Where Should I Move To Retire & Kite?

[danlar]

I am a retired Canadien and I lived on the coast of Ecuador. I kite at Santa Marianita, it has a thermal wind, water is warm and it’s mostly sunny all year long. The city of Manta is 2 minutes away with good restaurants, shopping mall, etc. Easy to fly to Peru for wave kiting. Cost of leaving is very cheap here and Ecuador is now using US dollar as a currency.

Looks like a nice place. How is the wind? Thermal seems to often mean around 15 knots?

Yes, most of the time its with a 11m or 12m, but I use my 9m very often.

[Havre]

I am a retired Canadien and I lived on the coast of Ecuador. I kite at Santa Marianita, it has a thermal wind, water is warm and it’s mostly sunny all year long. The city of Manta is 2 minutes away with good restaurants, shopping mall, etc. Easy to fly to Peru for wave kiting. Cost of leaving is very cheap here and Ecuador is now using US dollar as a currency.

Looks like a nice place. How is the wind? Thermal seems to often mean around 15 knots?

Yes, most of the time its with a 11m or 12m, but I use my 9m very often.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Are we then talking 20 knots?

I'm looking to move somewhere else when this Covid-19 madness settles down. And since I speak some Spanish and love South America I'm looking at places where I can live in a city/town while at the same time have access to a decent kite location. It has to be bigger than let's say Cabarete (love the place, but I don't think I could live there) and more convenient than a place like Cartagena - where you got to travel out of the city to find the best spots (even if I haven't ruled out Cartagena). But I would also like to have more than typically 15 knots. I'm close to 2ms tall and somewhere around 100kg/220lbs so 15knots doesn't work as well for me as someone at 70kg. 20 knots of course is a completely different story, but often when others are on their 9s I am on a 12 or in some cases even my 17m.

[danlar]

Looks like a nice place. How is the wind? Thermal seems to often mean around 15 knots?

Yes, most of the time its with a 11m or 12m, but I use my 9m very often.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Are we then talking 20 knots?

I'm looking to move somewhere else when this Covid-19 madness settles down. And since I speak some Spanish and love South America I'm looking at places where I can live in a city/town while at the same time have access to a decent kite location. It has to be bigger than let's say Cabarete (love the place, but I don't think I could live there) and more convenient than a place like Cartagena - where you got to travel out of the city to find the best spots (even if I haven't ruled out Cartagena). But I would also like to have more than typically 15 knots. I'm close to 2ms tall and somewhere around 100kg/220lbs so 15knots doesn't work as well for me as someone at 70kg. 20 knots of course is a completely different story, but often when others are on their 9s I am on a 12 or in some cases even my 17m.

You will have to come and see. I don’t really know the wind speed average but I would say it’s between 15 to 20+ knots.
We are heading to the low wind season which is jan-feb-mar-apr
Tell me your email and I will send you a small video I did few days ago.

[a99]

Top10 of

[sonny2727]

I rather live 10 intensive years in Brazil than 20 boring in Germany.

[rnelias]

I would not leave my country (Brazil) to live somewhere else. I live in Rio de Janeiro (southest region) and would move to the northest part of the country on states like Rio Grande do Norte (Natal), Ceará (Fortaleza) or Maranhão (São Luis) where life cost is cheaper, summer all year long, wind 90% of the year and wonderful coast line with beautifull beaches.

[Havre]

I don't think homicide rates is a good way to measure how safe a city is for the average Joe. Quite often those numbers are heavily influenced by criminals killing criminals.

That said quite a few cities in SA and a place like Cape Town you should probably pick your neighbourhood carefully. And mentally be prepared for getting robbed.

[Tony in FL]

While technically not another country, I think that Puerto Rico is a nice option. Year around wind and warm water, cheap flights from US, no customs or currency conversion for US citizens, reasonable cost of living, and friendly people/culture.

[Toby]

I don't think homicide rates is a good way to measure how safe a city is for the average Joe. Quite often those numbers are heavily influenced by criminals killing criminals.

Exactly!

[Flyboy]

Would only consider a country that uses Bitcoin as official currency.