IL Magazine: Discover the World's Best Retirement Haven for 2022 + 24 more
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“Come as guests, leave as friends.” This is Cindy and Dan Hines’ motto. It fits perfectly into the laid-back Caribbean island lifestyle they live on Cozumel, Mexico’s largest island. A lifestyle many people dream of. Which is why the Riviera Maya in the Mexican Caribbean is one of the top destinations in Mexico chosen to retire to. Yes, there are swaying palm trees...
Sunshine, year-round warm weather, great food, and Neptune's palette of vibrant blue hues. From light turquoise and aquamarine through to the deep cobalt and sapphire depths, the Caribbean waters are world-famous for their healing and restorative affects. That is why so many expats choose to live here—myself included.
My old life, long days of loud alarms and being a first responder running fire drills daily in the Navy, is over. I love my new life and am thankful for my little slice of heaven on Cozumel Island off the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. No more sweating, adrenaline pumping, running around ships. Here, now, I can relax.
I would have to say the number one question I get asked when I say I live on a Caribbean island is “that sounds amazing… what’s it like?” For me, it is everything I dreamed my life would be. So I’d like to share what my typical day looks like. I like to start the day in a relaxing way. A long walk along the shorefront starts the day out nicely.
It was the niceties of the Mexican culture, their manners, and the way they treat people that really shone while I waited in line to receive my COVID vaccination. Along with a few hundred others in my age group, we shuffled along an insanely long line. That is how it was run here on Cozumel. Each decade’s age group had a day for vaccination...
I’m living in the Mexican Caribbean and want to share the wonderful family recipe of a dear friend and local chef Carlos. He came to my house to teach us how to make a Mexican staple: Sopa Tortilla, tortilla soup. This recipe is the one he makes at home for his family, just as his mother made it for him...
Visa’s, renewals, legal residency, and visiting La Oficina de Inmigración—the Immigration Office, is something that makes a lot of expats break out in a cold sweat. When in reality, right now it’s quick, easy, and like catching up with an old friend. If you have ever thought of moving to Mexico, now is the time to do it...
One of the first questions that is always asked when I say I live on the gorgeous island of Cozumel off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is: “Do you speak Spanish?” The short answer is no. Or, to locals “poquito” which means “a little bit”. So they know to switch and speak in English...
When Bel was looking for a spot to settle in overseas, top of her essential criteria list was safety. When she landed in Cozumel, she knew she had found the expat safe haven of her dreams. It's just one of the reasons she calls this picture-perfect island home.