What are the worst places in Mexico to live and retire?
Kristin Wilson - Orbis Relocation
The worst places to live in Mexico are probably places where the crime rate is the highest or the murder rate is the highest. They is really no reason to go to a place like that unless you have family or a specific reason to go there.
Some people have an idea of what they want Mexico to be in their heads. So if you’re looking for palm trees and white sand beaches and crystal clear water like you’d find in the Yucatan...
The worst places to live in Mexico are probably places where the crime rate is the highest or the murder rate is the highest. They is really no reason to go to a place like that unless you have family or a specific reason to go there.
Some people have an idea of what they want Mexico to be in their heads. So if you’re looking for palm trees and white sand beaches and crystal clear water like you’d find in the Yucatan Peninsula, the worst place to go would be Tijuana or Rosarito, because Tijuana is crowded, it’s the border town, the water is cold, and the beaches are a little bit barren. It’s the same in Rosarito—it’s cold, it’s very spread out, it’s got rocky beaches, and it’s completely different from, for example, Cancun. So the worst place to go would be somewhere that doesn’t align with your expectations.
Some people hate the hot weather and they wouldn’t be caught dead in the Yucatan Peninsula but they would love it in Northern Baja, where the temperature and climate is the same as California. So it just depends on If you’re looking for a beach town and a laid-back lifestyle like Puerto Vallarta don’t move to Mexico City and vice versa. If you’re looking for a cosmopolitan city living don’t move to a beach town in the middle of nowhere.
(Horses and camels on the beach at Rosarita Beach, Mexico, picutred.)
Does Belize believe in property rights and the rule of law, or is Belize more corrupt?
Phil Hahn - Carmelita Gardens
When people ask me if there is corruption in Belize my rejoinder is, “What is your standard?” It doesn’t seem to matter where you are from, politicians and those with authority do wacky things and Belize is no different.
However, property rights are sacred in Belize. It is a tradition established by the British and ingrained in the Constitution of Belize. It is first mentioned in the Preamble, “WHEREAS the people of Belize . . . require policies of state...
When people ask me if there is corruption in Belize my rejoinder is, “What is your standard?” It doesn’t seem to matter where you are from, politicians and those with authority do wacky things and Belize is no different.
However, property rights are sacred in Belize. It is a tradition established by the British and ingrained in the Constitution of Belize. It is first mentioned in the Preamble, “WHEREAS the people of Belize . . . require policies of state which protect . . . the rights of the individual to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; which preserve the right of the individual to the ownership of private property and the right to operate private businesses . . .” Private Property is addressed again in Part II: Protection of Fundamental Rights and Freedoms, “Whereas every person in Belize is entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the . . . protection for his family life, his personal privacy, the privacy of his home and other property . . . “
Belizeans take the right to property ownership and privacy very seriously, which makes it one of the best places in the world to own property.
Just as private property rights are enumerated in the Constitution of Belize, so is the Rule of Law, “WHEREAS the people of Belize . . . recognise that men and institutions remain free only when freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and upon the rule of law;”
(The first home built by Carmelita Residences, a ruralist community on the Belize River, Belize, pictured.)
How bad are the mosquitoes and other bugs and insects in Bocas Del Toro, Panama?
Shai Gold - International-Triage Medical Networks
The mosquitos and bugs in Bocas del Tor area present a challenge to folks who live there and can be a health hazard to visitors who under-estimate the risk associated with mosquito-borne diseases such as Denue, Yellow Fever, Chigges, etc.
Suggestions:
Visit the US Embassy web page and search for health advisories in Bocas del Toro. They have current data.
Google the same question and get a ton of responses.
The mosquitos and bugs in Bocas del Tor area present a challenge to folks who live there and can be a health hazard to visitors who under-estimate the risk associated with mosquito-borne diseases such as Denue, Yellow Fever, Chigges, etc.
Suggestions:
Visit the US Embassy web page and search for health advisories in Bocas del Toro. They have current data.
Google the same question and get a ton of responses.
Note that many tropical diseases start with flu type symptoms (fever, weakness, headache). If you experience ANY symptoms head to the nearest ER. Service is typically effective and rather affordable even in the most expensive hospital in Panama ($135.00 for ER visit inclusive of the doctor's fee). Insist on getting tested for Dengue (most common T.D.). Note that the Dengue test has a 50% false/negative and must be repeated after 10 days.
BE WELL and STAY HEALTHY. In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, do not hesitate to contact our office for medical evacuation from any part of Panama to the capital city or to Miami.
Nicaragua enjoys being a safe place to live. I've lived there over twelve years and my car was once broken into when I foolishly left my carryon luggage on the back seat while having lunch in an unfamiliar neighborhood in Estili. The police took fingerprints of the entire car and gave me a detailed report which my insurance company in the US honored.
I'm driving about six hours a week or more and I've been stopped less frequently in the last couple...
Nicaragua enjoys being a safe place to live. I've lived there over twelve years and my car was once broken into when I foolishly left my carryon luggage on the back seat while having lunch in an unfamiliar neighborhood in Estili. The police took fingerprints of the entire car and gave me a detailed report which my insurance company in the US honored.
I'm driving about six hours a week or more and I've been stopped less frequently in the last couple of years, and always the transito police have been polite and fair. When beckoned over, I always turn off my engine, lower my window and have my documents ready without being asked. I greet the officer with a smile and a cheerful "buenos dias." I wait patiently with respect and am more often than not treated with respect. If I have broken a silly law I will try and negotiate showing my second wallet without many cords ("cordobas"; Nicaraguan money) in it. If its something more serious I have taken the "multa" and paid the fine which is usually cheap and now handled through the mail ... mostly.
How's the weather in Algarve? What's the average temperature in Algarve?
Sarah Locke - Tavira House & Home
The Algarve has the perfect climate. It is dry and sunny for most of the year with an annual average temperature of 82ᵒF in the summer and 54ᵒF during the winter. The long summer here lasts from May to September where temperatures range from 75ᵒF in early summer to a heady 89ᵒF in the mid-summer months of July and August. The climate, combined with miles of pristine beaches and calm seas, make the Algarve a perfect holiday or retirement destination. The Algarvean winter is...
The Algarve has the perfect climate. It is dry and sunny for most of the year with an annual average temperature of 82ᵒF in the summer and 54ᵒF during the winter. The long summer here lasts from May to September where temperatures range from 75ᵒF in early summer to a heady 89ᵒF in the mid-summer months of July and August. The climate, combined with miles of pristine beaches and calm seas, make the Algarve a perfect holiday or retirement destination. The Algarvean winter is short and clement. Most of the rain falls during this time but the sun still shines and temperatures never go below 45ᵒF. They vary between 65ᵒF during the day and 50ᵒF at night.
It is interesting to note that the East Algarve is slightly warmer and less windy than the west, mainly due to its secluded location away from the open Atlantic Ocean. The climate is mainly dry with some the rainfall in the winter months of November, December, January and February, but even in the winter the skies are blue and sharp with brilliant sunshine and amazing light quality. This could explain the Algarve´s year round popularity with ex pats and tourists alike, also making it a number one European retirement location.
(Whitewashed church in Tavira, Portugal, pictured.)
One of the worst reasons to retire overseas is expecting everything to be very cheap. It’s not. I lived in Hawaii for a year and 90% of everything in Hawaii is imported, so it is cheaper to go out to eat. It is the same in Panama. There are things in Panama that do come from the US, but you pay the extra cost of having that.
Panama is a developing nation and the rising standards of living reflect that. Some retirement companies seduce people by...
One of the worst reasons to retire overseas is expecting everything to be very cheap. It’s not. I lived in Hawaii for a year and 90% of everything in Hawaii is imported, so it is cheaper to go out to eat. It is the same in Panama. There are things in Panama that do come from the US, but you pay the extra cost of having that.
Panama is a developing nation and the rising standards of living reflect that. Some retirement companies seduce people by saying that you can buy a beach house for US $59,000. Well, there may be something out there for that amount, but it would be a shack on a beach that is not yet developed.
Some retirement companies tell people that the price of fuel, groceries, and similar things in the US is very cheap here in Panama, and that is not 100% true. They make people go to their seminars. You will pay for your own flight; you will pay a ridiculous amount for your hotel accommodation in Panama City. Then they have seminars and they rush people to different places, such as to an immigration attorney they know, who will fix people’s paperwork. If you want to buy property, they will tell you to go to a specific attorney, and they all get paid under the table for things that we do at no charge, and that is disappointing for us.
An emerging personal finance trend has seen retirees and people in pre-retirement making investments in foreign real estate, especially in emerging markets. The potential benefits are very enticing; these regions are seeing growth and appreciation rates that exceed those in domestic markets, and there’s built-in potential for generating income by renting the property to vacationers. Best of all, you can live there yourself during the cold-weather months and say goodbye to winter for the...
In the period of less than half a day, our senses and emotions had experienced quite a workout. In the morning, we were on a ferry in the Sea of Cortez, headed towards Mazatlan. In Mazatlan, we were treated to an entirely new concept: jungle in an urban setting. From there, we had found the toll road, breezed through green and wooded highland farmland, and then gradually descended into a profusion of jungle, not only on the sides of the road, but overhead, as we glided...
So there we were. Bored, in the jungle, and getting jungle fever. We were looking to socialize over beers, snacks, and music, all while working out and having fun. The solution (according to our teacher, who came from the UK) was obvious: line dancing.
First, we needed a venue, which turned out to be this open air restaurant / bar in the center of town called Hode’s place. Perfect!!
The worst places to live in Mexico are probably places where the crime rate is the highest or the murder rate is the highest. They is really no reason to go to a place like that unless you have family or a specific reason to go there. .png)
When people ask me if there is corruption in Belize my rejoinder is, “What is your standard?” It doesn’t seem to matter where you are from, politicians and those with authority do wacky things and Belize is no different.
The Algarve has the perfect climate. It is dry and sunny for most of the year with an annual average temperature of 82ᵒF in the summer and 54ᵒF during the winter. The long summer here lasts from May to September where temperatures range from 75ᵒF in early summer to a heady 89ᵒF in the mid-summer months of July and August. The climate, combined with miles of pristine beaches and calm seas, make the Algarve a perfect holiday or retirement destination. The Algarvean winter is...
An emerging personal finance trend has seen retirees and people in pre-retirement making investments in foreign real estate, especially in emerging markets. The potential benefits are very enticing; these regions are seeing growth and appreciation rates that exceed those in domestic markets, and there’s built-in potential for generating income by renting the property to vacationers. Best of all, you can live there yourself during the cold-weather months and say goodbye to winter for the...
In the period of less than half a day, our senses and emotions had experienced quite a workout. In the morning, we were on a ferry in the Sea of Cortez, headed towards Mazatlan. In Mazatlan, we were treated to an entirely new concept: jungle in an urban setting. From there, we had found the toll road, breezed through green and wooded highland farmland, and then gradually descended into a profusion of jungle, not only on the sides of the road, but overhead, as we glided...
So how did this all start?