Imagine living right in front of an ocean-kissed beach. You start each day pushing your toes into the warm sand, admiring the vivid and ever-changing hues of the ocean, breathing deep the sea air, and quieting your mind. Everyone loves the beach, and there are beaches with many characters…tropical…urban…deserted…secret…
But many folks dismiss a beach lifestyle as beyond their reach…the preserve of the wealthy. It’s not so. Just look beyond American shores. In fact, just look at the cover story of this month’s issue to discover the five best sun-soaked islands for a retirement escape. These are places that retirees are enjoying for as little as $1,800 a month… “My winter wardrobe consists of two pairs of jeans, a light sweater, a raincoat, and a lightweight vest…we often have lunch at one of our favorite places on the beach…we have embraced the ‘go slow’ motto of the island,” says Karen Sands Zul.
Jim gault and his wife Abbe have retired to Panama’s premier beachside retirement haven. “I rise just before morning light breaks. I don’t need an alarm clock; the singing of the parakeets has replaced that annoying sound,” says Jim of his new routine. “The cost of living is another big plus. We can eat lunch out for $3 to $7 each and we have a housekeeper.”
It seems to be a real secret that you can winter on the French Riviera from $3,200 a month. So naturally we’re telling you all about it… IL France correspondent, Barbara Diggs, reveals how you can spend January and February basking in golden sunshine under the crisp blue skies on the promenade in Nice (rent from $900 a month). “For my money, I’d look for a spot in the Musicians Quarter. All the streets are named for composers and I liked the belle époque and art deco buildings, tree-shaded blocks, and non-touristy feel,” writes Barbara.
Secret beaches are IL’s bread and butter and we share the five best in Nicaragua in this issue. The progress and growth in Nicaragua means you’ll have more services and better infrastructure than ever before, yet still find deserted beaches, virgin sands, and plenty of wildlife. Get well off the tourist trail with IL Nicaragua correspondent, Bonnie Hayman, here.
—Eoin Basset, International Executive Editor
In the right spots overseas, as little as $1,485 a month can bankroll a good life. This means that you can retire comfortably on a Social Security check alone. Retire sooner. Spend less. Live better. That’s the end goal. And there’s no question: You can do it. You can do it in all sorts of beautiful, welcoming, good-weather communities that dot the globe from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Europe.
It’s a dream that’s out of reach for most folks in the U.S. and Canada. Coastal properties with ocean views in areas like Cape Cod, Vancouver, Florida’s Gulf coast, or southern California are priced in the millions. Fortunately, in many parts of the world, everyday people are not priced out of the ocean-view market.
Last weekend I was enjoying an icy mango daiquiri with my husband at our local pub, the Gekko Garden. It’s guarded by two very old teak trees, and the large leaves help shade us from the glorious sunshine. We ended up chatting to a couple vacationing in Chiang Mai. They asked us how long we were here on vacation, and their jaws dropped when we said that we live in Thailand. We were then bombarded with lots of questions on how we managed to do this.
Did you know you can download and read your entire August issue as a PDF?