The health and lifestyle benefits of a life by the beach are vast… From lower stress levels to higher cardiovascular fitness, weight loss, improved sleep, and better mental health.
Then there’s the social benefits… depending on the location, a home by the beach can mean you start your day sailing, snorkeling, kite-surfing, kayaking, fishing, even whale-watching or cliff-jumping… or with a gentle stroll along a deserted stretch of sand… New hobbies, new friends, and a surefire way to ensure you’ll never want for visitors to your coastal retreat.
Plus, there’s the food… think fresh fish tacos and cold beers in a Mexico beach bar… or lobster pulled from the Atlantic, drenched in butter, and dished up with a perfectly chilled glass of Chablis in a Michelin-starred restaurant in historic Brittany in northwest France…
Whatever lifestyle you’re after and whatever your budget, there’s a beach out there with your name on it.
Here’s a look at three of your best beachside options…
The Algarve, Portugal
Picture a chain of historic and charming small towns strung together by a single-lane highway, people walking or biking along, passing roadside stands offering fresh fruit at unbeatable prices.
Stretching along Portugal’s entire southern coastline from the Spanish border in the east to the Atlantic cliffs of Sagres in the west, the Algarve is home to close to 500,000 people—a number that more than triples in the summer months as vacationers flock here and little wonder why…
The weather is warm… blossoming vines grow over the stucco walls that hide beautiful properties inside. Thanks to fantastic weather year-round, with more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, most every day is a perfect day to get out and enjoy your new home…
Head east, and small towns give way to flowering hedges, tall trees, and grasslands. The landscape is an eye-candy explosion of orchards and flowers that bloom year-round, across more than 125 miles of craggy coastline and some of Europe’s best beaches.
Portugal has been a haven for foreigners for decades. Over one-and-a-half million foreigners call it home and numbered among them are an estimated 100,000 expat retirees…
In all ways, Portugal is one of the most welcoming countries you’ll ever experience, plus, in the Algarve English is spoken widely. You could land here tomorrow and slip right into everyday living without much struggle or hassle at all…
There’s also an impressive list of things to do here, including both highbrow culture (museums, art galleries, and historic towns and sites all around) and an abundance of outdoor activities, from fishing and hiking to four-wheeling and skydiving, plus Europe’s best selection of golf courses, boasting more than 800 holes…
This isn’t the world’s cheapest place to live, but it’s a bargain compared with elsewhere in Europe and one of the best places in the world today to enjoy a safe and enjoyable retirement on the ocean. For a couple, a monthly budget of around $3,000 is a good guide but of course this will depend on where in the Algarve you choose to call home and how you choose to live.
What’s more, Portugal has been rated as the seventh safest country in the entire world.
Las Terrenas, The Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a welcoming haven oozing true Caribbean charm.
This island nation boasts 800 miles of coastline, all of it sandy and welcoming… but the stretch of beach we consider most worthy of your attention is Las Terrenas—an eclectic, multicultural beach community found on the country’s Samaná Peninsula, a finger of land that sticks out from the northeast coast.
Settled by French expats in the 1970s, Las Terrenas has been attracting foreigners to her shores ever since and it’s easy to understand why…
White-sand beaches, swaying palm trees, warm turquoise water, year-round sunshine…
As visitor numbers increased, infrastructure developed and today new arrivals here can enjoy beautiful beaches, join a welcoming cosmopolitan community, and live an affordable, active lifestyle, with the added benefits of ease of access from the States and Canada, and user-friendly residency options.
Outdoor enthusiasts can get involved in activities like swimming, sailing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding, as well as more high-octane pastimes like kiteboarding and surfing.
The DR offers several residency visa options that are easy to apply and qualify for. It also offers quick paths to residency, and it’s increasingly sought out by people who’d like a second passport.
Real estate is affordable, and construction standards are high. $1,100 a month will get you a good-sized, furnished rental in a great location but you can find smaller places for as little as $500 a month. If you’re looking to buy you’ll find places from under $150k all the way into the millions.
Whether you’re looking for a second home in the sun… a full-time option for your retirement that offers an attractive lifestyle… or a chance to earn rental income in a growing tourist market, Las Terrenas should be on your radar.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Located on Mexico’s Pacific Coast in the scenic Banderas Bay and surrounded by the Sierra Madre mountains, Puerto Vallarta was once a quiet fishing village. Today, though it retains its traditional charm, it’s one of Mexico’s most popular beach towns.
Getting here is a breeze. It’s a quick flight (or drive) from Canada or the States and is in a similar time zone so there’s no need to worry about jet lag and trips back home to see the kids or grandkids are easy and cheap.
With the ocean on one side and the mountains on the other, there’s a wealth of activities at your fingertips here. Add to that an active and growing expat population plus the super-friendly locals, and you’ve got a recipe for good times.
Locals go by the nickname pata salada (salty feet), and they are a proud, resilient, and fun-loving bunch.
When it comes to options for wining and dining, you’re spoiled for choice in PV. You could try a new restaurant or bar every weekend, and it would still take you years to check them all off your list.
High-quality, affordable medical and dental care is readily available here, too. It’s easy to get by in English, even at the doctor’s office.
For a couple, a monthly budget of $3,305 is a good guide but of course you can spend a good deal less… or more… depending on your tastes and interests…
The town has different vibes depending on the month of the year but there’s always something going on and all kinds of opportunities to connect with fellow expats and get involved in the local community.
If you love being on the water, then this is definitely the place for you. Many expats and retirees own their own boats and park them in one of the marinas in the bay. Whether it’s sailing, snorkeling, whale watching in the winter months, or simply walking along the beach and getting your own feet salty, Puerto Vallarta is a premier destination for ocean-lovers.
Sincerely,
Victoria Harmer
Editor, Overseas Opportunity Letter
