What are the main cities, towns, communities and developments of the Chapala and Ajijic, Mexico area and what is each one like?
Chuck Bolotin - Best Mexico Movers
The relevant, overall Lake Chapala area has about 120,000 total residents, 85% or more of whom are Mexican. Although Lake Chapala is the largest lake in Mexico, the areas most expats are interested in, from Jocotepec to the town of Chapala, is only about 30 kilometers (18 miles) apart. Locals will call this area “Lakeside”. Lakeside is located on the far northwest side of the lake. Sprinkled among the areas I describe below are lots of smaller housing...
The relevant, overall Lake Chapala area has about 120,000 total residents, 85% or more of whom are Mexican. Although Lake Chapala is the largest lake in Mexico, the areas most expats are interested in, from Jocotepec to the town of Chapala, is only about 30 kilometers (18 miles) apart. Locals will call this area “Lakeside”. Lakeside is located on the far northwest side of the lake. Sprinkled among the areas I describe below are lots of smaller housing developments, some on the lake, and some in the mountains. Some of these houses are weekend houses for wealthy Guadalajarans, some are used part of the year by expat snowbirds or sweatbirds, and some are full time residences. We'll travel west to east.
Jocotepec (story about Jocotepec here) is a town centered around providing services to the farms surrounding it. Other than the town of Chapala, it would probably be the most inhabited area at Lakeside. As a percentage, there are very few expats living in Jocotepec, but there are some. Jocotepec has a beautiful malecon (boardwalk along the beach), and a very nice, vibrant, good-sized plaza with a mercado (central market) with lots of fresh fruit and vegetable stores, butchers and general food stores. It also has lots of clothing stores and a good amount of restaurants specializing in the food Jocotepec is famous for (other than its fresh berries, just picked fresh from the surrounding fields): birria, which is a spicy stew usually made of goat, which is the real deal. The retail will cater to the local clientele, which are local residents and vacationing people from Guadalajara.
San Juan Cosala. There are very few expats in the actual town of San Juan Cosala, which is almost entirely comprised of working class local Mexicans. In the hills above San Juan Cosala, however, there are several fraccionamientos (housing developments) where lots of expats live, in houses that can range from simple two bedroom, to 6,000 square foot mansions and more. There are several hotels and spas featuring the natural hot springs, which brings in visitors from throughout Mexico. Just adjacent to San Juan Cosala are about a dozen restaurants on the lake, collectively called the “Touristic Zone”.
Ajijic. The center of Ajijic contains the plaza and the town. Here you will find narrow, cobblestone streets, lots of expats and lots of restaurants and other amenities to serve the expats. (Stories about Ajijic start here.) You can get by with zero Spanish and live quite easily. The center of Ajijic is only six very short blocks from the main road to the lake. In concentric circles radiating out from Ajijic, you will get successively less noise, culture, amenities, and prices. In my view, Ajijic has the best expat center I’ve ever even read about, the Lake Chapala Society (Lake Chapala Society story here), and classes, groups, organizations, etc., to suit any reasonable needs. Ajijic is very welcoming and has great community. Towards the eastern edge of Ajijic, you will find La Floresta, which has wider streets, more spacious homes, and a feel from 1960s US suburbia, Mexican style. At the very east edge of La Floresta is Wal-Mart, which faces the Libramiento (the main north-south road leading towards Guadalajara).
Communities around the Libramiento. Essentially bisecting the east-west road of Lakeside is the Libramiento, which would in 40 minutes or so, take you to the Guadalajara airport. The Libramiento rises up and over the mountains. On the lakeside portion, you will find several communities, some brand new with spectacular homes and some that have been around for many decades, many with great mountain views.
San Antonio. Just to the east of Wal-mart is the vibrant expat community of San Antonio, which is similar to Ajijic in many respects, but for slightly less money and with slightly less amenities. There are, however, lots of restaurants, a butcher, a store to buy fish, and a supermarket catering specifically to expats, all right on the main road.
Chula Vista / Riberas. Upper (mountainside) Chula Vista has a nice golf course, with lots of nice houses surrounding it, some with spectacular views. Lower Chula Vista (on the lake side, across the main road) is much less pricey and has fewer amenities than San Antonio.
Chapala. The main road from Jocotepec essentially stops in downtown Chapala, where it intersects into a large, tree-lined boulevard with two lanes going in each direction, north and south. There are several larger, historic buildings, a permanent, large outdoor retail area, lots of Mexican restaurants, a yacht club and a long malecon. There aren’t a lot of expats in Chapala, but there are a few. Like Jocotepec, it is mainly Mexican, with Mexican amenities. Especially on the weekends, there are lots of Guadalajarans visiting.
Do I need a second passport if I retire, work, or live abroad?
Mike Cobb - ECI Development
You do not need a 2nd passport to live abroad. You don’t even need a 2nd residency to live overseas, but it certainly makes life easier and more convenient. Many people for the first year stay in country on a tourist visa and either leave the country periodically or go to immigration to have the tourist visa renewed periodically. Obtaining a permanent residency takes time and some hassle, but is worth it in the end if you decide to stay in your new home country.
You do not need a 2nd passport to live abroad. You don’t even need a 2nd residency to live overseas, but it certainly makes life easier and more convenient. Many people for the first year stay in country on a tourist visa and either leave the country periodically or go to immigration to have the tourist visa renewed periodically. Obtaining a permanent residency takes time and some hassle, but is worth it in the end if you decide to stay in your new home country.
How much does it cost for a gardener in Boquete, Panama?
Philip McGuigan - Chiriqui United, an Association of the leading humanitarian organizations in the Chiriqui Province of Panama
There is a gentleman who works as a gardener for me here in Boquete. The contract is full time for me but in effect, he also works two days a week for my next door neighbor. So he works one day a week for another neighbor and two days a week for me. Part of our contract is that I pay him a salary every week and we pay him a 13th month pay, a one month vacation, and we pay for both his side as the employee and our side as the employer of his security. We do that just because...
There is a gentleman who works as a gardener for me here in Boquete. The contract is full time for me but in effect, he also works two days a week for my next door neighbor. So he works one day a week for another neighbor and two days a week for me. Part of our contract is that I pay him a salary every week and we pay him a 13th month pay, a one month vacation, and we pay for both his side as the employee and our side as the employer of his security. We do that just because we want to make sure that he and his family are comfortable. That is the way most people do it here.
If you are running a coffee plantation, you cannot afford to do that, but in my case, this is a guy who is in my house all the time and he is someone I have already gotten to really know. I have lunch with him every single day he works for me so what we have is a different employee-employer relationship. I think if you are running a finca (farm), you may not want to get so close to your employees, whereas if you are having a guy who is helping you inside and outside your house, that is a different deal.
Belize is one of the greatest places in the world to raise children. I have two children. One is 26 now and the other one is 22. I'm bringing up another one who is 8 years old and I have another one who is 18.
Of my two older children, one of them lives with me now, but my oldest lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. They've had great lives. The education system here in Belize is very good. Academically, it's excellent. When it comes to...
Belize is one of the greatest places in the world to raise children. I have two children. One is 26 now and the other one is 22. I'm bringing up another one who is 8 years old and I have another one who is 18.
Of my two older children, one of them lives with me now, but my oldest lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. They've had great lives. The education system here in Belize is very good. Academically, it's excellent. When it comes to sports it’s lacking, but that's not important to me. Academics is far more important. And they do really well. No problems at all.
Mostly what happens is that school for the first six years is run by the churches, so in my case my kids went to the Catholic school. One of the reasons we chose a Catholic school is that their mother was Catholic, but we also chose it because of all the religious schools, it's the best. I guess they get the best teachers because they pay more money, but I'm not sure about that.
After that there are high schools, which they call college here. Even though they’re public schools, you have to pay for them to go (I believe, around US $400 per year), and it's very good. These schools are very difficult, very strenuous, and if you make it, great. But if you don't then you have to go to another school where you can start all over again.
We live in a town outside of Corozal, with a population of about 12,000 people. I think that a lot of what’s going on in North America is trickling down here. For example, my 8 year old now plays around with her laptop, phone, etc. all the time.
From the time that they start school to the time that they finish school, the students here wear uniforms, every day. Nobody is any better or any less than the next person, which is important. I know they tried that in the States, and I think it's truly important. I don't think it's fair for someone to go to school wearing $500 to $600 worth of clothing and the next kid has $50 worth of clothing. So here in Belize, everybody wears uniforms. It’s all straight forward. What college you’re from, what high school you’re from, etc. determines your uniform.
(School kids from August Pine Ridge, Belize in their uniforms, pictured.)
How's the surf and surfing in and around Nicaragua?
Barry Oliver - Surfing Nahua
I want to say there aren’t any surfing spots in Nicaragua because I like to keep it as low-key as possible, but Nicaragua has some of the best surf spots in the world. You can see that by a lot of the pros who have come into the country in the last 3-5 years and shot and produced videos that were then sent out for sale.
If you get up to northern Nicaragua, there are more waves within a 5-mile coastline than anywhere in the world. You can compare that...
I want to say there aren’t any surfing spots in Nicaragua because I like to keep it as low-key as possible, but Nicaragua has some of the best surf spots in the world. You can see that by a lot of the pros who have come into the country in the last 3-5 years and shot and produced videos that were then sent out for sale.
If you get up to northern Nicaragua, there are more waves within a 5-mile coastline than anywhere in the world. You can compare that to the Seven Mile Miracle on the North Shore in Hawaii. We’ve got what I call the Five Mile Miracle in Nicaragua. Nicaragua has super heavy powerful waves like The Boom, and the super easy learning waves like Nahualapa Bay or Playa Saint Maria.
Also good surfing spots are Madera Negra, Punta Punta Aposentillo, Rocky Point, and Coco Loco Surf Break. All of those are packed into the 5-mile stretch of coastline in northern Nicaragua up by the Marina Punta del Sol in the state of Chinandega.
Surfing is a pretty important part of the culture in Nicaragua. The surfing culture of the foreigners are also coming in, and the young kids are coming up and are really starting to rip it up. The foreigners moving in are bringing in surfboards and teaching the kids in Nicaragua how to surf. We’re at the point where the kids are actually teaching us how to surf. A lot of kids 14-22 years old are surfing really well and are having fun doing it.
Are there natural disasters like flooding, earthquakes, fire or hurricanes in Algarve?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
There are natural disasters in Algarve but we have not had one for many centuries. The entire country of Portugal is actually on an earthquake zone. The last major earthquake was in 1755, so it was clearly some time ago.
The Algarve gets tens, if not hundreds, of little ground tremors, which are sometimes too weak to be felt by a human being, but they do happen because we are on an earthquake zone.
The Algarve is...
There are natural disasters in Algarve but we have not had one for many centuries. The entire country of Portugal is actually on an earthquake zone. The last major earthquake was in 1755, so it was clearly some time ago.
The Algarve gets tens, if not hundreds, of little ground tremors, which are sometimes too weak to be felt by a human being, but they do happen because we are on an earthquake zone.
The Algarve is not a flooding zone. The biggest risk or the biggest natural disaster, I would say, that the Algarve faces is brush fires. There are a lot of natural areas that are fairly dense with shrubs and bushes. Unfortunately, we have bush fires every 5 to 6 years. The bush fires here are not at the scale of the bush fires that happen in Australia or California but nonetheless, it is probably the biggest natural disaster on a local level. However, very rarely does a home get damaged by bush fires. The last that I remember where a house got burned or damaged by a bush fire happened around 10 years ago when there was a bush fire in the Eastern Algarve. Because the fires mostly happen in the densely foliated areas, the density of homes in these areas is also very low. The loss of property is fortunately low and the loss of life is very rare. There could be a loss of sheep or cattle, which are generally a loss of natural environment rather than a physical, material, or human loss.
Relevant to flooding, about two months ago, Algarve had probably one of the worst floods that occurred in Albufeira in living memory. Generally, flooding is not common here in the Algarve because we are in an area where there is very little rain. We are always praying for rain. What happens in some coastal towns, because they built their buildings very close to the water, is that they get flooded when it is a high tide and it is a full moon. This is what happened in Albufeira a few months ago. There are other villages that are prone to flooding such as Ferragudo, and the downtown area of Tavira. So, overall, there are one or two towns or villages that can be flooded but flooding is not a common thing.
Relative to hurricanes, they don’t happen here in Portugal. We send them towards the US; we don’t receive them. The hurricanes start typically in an area near the Cape Verde Islands, then tend to go towards the West Coast of Africa, and then towards the East Coast of the US. We have high winds and we sometimes have windy days but gale force winds are very rare.
( Tile mural of Lisbon before the Portuguese earthquake in 1755, pictured.)
To take a line from his own newsletter, Nica Nuggets, for and about the expats of Granada, Nicaragua, Darrell Bushnell is as busy as a one-legged rooster in a three-story hen house. Jet Metier talks to the man who mesmerizes her with his tales of his life in the land of fresh water sharks and steaming volcanoes.
Jet Metier: How are you Darrell? How are Amy and the dogs? I like to think of you starting the morning doing something wonderful and unique...
The expat story "Things are a changing here…” about the situation in Coronado, Panama, does not present a knowledgeable picture of the area. It was written with no updated information and worse, distorted facts.
The area is booming with new low-rise beach condos and high-rises, but low-rise condos have priority so as to keep the area less crowded and there is no obstruction of sea and mountain views, which are...
Bocas Del Toro is located in the Republic of Panama on the Caribbean side of the country. The coastal views are of lush tropical trees, shrubs, flowers and beaches. Many islands dot the ocean in this beautiful mystical blue water paradise.
You can get to Bocas del Toro by plane from Panama City or from Costa Rica's airport at San Jose. Buses have regular scheduled trips, and there are many car rental locations in the country of Panama: Thrifty Car...
The relevant, overall Lake Chapala area has about 120,000 total residents, 85% or more of whom are Mexican. Although Lake Chapala is the largest lake in Mexico, the areas most expats are interested in, from Jocotepec to the town of Chapala, is only about 30 kilometers (18 miles) apart. Locals will call this area “Lakeside”. Lakeside is located on the far northwest side of the lake. Sprinkled among the areas I describe below are lots of smaller housing....png)
You don’t even need a 2nd residency to live overseas, but it certainly makes life easier and more convenient. Many people for the first year stay in country on a tourist visa and either leave the country periodically or go to immigration to have the tourist visa renewed periodically. Obtaining a permanent residency takes time and some hassle, but is worth it in the end if you decide to stay in your new home country.
Belize is one of the greatest places in the world to raise children. I have two children. One is 26 now and the other one is 22. I'm bringing up another one who is 8 years old and I have another one who is 18. 
I want to say there aren’t any surfing spots in Nicaragua because I like to keep it as low-key as possible, but Nicaragua has some of the best surf spots in the world. You can see that by a lot of the pros who have come into the country in the last 3-5 years and shot and produced videos that were then sent out for sale. 
There are natural disasters in Algarve but we have not had one for many centuries. The entire country of Portugal is actually on an earthquake zone. The last major earthquake was in 1755, so it was clearly some time ago. 
The expat story "
Panama on the Caribbean side of the country. The coastal views are of lush tropical trees, shrubs, flowers and beaches. Many islands dot the ocean in this beautiful mystical blue water paradise.