Living in a tranquil spot in Ecuador

rawfood yogi wrote:

I am living in lake atitlan, Guatemala right now and i am trying to find a place similar to this in ecuador.  i've listed  a few things that describe my ideal setting.

Inexpensive ($300-$400 monthly) private 1 bedroom house or apartment with my own bathroom
Quiet and in nature
Warm weather
In Nature and preferably near a body of water- (pref.. a ocean)
kind of Secluded (not around so many people/ backpackers -- not a hostel or hotel)
Access to plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
**Good working internet (for my business)

Well now, Yash, that's a fascinating itinerary -- USA - Phuket - Lake Atitlan - the Pacific Coast of Ecuador.

I've been watching many online videos from Lake Atitlan posted recently by "The Hobo Traveler."  He was there with his 80-something mother from January until late April.

Anyway, Ecuador has a long ocean-coastline, so perhaps a trip is in order to see which of the many communities there is right for you.  If you go too far off the beaten path, there's a lack of infrastructure in some of the "Puerto" towns.  Take a look at Bahía de Caraquez while you're at it.

Fly into Guayaquil, which is not on a beach, and from GYE it's 90 minutes by ground transport to the ocean.

Now this other place I'm about to mention has to be considered, even though it's not on the ocean and does have some backpackers coming through.  That would be Vilcabamba, which has serious synchronicity with the activities you mentioned on your profile.  As it happens, Indiana native Andy Graham, the aforementioned "Hobo Traveler," spent three months in Vilcabamba in 2014, and posted many videos from there, too.

Here are a few things to know about Vilca:  It's in the famed Valley of Longevity....The soil there is widely revered as super-rich and plant-and-vegetable friendly....It's a magnet for Gringos with New Age proclivities.

If you post again, I would consider it a personal favor if you would tell us why you have decided to leave beautiful Lake Atitlan for a "similar" place in Ecuador.

cccmedia in Quito

Thank you much for your reply. Actually both- Vilcabamba and Bahía de Caraquez were on my list to go to. I just wanted you to confirm that the internet is decent there and also a decent furnished apartment or small house is available for $300-$400 a month in those places?

Also, Do you think Bahia de Caraquez is too developed-- or do you still think I can find a place to live that is in nature and surrounded by foliage and has good space between me and my neighbors (not so "city like"-- more "nature-like").

Lake atitlan (santa cruz) is nice for sure.; but I wanted to investigate Ecuador because of the ocean. And also the rich soil and fresh food and plant medicine in Vilcabamba.

Your $400 price-range will not be a problem in Vilcabamba, Yash.

You might even want to start by living on or near the whole foods farm established there by ex-Californian blogger-nutrition expert Matt Monarch and his enthusiastic British wife Angela.

mattmonarch.blogspot.com and www.therawfoodworld.com

As for the Internet there...since I live in Quito, I'll let Matt or one of our other posters on this forum tell you their personal experience.  Matt is running his businesses out of Vilca, so I expect the IP(s) there are more than adequate.

You may have to tool around Bahía and vicinity yourself to find out what's available and suitable for you there.  However, I have another 'coastal' idea for you that is more suitable for a PM (private message), and I will send you such tonight.

cccmedia in Quito

Vilcabamba, EC?  1 bedroom house, $200-250.  Meets all your other wants except the Ocean, but there is a very nice river that people use and a public pool for a price.

Thank you for confirming that most of my wants could be met there. The river sounds nice. I was going to ask about that. I Appreciate it. So I am getting the feeling that Vilacabamba may appeal to me, perhaps more than the coast.

If you haven't ruled out the EC Coast, Yash, you may want to get the 'Chamber of Commerce' view from Bahía's biggest booster -- Charlie "Wandering Bears."

In multiple posts on a 2013-2014 thread on this forum, Charlie discussed everything from the trees and soil of that city to the noisy downtown sector to his plans to develop land including his new house in Canoa (20 miles away).  All the while repeatedly saying how much he Bahía.

I would start with Report #1 and don't miss Report #33....

   https://www.expat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=278929

cccmedia in Quito

with out being a bad person you´re wishing for a star to come to your door step.i hope it will come but please don´t hold your breath for what you´re asking for

gringuito wrote:

don´t hold your breath for what you´re asking for

Given Ecuador's tremendous diversity and many places of beauty, a seeker such as Yash can be considered realistic in his quest.

cccmedia in Quito

I think so too

well i hope so and i guess your quest isn´t so wandering since you live in quito and i live in guayaquil.and it seems like the diversity isn´t so vast as you think but it´s out there.please let me know where paradise is just for a short visit for then i might actually try to be a part of it

Start by googling pakakunagardens.org

Pakakuna Gardens is a unique community inside Ecuador's largest botanical gardens that has opened up to the public as a safe and beautiful place to live.

It's not far from the Quito airport:  no oceanfront, but outdoor swimming.

Visiting the website is not a bad idea even for a 60-second visual vacation in Paradise.

cccmedia in Quito