;s just big enough to offer the full range of accommodations, and it has its fair share of fans who come back every year. Many guests will come south from the Chapala area. It takes just under two hours from Ajijic. From Guadalajara, it takes about two hours also, and Sur de Jalisco bus lines runs the route every hour.