Latin Am/Caribbean Travel
- Retiring to Costa Rica
- Getting the Pill in Latin America
- Cheap Caribbean Vacation Deals
- Latin American/Caribbean Travel!
- Fishing in Panama
- Joya de Ceren, El Salvador
- Fly to Costa Rica from the U.S.
- Costa Rica Nature Facts
- Did You Know That Barbados...
- DEAL: Fly RT to Jamaica for $204
Posted by
Megan Lyles
Megan Lyles
Costa Rica (or anywhere in Latin America) is a tempting option for a retirement destination. But don't let the advantages keep you from being practical.
John F. Wasik’s column on Bloomberg.com yesterday is all about retiring to Costa Rica. I have to say, the first time someone told me they were considering retiring to a developing country (in that case, Honduras) I thought, what? Why?
And then I started traveling and actually visited Central America and thought, ah… I see. All the comforts of home plus gorgeous weather and low cost of living. And I can’t pretend that being a worldly expat wouldn’t be pretty cool. I began to picture myself wearing a sundress and strolling through colorful markets with a basket on my arm, selecting fresh exotic fruit.
Wasik points out several reasons why Costa Rica makes such a good choice for retirement: the balmy weather, political stability, the diverse and lovely landscape.
But then he gets into the practicalities of it all, citing taxes, high health care and vehicle insurance costs, and the difficulty for foreigners in buying property. Well, a little realism never hurt anyone, right? It’s certainly important to know exactly what you’re getting into.
Until he suggests looking closer to home, at maybe Denver or Pittsburgh or Portland, calling them lively and vibrant. Pittsburgh? I’m hooked on the thought of ocean breezes and weekend trips to cloud forests and year-round tropical weather and an avocado tree in my yard. Too late for Pittsburgh!
Wasik’s best bit of advice is to rent a place in Costa Rica for a few months and experience the cost of living for yourself before up and retiring there. Try before you buy – always a good plan. Ok, we can compromise. When I'm ready to retire, I’ll be practical. But I’m definitely looking at San Jose, Costa Rica before Pittsburgh.
And then I started traveling and actually visited Central America and thought, ah… I see. All the comforts of home plus gorgeous weather and low cost of living. And I can’t pretend that being a worldly expat wouldn’t be pretty cool. I began to picture myself wearing a sundress and strolling through colorful markets with a basket on my arm, selecting fresh exotic fruit.
Wasik points out several reasons why Costa Rica makes such a good choice for retirement: the balmy weather, political stability, the diverse and lovely landscape.
But then he gets into the practicalities of it all, citing taxes, high health care and vehicle insurance costs, and the difficulty for foreigners in buying property. Well, a little realism never hurt anyone, right? It’s certainly important to know exactly what you’re getting into.
Until he suggests looking closer to home, at maybe Denver or Pittsburgh or Portland, calling them lively and vibrant. Pittsburgh? I’m hooked on the thought of ocean breezes and weekend trips to cloud forests and year-round tropical weather and an avocado tree in my yard. Too late for Pittsburgh!
Wasik’s best bit of advice is to rent a place in Costa Rica for a few months and experience the cost of living for yourself before up and retiring there. Try before you buy – always a good plan. Ok, we can compromise. When I'm ready to retire, I’ll be practical. But I’m definitely looking at San Jose, Costa Rica before Pittsburgh.
Getting the Pill in Latin America
Posted by
Megan Lyles
Megan Lyles
I'm often asked by people planning long term backpacking trips, "Do I need a prescription to buy birth control pills in Central America?"
You can buy oral contraceptives, aka "the pill" in Central America very easily. Walk into any pharmacy, or farmacia, and pick them up for about $5 US per pack. No prescription or doctor visit needed.
The pharmacy might not have the brand that was prescribed to you by your doctor at home, so be sure to make a note of the hormone levels in your pills or save a sample of the packaging, so you can see if you can match them up with another brand or a generic.
Many pharmacists in Latin America speak some English, but be prepared to ask for “contraceptivos orales” in Spanish and/or show them the labeling from your last pack.
You might find it convenient to stock up a big supply of birth control pill packs at once, but you should note that if you’ll be traveling around with your pills in your backpack, you will most likely be exposing them to temperature extremes, which can lessen their efficacy (i.e. make them stop working). Also note that doxycycline, a common malaria prophylactic, can cause oral contraceptives to fail.
So you'll want to be careful with when you get them and how you store them, but don't worry about finding them. Every city and town has at least one farmacia that will be happy to sell you the pill.
Disclaimer – I am not a doctor. I’m just a person who’s been lucky enough to have spent bunch of time in Central America and often gets asked about whether you can get bc pills there. These are just tips to point you in the right direction as you make your plans. You should never depend on medical advice from a stranger’s blog, especially if that stranger is not a doctor or nurse. Always, always consult a medical professional!
The pharmacy might not have the brand that was prescribed to you by your doctor at home, so be sure to make a note of the hormone levels in your pills or save a sample of the packaging, so you can see if you can match them up with another brand or a generic.
Many pharmacists in Latin America speak some English, but be prepared to ask for “contraceptivos orales” in Spanish and/or show them the labeling from your last pack.
You might find it convenient to stock up a big supply of birth control pill packs at once, but you should note that if you’ll be traveling around with your pills in your backpack, you will most likely be exposing them to temperature extremes, which can lessen their efficacy (i.e. make them stop working). Also note that doxycycline, a common malaria prophylactic, can cause oral contraceptives to fail.
So you'll want to be careful with when you get them and how you store them, but don't worry about finding them. Every city and town has at least one farmacia that will be happy to sell you the pill.
Disclaimer – I am not a doctor. I’m just a person who’s been lucky enough to have spent bunch of time in Central America and often gets asked about whether you can get bc pills there. These are just tips to point you in the right direction as you make your plans. You should never depend on medical advice from a stranger’s blog, especially if that stranger is not a doctor or nurse. Always, always consult a medical professional!
Cheap Caribbean Vacation Deals
Posted by
Megan Lyles
Megan Lyles
What’s the deal with those unsolicited faxed offers for cheap resort vacations in the Bahamas, or Cancun, or some other popular beach resort vacation destination?
I’ve always been suspicious of those faxes. And yet, as they flutter into the recycling bin, I can’t help but feel tempted. I mean, a cruise to the Bahamas for $299? Today's fax offered “Cancun, Mexico OR Mayan Riviera (quantities limited)” for six days, $361 per person, all inclusive. I decided to call and satisfy my curiosity.
The sales pitch was fast and slick. Thirty resorts, all over Mexico. All you can eat and drink, something about Pamela Anderson’s honeymoon, beachfront. Pay now and choose a vacation from a DVD she would send me. I would have up to a year to travel.
Always a savvy consumer, I asked if there was a timeshare presentation. Nope, they’re "just promoting tourism to Mexico." Any other fees? I’d have to pay my own airfare. Taxes? Hotel taxes of 20 dollars per person/day. Could I pay by check or money order? No. Visa or MasterCard only.
Could I review the material before paying? Impossible, but she directed me to their website, choosecancun.com, pointing out that the faxed offer was far cheaper than the posted prices.
I told her I’d discuss it with my husband and call back. “Well, you can always call back,” she said, “But you won’t get the low price. You’ll have to pay the higher price on our website.” Then she hung up on me.
Afterwards I did some Googling and found that choosecancun is rather unpopular down at the Orlando Better Business Bureau, and Trip Advisor too. Oh, well.
Amigos, please be careful with your credit cards. Ask questions, do research, and don’t feel pressured into buying something before you’re ready, especially with unsolicited offers. Cliched but true: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
There’s always Little Corn Island if you’re looking for a cheap beach paradise.
The sales pitch was fast and slick. Thirty resorts, all over Mexico. All you can eat and drink, something about Pamela Anderson’s honeymoon, beachfront. Pay now and choose a vacation from a DVD she would send me. I would have up to a year to travel.
Always a savvy consumer, I asked if there was a timeshare presentation. Nope, they’re "just promoting tourism to Mexico." Any other fees? I’d have to pay my own airfare. Taxes? Hotel taxes of 20 dollars per person/day. Could I pay by check or money order? No. Visa or MasterCard only.
Could I review the material before paying? Impossible, but she directed me to their website, choosecancun.com, pointing out that the faxed offer was far cheaper than the posted prices.
I told her I’d discuss it with my husband and call back. “Well, you can always call back,” she said, “But you won’t get the low price. You’ll have to pay the higher price on our website.” Then she hung up on me.
Afterwards I did some Googling and found that choosecancun is rather unpopular down at the Orlando Better Business Bureau, and Trip Advisor too. Oh, well.
Amigos, please be careful with your credit cards. Ask questions, do research, and don’t feel pressured into buying something before you’re ready, especially with unsolicited offers. Cliched but true: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
There’s always Little Corn Island if you’re looking for a cheap beach paradise.
Latin American/Caribbean Travel!
Posted by
Megan Lyles
Megan Lyles
Watch this space for all kinds of awesome info on what's happening in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
I am so very thrilled to be the new Feature Writer in Latin American and Caribbean travel! Right now I'm just looking around, exploring all the fancy new tools I have available to me. It's like getting used to any new job, except this one comes with a virtual view of Mayan ruins and turquoise Caribbean waters and an excuse to to running off to Jamaica. Fantastic.
I feel particularly excited to have gotten this topic because this part of the world is one of the most interesting and diverse out there. Really, it has everything. Except snow-capped mountains. Well, let's not think about that.
We have everything else - regular mountains, white sand beaches, black sand beaches, volcanoes, cloud forests, deserts, lakes, rivers... and I have to mention beaches again because they're so world class.
I'm especially excited to return to the world of blogging; it's something I miss from when I was traveling through Central America overland all those months ago. Here's my chance to start experiencing new things again and this time sharing them with Suite101 readers.
So, I'm off to have a celebratory first-day coco loco, but I'll be back often with helpful tips and tidbits and thoughts about my new topic: Latin American and Caribbean Travel!
I feel particularly excited to have gotten this topic because this part of the world is one of the most interesting and diverse out there. Really, it has everything. Except snow-capped mountains. Well, let's not think about that.
We have everything else - regular mountains, white sand beaches, black sand beaches, volcanoes, cloud forests, deserts, lakes, rivers... and I have to mention beaches again because they're so world class.
I'm especially excited to return to the world of blogging; it's something I miss from when I was traveling through Central America overland all those months ago. Here's my chance to start experiencing new things again and this time sharing them with Suite101 readers.
So, I'm off to have a celebratory first-day coco loco, but I'll be back often with helpful tips and tidbits and thoughts about my new topic: Latin American and Caribbean Travel!
Posted by
Portia J. Lino
It's no joke - fishing is a big deal here in Panama.
Fishing is taken seriously here in Panama. In fact, Panama means ‘abundance of fish” in its native Indian language and with the country owning more than 250 world fishing records, it more than lives up to its name.
Posted by
Portia J. Lino
Joya de Ceren was a village that was buried by a volcano in 600 A.D.
Joya de Ceren, in El Salvador, was a small Mayan farming village. While it’s not “grand” in the same scale as the Tikal Ruins in Guatemala, it offers a compelling view of how everyday Mayans lived their lives.
In 600 A.D., a volcano buried the whole village. Since no bodies were found, it was believed the people made it out in time. It was discovered in 1976 and excavation has since continued.
In 600 A.D., a volcano buried the whole village. Since no bodies were found, it was believed the people made it out in time. It was discovered in 1976 and excavation has since continued.
Fly to Costa Rica from the U.S.
Posted by
Portia J. Lino
Trying to fly to Costa Rica? Find out which airlines fly to Costa Rica and from where.
The Following Airlines Offer Daily Flights to Costa Rica:
American: Flights from Los Angeles, Miami, JFK in New York, and Dallas-Fort Worth
America West: Flights from Phoenix
Continental Airlines: Flights from Houston and Newark
Delta: Flights from Atlanta
United: Washington, D.C., L.A., and biweekly flights from Chicago O'Hare
US Airways: Flights from Charlotte
American: Flights from Los Angeles, Miami, JFK in New York, and Dallas-Fort Worth
America West: Flights from Phoenix
Continental Airlines: Flights from Houston and Newark
Delta: Flights from Atlanta
United: Washington, D.C., L.A., and biweekly flights from Chicago O'Hare
US Airways: Flights from Charlotte
Posted by
Portia J. Lino
Find out why Costa Rica is a nature lover's dream come true.
In Costa Rica, there is an amplitude of wildlife including 850 species of birds and 220 species of reptiles, and 5% of the world’s biodiversity is housed here in this “rich coast.” More amazingly, there are 12 different climate zones and close to 27 weather patterns.
Posted by
Portia J. Lino
Fun, kooky facts about Barbados.
Did You Know That?
Barbados is the first country where rum was distilled.
In 1751, George Washington left the United States for the first time - to visit his sick brother in the Barbados.
Barbados is the first country where rum was distilled.
In 1751, George Washington left the United States for the first time - to visit his sick brother in the Barbados.
DEAL: Fly RT to Jamaica for $204
Posted by
Portia J. Lino
With this deal, you can also save up to 30% on popular hotels in Jamaica.
Book by March 18, 2007, and fly to Montego Bay from Fort Lauderdal or Miami, FL, for $204 round trip. Fly from other cities at reduced rates as well.
Restrictions apply, including:
Book your ticket by March 18, 2007 Travel on a Tuesday or Wednesday Travel by June 27, 2007 Minimum 2-day stay, maximum 21-day stayBook from Expedia and get up to 30% off Montego Bay hotels.Click HERE for this DEAL
Restrictions apply, including: