Undiscovered retirement havens

[farmerEd]

A few weeks back there was a thread about "overhyped countries"....how about one about "under-hyped" countries?...it looks like it might happen next year that we'll be homeschooling all the kids (right now its 3/4), and therefore have the flexibility to travel more, especially in the winter (because thats when we like to travel...someplace warm).

Any recommendations on places that are relatively friendly to Americans, safe, and not yet discovered? Last ten years or so we've enjoyed the Bahamas....but thats starting to get busy and expensive...where else have you guys been?

Beautiful beaches a must.

In particular, besides travelling there for a visit, anyplace left to buy a nice retirement home on the beach that won't cost 7 figures?

[brewer12345]

Go check out Vieques. Starting to get bid up, but you could still get a livable place for under $300k. Unbelievably gorgeous beaches, and most of the time you are the only one on them, at least Mon-Thur.

[Jay_Gatsby]

Originally Posted by brewer12345

Go check out Vieques.* Starting to get bid up, but you could still get a livable place for under $300k.* Unbelievably gorgeous beaches, and most of the time you are the only one on them, at least Mon-Thur.

Isn't that a former Navy artillery range?

http://www.vieques-island.com/navy/navyfacts.html
http://www.vieques-island.com/navy/

[brewer12345]

Originally Posted by Jay_Gatsby

Isn't that a former Navy artillery range?

http://www.vieques-island.com/navy/navyfacts.html
http://www.vieques-island.com/navy/

Yup, but the Navy finally left in 2003 ("Paz por Vieques") and 2/3 to 3/4 of the island is now national park land.

[Sheryl]

Roatan, Bay Islands of Honduras.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Jay_Gatsby

Isn't that a former Navy artillery range?

Gosh, the government's assured us that they found all the unexploded ordnance!

If you go snorkeling or diving, don't pick up any souvenirs...

[brewer12345]

Originally Posted by Nords

Gosh, the government's assured us that they found all the unexploded ordnance!

If you go snorkeling or diving, don't pick up any souvenirs...

Couple weeks ago I drove over an old military airstrip to go to the obviously military-named "Red Beach". Beautiful beach, fantastic snorkellling, no crowds, no vendors, no fees. No ordinance that I could find, either.

But, hey, if you guys want to stay off the island, that is fine with me. I like having an uncrowded, underdeveloped place to go in the Carribean. If we have a bad RE market crash, I will be shopping for a smallish house on Vieques and a condo in Taos.

[farmerEd]

Originally Posted by Cut-Throat

When you say the Bahamas, what islands do you mean?* - I think there are many islands that are quite remote in the Bahamas. I have been to Abaco a few times and it is not busy. Food is expensive, but you don't need heat or A/C.

Eleuthera is the island...not crowded per se, just starting to get built up with talk of lots of new big developments etc. The feature in the NYTimes this past week isn't gonna help....

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by Nords

Gosh, the government's assured us that they found all the unexploded ordnance!

If you go snorkeling or diving, don't pick up any souvenirs...

Or touch the ground. Or touch the ocean bottom.

Area near here used to be an army test firing range. A huge chunk of it. After all, who the hell would ever want to live in the central valley? Hot, flat, prone to flooding?

A bazillion homes on the area now. People are constantly digging up live ammo.

I wish I still had the news story. Some salvage yard blew up down near Folsom a couple of years ago when some numbnuts put a torch to a live shell someone brought in.

[MJ]

Shouldn't there be a special password for this type of thread so that except for loyal forum members, the gems mentioned here (Vieques?) remain undiscovered.

The new encrypted password is **************.

MJ

[Cool Dood]

Originally Posted by MJ

The new encrypted password is **************.

That was easy.... I just decrypted it from ROT13, and it comes out as follows:

(scroll down)




















**************

[BunsGettingFirm]

Originally Posted by Cute Fuzzy Bulldog

Or touch the ground. Or touch the ocean bottom.

Area near here used to be an army test firing range. A huge chunk of it. After all, who the hell would ever want to live in the central valley? Hot, flat, prone to flooding?

A bazillion homes on the area now. People are constantly digging up live ammo.

I wish I still had the news story. Some salvage yard blew up down near Folsom a couple of years ago when some numbnuts put a torch to a live shell someone brought in.

Haha flood in the winter and fry in the summer. So true, but you forgot to mention that the Central Valley has some of the best paved roads for road biking. There are hardly any cars on these little back-country roads that may connect one or two houses. Frankly, I don't know why they were build in the first place, but I was glad that they were there. At least that's the way it was 10 years ago.

[MJ]

Originally Posted by Cool Dood

That was easy.... I just decrypted it from ROT13, and it comes out as follows:

How' bout keeping it to yourself.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by BunsOfVeal

Haha flood in the winter and fry in the summer. So true, but you forgot to mention that the Central Valley has some of the best paved roads for road biking. There are hardly any cars on these little back-country roads that may connect one or two houses. Frankly, I don't know why they were build in the first place, but I was glad that they were there. At least that's the way it was 10 years ago.

Its about the same now, except 20% of the orchards are small mcmansion and regular new stucco homes on postage stamp lots. Great place to bike ride if you dont like hills.

[ShokWaveRider]

We sailed and spent quite some time in the Spanish Virgins, Vieques, Culebra (Dewey has a great Dinghy Dock Bar and Grill). I personally prefer Culebra. Both are very small and unless you like solitude and unexploded bombs, I would think twice. Paradise is relative. I would agree that they are most beautiful though. We visited and stayed at virtually island in the Virgins and the Caribbean and honestly I prefer a place with more activity. Just my opinion. Wherever you go out there will be overun by tourists sooner or later, if not already. The best option is to live on your boat.

SWR

[HFWR]

Originally Posted by Cool Dood

That was easy.... I just decrypted it from ROT13, and it comes out as follows:

(scroll down)
**************

Heck, I did that in my head...

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I did it in my head using ROT14!