Best Places In The World To Retire

Mexico is divided into states. Yucatan is a state and Quintana Roo is a state, even though both are in the Yucatan Peninsula.  (The state of Yucatan has the city of Merida and many coastal areas, and the state of Quintana Roo has the better-known expat areas of Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.)  There are many, many other states in Mexico. Each state has their own laws, their own rules, and their own way of doing things, their own culture within a culture.
 
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Mexico is divided into states. Yucatan is a state and Quintana Roo is a state, even though both are in the Yucatan Peninsula.  (The state of Yucatan has the city of Merida and many coastal areas, and the state of Quintana Roo has the better-known expat areas of Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen and Tulum.)  There are many, many other states in Mexico. Each state has their own laws, their own rules, and their own way of doing things, their own culture within a culture.
 
Compared to Galveston, Texas, where I’m from, the state of Quintana Roo would be far safer.  Have you seen the crime stats in Galveston lately?
 
The state of Yucatan is somewhat of a “neutral zone.” They have a very, very low tolerance for crime of any kind in this state. Outside of this state, things can be different.   I live in Progresso, which is a small fishing village in the state of Yucatan about a half an hour drive from Merida.  Here in the Yucatan, in Progresso, I can walk around in all hours of the night or day and not worry about being bothered by anyone. If I encounter any kind of car trouble or can’t get a cab at midnight or 1 or 2 in the morning after attending a festivity, the police will give me a ride home and not think anything of it. The same is true within other areas of the state of Yucatan.  The same cannot be said, however, about the state of Quintana Roo or the state of Veracruz, and most especially, not about the state of Nuevo Leon. So the safety varies depending on your location.  I would recommend anyone who is interested in living in one of these other states to investigate fully. Do your homework before you pickup and go. 
 
Compared with Galveston, Texas, hands down, Progreso is by far the safer environment.  In the city of Merida, which has a larger population and some lower income families, there is some crime, but nothing involving people against people; just property crimes like burgled houses or cars. 
 
Here in Progresso, I don’t have burglar bars on my windows.  If the same house I’m living in in Progresso were placed in the middle of Texas, it would’ve been robbed and vandalized a million times.  Here in Progresso, I sleep with the windows open at night.  I went back to the States last February and I ended up having to go through two surgeries and I was there six months recuperating.  I came home and my house and my yard had not been touched. My housekeeper once or twice a week came in to turn it out to freshen the air, and to take care of the outside animals.  Everybody knew I was gone but yet nobody bothered my property at all. 
 
I often take walks at night completely without concern for my safety. I don’t walk the beach at night unless there’s a full moon because you can always trip and fall or step on a jellyfish, which are the little hazards that are common to beach areas. There’s no light over there where I live.  

 

(Expat Mikki James flashing a peace sign in Porgresso, Yucatan, Mexico, pictured.)

I love raising my kids here in San Juan del Sur.  SJdS Day School is perfect for our needs and our children love going there.  The school is on a self-sustainable farm in the hills above town, children see monkeys all the time, take nature walks, feed the goats, fetch the eggs, etc.  We have 25 countries represented among the group of parents and the kids learn about all the different cultures in our community.

 

Raising kids is a small town like...

I love raising my kids here in San Juan del Sur.  SJdS Day School is perfect for our needs and our children love going there.  The school is on a self-sustainable farm in the hills above town, children see monkeys all the time, take nature walks, feed the goats, fetch the eggs, etc.  We have 25 countries represented among the group of parents and the kids learn about all the different cultures in our community.

 

Raising kids is a small town like San Juan del Sur is just as challenging as anywhere else but here its just easier to step back, be patient, and enjoy the time together as a family.  Our kids are bilingual, they love mixing it up with kids in town by the playground in the parque central or down at the beach.  Many kids here take swim lessons and start surfing early, others play baseball, soccer, and even rugby now.  

 

We are a tightknit community in some regards, as we share info on pediatricians and dentists, best places to get things done for the kids, etc.  Fun activities and beautiful nature are all around us here in San Juan del Sur.  Lots of impromptu beach trips, birthday pool parties, piñatas, parades in town, pizzas on the beach for kids and sunset cocktails for the grownups! 

For many years we were really dedicated to the fishing and agriculture land and, when you’re talking about nature and agriculture lands, you’re talking about animals and when you’re talking about animals, you have pets and when you have pets you have to take them to the doctor. So there are a lot of veterinary stores around everywhere, and there are a lot of animal hospitals as well and animal hotels.  This is something that is booming as well in Portugal. 
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For many years we were really dedicated to the fishing and agriculture land and, when you’re talking about nature and agriculture lands, you’re talking about animals and when you’re talking about animals, you have pets and when you have pets you have to take them to the doctor. So there are a lot of veterinary stores around everywhere, and there are a lot of animal hospitals as well and animal hotels.  This is something that is booming as well in Portugal. 
 
At home with me I have a Labrador. In my parent’s home, I have ducks, an ostrich, three other dogs, and parrots, and I feel completely comfortable taking my dog to the vet here.  It is a bit expensive, though.  The last time I took my dog for a vaccination it cost me €120 (US $134). 
 
However, that was because I didn’t already have a relationship with the vet.  In Portugal, when you start having a good relationship with people they drop the prices to half, so the prices are not standard.  

 

(Dog in Portugal, pictured.)

There is no diving, scuba or snorkeling around Volcan or Cerro Punta since these are towns high in the mountains. The one water sport available in this immediate area is  kayaking and there is a major river that is very popular for that.

 

However, at 1:30 or 2:00 hours drive from Volcan / Cerro Punta, it is easy to find many beaches. The best area for scuba or snorkeling is in the islands of Golfo de Chiriqui National Park, pictured here.

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There is no diving, scuba or snorkeling around Volcan or Cerro Punta since these are towns high in the mountains. The one water sport available in this immediate area is  kayaking and there is a major river that is very popular for that.

 

However, at 1:30 or 2:00 hours drive from Volcan / Cerro Punta, it is easy to find many beaches. The best area for scuba or snorkeling is in the islands of Golfo de Chiriqui National Park, pictured here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What you should be most concerned about retiring abroad is to obtain a permanent residency in the country.

 

You should consider the residency visa options and  requirements of the country and determine if you would qualify for one of them. 

 

Panama, as most countries, has different programs, so your visa program choice will depend on your intentions (recreational, investment, retirement, etc.).  

Also one of the...

What you should be most concerned about retiring abroad is to obtain a permanent residency in the country.

 

You should consider the residency visa options and  requirements of the country and determine if you would qualify for one of them. 

 

Panama, as most countries, has different programs, so your visa program choice will depend on your intentions (recreational, investment, retirement, etc.).  

Also one of the most important considerations when you retire abroad is to find experienced professionals who have good references. This advice applies to everything from an attorney to a gardener.  This will save you from inconveniences and will let you feel more relaxed in your relocation.