Living in Puerto Vallarta Mexico

For many the thought of living in - or even near - a major tourist resort is about as appealing as a buying a condo in Disneyland. But here in Vallarta, the incredible natural beauty, combined with a small town atmosphere and the inherent warmth and friendliness of the local people, attracts foreign residents who enjoy the good life.

With a colorful blend of the old and the new, the Banderas Bay region offers an unrivaled combination of simple pleasures and sophisticated charms. Fine dining restaurants, art galleries, upscale shopping centers, internet cafes and nightclubs peacefully coexist alongside taco stands, street-side vendors and open air markets selling Mexican handcrafts, and strolling Mariachi bands.

But much of Puerto Vallarta's magic is in the hearts of her people. Often described as "one big, happy family," Vallartenses are known for their hospitality and for going out of their way to welcome foreign residents. And, since the Mexican people are extremely tolerant of different lifestyles, international residents and Mexican locals can live side-by-side in harmony - provided that the expatriate can learn to be creative and adaptable.

Puerto Vallarta is an unhurried refuge for people seeking more than just a beautiful beach. Those of us who choose to live here embrace the challenge of learning patience and understanding. Taking the time to "stop and smell the roses" along the road to becoming bicultural gives us the opportunity to grow - and to enjoy a more relaxed way of life.

TRAVEL + LEISURE Best Places to Travel in 2014

Playa Carrizalillo, Puerto Escondido, Mexico


Trujillo-Paumier Photography

 Pro riders arrive in this town along the Oaxacan coast and make a beeline for Playa Zicatela, a.k.a. the Mexican Pipeline. But Playa Carrizalillo, a quiet cove accessible via a 150-step stairway, has waters gentle enough for the rest of us; take a dip, snorkel, then down oysters from one of the handful of beach shacks. In recent years, Puerto (as the locals call it) has been upping its hip factor: case in point, the just-opened Hotel Escondido, a 16-room, oceanfront oasis from the cult-favorite Grupo Habita brand. —Jeff Spurrier

Punta Mita, Anyone?

"If there's one thing I know for sure, it's that living the good life is the best way to keep up with the Joneses. The best possible one-upmanship. The best revenge. Or at least that's what I told myself when I headed to Mexico on a whim a few weeks ago to teach a certain someone a little lesson in how not to treat a girl, or else said girl will fly to Mexico without said certain someone and live in the lap of luxury, if only for 48 hours, at the beachfront Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, located at the southwest point of the Riviera Nayarit. It was 55 degrees in San Francisco when I left, and a comfortable 79 degrees in Puerto Vallarta when I landed. Amazing what a little humidity, a little sun, a little warmth can do to flush the discontent from your bones."

Read more at Live the Good Life at the Four Seasons Punta Mita in Mexico

The Faded Glamour of Mexico's Merida

DILAPIDATED BUT STILL GRAND, the colonial city of Mérida was once home to the greatest concentration of wealth in the world. It was the sisal barons of the 19th century who hired Parisian architects to build the opulent villas along Paseo de Montejo, a wannabe Champs-Elysées. Yet Mérida, the inland capital of Mexico's beach-famous Yucatán, is not an Important City and herein lies its charm. It is not packed with visitors.
Read more at Condé Nast Traveler

TRAVEL + LEISURE World's Top New Buildings

No. 6 Museo Soumaya, Mexico City

Benedicte Desrus / Alamy

Fernando Romero’s amorphous, aluminum-clad modern art museum, opened in 2011, rises like a glistening 64,583-square-foot sculpture out of Mexico City’s Polanco district.

9 Reasons Why Single Boomer Women Should Relocate To Mexico

Kerry Baker is a fundraising professional and development consultant currently living in Mexico who is researching and writing about topics related to single women dividing their time working and living in Mexico and the U.S. Her U.S. home is Denver, Colo.

She wrote a article for Forbes listing 9 reasons why single women should relocate to Mexico:

1. Life is more interesting here. I think living on the beach and taking a water taxi to the gym is way better. I still have a lot of adventure left in me.
2. You can make your nest egg last longer. Once I found a place I liked on the beach, I calculated I’d cut my monthly expenses by half. Once I learn my way around, I bet I’ll spend even less, which will help make my savings last longer.
3. Technology has made connecting with people in the U.S. easier than ever. Long-term friendships, a lifeblood for most women, are much easier to maintain abroad than even five years ago.

 Read the article for the other six reasons why a single woman should relocate to Mexico.

Five Types of Global Minds You Meet Abroad

From InterNations, the first international online community for people who live and work abroad, comes this article about the five types of global minds you'll meet:

The Explorer - Explorers are like nomads, roaming the globe because there is so much to see, learn, and experience, with each trip or stay abroad an adventure to somewhere new.
The Escapee - The escapee is less driven by a love for the unknown, and more by a desire to flee their home. I would fit here, wanting to escape the cold and rain, and the high costs.
The Foreign Partner - The foreign partner is living abroad not because of a love or hate for one country, but simply because of love, period.
The International Local - They may hunger for familiar accents and opportunities to speak the language, keen on sharing experiences, news and stories about the former host-country, or simply hoping to get back this feeling of travelling and experiencing foreign cultures.
The Classic Expatriate - There are three kinds: The alien sticks out in his host country and culture like a sore thumb, whether by choice (e.g. culturally insensitive behavior), or by circumstances (e.g. outward appearance). The elitist similarly does not integrate in the local culture, but spends most of his time, both at work and at home, with fellow expats. The assimilator, on the other hand, does their best to blend in by speaking the local language and adhering to local customs.

These are broad catagories. People you meet abroad may share characteristics of more than one type.