Best Places In The World To Retire

Rafting is not great in the Algarve because there are not steep and fast flowing rivers here. Kayaking and canoeing, however, are good.

 

We have two, large navigable courses in Algarve, the Guadiana River on the border with Spain, which is the largest, and the Arade River, which comes down from the mountains and flows into the sea between Portimão and Ferragudo. Those are fantastic courses because they are quite flat and there are a number of courses along the...

Rafting is not great in the Algarve because there are not steep and fast flowing rivers here. Kayaking and canoeing, however, are good.

 

We have two, large navigable courses in Algarve, the Guadiana River on the border with Spain, which is the largest, and the Arade River, which comes down from the mountains and flows into the sea between Portimão and Ferragudo. Those are fantastic courses because they are quite flat and there are a number of courses along the shores where you can stop your car and load your canoe into the water and paddle from there and back. There are also a number of inlets, which allow you to do even more sheltered canoeing.

 

There is also a fantastic picnic spot, where there is a boat ramp called Sítio das Fontes, in municipality of Lagoa. This is a wonderful place to take your family out for a picnic and take your kayak or canoe and go out from there even with the youngsters so you could teach them to kayak or canoe for the first time. There is no difficulty or risk of being on a big river.

 

The Arade River, which is used for the canoeing and kayaking, is also used for jet skis. The daughter of an Italian family that settled in the Algarve was the world champion jet skier for I believe 3 years in a row and she trained on Arade River, so it is big enough for this kind of activity. In the estuary at Portimão, the World Series powerboat competition is held once a year. They come to Algarve every year and people come to the banks to see these very powerful boats on the edge as they drive around the estuary and the river.

 

In addition to the jet skiing, here is calm kayaking on these rivers. You will see the people paddling up and down from a number of the beaches such as the Batata Beach in Lagos, the Dona Ana Beach in Lagos as well, and others that often have kayaks for rent. On a calm day you can paddle along the coastline and go into the caves and onto the little inlets of the coast. 99% of all kayaking and paddling here in the Algarve is of the quiet type. 

 

There is also some kayaking on the southeast of the Algarve, but strangely enough, not as much as in other areas. The reason is that the whole estuary area called Ria de Tavira, which has low lying islands, sand banks, and the like, is very large and the distances are quite great. You would find that most of the people who explore the river in this area do so in small, motorized boats.

 

(Sítio das Fontes, Portugal,  pictured.)

In Nicaragua, you can get by with just English because a lot of people here do speak English but it is not our main language. Our main language is Spanish. If you speak even just mediocre Spanish, you’ll certainly get by so at least try to learn mediocre Spanish. You want to be able to order in a restaurant even if you do it with little hand gestures because nobody will go out of their way to speak English for you.
 
I saw a couple of Asians who were really struggling and...

In Nicaragua, you can get by with just English because a lot of people here do speak English but it is not our main language. Our main language is Spanish. If you speak even just mediocre Spanish, you’ll certainly get by so at least try to learn mediocre Spanish. You want to be able to order in a restaurant even if you do it with little hand gestures because nobody will go out of their way to speak English for you.
 
I saw a couple of Asians who were really struggling and the guy tried speaking in English.  The girl at the counter tells him that she doesn’t understand what he’s saying so I intervened for him and he looked like he had the biggest relief ever. You do need Spanish because Nicaragua is a Spanish-speaking country, unless you go to the Atlantic side, where you can go and speak English all you want.
 
If you go to the expat areas, then you don’t have to speak Spanish. My husband has gotten around for 3 or 4 years here in Nicaragua without speaking ANY Spanish but he also had me. If you have somebody who can help you out then you’re good to go. Now my husband can speak mediocre Spanish; he can order stuff on the phone and make himself understood.

 

(Marissa Lolk's Danish husband dressed as a Viking representing Norway in a parade in Nicaragua, pictured.)

There are several things to be concerned about when considering retiring abroad.

 

The most important consideration should probably be safety and security.  Is the place you are considering safe?  What is the crime rate?  Do the locals dislike your country or your country's politics?  Is there violence against foreigners?  Is it a war zone?  What does the local government look like?  Is it a police state?

 

...

There are several things to be concerned about when considering retiring abroad.

 

The most important consideration should probably be safety and security.  Is the place you are considering safe?  What is the crime rate?  Do the locals dislike your country or your country's politics?  Is there violence against foreigners?  Is it a war zone?  What does the local government look like?  Is it a police state?

 

After safety you should look at economics.  Can I afford to retire here?  What will it cost for housing, food, and the lifestyle I desire?  Is it very expensive?

 

At the other end of the spectrum, if it is a cheap place, why is it cheap?  Is there infrastructure, and if so, is it reliable?  Is there a police force of any kind?  How are the roads?  Can you get there reliably, and can you get out if you need to?

 

After you've decided that a location is safe and affordable, ask yourself if this is a place where you could spend a lot of time.  What kind of things are there to do?  Are there other people around that would be fun to spend time with?  Will you get bored?

 

When you've found a place that checks all the right boxes and you are excited about the possibilities of a new adventure, many people recommend that you go there and rent for a few months to "try the place on."  This seems like good advice.

 

Keep an open mind, an open heart, and stay flexible.  You are not in Kansas anymore.