Questions About Living At the Ocean -Bahia de Caraquez

Howdy, I am not sure what jobs you can find here. We are developing property so self employed.  The wages down here are very low. About $2.00 per hour.  I usually recommend being in your own business so you can make more money.  Safe here yes.  Lots of bike riders, including my 10 year old who rides to school about 8 blocks and back.  Beaches are great. Yes there are expats.  Short term rentals yes I know of some Downtown here. Small town 5 minutes to anywhere.
Living It and Loving It in Bahia , Ecuador
Charlie

Didn't they have quite a large earthquake about ten years ago and also a terrible El Nino storm that destroyed a lot of places and residences?  Are you worried about that happening again?  That kind of worries me!   Other than that, Bahia sounds like the perfect spot for us!

Yes they had those about 14 years ago.  We have a few small tremors now and then.  Seattle has the same tectonic plates below the Ocean. The ring of fire extends all the way along the Coastlines.  We are actually moving to higher ground in Canoa  3KM north of Canoa.  During the earthquake and the Tsunami there was no damage there.  The Ocean will be below the Cliffs in the Oceanfront so we are protected.  The ground is so hard below it didn't move last time in 1999 when the quake hit. The old trees are all still there!
Yes there was a lot of damage here in Bahia.  We very carefully chose an area to build on where we won't be affected by earthquakes and tsunamis.  If you are interested I can send you our website for the development. 
Living It and Loving It here in Bahia, Ecuador.
Charlie

Charlie,  I've seen your website and it looks beautiful, but we're not ready to move yet - need to get more of a savings account to cover all costs and also for emergencies first.  Not to mention learning Spanish to a reasonable extent.  Right now I am just trying to pinpoint a country and a few cities to explore so that when we are ready we know what places to concentrate on.  Of course by then, it will probably be a different scenario as things are building up so fast, but at least it will give us a good idea about what country and what areas to concentrate on.  The earthquake and tsunami still have me quite concerned.  Although it was 14 years ago, that doesn't mean it won't happen again, and this time maybe worse than the first.  I don't want to be a naysayer, but I am somewhat of a worry wart!  I believe in insurance policies and living in an area that had a substantial earthquake 14 years ago is a little out of my comfort zone!  Not to mention a Tsunami!!  Yikes!  Anybody else out there have any thoughts on this?  Am I just over reacting or does this concern have some merit?????

ActionMgt: Anywhere in the "Ring of Fire" -- the west coast of the Americas and the eastern coast of Asia/SE Asia -- is prone to earthquakes and volcanoes. The Andes were created by the action of tectonic plates -- across the Pacific, where I am now, the Philippines is similarly volcano- and earthquake-prone (for the same reason -- tectonic activity).

If this concerns you greatly (and I don't belittle the concern), then you would be wise to consider other destinations.

For me, volcanoes are not a big concern, because they generally give plenty of advance warning before a major blow-up, but earthquakes are another matter. I will come to Ecuador anyway (as I came to the Philippines), but I will check out the construction quality of the building before I rent it, as I did here.

ActionMgt wrote:

Am I just over reacting or does this concern have some merit?????

Yes, and yes.

Just my own opinion

Of course it makes sense, if you know you're looking to move somewhere that you know has had major natural disasters in the past, to take some reasonable precautions to protect yourself from them in the future. But one can really carry this too far.

Consider just the US alone: The whole west coast is earthquake country. Think a tsunami can't happen here? Most coastal towns out here have tsunami evacuation plans/routes, and sirens...because it can. 1/3 of CA is on fire right now, and 1/3 of the southeast is under water. The whole middle of this country might as well be tornado alley. The eastern seaboard seems to get hit with hurricanes or remnants thereof every single winter.

If you've managed to avoid all of these areas...who's to say your house won't just burn to the ground? Well, since your brother-in-law is a firefighter, he's made sure your house is as safe as it can be from fire. Whew! Except...it turns out your next-door neighbor is a hoarder. Who knew? Too bad all that newspaper is so flammable. There goes the neighborhood.

I'm having fun with this, obviously. You get my point. I think people just live where they live, and have learned how to take some steps to protect themselves from the most likely natural disasters for their area. It's kinda second nature, but then they get scared about moving someplace which is known for disasters for which they simply are not prepared...because they don't live there.

Here's my own version of your trepidation: I grew up in CA. Earthquakes? Really?? You simply cannot scare me away from anywhere by telling me it was decimated by an EQ sometime in the past. People in EQ prone areas get EQ insurance if they can, wouldn't dream of leaving a bookcase propped against a wall without anchoring it, or a water heater not strapped down, and when the ground shakes, most of us just shrug and stand in a doorway. That's it. Yet I can't count the number of times I've heard people from the Midwest, where entire towns can be flattened by a tornado, say to me, "I'd NEVER live in California! You have earthquakes!"

Hell, I was just about to tell you I'd NEVER live in the Midwest, because you all play The Wizard of Oz Russian Roulette every spring!

I spent 11 years living in a river community/summer tourist town in Northern CA. It had "100 year floods" about every 6 years. I was in TWO in the space of 3 months. Aside from raising your home above the highest known flood height, there's really no way to protect your belongings very well from a flood. So wherever I lived there, I just always made sure I rented a house that had never flooded, then rode out the loss of power for a few days.

Yet when I flirted with the idea a few months ago of maybe making the US Virgin Islands our retirement community, I got royally spooked (exactly like you ) when I found out not only HOW often hurricanes swept through there, but that the very island I was planning on had been utterly destroyed a couple of decades ago by one. The pictures looked like a bomb had been dropped on it. But the islanders? They know exactly what kind of structures will resist these winds, and exactly what the drill is when one is headed their way.

I know this is ridiculously long (sorry!), but I think you can see that you might as well just pick your perfect spot and not worry about the disasters. Figure it out when you get there; the locals will help you. Some of them will be easy to avoid (tsunamis and floods), others will have "the usual protocol" to follow to avoid serious damage, and the rest just can't be predicted.

Fortunately, living in Cleveland, OH in the summer and Cape Coral, FL in the winter, I've been able to avoid any natural disasters (we bought our first winter home in Cape Coral AFTER Hurricane Charlie.)  I was born and raised in the NYC area and never had any real natural disasters there, either.  Like some of the rest who have never experienced these, I would never move to CA or to "tornado alley" because of the earthquakes and/or tornadoes.  I guess I'm just spoiled.  If you've never experienced one of these I think you are more leery of one hitting than if you have lived through one and survived without much damage.  Maybe I'll just settle in Cuenca or Vilcabamba rather than the coast, and just visit there regularly!  Or maybe like Charlie, I can find a place above the cliffs that has 100 year old trees!  something to keep in mind, anyway!

Having a lot of interest in Bahia. Curious about health care since it's a much smaller place than Cuenca. I've had a minor heart attack w/stent in place. Curious if Bahia has heart doctors or how far I would need to go.

Also curious to how many expats in Bahia?

Bahia itself is a town of about 50,000 including Leonadis Plaza which is connected to Bahia.  However there are Expats living throughout this area.  Tonight we spent time with people from Surrey (Vancouver) B.C., and  Montreal, both in Canada, And California (5 of them) as well as several others.  Quite a large diverse group.  We also were in Canoa today 15 minutes north of here where there are several North Americans.  The general Bahia area is quite large , diverse and growing steadily.  There are people populating the whole Beach Area in several directions all the way to Manta and to Jama.  They go further but too long of a drive to get there.  It is a beautiful, enchanting place with everything you need.  We have a Hospital here and many Doctors.  The main Doctors would be in Manta and Portoviejo.  By the time you drive in any big City in the US through traffic it being a 90 minute drive to either City takes about the same time.  For Heart Attacks etc. stabilization here and then transfer to Manta, Portoviejo , or Guayaquil.  The warmth here is astounding.  Even when cloudy it's in the 80's.  We are developing property north of here near Canoa.  If interested let me know and will send you the website.  Enjoy your journey and the adventure of Beautiful Ecuador!!
Living It and Loving It here in Bahia, Ecuador
Charlie
Living

We are coming from Canada, connecting thru Houston.  What is the best way to get to Bahia?  What North American Banks are there? Or how do you deal with transfers, etc.

How is the humidity?

Thanks for info---would you please send your website info.
Garry

What is best source to access rentals--looking for 1-2 bedroom furnished.  Do most of them come with washer/dryer---coin op laundries?

Garry, Quito to Manta on short hop plane then 90 minutes to Bahia.  Or buses from Quito to here 9 hours.  Guayaquil to here 4 hours by bus.  Humidity not bad at all for the Ocean.  Nothing like Miami for example. Rentals available for $300 on up depends on Ocean View or not. Some have washers and dryers some do not.  Nicer ones do, more expensive.  Depends on your price range for rentals. Enjoy your adventure coming to Ecuador.
Living It and Loving It here in Bahia.
Charlie

Garry , sorry banks here will take your debit cards. Let your bank know you'll be using it here. also wire transfers for larger amounts take 3 to 5 days.  Living It and Loving It here in Bahia. 
Charlie

My husband, another adult volunteer teacher, I have been living in an indigenous village in Mexico for over 5 years, and volunteering as an English teacher, equine therapy and agua therapy Central in Mexico for over a decade. We have built a community center and rebuilt a home that burned last February.

My PhD is in special education, bilingual education, and sociocultural studies; my MS is in business systems mgt. Since 1986, I have managed a nonprofit dedicated to education for marginalized children. I write books about bilingual education: Award-Winning Book for Teachers, Trainers, & Friends of Latinos

My husband and I are going to coastal Ecuador Sept 3 - Oct 8 to see if the sea level altitude will make my husband better able to breathe, and have a higher quality of life. His body was ravaged in Vietnam and he has many physical challenges when living at 7,000' here in Mexico.

Please suggest who I might contact to help me decide where my skills might best be applied working with marginalized people?

Also, any feedback on the best person to contact for a resident visa would be really helpful.

Thanks!!

Jacquie

Hi..have a couple of questions..what kind of rental car deposits have you experienced and would you recommend renting a car for a couple of weeks??? we are looking for a cottage etc, in the country setting but not that far from main cities, any suggestions??? we are going to rent long term...Thanks....Dean / Uschi....Texas:cool:

ps...do they have trash pick-up???

Welcome to the Expat.com!, We rented with Budget. They accepted our Debit Card even though their site says they wouldn't. It is pretty steep as you have to buy full insurance and your coverage will not work down here.  About $500 to $600 per week all total with a medium size SUV.  Rented in Manta and when returning in Guayaquil they tried to nail us for extra money for it needing washing($50) we successfully persuaded them we wouldn't pay this fee.  Very expensive down here and cars not as nice.  But hard to tour on bus as you don't get to stop and taxis are quite spendy.  Advantage is you can only use the taxi/tour guides as you need them.
They seem to run $80 plus per day and you buy their meals and pay their hotels on top of this.  The bigger Cities may have more Rental Companies at better rates.   
Home Rentals depends entirely on where you rent and availability, furnishings, oceanfront or view, length of rental.
The Cities have trash pickup.
Suggest you look around and see what area you like first before you rent.  Manta, Salinas, Bahia, good starting places.  See what you like it's half the fun!  Looking!  Enjoy your adventure!!
Living It and Loving It in Bahia, Ecuador
Charlie

Bahia de Caraquez is a full peninsula where you can walk the malecon all around it and enjoy the beauty and nature on both sides,with having the town in the middle. Salines is a peninsula also but there are only about two blocks only on one side that are used , as the other half and the beaches are private for the navy.
They are very few trees and green areas in Salinas.

In Bahia de Caraquez the streets are full of exotic fruit trees and birds. Within 2 blocks of my Bahia B&B you can find Mango, papaya, noni, almond ,pomegranate, coconut, neem, jackfruit, guanabana, cherimoya, start fruit,bananas, wild tomatoes, aloe vera, and this this is just for starters!

Well gees Dr. Bill I'm not accustomed to giving advice to Doctors.  Usually it's the other way around.  Perhaps you could adopt an Ecuadorian Custom and come down to the Beach on weekends etc. to enjoy the Ocean and make your living in Quito as many do.  Manta is another option as there are many Expats living there.  As this area grows and expands (Bahia area) there may be a larger market for your services.  Certainly this area would be very conducive to writing now.  The rents are not low here. Downtown starting at $300 to $400 and along the Malecon $500 to $600 on up.  It all depends on what furnishings you want (Washer/Dryer), Nicer Furnishings etc. and of course Ocean Views cost more.  Two bedrooms furnished and nice with Ocean View about $600 to $700. 

You can fly to Manta , then either Taxi 90 minutes $30 or bus $7 and 3 hours with stops to get to Bahia.  Flights Quito to Manta $50. The bus 9 hours Quito to Bahia $9.


This is an ideal place to live but not sure there is enough business here for you.  There are places to live all along the Coast that are nice.  Manta is bigger 500,000 people there.  Salinas is nice,  Closer to Guayaquil and Cuenca with many more possible Clients for you.  Salinas is again more expensive though than here. 

The best solution is probably the one most often given.  To come down, check it out and see what works for you.  4 days probably not enough to really look.  This is again definitely a great place to live, just not sure of your income potential here.  As it grows and expands here with the many new Developments here you could gradually expand here.  I have noted some firms spread their time to be in several Cities and only part time in each.  So they travel to meet the needs of several Cities at once.  If you have established clientele in Quito why give them up?  Why not be here as often as you can until it builds up enough to support you here.  They certainly need English Teachers here.

Feel free to look me up if you come down as I am happy to show you around here in our area.  I am not sure what type of practice you have.  If you speak Spanish or not.  If you do obviously you can offer services to the Spanish population, or use an interpreter to help them.  We are close to the same age.  I am from Seattle WA and have always wanted to be at the Ocean.   So we are thrilled to be here. I hope I have been of some help.

The Ocean is very Healing and we have found many of our ailments do better here such as arthritic problems.  Let me know if I can help you in your search in any other ways.

Still Living It and Loving It here in Bahia,
Charlie

Thank you----I concur!

I say go for it. Probably many more expats heading for the coast in the near future. I read on Gringo Tree (Expat.com for Cuenca)  that you could expect to pay $35 for 1/2 hour with a psychiatrist. Latin American people are supposed to be the happiest people in the world so you wouldn't necessarily need to learn a lot of Spanish. Have talked some with Charlie about the Ecuadorian mentality.
There are always going to be American expats looking for therapy or maybe not once they get the Ecuador cure!!! ...Sue retired RN

Charlie,

How are things?  We are still looking and still considering a trip down.  I kind of got off track and was looking at Belize.  One real consideration was it being an english speaking country, primary language.  But I think I am finding out it is not that inexpensive a place to live.  I am sure we would do just fine there due to the inexpensive healthcare.  But I am back on the Ecuador train.  I think we will just bite the bullet and get flights down.  Mental attitude for you and your family still high?  Looking forward to hearing about your "project" down there and if everything is still moving in a positive direction...!!

Frank & Debra

Hello Frank, We looked at Costa Rica, Belize, Nicaragua, Panama, and several South America locations before deciding on Ecuador ourselves.  It's all part of the investigation, Adventure and a very important decision to make. We decided on Ecuador as it has the friendliest people in South America,  many miles of beautiful Coastline and is still largely undeveloped.  The infrastructure improvements are also very important here.  There are no Hurricanes here either.  Warm Ocean Beach.  Cost of living, Health Care,  Economic possibilities,  Ease of immigration, Availability of services and goods,  and finally just plain old Family values are treasured and nurtured here.  The families stick together throughout their lives here.  No one is embarrassed to hug or love their family members here.  Quite the opposite including Teenagers.  An Ecuadorian greeting includes a hug and a kiss on the cheek from all ladies here.  Once you are here it is easy to take the open friendly attitudes for granted here.  It is normal to be greeted by all with a friendly good day etc.  Very nice friendly folks.  They are quite interested in learning about us and our Country etc. 
Since this is a Forum we are asked not to advertise and sell here.  My attitude is very positive and I am working hard at my work.  I am glad to see you have decided on Ecuador at least for a look.  We came to the same decision after reviewing all the other Countries.  Hard to beat.  Love the Ocean and the warmth here!  The wonderful fresh foods are great also! 
They doubled the size of the Tia Grocery Store here!  It is the main grocery store here in town. What a huge improvement!  Now they carry a lot more things and it is much easier to shop there.
Once our mall is completed we will have Movie Theaters here as well.  Although we purchase english movies here inexpensively.  And of course our food court will include Rock and Roll Burgers and KFC!  Yep what else do you need?  Will look forward to meeting you and your lovely wife when you come to see us!  Please let us know how we can help you make your Ecuador Dreams come true?  Half of the Adventure is just seeing it!  Well got a Dental Appt. for my Crown fitting (tooth) this afternoon.  Please keep in touch.

Still Living It and Loving It here in Bahia, Ecuador,
Charlie

Thanks Charlie that was very helpful.

I have one quick question... I have a Scottish Terrier... would she be okay in the city?

Judy

Judy , We have a Dachshund here female.  We are very careful to keep her on leash especially when in heat.  There are many dogs here.  Would advise keeping her at home and on leash when out.  The vets here are very reasonable.  Dog food well we make our own as theirs is awful at the stores here.  We love it here and so does our little Wiener girl.  Hope this helps Judy.

Still Living It and Loving it here in Bahia, Ecuador
Charlie

Judy , we have lots of small cafes where people love to sit outside and enjoy the people walking by.  Lots of really cool things to photograph here.  The insects and wildlife are quite interesting here.  We had a scorpion join us the other night.  Not sure how he climbed 9 floors.  Have seen  a Golden Tamarin Monkey in Northern Area of rain forest.  A Tayra was seen by us on the Beach.  Many beautiful things to learn and photos to shoot here.  Incredible Iguanas with black and white striped tails.  5 kinds of crabs here.  We love the ecological diversity and the History here is s Story waiting to be told , Judy.  A Sunken City lies right offshore here.  Much local culture and many stories to hear and to write. 

So much to learn and enjoy along with the beautiful Ocean and warm Sunny climate.  Along with the Humboldt Current and the breeze we get all year life is very relaxing here. 

Still Living It and Loving It here in Bahia, Ecuador
Charlie

wanderingbears wrote:

A Sunken City lies right offshore here. 
Charlie

Do tell... i think you just made my day.

Thank you so much. My dog and I have lived in three foreign countries... can't go anywhere without her.

Judy

The local indigenous people say that there is a sunken ancient City right offshore in the Bay just offshore from Bahia.. I have not scuba dived down to see it nor seen any evidence of it.  Just the locals saying it's there. The thought is very intriguing to us as well.  We haven't followed up on this yet.  Busy with other things since we got here. 

Still Living It and Loving It here in Bahia,  Ecuador

I am checking out a Holland America cruise that docks in Manta at 5AM and pulls out at 7 PM.  What could I do best for spending 12 hours in Manta?  Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Thanks for all your posts.  Can you recommend some condos for sale and/or a realtor.
Regards e

Hi Garry,
There is really not a lot of decent condos in Bahia to choose from for buying. You would need to rent first to see if you like the neighborhood and how the building is managed. Ecuadorians can be very noisy and love to blast music all night around the holiday season.

We plan on coming down for at least a month (19 Nov) and the concerns we have are:
1. We need to rent a condo/townhouse/apartment for a month to test the water so to speak before we buy.
2. We would like to bring a small dog with us
3. I am wondering if I should fly into Quito or Quayaqil
4. Transportation from those 2 airports to Bahia
5. Organizations and/or clubs that I could volunteer with to mix with other expats and locals

If you could give me some advice on the above I would be grateful

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Garry

Hi Garry,

I would fly into Guayaquil and taxi to Bahia $140usd, 5.5 hours Or fly to Quito and make a connecting flight to Manta which is close to Bahia. 80min. Quito Manta $69 per person Tame-aerogal airlines. Taxi Manta Bahia $35.
Take the flight to either Quito or Guayaquil which is more easy for you. check the route connections and layovers carefully.

I run a B&B in front of Las Caras Bridge near the marina and the best restaurants like Puerto Amistad where you can meet many expats.
I am also next to the Ruta del Sol where you can easily catch a taxi or bus to the surrounding areas and beaches outside Bahia.

You can find us on Booking.com
http:/www.booking.com/hotel/ec/bahia-bed-and-breakfast.en-gb.html?sid=c526f96ecc7cee294d91dbd24933b484;dcid=1

There is a Christian church in the center where many expats attend the English service on Sunday, and throughout the month the expats from that church volunteer helping the children in the surrounding communities of Bahia

Your dog wont be a problem anywhere in Ecuador, dogs are everywhere here. I have a 5 year old Sharpe.

mugtech wrote:

I am checking out a Holland America cruise that docks in Manta at 5AM and pulls out at 7 PM.  What could I do best for spending 12 hours in Manta?  Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Hey, wait a minute - Mugs, I thought you had decided to stay in the USA - are you having second thoughts?

John

LeftClique wrote:

mugtech wrote:

I am checking out a Holland America cruise that docks in Manta at 5AM and pulls out at 7 PM.  What could I do best for spending 12 hours in Manta?  Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Hey, wait a minute - Mugs, I thought you had decided to stay in the USA - are you having second thoughts?

John

No, John, just wondering what there is to do in Manta for a day.  Always interested in seeing how what I am told online matches the reality of the situation.  As you can see, no info yet.  I intend to visit The Andes in the future, details not worked out yet.

Mantas really a commercial industrial port city, but the port is close to playa murcielago which has a nice malecon boardwalk and plenty of seafood restaurants. You are better of to take a taxi to Bahia de Caraquez to spend the day

misha16 wrote:

Mantas really a commercial industrial port city, but the port is close to playa murcielago which has a nice malecon boardwalk and plenty of seafood restaurants. You are better of to take a taxi to Bahia de Caraquez to spend the day

Thank you.  How long a taxi ride and what will I find in Bahia de Caraquez?

Mug Tech, It is a 90 minute taxi ride to Bahia from Manta.  A couple of suggestions about Manta to save you 3 hours in a Taxi.  There is a nice large outdoor Marketplace in Manta, that has many things you may like, to look at and or buy. It is spread over many blocks and has quite a variety of hand made items.(Central Mercardo) near the bridge . A taxi will take you there. Watch your purse etc. as there may be pickpockets or petty theives there.

The Beachfront area near the Cruise Ship area is nice and has several restaurants and little vendors selling things. The Beach itself is very relaxing, with warm water and little rental chairs with tents to relax and enjoy the Beach.
There is a Downtown area near the Malecon with many shops and things for sale one block off the malecon.  There is Great Seafood for sale all along the Malecon area, if you want fresh seafood while here.

There is a group of Expats called Manta Expats online that will likely offer more suggestions if you contact them. mantaexpatsonline.com.  Manta has a large expat community.  We lived there last year for 3 months .  A large City with much to do .  Enjoy Ecuador!

Still Living It and Loving It here in Bahia, Ecuador
Charlie