Idyllic
Bohemian Mexican Village of Yelapa Beckons to
Retirees Truly Wanting to Escape Modern Day
Life
Cost of Living: One
Third to One Half of the U.S. National Average
This is a peaceful place and recreational
activities primarily include hiking (a short trek into the
jungle takes one to the 150-foot waterfall and a
delightful restaurant, Cascada y Bosque, at its base),
parasailing, fishing, snorkeling, horseback riding and
whale watching. The nearby Tuito River is a rare
jewel of pools, falls and sandy banks, home to river
"shrimp," crayfish for the picking. Wild
birds and other animals are everywhere, just out of sight
at the jungle's edge.
Yelepa also has a sizeable arts community
with nearly thirty art galleries and studios that showcase some
remarkable local talent; many of these artists also show their
work in the U.S. and Canada, and they offer free weekly workshops
that anyone can attend. There is a local language
school, the Yelapa English Spanish Institute, to help those who
need to brush up on their Spanish, and the Yelapa Oasis is a
wonderful retreat/resort with casitas in a garden setting.
There is also a free local medical clinic, but major medical
emergencies would have to be taken care of in Puerto Vallarta.
One store sells over the counter drugs and some prescription drugs
(no prescription required).
English is spoken
enough throughout the village so that one does not need to know
Spanish to retire here, but it is always a good idea to learn the
local language. This can often be accomplished by just
living in Yelapa. The water, as in much of Mexico, is
not safe to drink, at least not for those not raised here, but
most of the restaurants have bottled water, and the water store
supplies very inexpensive fresh water to gringos.
There are no banks or ATMs in Yelapa so financial matters need to
be tended to in Puerto Vallarta. This is also a safe place
with very little crime.
Retirement
Real
Estate
|
