locale can make good financial sense. There’s also
the prospect of adventure in a faraway land, the
allure of the unknown, and the joy of serendipitous discoveries.
Intrigued? We thought you’d be. Which is why
we investigated the overseas retirement scene,
looking for mostly warm and sunny, attractively affordable locales with good-to-excellent
health care that are hospitable to Americans
of retirement age. What follows are snapshots
of five great destinations that met our exacting
criteria. Each has its own unique charms and
pleasures, and all are safe and welcoming. Plus,
you’ll find five more appealing and affordable
retirement retreats online (visit aarp.org/retire
abroad), where we answer FAQs about retiring
abroad (yes, you can draw Social Security wherever you are; no, you can’t use Medicare there)
and provide a resource guide to get you started
on your own research.
Be sure to send us a postcard once you’ve
finally settled in, okay?
Mexico
Puerto Vallarta region
With its profoundly rich Indian and Spanish culture, its spectacular beaches and charming colonial
hill towns, its real estate bargains and its proximity to the United States, Mexico is the undisputed
number one destination for American retirees. It
boasts thriving expat communities in Lake Chapala,
near Guadalajara; San Miguel de Allende, in
Guanajuato; Baja California; and Cancún, in the
Yucatan. They all have their attractions, including a low-cost, laid-back lifestyle, but our choice
in Mexico is the Puerto Vallarta region, located
on the Pacific Coast in the state of Nayarit. Its
combination of first-class urban amenities and
charming palm-fringed villages have made it an
appealing retiree draw as well as a popular tourist
destination, without the serious crime that blights
some other parts of the country.
(A quick word about crime and safety in
Mexico: Yes, it’s extremely dangerous in the cities
bordering the United States and a few places
elsewhere. Mexico, however, is also nearly three
times the size of Texas, and most
of the country is reasonably safe
and secure, especially resort areas
and tourist destinations.)
Puerto Vallarta’s handsome
beachfront promenade can be
overcrowded with tourists, but
venture a few blocks back from
the bars and curio shops, and the
town’s Mexican charms are on
display—whitewashed houses
bedecked with flowers, and plazas where locals and expats alike greet, eat, and seat themselves on benches to watch the passing parade. In Nuevo
Vallarta, the newer luxury area, you’ll find U.S.-style condo
complexes and even a mall. You’d think you’re back in the
States, but at a steep discount.
Forty minutes north of PV, the seaside village of Sayulita
is a lively place, with a colorful mix of tourists, retirees, and
surfer dudes that keeps things hopping. Rollie Dick, 70, and
his wife, Jeanne, 65, both former teachers from California,
