Best Places In The World To Retire

Kayaking in Ambergris Caye is absolutely amazing. It is endless. You will be on see-through, turquois water. The water is very clear because when you are inside the reef, there are no waves so you will see stingrays, dolphins, pelicans, and everything around you. There is nothing better for me than going kayaking with my dog, Shaggy (pictured)!

 

You can also kayaking outside the reef. The advantage of being on Ambergris Caye is that the reef is fairly close. The...

Kayaking in Ambergris Caye is absolutely amazing. It is endless. You will be on see-through, turquois water. The water is very clear because when you are inside the reef, there are no waves so you will see stingrays, dolphins, pelicans, and everything around you. There is nothing better for me than going kayaking with my dog, Shaggy (pictured)!

 

You can also kayaking outside the reef. The advantage of being on Ambergris Caye is that the reef is fairly close. The reef is only about half a kilometer so it is easy to go kayaking outside of the reef if you want to. There is an opening to the reef right in front of Gran Baymen and Exotic Caye and once you are on the reef, you will get the bigger swells and the big blue ocean. The reef here is a spur and groove formation. There are fingers of coral that reach out into the sea so you still have about 40 feet under you and then, it drops down anywhere from 500 to 1,000 feet, which is the shelf. So it’s spectacular.

 

If you are adventurous person, like myself, I will go out on the reef on a day when the waves are not too big and enjoy big rollers and it is a lot of fun. If you can surf the waves, that will be even more fun. We have stand up paddleboards to enjoy. If you are a little bit more into the cruising, then you can stay inside the reef and it is fantastic. You will be paddling around docks and you will see other water enthusiasts like wind surfers or kite boarders, other kayakers or swimmers out in the water with you. It is a lot of fun.

 

And about the safety, the waters of Ambergris Caye is absolutely safe. It is safer to be in the water than in the bars!

 

There are also rivers and mangrove areas, but they are behind the island. You can also go in there if you want to. Rafting is also available here out in the San Ignacio area. We used to run a lot of white-water trips on the Belmopan River. The mouth of the Belmopan River is in Guatemala and it travels from Guatemala, through Belize, and out to the ocean. That is where they run an exciting race every year called La Ruta Maya. This event has brought a lot of Belizean people into the sport of river paddling. I am very fond of it. I competed in that race about 10 years ago. I was actually one of the only women teams in the race, and my girlfriend and myself won it.

We didn't have a car for the first 2.5 years we lived in Managua. I had a trustworthy and very reliable taxi driver with whom I organized most of my trips in Managua. We also used the Mini Express buses to get into town and to travel to Masaya, Granada or León.

 

While it is possible to get along without a car, it's far easier when you have one. Especially if you want to go out at night it can be difficult to get transportation, at least when you live in...

We didn't have a car for the first 2.5 years we lived in Managua. I had a trustworthy and very reliable taxi driver with whom I organized most of my trips in Managua. We also used the Mini Express buses to get into town and to travel to Masaya, Granada or León.

 

While it is possible to get along without a car, it's far easier when you have one. Especially if you want to go out at night it can be difficult to get transportation, at least when you live in Carretera Sur, as we do. Despite offering to pay a premium, I sometimes could not find a taxi driver to pick me up from my house in the evening and take me to town. Getting back home from town is easier.

 

(Bell tower of the Basilica Catedral de la Asuncion, Leon, Nicaragua, pictured.)

There is absolutely no need to renounce or relinquish your US citizenship if you want to move or live abroad. I don’t have dual citizenship. You don’t have to have dual citizenship when living abroad, but there may be an advantage having one, especially if you’re dealing with a country with lower or no taxation. 
 
I would highly recommend that anyone planning to move abroad speak with their tax advisor or financial planner and get the best advice for the...

There is absolutely no need to renounce or relinquish your US citizenship if you want to move or live abroad. I don’t have dual citizenship. You don’t have to have dual citizenship when living abroad, but there may be an advantage having one, especially if you’re dealing with a country with lower or no taxation. 
 
I would highly recommend that anyone planning to move abroad speak with their tax advisor or financial planner and get the best advice for the changes. This varies in different countries so potential expats need to have the most accurate information to make those decisions.  

 

(Countryside scenery in Ometepe, Nicaragua, pictured.)

You won't need a car or a four wheel drive in Bastimentos. Here's why: the roads are non-existent.

 

The main town on Bastimentos is called Old Bank, and it consists of a narrow concrete walkway which forms the main thoroughfare through town.
 
As you can see from the picture on the left, a traffic jam in Old Bank consists of a kid's bike left on the sidewalk, or more often a sleeping dog or two.
 
There are no vehicles at all there other than...

You won't need a car or a four wheel drive in Bastimentos. Here's why: the roads are non-existent.

 

The main town on Bastimentos is called Old Bank, and it consists of a narrow concrete walkway which forms the main thoroughfare through town.
 
As you can see from the picture on the left, a traffic jam in Old Bank consists of a kid's bike left on the sidewalk, or more often a sleeping dog or two.
 
There are no vehicles at all there other than bicycles, and life moves to a slower rhythm. You can't possibly hurry along that walkway, you have to amble at a Caribbean pace, smiling and greeting others as you pass, walking in time to the beat of a laid back Bob Marley tune playing from the window of one of the nearby houses.
 
How else can you get around?
 
Around the Bocas del Toro archipelago most transport is by boat, and water taxis abound. In Bastimentos you could go to the main town dock and jump on a water taxi and have him take you to Roots Restaurant at the other end of town for a buck. Or across to Bocas for two or three dollars.
 
Water taxis are plentiful, cheap and fun. Just hold up a hand, and a boat will pick you up pretty quickly and take you wherever you need to go.
 
There is a (sort of) set price system, but this is the Caribbean, so haggle, especially if you are a family or larger group of people. It's all part of the fun, and most of the boat drivers enjoy the game too.

 

Roads on Bastimentos? Non-existent.
 
A car on Bastimentos? Not a chance! Now that's Caribbean lifestyle.