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The MexiMonth : Help me work from the tropics for a month (1 Viewer)

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Insoxicated
GF and I both work from home for the near term, we don't have kids or any major obligations that tether us here. As such we are talking about spending a month (February?) working from a beach town in the tropics. 

Usual factors come into play: 

1) Safety: first and foremost.. we'd like to minimize the odds of being murdered or abducted. We are both somewhat street smart, so we're not expecting mayberry. At the same time... it's a factor. 

2) Affordability: for now target budget is $75-100/night. Bonus for inclusive deals where breakfast and/or other meals or alcohol are included. Not that we'd not branch out to eat/drink elsewhere but it's a nice baseline. Hotels should be clean and safe... ideally a bit spacious since we will be working in the room some. Preferably 3 start equivalent or up. 

3) Semi American/English Friendly: neither speak Spanish. Goal is to get decent at "travel Spanish" by then, but let's assume we need an English/American friendly area. 

4) Beach: we want to be on or VERY near the water... preferably with a balcony. Preferably a nice-ish beach. 

5) Internet / Infrastructure: we will need to work remotely so reliable high speed internet will be important. Also drinkable water is nice. Strong preference for reasonably modern healthcare/hospital. 

6) Things to do: while the idea of sitting on a balcony and watching the sun set on an isolated beach sounds romantic for a week... after a month it would get boring. We're both social people and enjoy bars, dining out, exploring, etc. 

7) Avoid crowds of kids/party folks. Cancun during spring break sounds like hell, maybe it's not as bad in February? Looking to avoid throngs of college kids or screaming toddlers... but not demanding adults only either. 
 

First ideas were:

Cancun (for safety/infrastructure/things to do.. obvious caveat of avoiding ####show crowds. 

Playa del Carmen / Mayan Riviera 

Others have thrown out Costa Rica but I know little about it. 

We are both a young 40ish. Pretty social. We don't scuba. . 

The FFA is amazing for stuff like this... help us oh worldly travelguys! 
 

 
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Akumal, between PDC and Tulum , has a nice expat community and decent infrastructure...albeit.nowhere near as much around as pdc.

I feel like there are some carib islands looking for people to do this, but costs might be high.

 
gianmarco said:
Cabo San Lucas comes to mind. @Judge Smails is very familiar with it, IIRC.

A couple other ideas:

Aruba

Panama City, Panama
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Thanks! I've heard Cabo can be pricey for lodging and dining/entertainment..  at least in the safe areas. If I've heard wrong it could be in consideration! 

Aruba added to the list! Curious about it and Panama...  

El Floppo said:
Akumal, between PDC and Tulum , has a nice expat community and decent infrastructure...albeit.nowhere near as much around as pdc.

I feel like there are some carib islands looking for people to do this, but costs might be high.
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noted! Thanks! We definitely want to avoid anything TOO sleepy. We would likely get bored. I'll look into Akumai. Neve heard of it! 

Yeah Bahamas were one island looking for folks to work remotely. Looking into that. We don't mind spending a but more but prefer to start reasonable. 

 
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[icon] said:
Thanks! I've heard Cabo can be pricey for lodging and dining/entertainment..  at least in the safe areas. If I've heard wrong it could be in consideration! 

Aruba added to the list! Curious about it and Panama...  

noted! Thanks! We definitely want to avoid anything TOO sleepy. We would likely get bored. I'll look into Akumai. Neve heard of it! 

Yeah Bahamas were one island looking for folks to work remotely. Looking into that. We don't mind spending a but more but prefer to start reasonable. 
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Turks and Caicos, US Virgin islands and St Maarten jump to mind as maybe having less expensive possibilities for the carib islands.

We used to go to Anguilla every year and had some nice spots for around 2-250/night, with kitchens. I know there are cheaper places there, and given everything going on it's worth doing some deep dive searches there and everywhere.

 
El Floppo said:
Turks and Caicos, US Virgin islands and St Maarten jump to mind as maybe having less expensive possibilities for the carib islands.

We used to go to Anguilla every year and had some nice spots for around 2-250/night, with kitchens. I know there are cheaper places there, and given everything going on it's worth doing some deep dive searches there and everywhere.
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Looks like those options are no go due to lodging prices. We CAN afford to spend more, but trying to do this on a reasonable budget.... ideally $2.5-3k for the month on lodging. 
 

Private residences may be an option  (VRBO, AirBNB?) but may have some concerns regarding safety / security and beach access? 

 
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[icon] said:
Looks like those options are no go due to lodging prices. We CAN afford to spend more, but trying to do this on a reasonable budget.... ideally $2.5-3k for the month on lodging. 
 

Private residences may be an option  (VRBO, AirBNB?) but may have some concerns regarding safety / security and beach access? 
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When I read your OP I knew the price point would be a problem. Only from the sense of what you were trying to accomplish. A month is just a long time to be paying for nice lodging...

Why not just modify the plan and make it a long vacation instead? You can get a two week trip in using 7 vacation days if you time it right. Allows you to increase your nightly budget and have more time to enjoy the area. 

 
My in-laws live in Cancun 5 months a year. This past year with COVID they left in November and didn't return until June. My FIL worked the whole time with no issue. The infrastructure is good, it's safe in the hotel zone and not everything is spring break vibe. I go every year and we stay in a very chill area just drinking at the beach, pool and dining at fancy restaurants. Cancun is a big place and you will only run into Spring Break crowd if you stay and visit that area. 

 
Per a buddy's suggestion: 

Belize has entered the chat 

Looks like Airbnb monthly rentals are quite affordable in Mexico.. $1-2k for nice apartments with gorgeous common areas and the "security" that comes with a multi-unit building.  Assuming location/security is good I think we're possibly down for Airbnb. 
 

Another option would be maybe splitting it up, 2 weeks in a city (ala Cancun) then 2 weeks in a smaller beach town (assuming criteria are met) 

 
LOOK AT ME I CAN AFFORD TO WORK WITH A LAPTOP ON A BEACH WITH A REAL LIFE GIRLFRIEND AT A BEACH SOMEWHERE WHILE THE REST OF YOU SCHLUBS WORK FROM HOME IN A DINING ROOM WITH THREE KIDS GRABBING YOUR ANKLES AND YOUR DOG PUKES ON THE ONLY PIECE OF CARPET IN YOUR HOUSE.......

 
ChiefD said:
LOOK AT ME I CAN AFFORD TO WORK WITH A LAPTOP ON A BEACH WITH A REAL LIFE GIRLFRIEND AT A BEACH SOMEWHERE WHILE THE REST OF YOU SCHLUBS WORK FROM HOME IN A DINING ROOM WITH THREE KIDS GRABBING YOUR ANKLES AND YOUR DOG PUKES ON THE ONLY PIECE OF CARPET IN YOUR HOUSE.......
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:lol:  its apparently not crazy expensive. Not trying to show out at all, just know this place is amazing for advice like this. :wub:  

 
gianmarco said:
Cabo San Lucas comes to mind. @Judge Smails is very familiar with it, IIRC.

A couple other ideas:

Aruba

Panama City, Panama
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Cabo is a bit expensive. My first choice would be Loreto.  Check out Loreto Bay Villas. It’s all Canadian/American expats.  Wine bar, golf course, restaurant. Great condos, almost all 3 stories overlooking the water. We rented one for $112 a night I think. The beaches on the Cancun side are better, but still good here. We had good internet. Could rent a car and drive throughout Baja. Good restaurants in town about 5 min away. It’s fairly quiet and nothing like Cabo or Cancun. So if you want to party this ain’t it. It was safe. 

If budget was bigger my absolute favorite is Punta Mita outside of PV. Next step up from Loreto.  My retirement plan is to spend 1-2 months a year in Mexico so have been exploring 

ETA - Punta Mita rates are reasonable if you rent for a month. Would be a great choice. Much of it is in a gated, secure community.  But if you’re looking for Cancun or Cabo nightlife go there. It’s different. 

 
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headed to st john, USVI, for halloween week and then am switching gears and just booked 2 weeks of skiing.  starting thanksgiving week.  look at me!!!   :pickle:  

jan thru march are on the table for skiing if anyone has any hookups/info.

 
Costa Rica is great. There are plenty of beautiful beaches, but also jungles, rain forests, active volcanoes, and a ton of wildlife. Personally I’d want that kind of variety if staying for a month. Plus the food is good and healthcare is decent. The more adventurous you are, the more Spanish you’ll need to know though.

 
Judge Smails said:
Something like this?

$108 a night https://abnb.me/uEEv2kGXFab
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Judge Smails said:
Or even better

https://abnb.me/Ps5OjaSXFab
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Oh damn. Now we are taking. 

Looks like lots of options in that area for monthly rentals as well... in the ~$1-2k range ($40-70/nt) which is doable.  

Example: https://abnb.me/l3gI8F7hGab

This Loreto? https://abnb.me/FLIWzerjGab

Looks like Cabo has locations in the $1.5-2k a month range. https://abnb.me/9hb8fyKjGab 
Is downtown Cabo near the marina the spot to be if you wanted to be walking distance from dining, shopping, bars, etc? Is Cabo just more expensive for rental or noticably moreso for everything else too? 

How is English in Loreto or Punta de Mita? 

We don't need nightlife (night clubs) per se, but we do need social activities. Some Bars. Lively restaurants. Good food. Things to do (fishing/boat cruise/beaches/tours/places to explore/etc). 
 

Thanks GB! 

 
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DA RAIDERS said:
headed to st john, USVI, for halloween week and then am switching gears and just booked 2 weeks of skiing.  starting thanksgiving week.  look at me!!!   :pickle:  

jan thru march are on the table for skiing if anyone has any hookups/info.
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That's some proper versatility/range there :thumbup:   No hookups, but have fun GB! 

 
Terminalxylem said:
Costa Rica is great. There are plenty of beautiful beaches, but also jungles, rain forests, active volcanoes, and a ton of wildlife. Personally I’d want that kind of variety if staying for a month. Plus the food is good and healthcare is decent. The more adventurous you are, the more Spanish you’ll need to know though.
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Thanks!

What city/area would you suggest for CR? 

Agreed on loving tours into jungles/volcanos/etc. Stuff like that to do would be amazing. 
 

 
[icon] said:
Thanks!

What city/area would you suggest for CR? 

Agreed on loving tours into jungles/volcanos/etc. Stuff like that to do would be amazing. 
 
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Good question. I’m not into beaches or all inclusive resorts, preferring more active, less touristy vacations. But I’m pretty sure the town of Tamarindo on the Nicoya peninsula is where most people go for beaches and ocean activities.

My wife and I went to the Osa Peninsula, and stayed at a ranger station in Corcovado National Park.  We had planned on hiking, but it was the tail end of rainy season and the trail was flooded by a river. It was still possible to ford/swim across, but we opted to fly in on a single prop plane. It was really fun, but my wife is terrified of small planes, plus the landing strip was a short swath of grass cut into the jungle, which ended in a cliff. Anyway, we stayed in relatively spartan bunks, did a ton of hiking and saw all sorts of animals, including multiple caiman in the river flooding the approach trail (reportedly bull sharks also frequent the area).

After that we drove to Arenal, where there is an active cone volcano.  We stayed at a pretty nice resort with wonderful meals emphasizing local fish, fruit and vegetables. We rode horseback around the volcano, which was probably not the wisest choice given it activity. It was erupting pretty frequently, including occasional bright orange lava spewing from the top, which was nicely framed by a large picture window in our bedroom.

We also spent some time in the cloud forest at Monteverde, where we hiked some more and zip lined (worth doing once, but kinda meh imo).

So probably a bit different than what you’re looking for. Still, Costa Rica offers more variety than a lot of other tropical locales, is tourist friendly and reasonably priced. If you go, I would gtfo of San Jose as quickly as possible, or fly into Liberia. The roads are a little tricky to navigate (if you drive), but I think that adds to the experience.

 
@[icon] I'd look at St. Lucia, specifically in the Rodney Bay area. It's a longer flight to get there but you can also take a cheap flight to San Juan and then catch a local Caribbean airline like Liat and get down there reasonably and have fun doing it.  Here's a resort that has everything you're looking for. I haven't stayed here in about 5 years but it was great last time we were there. Sorta local/sorta tourist. And in a great walkable area of all kinds of good restaurants. The suite we had there literally opened to the beach. As a bonus they have a digital nomad program with some pretty steep discounts. Don't do all inclusive because you will want to try the restaurants in the area. And there is a ton to explore on the rest of the island. You'll want to rent a car and go exploring for sure. I can turn you on to a bunch of cool spots that most visitors never see.

English and patois spoken by all of the locals. Super friendly people. Beautiful island.

https://www.baygardensresorts.com/extended-stay

 
Terminalxylem said:
Good question. I’m not into beaches or all inclusive resorts, preferring more active, less touristy vacations. But I’m pretty sure the town of Tamarindo on the Nicoya peninsula is where most people go for beaches and ocean activities.

My wife and I went to the Osa Peninsula, and stayed at a ranger station in Corcovado National Park.  We had planned on hiking, but it was the tail end of rainy season and the trail was flooded by a river. It was still possible to ford/swim across, but we opted to fly in on a single prop plane. It was really fun, but my wife is terrified of small planes, plus the landing strip was a short swath of grass cut into the jungle, which ended in a cliff. Anyway, we stayed in relatively spartan bunks, did a ton of hiking and saw all sorts of animals, including multiple caiman in the river flooding the approach trail (reportedly bull sharks also frequent the area).

After that we drove to Arenal, where there is an active cone volcano.  We stayed at a pretty nice resort with wonderful meals emphasizing local fish, fruit and vegetables. We rode horseback around the volcano, which was probably not the wisest choice given it activity. It was erupting pretty frequently, including occasional bright orange lava spewing from the top, which was nicely framed by a large picture window in our bedroom.

We also spent some time in the cloud forest at Monteverde, where we hiked some more and zip lined (worth doing once, but kinda meh imo).

So probably a bit different than what you’re looking for. Still, Costa Rica offers more variety than a lot of other tropical locales, is tourist friendly and reasonably priced. If you go, I would gtfo of San Jose as quickly as possible, or fly into Liberia. The roads are a little tricky to navigate (if you drive), but I think that adds to the experience.
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That Is awesome info. Thank you! 

Part of our plan is limited by the fact that this will be a working trip, vs a month long vacation. This kinda removes moving around too much, and does limit anything too remote. We're not looking for touristy but we do need reliable, reasonably quick internet at our rental. We also really enjoy culinary tourism as well relaxing at pubs chatting with folks. Live music is a bonus as well. With COVID some of this is limited but still a factor. 

We've not worked out specifics yet but we are toying with working Monday thru Thursday and burning 4 vacation days on Friday's giving us 3 solid 4 day weekends to explore... plus having afternoons/evenings to hang out and explore closer to our retail. The latter being why we'd like to have dining/bars/etc nearby. 

The GF isn't exceptionally adventurous. She's in great shape... Enjoys hikes. Loves yours TOURS :lol:  . Zip lining might be pushing it. We've got to work through what her comfort levels are. 

 
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Ron Swanson said:
@[icon] I'd look at St. Lucia, specifically in the Rodney Bay area. It's a longer flight to get there but you can also take a cheap flight to San Juan and then catch a local Caribbean airline like Liat and get down there reasonably and have fun doing it.  Here's a resort that has everything you're looking for. I haven't stayed here in about 5 years but it was great last time we were there. Sorta local/sorta tourist. And in a great walkable area of all kinds of good restaurants. The suite we had there literally opened to the beach. As a bonus they have a digital nomad program with some pretty steep discounts. Don't do all inclusive because you will want to try the restaurants in the area. And there is a ton to explore on the rest of the island. You'll want to rent a car and go exploring for sure. I can turn you on to a bunch of cool spots that most visitors never see.

English and patois spoken by all of the locals. Super friendly people. Beautiful island.

https://www.baygardensresorts.com/extended-stay
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Thank you so much!  Great info. 
 

Unfortunately it looks like the extended stay program is not available when we would be going (looking at Jan/feb window), and the base room is double our target spend ($4k for the month) for a room with no view. Looking more like $6-8k for a month at something near pool or bay. We COULD swing that just not trying to this trip. 
 

Thanks though GB! 

 
Fwiw, vrbo for Anguilla mid Feb to mid Mar < $200/night for 2 adults.

Anguilla is far from the cheapest place, and there's 14 options...on just the first google search.

Im confident with some work, you'll be able to find a spot that fits your criteria- just have to make sure about covid rules/restrictions. Anguilla and Antigua are both former british, so English is the language. Anguilla is the safest place I've ever stayed- people there are fantastic 

 
[icon] said:
Per a buddy's suggestion: 

Belize has entered the chat 
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Spent almost 2 weeks in Belize a few years ago.  It was great.  We did almost a week at Ian Anderson's Caves Branch (inland - Rain forest atmos) and then a little over a week on right on the beach, San Pedro (La Isla Bonita)

Gorgeous, speak English, but I will caution not all of the waterfront are sandy beaches.  We were right on the water, but it wasn't a sandy beach in front of us.  More like a wall in front of the water.

 
El Floppo said:
Fwiw, vrbo for Anguilla mid Feb to mid Mar < $200/night for 2 adults.

Anguilla is far from the cheapest place, and there's 14 options...on just the first google search.

Im confident with some work, you'll be able to find a spot that fits your criteria- just have to make sure about covid rules/restrictions. Anguilla and Antigua are both former british, so English is the language. Anguilla is the safest place I've ever stayed- people there are fantastic 
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This place looks incredible in St Johns...that view / patio :eek:  

https://abnb.me/yIiAwUsIGab

Guessing it's expensive as hell to get there? Curious about internet too... 

EDIT: damn.. under $500 round trip with one stop in Miami.

Hrmmmm 

 
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Panama is very cool. And it is probably fairly affordable. And it has the benefit of having good infrastructure set up by the Americans. So as an American, you can drink the water, hospitals are supposed to be good, etc.

I'd recommend checking it out.

 
[icon] said:
This place looks incredible in St Johns...that view / patio :eek:  

https://abnb.me/yIiAwUsIGab

Guessing it's expensive as hell to get there? Curious about internet too... 

EDIT: damn.. under $500 round trip with one stop in Miami.

Hrmmmm 
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Antigua is really nice. Can't vouch for the safety or people the way I can for Anguilla, but it's bigger with arguably nicer beaches and more varied geography and stuff to do. Getting to Anguilla has flights to St Maarten and then easy ferry or charter boat to anguilla. Antigua is a straight shot.

Provodenciales, main island in turks and caicos, expanded their airport and infrastructure...lots of housing options there and American style stores. Direct flights too. Worth a look, imo.

 
whoknew said:
Panama is very cool. And it is probably fairly affordable. And it has the benefit of having good infrastructure set up by the Americans. So as an American, you can drink the water, hospitals are supposed to be good, etc.

I'd recommend checking it out.
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Yep.

My college roommate is from there and I spent 3 weeks over winter holidays one year. Lots of day trips you can take. The biggest thing will be finding a place on the beach but I'm sure there is something available that may be close enough to the city. 

In particular, check out the islands of San Blas as an away trip for 3-4 days.

But, lots of English speakers and lots of ex-pats there.

ETA -- A few things to consider checking out -The Panama Canal, El Valle, Gamboa jungle.

 
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whoknew said:
Panama is very cool. And it is probably fairly affordable. And it has the benefit of having good infrastructure set up by the Americans. So as an American, you can drink the water, hospitals are supposed to be good, etc.

I'd recommend checking it out.
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Absolutely looking into Coronado as well! Thanks.. definitely checking lots of boxes 

 
Ecuador has nice beaches that have become popular over the last 10 years or so.  Everything, food, lodging, transportation, etc. is cheaper than Mexico or Costa Rica.  Food is better, too. 

A lot of countries aren't going to let you in because of Covid.  Mexico wasn't letting tourists in before September 21st and could easily revert back to that policy with Covid getting worse in the US.  Here is a list from CNN that lists the countries that are allowing tourists right now.  It is updated every few days.  Caribbean countries have been easier to enter than Latin American countries (I'm going to spend the winter in Jamaica).

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/us-international-travel-covid-19/index.html

 
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[icon] said:
That Is awesome info. Thank you! 

Part of our plan is limited by the fact that this will be a working trip, vs a month long vacation. This kinda removes moving around too much, and does limit anything too remote. We're not looking for touristy but we do need reliable, reasonably quick internet at our rental. We also really enjoy culinary tourism as well relaxing at pubs chatting with folks. Live music is a bonus as well. With COVID some of this is limited but still a factor. 

We've not worked out specifics yet but we are toying with working Monday thru Thursday and burning 4 vacation days on Friday's giving us 3 solid 4 day weekends to explore... plus having afternoons/evenings to hang out and explore closer to our retail. The latter being why we'd like to have dining/bars/etc nearby. 

The GF isn't exceptionally adventurous. She's in great shape... Enjoys hikes. Loves yours. Zip lining might be pushing it. We've got to work through what her comfort levels are. 
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Ok, then probably something on the Mexican riviera or Panama would be better. But of the suggestions so far, I bet Ecuador would be the most interesting. Tough to beat a day trip to the Galapagos.

I give my wife a hard time for being timid, but she’s far more adventurous than the average person. I’ve talked her into skiing and hiking on some gnarly trails, whitewater rafting, rock and ice climbing. You’ve gotta set the precedent early in the relationship, remaining calm and patient when they’re scared. I fail quite a bit at the latter, and her post-activity wrath is probably the most dangerous thing I have to deal with.

 
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Don Hutson said:
Ecuador has nice beaches that have become popular over the last 10 years or so.  Everything, food, lodging, transportation, etc. is cheaper than Mexico or Costa Rica.  Food is better, too. 

A lot of countries aren't going to let you in because of Covid.  Mexico wasn't letting tourists in before September 21st and could easily revert back to that policy with Covid getting worse in the US.  Here is a list from CNN that lists the countries that are allowing tourists right now.  It is updated every few days.  Caribbean countries have been easier to enter than Latin American countries (I'm going to spend the winter in Jamaica).

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/us-international-travel-covid-19/index.html
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Love Ecuador... spent a week in Cuenca. Things are a little dicey there right now and not sure I'd feel comfortable in Guayaquil... wouldn't want to spend a month in Quito. 

Tracking US Resident admission options, thanks! Great Site on Travel Advisories Here with links to more detailed info as well. 

 
[icon] said:
Love Ecuador... spent a week in Cuenca. Things are a little dicey there right now and not sure I'd feel comfortable in Guayaquil... wouldn't want to spend a month in Quito. 

Tracking US Resident admission options, thanks! Great Site on Travel Advisories Here with links to more detailed info as well. 
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I was going to mention Colombia, because I've known a few people who have set up there for retirement/winter. ..but I really know nothing about it. But you can't go wrong with hookers and blow, imo.

 
[icon] said:
Oh damn. Now we are taking. 

Looks like lots of options in that area for monthly rentals as well... in the ~$1-2k range ($40-70/nt) which is doable.  

Example: https://abnb.me/l3gI8F7hGab

This Loreto? https://abnb.me/FLIWzerjGab

Looks like Cabo has locations in the $1.5-2k a month range. https://abnb.me/9hb8fyKjGab 
Is downtown Cabo near the marina the spot to be if you wanted to be walking distance from dining, shopping, bars, etc? Is Cabo just more expensive for rental or noticably moreso for everything else too? 

How is English in Loreto or Punta de Mita? 

We don't need nightlife (night clubs) per se, but we do need social activities. Some Bars. Lively restaurants. Good food. Things to do (fishing/boat cruise/beaches/tours/places to explore/etc). 
 

Thanks GB! 
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I imagine you can find a monthly deal in Cabo with airbnb or vrbo. Restaurants are not that expensive and I know a ton of the best local gems. Golf is stupid expensive there, but if that isn’t a big deal to you Cabo moves up the list. I’m not sure what the nightlife/restaurant scene is with Cabo due to Covid. Check Trip Advisor forums. Fishing is great. Beaches aren’t. Don’t expect crystal clear water and most snorkeling is a waste. 
More expats means more English at Loreto Bay Villas. You can get by anywhere though. It’s not hard to say Don Julio 

 
El Floppo said:
I was going to mention Colombia, because I've known a few people who have set up there for retirement/winter. ..but I really know nothing about it. But you can't go wrong with hookers and blow, imo.
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The 2 main beach options in Colombia are Santa Marta and Cartagena.  The beaches in Santa Marta are beautiful and it is cheap.  The city of Cartagena is beautiful with its colonial architecture but its beaches aren't great and it's a lot more expensive than Santa Marta.  Santa Marta also has more of a backpacker/bohemian vibe whereas Cartagena has more of a cruise ship tourism kind of feel.  A lot of people stay in Taganga which is a fishing village just outside of Santa Marta.  Tayrona National Park is just outside of Santa Marta/Taganga and it is spectacular.  Just Google Santa Marta beaches and you'll see how beautiful it is there.  But Colombia is dangerous literally everywhere so if that is a concern, then beware.  Although, Santa Marta is pretty safe if you aren't reckless.

 
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Don Hutson said:
The 2 main beach options in Colombia are Santa Marta and Cartagena.  The beaches in Santa Marta are beautiful and it is cheap.  The city of Cartagena is beautiful with its colonial architecture but its beaches aren't great and it's a lot more expensive than Santa Marta.  Santa Marta also has more of a backpacker/bohemian vibe whereas Cartagena has more of a cruise ship tourism kind of feel.  A lot of people stay in Taganga which is a fishing village just outside of Santa Marta.  Tayrona National Park is just outside of Santa Marta/Taganga and it is spectacular.  Just Google Santa Marta beaches and you'll see how beautiful it is there.  But Colombia is dangerous literally everywhere so if that is a concern, then beware.  Although, Santa Marta is pretty safe if you aren't reckless.
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This high rise place in Cartegena looks incredible for the money ($974/mo), and has a couple workspaces where we wouldn't be on top of each other. 

https://abnb.me/HCRY9d8oHab

Curious how sketch Colombia is though... will be no hookers or blow given I'm rolling with the lass. :lol:  

 
This is an example of the Loreto Bay Villas. I didn’t look for cheaper deals but you can find some near $120 a night and cheap for a month. Love love love this place if you’re going to chill. Quick car ride to town. Great eating for dirt cheap. No nightlife though. I think I played unlimited golf for a week on a course on the water for $150. For the whole week. 
https://abnb.me/QVkHmUdqHab
 

 
Judge Smails said:
This is an example of the Loreto Bay Villas. I didn’t look for cheaper deals but you can find some near $120 a night and cheap for a month. Love love love this place if you’re going to chill. Quick car ride to town. Great eating for dirt cheap. No nightlife though. I think I played unlimited golf for a week on a course on the water for $150. For the whole week. 
https://abnb.me/QVkHmUdqHab
 
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I want to like this town so much but I've not seen anywhere in our budget that looks appealing. lot of older/worn/rustic places. Maybe in a bungalow by the water but that's not what I'm finding :(
 

Also with smaller towns like this we definitely want to be walking distance of the heart of town. 1mo in an isolated subdivisions that involves getting  in a car to do much is not the vibe we are going for . Hell if we could avoid driving / riding in cars for 98% of the trip that would be awesome. 

Also golf is a non-factor for us, like scuba. I know that's lame given I worked for a golf company for over a decade :lol:  

I know it sounds like we're being overly picky... just kinda have an idea in our heads. 

 
[icon] said:
Gotcha! Scoping San Pedro there. Some interesting options at first pass :thumbup:  Not sure what else is nearby (dining/etc). Gotta look more. Thanks! 
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Lots of options for food in and near San Pedro, mostly cheap.  But, I would try and stay a bit outside of town. San Pedro is small, but hectic.  Just to the north and south are some of the most idyllic beach bars I've ever seen. North properties tend to be newer and bit more secluded. Great times, and perfect for this pandemic since they're all open air. No cars, BTW, only walking water taxi, or golf cart.  We stayed about 11 miles north of San Pedro at Sapphire Beach. We loved the seclusion of the place, but the 11 mile golf car ride to get there was a bit much.  It sounds fun but the roads get very very bad the further you are from San Pedro so it's about an hour ride of constant pothole dodging. But, we had a kitchenette and we chartered a boat the first day so had fresh fish for several days. 

 
Ron Swanson said:
Lots of options for food in and near San Pedro, mostly cheap.  But, I would try and stay a bit outside of town. San Pedro is small, but hectic.  Just to the north and south are some of the most idyllic beach bars I've ever seen. North properties tend to be newer and bit more secluded. Great times, and perfect for this pandemic since they're all open air. No cars, BTW, only walking water taxi, or golf cart.  We stayed about 11 miles north of San Pedro at Sapphire Beach. We loved the seclusion of the place, but the 11 mile golf car ride to get there was a bit much.  It sounds fun but the roads get very very bad the further you are from San Pedro so it's about an hour ride of constant pothole dodging. But, we had a kitchenette and we chartered a boat the first day so had fresh fish for several days. 
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Great info here. Looks like some fun options. Belize is apparently pretty bad off with COVID right now, and also isn't letting US citizens in...; but I suspect/hope that will change in the next 4 months. Will keep them on the list for that reason and keep pulling info. 

VERY EARLY Current Leanings/thoughts in tiers: 

San Pedro, Belize - Affordable, Small w/ solid dining options, close to Belize City  - Accommodations more on lower/mid end - Decent English - Currently No-Go for COVID. 
Playa Del Carmen / Mayan Riviera, Mexico - Affordable, Range of smaller/upscale towns, Close to Cancun - Low to mid-high end Accommodation range - Solid English

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Moderately affordable, Nice range of accommodations - Solid English - Very Walkable - Too Commercial?
Tamarindo, Costa Rica - Still Digging... seems quite promising... some solid AirBNB Options downtown. 

Cartegena, Colombia : Gorgeous but Crime an issue?
Santa Marta, Colombia : Gorgeous but theft/mugging risk elevated - Particularly with Venezuelan refugees
Coronado, Panama - Moderately affordable, Unsure on vibe... too "gated/upscale"? Still doing research 
Punta Mita: Elevated security risk in Puerto Vallarta area? Not enough to do outside upscale resorts? 

St John's - Higher Priced, Fairly Walkable, Great English - Curious on reports of lack of "international" vibe? Overly commercial/upscale? 
Loreta: Looks pretty but AirBNB options were thin and perhaps a bit too small? 

Panama City : Too much of a metro city vibe / Too Cosmopolitan 

If my read is off on any of these, or input is to be had please share :wub:   :banned:   

Huge thanks already to all those who have offered input. 

 
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