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I know this is a very broad question as this is a huge area with many countries, but I wanted to get opinions on the best place to live in winter for a mid 40's snowbird male from the U.S. Would live there 3-6 mos out of the year. Looking for an area with things to do, safe, beauty, culture, good living arrangements, relatively affordable, availability of furnished rental, truly warm balmy weather Dec, Jan, Feb especially, good Internet connection. I speak a very small amount of Spanish right now, but would go to school to learn it better if I went to a Spanish speaking country for winters (or Portuguese if I went to Brazil). Some ideas:
-Buenos Aires (I don't think there is beach or mnts close though unfortunately)
-Panama (maybe David or Boquete...Boquete may be too small but seems to have nice weather)
-Puerto Rico
-Chile (would Santiago be best? Valparaiso?)
-Colombia (is if safe enough?)
-Southern Brazil (best area?)
-Puerto Vallarta Mexico
-Merida Mexico
-Ecuador or Peru (anything interesting for me there?)
-Uruguay
-Anywhere else in Mexico?
-Granada, Nicaragua
-Antigua, Guatemala
I have been to Costa Rica and didn't like it too much, too touristy and the cities were not very interesting IMO. Thanks for the help.
Southern Brazil is cold during brazilian winter, but if I understood you want to come during brazilian summer, so Santa Catarina's beaches are a good option (Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná are not interesting for summers either). But if you want to be in a beach place, why just southern Brazil?
-Colombia (is if safe enough?)
-Southern Brazil (best area?)
-Puerto Vallarta Mexico
-Granada, Nicaragua
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I assume you mean you would go during the U.S. winter (Dec. to March) in which case Southern Brazil would be in their summer. Rio de Janeiro is a good option unless you don't like big cities.
In Colombia I would consider Medellin and Santa Marta. Medellin is not near the ocean but has great weather, is an interesting city and is surrounded by mountains. Santa Marta is smaller but is located at the beach. Yes, Colombia is safe enough but not as safe as Costa Rica or Nicaragua.
Granada, Nicaragua is a beautiful town but on the small side (only 30,000 residents) and the most touristy city in Nicaragua. If it was me I'd consider Leon or San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua. Leon is a university town with great colonial architecture. The Pacific Ocean is only about 20 minutes away. Leon does get hot and humid though. San Juan del Sur is a chill beach town on the Pacific.
I know this is a very broad question as this is a huge area with many countries, but I wanted to get opinions on the best place to live in winter for a mid 40's snowbird male from the U.S. Would live there 3-6 mos out of the year. Looking for an area with things to do, safe, beauty, culture, good living arrangements, relatively affordable, availability of furnished rental, truly warm balmy weather Dec, Jan, Feb especially, good Internet connection. I speak a very small amount of Spanish right now, but would go to school to learn it better if I went to a Spanish speaking country for winters (or Portuguese if I went to Brazil). Some ideas - you need to learn, and plan on becoming as fluent in spanish as you can, it will go a long way towards helping you to feel more confident and also be on top of things so you don't get taken advantage of. Espedcially since your a foreigner, only coming for 6 months, they are going to want to automatically try and get more money out of you. It's not nearly as safe downhere anywhere so be aware of that, you need to learn to be more vigilant, be aware of your surroundings and the do's and dont's of your particular local here. Here in Argentina it's possible to find apartments furnished, but it's the exception and not the norm. Many folks when they move out even take the light fixtures, and stove with them as well. You need to ask with a realtor about that. Of course if it is furnished, its always much more epxensive
-Buenos Aires (I don't think there is beach or mnts close though unfortunately) - Buenos Aires has a comfortable but small beach on the "Rio La Plata" north of the city in San Isidro area, but the water is brown and muddy looking. But if you like to sit on the sand it's nice. Winters here can be pretty darn cold at times. Daytime temps in the low 50's, windy with night time temps dipping into the low 30's can happen. Buenos Aires even receives a slight dusting of snow once every 4 - 5 uears or so. Spring and Fall are mild, but summers in Buenos Aires are usually fairly humid and hot. Nearest mountains are "Las Sierras de la Ventana" in southern Buenos Aires Province about 8 hours drive. Or La Sierra de Tandilia ( small mountains ) about 4 hours away. Or Las Sierras de Cordoba about 10 hours away in Cordoba Prov.
-Chile (would Santiago be best? Valparaiso?) - Santiago de Chiles climate is alot like southern California in my opinion, very mediterranean. Alot of calif people are surprised by how Santiago and it's climate reminds them of L.A. or San DIego. However, winters are usually rainy and muddy or downright cold ( especially in the eastern suburbs of Santiago near the foot of the Andes. Santiagos in a valley and also has the pollution and smog issues as well. The air is a thick dry heat during summer.
Southern Chile is very similar to the pacific NW say Oregon or Washtington state, while northern Chile is barren arid desert.
-Uruguay - Uruguays climate will be identical to Buenos Aires, escept the northern part along the Brazilian border that get's a bit more hotter and humid in the summer.
Thanks everyone for suggestions. Yes it would be summer in the southern hemisphere when I went down there (winter in North America). From what EricOldTime says sounds like Buenos Aires and Santiago might be too hot Dec, Jan, Feb (I might be there as long as mid Oct to Mid May). I have heard good things about Medelin. Wherever I am I would want to feel pretty safe. I could not take the chance of my apartment being broken into and my laptop, etc... stolen, there would have to be almost no chance of this happening since I work remotely, so it would have to be a very secure building.
Leon I hear is nice but pretty hot weather all year, and San Juan Del Sur might not have enough to keep me interested being a small beach town. I like the beach, but I'm not a every day beach type guy and I don't surf. That is interesting Nicaragua is safer than Medelin. What about San Juan Puerto Rico? How does that compare in terms of safety, cost, beauty, interesting things to do to some of these other areas? The only places I've been in Latin America are Costa Rica, Domincan Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico (PR was a very long time ago so I hardly remember it).
I have heard Rio is pretty dangerous? I've traveled to unsafe areas when I was younger and lived on the edge (and got mugged once, etc...), but at my age now, and going to live somewhere for 3-6 mos, I don't want to be constantly having to watch my back. I don't mind staying vigilant, but I don't want to live in constant fear of getting robbed.
How safe is Santa Catarina? The reason I mentioned Southern Brazil is I have heard it is safer?
Puerto Vallarta would be easy from a convenience stand point (not stop flights from Seattle, lots of furnished apartments, able to get by with English, safe), but it would be touristy and less interesting.
Unfortunately it's difficult to really know what you like until you see it, but you can't travel everywhere so you have to pick a few places!
Antigua, Guatemala is nice. There are quite a few foreigners living there and it is pretty safe compared to the rest of the country, foreigners are rarely the victims of violent crime. The weather is great, never gets too hot. There is a lot of people that speak English, both foreigners and locals, and there are are several Spanish schools there. There is a lot of things to do and see in Antigua and from there you can get quick and inexpensive transportation to other places in the region.
Here is a website with general information about Antigua, Spanish schools, rentals etc. www.aroundantigua.com
Guatemala doesn't have the greatest beaches, there are some decent beaches there but you don't have a big selection of accommodations yet, most places are directed towards the back packer crowd. Monterrico is a beach town in South Eastern Guatemala with some ok accommodations, and you always have the option of visiting neighboring El Salvador which has nicer beaches and wider selection of accommodations, very close to the Guatemalan border. Also from Antigua, you can get really good deals on quick trips to the bay Islands in Honduras.
Antigua, Guatemala is nice. There are quite a few foreigners living there and it is pretty safe compared to the rest of the country, foreigners are rarely the victims of violent crime. The weather is great, never gets too hot. There is a lot of people that speak English, both foreigners and locals, and there are are several Spanish schools there. There is a lot of things to do and see in Antigua and from there you can get quick and inexpensive transportation to other places in the region.
Here is a website with general information about Antigua, Spanish schools, rentals etc. www.aroundantigua.com
Guatemala doesn't have the greatest beaches, there are some decent beaches there but you don't have a big selection of accommodations yet, most places are directed towards the back packer crowd. Monterrico is a beach town in South Eastern Guatemala with some ok accommodations, and you always have the option of visiting neighboring El Salvador which has nicer beaches and wider selection of accommodations, very close to the Guatemalan border. Also from Antigua, you can get really good deals on quick trips to the bay Islands in Honduras.
Thanks so much for the excellent informative post UrbanLuis. I have heard great things about Guatemala being a beautiful place with green lush mountains and a great country to see Indigenous culture. I'm not a beach bum type that is at the beach all day every day (but I do like to visit the beach), so Antigua might be an interesting city where I can take trips to the beach when I want to visit. I really liked the Yucatan when I was in Mexico (but I did NOT like Cancun at all as that is not my type of place), the Yucatan has a large indigenous presence.
I've also heard Guatemala has good Spanish language schools. I'd like to do like a month long all day Spanish language immersion program if I decided to move there to help me learn to speak some Spanish quickly.
I have heard Rio is pretty dangerous? I've traveled to unsafe areas when I was younger and lived on the edge (and got mugged once, etc...), but at my age now, and going to live somewhere for 3-6 mos, I don't want to be constantly having to watch my back. I don't mind staying vigilant, but I don't want to live in constant fear of getting robbed.
How safe is Santa Catarina? The reason I mentioned Southern Brazil is I have heard it is safer?
A little bit over exagerated, isn't it?
Rio de Janeiro state receives about 2 million foreing tourists per year, a great proportion during summer and carnival season, and more 10 million brazilians from other states... And living for 6 months, you would be still more acclimated than a commom tourist.
If foreing tourists go party in crowded beaches and streets, its not even by far dangerous as you mentioned.
Yes, Santa Catrina is quite safe, its more fun and hot during the main summer season, maybe not for six months.
A little bit over exagerated, isn't it?
Rio de Janeiro state receives about 2 million foreing tourists per year, a great proportion during summer and carnival season, and more 10 million brazilians from other states... And living for 6 months, you would be still more acclimated than a commom tourist.
If foreing tourists go party in crowded beaches and streets, its not even by far dangerous as you mentioned.
Yes, Santa Catrina is quite safe, its more fun and hot during the main summer season, maybe not for six months.
Ok maybe I should consider Rio. If it were generally safe I would love to go to a place like that since it is a big city + a great location close to the beach. Maybe it isn't as dangerous as I have been led to believe. I honestly do not have a lot to go off since I have never been there.
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