Why would you go to downtown anyway? By the way I did for the fleamarket, and nobody shot me...
You go to Cancun for the beach and for the bars and resorts, not for the city. But as I mentioned earlier in this thread, 2 hours South is were the real fun is.
Personally I wouldn't stay in one spot for a whole month, I would rather have 2 x 2 weeks or maybe 3 x 10 days in different spots. Spice it up baby!!!
Sure, no problem in Cancun when you go there for vacation. But the title of the thread is " Best Caribbean or Central America location to retire?" and I think when somebody wants to live there, they want to move around too.
Peter Schiff's thoughts on real estate purchasing outside of the U.S. like Latin America.
He also mentions foreign equities that are based on foreign rental properties with rent
paid as dividends.
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Yes I also found a Yahoo Group that has a lot of gringo/expat members with great info and can answer questions timely. While I was in Ecuador I also got almost all questions answered about visa's, importing, etc and met a lot of good contacts, both expats and locals alike to make it a smooth transition.
Congrats @Big Mike, looking forward to seeing/hearing about your trip and the land you purchased.
Also interested if/when you get the time to post deciding factors +'s and -'s on Ecuador vs other countries you were looking at.
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Thank you.
Hard to believe it's two years since I started this thread, and of course this dream has lived in me much longer than that. I will meet my goal to retire before 40 (turn 36 next month), but more importantly, I am really looking forward to the more relaxed lifestyle of Ecuador.
And it doesn't hurt that I am building on a golf course... that will keep me busy, active and a nice tan! Then just drive 5 minutes to the beach as needed for some sightseeing...
Congratulations Mike!!! Well deserved for such a hard working person. I know very few people who have accomplished what your about to enjoy. Your post should be an inspiration to all of us, especially the younger members here on futures.io (formerly BMT).
Rick
ps.........I am looking for a new winter vacation spot
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I highly recommend Ecuador
65-80 degrees F most days, 90% of the year, little to no rain, and always a constant breeze.
There are actually many micro climates in Ecuador. I experienced them driving up and down the coast, with some big differences -- up to 20 degrees F different, drastic differences in overcast or rainfall as well. This happens due to the location on the Equator.
The place I selected sees clear days something like 340 days a year. You can find rentals for $500 a month and it's a 4 hour flight from Miami, 8 from Dallas.
I also really loved the food. They have a fantastic sauce called Aji (pronounced ah-hee) that everyone makes fresh and has their own twist on. I loved it, it goes on all meat, rice, anything really. Fantastic food down there. Immediately could taste the freshness of the seafood. Found that far less food leaves me far more satisfied. Had my first Americanized meal in the airport on the layover on the flight back, and it was just pathetic. Loaded with salt to hide the lack of real taste. Felt terrible after eating it, slow, bloated. I could tell the exact opposite while in Ecuador, the food was just that good, and you can get it everywhere.
The street vendors have some fantastic food for dirt cheap. At a sit down air conditioned restaurant five people had a fantastic lunch and it was $2.50 per person plus VAT at 12% plus tip at 10%.
While in Manta we dined at the #1 rated restaurant twice, called Martinica Restaurant - Manta Ecuador - Restaurantes en Manta Ecuador -- I had the best steak of my life there, you could cut it with a fork. Total bill for four people out the door, including wine and beer and four expensive menu items was $125. I've had $500 bills at Smith and Wollensky that didn't compare in terms of the quality of the food.
Anyway, I have lots more to share when I have some time to get to everything.
As some of you know, I will be moving to Ecuador soon (next 6 months or so is the idea).
For many years I have had a desire to leave the States and pursue a simpler and more relaxed environment with great weather. I documented some of this over the …
This thread will remain open for anyone else looking to do something similar on their own and exploring their options...
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Hi Mike,
I've done extensive research on this topic and I also have been to quite a number of countries.
If you can speak some Spanish, I highly recommend Uruguay, it really is the best country overall in Central/South America and Caribbean!
If you really have to find a country is these areas that speaks English, my top choice would be Turks & Caicos. Since it's a tiny country, there's a lack of some modern amenities such as big shopping malls, etc. And the fastest internet connection I know over there is 8MB/s, if that's not fast enough for you, you can pretty much forget about living in the Caribbean.
I have tons of info on Turks & Caicos so if you want more details please let me know. I don't speak Spanish and I suck at learning a new language otherwise I'd be typing this message from Uruguay right now. Seriously, I really envy people who can speak Spanish.
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Mr.You,
Out of all the English-speaking countries in Central/South America and Caribbean, Turks & Caicos (one country) is the one with the lowest crime rate and has fewer encounters with major hurricanes, that's why I it's my top choice in the region. Also, it's relatively easily to get a residence visa, here's a good link describing the requirement: Immigration and Residency in Turks & Caicos Islands
North Providenciales is the most expensive, upscale, and somewhat safer. Properties outside of the main island (Providenciales) is much cheaper, and the investment requirement (in order to obtain a residence visa) there is much lower than the one in main island. Like many Caribbean countries, T&C has lots of mosquitoes, so you need to be prepared for that.
My wife and I have decided to retire in Costa Rica on the pacific side near the tip of the Nicoya Penensula.
We have traveled a lot in Latin America and have visited Costa Rica many times.
Our next visit is for 5 weeks including the month of Nov
We have been looking at property for a couple years but we will most likely live in our decided destination for a few years before buying. We will continue to look at property but the rent is cheap so there is no hurry
Good luck fellow adventurers
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It is a concern and I will jump on the right deal if it comes along.
Making the right choice in property is more important to me than price. We are looking at land and plan to build.
So there is a lot of effort to putting it all together. And the process will take years.
I also own a house on Long Island that I plan to hold on to. If appreciation happens I will catch it there.
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American Virgin Islands
try there also, and guess what?
you're existing residency visa(s) work there also!, just your state license is required (preferrably the newer certified licenses), which also allow travel throughout the Caribbean countries w/o passport.....
This article looks at some good locations. BBC - Capital - The best places to retire for the adventurous
What interested me most was the tax situation Nicaragua. It looks like a good set-up for a trader : The Nicaraguan government also operates a generous retiree benefit programme, with tax incentives for expats, most notably tax exemptions on outside-of-country earnings. The key requirements are for applicants to be 45 years of age or older and to have a stable monthly income of at least $600.
I was there many years ago-- the early 90's--and it was an adventure, but not a desirable place to live. I assume things have improved a lot since. Any word from someone who lives there/been there recently ?
It's been a while. This is Mike Winfrey. Hope you remember me. But won't be offended if you don't. Looks like you made the move to Ecuador. That's why I'm writing. Wondering how you like it and wondering what you can offer as to experiences. Just starting the research and thought of you. I've done a bit of research on the web but it'll help more I think to hear from first hand experience. Anything you offer is appreciated. I intend to buy property so I can develop the land the way I want.
Hope you and your dogs are doing well and that your hand is better than you expected.
As some of you know, I will be moving to Ecuador soon (next 6 months or so is the idea).
For many years I have had a desire to leave the States and pursue a simpler and more relaxed environment with great weather. I documented some of this over the …
Mike has a lifetime of experiences shared there about the move, living there etc.
Rejoice in the Thunderstorms of Life . . .
Knowing it's not about Clouds or Wind. . .
But Learning to Dance in the Rain ! ! !
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Verde with envy.
