Donald Murray

Don Murray is IL’s Rivieria Maya correspondent on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast. Don and his wife, Diane, now live in Yucatán, where they’ve built their permanent home. Don began writing for International Living six years ago while living in Ecuador. A Vietnam veteran, Don spent eight years in the Air Force. Ditching the uniform, Don lived for over 20 years in Alaska, where he flew small bush planes and operated commercial hovercraft in remote areas. Don and Diane enjoy traveling, especially in Mexico. Don has travelled through Central America, South America, and Asia and the couple are planning a European tour in the future.

Find Your American Dream Abroad

Find Your American Dream Abroad

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If you’ve watched in disbelief as the American Dream you grew up believing in has seemingly evaporated into thin air, do not despair. Your dream of a comfortable, prosperous retirement is alive and well. It may just be waiting somewhere you never thought to look. That was the case for my wife Diane and me. And it turned out better than we ever could have hoped. We’re just two of the millions of North American retirees who have made their dreams of a comfortable, active, and engaging retirement come true, in one of the many locations around the globe that offer a better lifestyle at a much lower cost of living. And there’s no reason why you can’t do it, too.

Puerto Morelos: The Perfect Match

Puerto Morelos: The Perfect Match

Beach Living
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In 1999, the 50-year-old Valorie Gallagher fell in love while vacationing along Mexico’s Riviera Maya. She’d been looking for her perfect match for years, and once they met, she instantly knew that her life would never be the same. This wasn’t the typical affair of the heart, however. Valorie had fallen head-over-heels in love with one of the lesser-known jewels of Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the fishing village of Puerto Morelos. And 17 years later, she’s still in love with it.

The Islands of the Riviera Maya: Caribbean Oases with Every Amenity

The Islands of the Riviera Maya: Caribbean Oases with Every Amenity

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The islands of Mexico’s famed Riviera Maya offer stunning, sugar-sand beaches and warm, clear waters teeming with brightly colored fish. The climate remains fairly constant in the low- to mid-80s F. And while there is sometimes heavy rain from May through October, for the most part, you’ll enjoy weather that pilots call “severe clear,” with blue skies, gentle breezes, and over 225 hours of sunshine each month on average.

Snowbirding with Family on the Riveria Maya

Snowbirding with Family on the Riveria Maya

Living the Good Life
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“I wanted to run away from the cold weather and perfectly manicured lawns,” says Kiona Hartle of her decision to start snowbirding with her son. “I needed to find a simpler, more authentic, and warmer life in a picture-perfect beach town. I researched places online and Playa won by a large margin!” Kiona, 41, and her seven-year-old son, Luke, first came to Playa del Carmen, on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, in 2010.

Great Dining on a Tropical Mexican Island

Great Dining on a Tropical Mexican Island

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“At the end of a long day, Daisy and I love to visit one of our favorite restaurants,” says Jim Silver of his new life on the Caribbean island of Isla Mujeres, just eight miles offshore from Cancún. “The hard part is selecting which one. Most folks don’t think of Isla Mujeres as a foodie paradise, but it is. Obviously, living on an island means great seafood, but that’s not all you’ll find.”

You’ll Never Know All the Answers…Just Go

You’ll Never Know All the Answers…Just Go

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One afternoon, as I awoke from a short nap and looked upon the brilliant, blue-green waters of the Caribbean Sea only steps away from my front door, I had a powerful thought. Nothing of what is now my amazing, wonderful life would be possible if I had surrendered to the fears I had only a few years ago. When my wife Diane and I first embarked on our expat adventure, we had second thoughts, unanswered questions, and even an appropriate amount of fear.

Swim in a Cenote and Dine with the Maya in Mexico’s Yucatán

Swim in a Cenote and Dine with the Maya in Mexico’s Yucatán

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Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has a lot more to offer visitors than just sun and sand. As well as miles of pristine beaches and Cancún’s modern conveniences, the region is dotted with cenotes (underground lakes formed from limestone sinkholes): portals into the mysterious Maya underworld. This part of Mexico is also home to some of the last remnants of Maya culture in the country. And with the Mayan Nature Experience Cenote Tour, from the Layla Guesthouse in the beach town of Puerto Morelos, you can now experience all of this. This intimate tour yielded memories worth far more than the 900 pesos (about $60 dollars) I paid for it.