For years, the global faith-based practitioner and entrepreneur of Jamaican and Nigerian descent has been a powerful force. He has been a dot connector and best-kept secret for those seeking to build relationships and navigate the African and Caribbean faith-based, political and business worlds. Faith has always been a cornerstone of these societies, and Dr. Dike navigates that space effortlessly.

An alum of Howard University, the University of the West Indies and the United Theological College of the West Indies, he is tapped whenever the U.S., African or Caribbean governments wish to engage each other from a faith perspective. Over the last 10 years he has partnered with the White House faith-based cabinet offices regarding immigration, criminal justice reform, education, disaster relief, religious persecution, internally displaced people, and global health priorities.

Dr. Dike and the CAFBLC create opportunities and premier events that convene kings, elected officials, national civic and faith leaders, corporate leaders, and stakeholders. Throughout the year, he invites prominent figures and advocates alike to Washington, D.C. to meet with the Presidential administration.

“My organization works in partnership with 14 faith-based cabinet offices in the U.S. government, and we bring outstanding foreign dignitaries to the table to engage the government and create linkages between faith-based leadership across the globe. It is a monumental achievement to facilitate networks and mission partnerships with them, he said.”

CAFBLC is linked with leaders serving thousands of churches with millions of members spanning the United States, Africa, the Caribbean, United Kingdom and Asia. As an interfaith leader, his fellowships include Christian, Islamic, Jewish, African and Caribbean indigenous religions.

These connections have allowed him to identify change-makers who have exemplified excellence in the areas of transformational leadership, economic development and volunteerism.

“We issue the Global Humanitarian Leadership Award and certify the U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for members, among others of our community, and those who positively impact our constituency – the African diaspora,” said Dr. Dike. “This year, we have a prestigious roster of recipients who will receive their awards signed by President Joe Biden himself.”

The honorees will be presented with their awards during the 9th Annual Caribbean and Faith Based Leadership Conference & Awards Gala scheduled for September 29 – October 1, 2022 in Washington, D.C. The lavish event will run during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 51st Annual Legislative Conference.

Dr. Dike describes the affair as a way to champion the extraordinary work and volunteerism of the Presidential Award recipients by honoring them and allowing them to speak on panels. Additionally, it fosters learning, networking, partnerships, and serves as a gateway for people who desire to connect with the African and Caribbean communities.

“There is no other organization like this in the world, and we are happy to bring this kind of value on such a historic level,” he said.

Dr. Dike’s speaking tour garners worldwide invitations from global leaders, premier conferences, churches and educational institutions.

The post Rev. Dr. Agorom Dike Unites America, Africa and the Caribbean Through Faith-Based Partnerships appeared first on Grit Daily News.

The Caribbean is one such case study in emerging economies of the Americas breaking away from their dependency on tourism through industries like business process outsourcing (BPO) and tech entrepreneurship. “Jamaica is known for tourism, but this island and the greater Caribbean are quickly becoming a tech hub,” says Kirk-Anthony Hamilton, co-founder of TechBeach Retreat and the new TBR Lab startup accelerator created in partnership with IDB Lab. “All the sufficient conditions are aligning for a tech boom.”

China has already started noticing, and has been investing in Jamaican infrastructure, building roads and solar panels to promote growth and stability. Here’s a look at the economic, health, and tech industry conditions that are redefining the Caribbean.

The world’s best performing stock exchange is holding up against pandemic conditions

In a review of 94 exchanges worldwide, Bloomberg ranked the $11 billion Jamaica Stock Exchange as the world’s best performing, gaining 35 percent over one year. The Jamaica Stock Exchange has been resilient during COVID when other exchanges have plummeted, and recently migrated to the NASDAQ.

“We have been able to interact and communicate with our clients fairly seamlessly by ramping up electronic means of communication and reducing the level of physical data that is sent to the exchange,” said Marlene Street-Forrest, Managing Director of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

“Fortunately, our systems, by and large, have not been impacted by the current environment. We are very pleased that we had moved to the Nasdaq trading platform, which has been efficient. The JSE’s Business Continuity Plan was effective in ensuring that the Group could operate within the COVID-19 environment, which allowed the staff to work remotely in almost all areas of our operation, while maintaining good corporate governance.”

The Jamaica Gleaner reported the nation was on track to “further improve its macro-economic stability,” with projected growth in top industries including business process outsourcing (BPO). 

This migration to BPO and other forms of remote work keeps step with other emerging trends, and reflects the Jamaican government’s insistence on strict pandemic regulations, even as borders have reopened to tourists.

Jamaica set a global example with Coronavirus protocols

Jamaica’s swift and (relatively) competent handling of the Coronavirus pandemic included stringent protocols for reopening the borders to tourists and has been bolstered by support from the Pan American Health Organization and USAID. As a result, the island of 2.965 million people has seen just over 20,000 cases and 381 deaths. By comparison, the state of Mississippi, which has a comparable population, has suffered more than 289,000 cases and 6,524 deaths as of February 17, 2021.

“Jamaica continues to enjoy a fruitful relationship with PAHO and USAID, as the country further advances its COVID-19 response,” said Minister of Health & Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, MP. “This donation, again represents the best in partnership in the public health system and stands as a true example for countries around the world to emulate.”

As Jamaica is demonstrating, remote work is both profitable and healthy. And it’s the foundation for a tech industry that’s been simmering for years.

Jamaica’s tech-educated population is ripe for a startup bonanza

Jamaica is already home to the Caribbean Climate Innovation Centre, the University of Technology, Jamaica, and Sir Richard Branson’s Center of Entrepreneurship. The TechBeach accelerator brings a new dimension to the burgeoning startup climate by linking entrepreneurs across the Caribbean, and connecting them to Silicon Valley opportunity.

“Jamaicans are among the best educated, most creative, and most business forward populations in the Caribbean,” Hamilton says. “The only reason there hasn’t been a rush to fund the talent here is that the popular perception of Jamaica is still based in tourism. But that perception is changing, and the rush is only a matter of time.”

Still, Hamilton is using the tourist-friendly reputation to bring Silicon Valley sharks and angels into contact with local talent. While Kingston is the city with the financial and industrial infrastructure, Hamilton hosts TechBeach in Montego Bay across the island. It’s the city most associated with tourism. A popular cruise destination, the Bay is home to a sleepy 110K compared to Kingston’s 1M residents. But Hamilton says that makes it the perfect place for the convergence of flush execs and talent scouts looking for a week away, and energetic Jamaican tech upstarts looking to rub elbows and make symbiotic connections.

The three year accelerator program, which is a partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank, will boost an estimated 200 Caribbean tech startups through mentorship, technology support, and networking with investors and executives.

It will have an edge on existing accelerator programs, like the one Richard Branson launched in 2017 in Jamaica, because it comes from within the community. Hamilton was born in Jamaica, went to college in the United States, and returned home with a tech sophistication that compliments his grassroots ability to organize for his fellow islanders.

But his focus isn’t just on Jamaica. “Barbados likely has the most successful remote work program in the region at the moment,” he says, “with executives from Silicon Valley actually on the ground.” In addition to Jamaica and Barbados, Hamilton is looking for tech upstarts in Barbados, as well as Trinidad and Tobago.

Remote workers from the US are migrating to places like Montego Bay

Aside from the economic growth, healthy remote working conditions, and burgeoning local talent, Jamaica is seeing an influx of remote workers from abroad—mostly Americans.

Why work in a city you can’t afford to enjoy? As more tech professionals become untethered to expensive locations like San Francisco and New York City, they’re migrating to new homes that offer more relaxation and a better quality of life. Digital nomadism is becoming the rule and not the exception.

More remote tech workers from abroad means more cross-pollinating and resource sharing. Put all these things together, and it seems likely that Montego Bay could soon become the next Bay Area.

The post The Caribbean Lures Startups in Renewed Bid as a Tech Hotspot appeared first on Grit Daily News.

We’re not suggesting that you look at the Bahamas, Antilles, or Virgin Islands as good-value retirement destinations. They’re not, particularly. A two-bedroom beachfront home on one of these islands typically costs more than $1 million. But on three islands we prefer, you can live your Caribbean dream for much, much less.

The truth is, the Caribbean is not reserved solely for billionaires and oligarchs—in fact, if you know exactly where to look, you can find islands where your living costs could be less than in a U.S. or Canadian suburb. Restaurant meals for less than $10, rents for under $500 a month, condos for $65,000…these are real prices, real places. A retirement on some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful islands is well within a reasonable budget. Here’s where to find it:

Option 1: Laidback Paradise on Roatán

Avoiding the Caribbean clichés of steel drum bands and flocks of hair braiders working crowded beaches, Roatán, in the Caribbean Sea just off the coast of Honduras, stands alone. Rising nearly 1,000 feet above the perpetually warm waters, this tiny tropical jewel is covered with lush jungle flowing up steep hillsides, across sheer ravines, and blanketing broad valleys. Sandy beaches are plentiful, and a steady trade wind from the east keeps the air moving. Roatán is spectacular.

The weather is tropical, with temperatures usually in the mid-80s F, up to 90s F on summer afternoons. It’s just south of the major hurricane highway, and compared to its northern neighbors, Roatán has mostly been spared from these monsters.

On a recent scouting trip, I stayed at the Turtle Beach Resort, on the west end of the island. Water taxis pass by frequently and can be hailed from the resort’s private dock, taking you to restaurants and shopping. Roatán’s west end is where you’ll find all the action. You’ll find dozens of small bars here, offering all the fruity umbrella drinks, as well as some good bar food. If you want to spend a night mixing with travelers and locals, this part of the island is where you want to be.

There’s also immediate access to the clearest water imaginable. Here I waded into a natural aquarium. I was only waist-deep into the gin-clear, warm water before I saw my first spray of fan coral and then noticed it was everywhere. I wasn’t prepared for the visual impact.

Finger-length fish in neon-bright yellows, reds, and violets darted about like oversized poker chips, and small schools of shimmering, slender needle fish cruised by, checking me out. Just beyond the end of the resort’s short pier, a large, green moray eel guarded the entrance to her home, sharp teeth clearly visible. And all this while I was wading in only a few feet of water.

If you’re on the hunt for your personal island retirement escape, Roatán offers a lot, for a price that would be unthinkable on islands such as Antigua or Grand Bahama. In either of the latter locations, $1 million may just get you into the game. Here, though, there are plenty of affordable opportunities to own a slice of Caribbean paradise.

While you can find homes in the $120,000 to $150,000 range, they are rare and may not fit your requirements. That said, there are always gems to be found. I came across a one-bedroom, one bathroom house with a nearly completed apartment of the same size. It’s in the desirable Sandy Bay area, and the owner is willing to complete it for a total price of only $119,000.

Move your budget closer to $200,000, or maybe up to $275,000, and the market expands. For only $189,500, you could have a trendy, water-access home in a safe, protected harbor. How cool is that? Located in Pitts Lagoon, this one-bedroom, one-bathroom home (perfect for sailors) includes a lower level rental unit of the same size. And you can tie your sailboat to the deep-water dock. Water, backup power, a private lagoon for swimming, and a boat launch all come as part of the low HOA monthly fees.

If you aren’t quite ready to purchase, you can find rentals on Roatán in the $950 to $1,500 range.

Roatan is the perfect place to learn to dive.

“It’s like getting a diamond for the cost of a pearl,” says Kendall Beymer, who has been living full time on Roatán for over four years. “I have lived throughout the Caribbean, and Roatán clearly provides the best overall value for my money.”

Kendall operates two large luxury catamarans that cater to upscale clients. He says Roatán’s cost of living is extremely reasonable. “I live a very nice life for around $3,200 a month, and that includes plenty of restaurant meals. It’s easy,” he says. “But like every other place, it all depends on your lifestyle.”

Longtime expat Carol Luber retired here early from a successful career in information technology.

“I love to swim. Ocean or pool, it doesn’t matter. Also, we have a wonderful music scene here, and sometimes I just hang out with my friends,” says Carol. “I also admit to some bar hopping, but frankly, those costs can add up, so I do some entertaining in my home. I can walk down my dock and visit with fish, watching the dive boats launch their divers on the reef. Honestly, life here is tough to beat.”

Except for electricity, the cost of living is reasonable and provides exceptional value for dollars spent. Medical care is improving, too. With the recent completion of the new, private Hospital Cemesa, residents can receive top-notch surgical and non-surgical care provided by a team of professionals. You’ll also find individual physicians, as well as the public hospital (although it can sometimes be short of needed supplies). Finally, a dedicated expat and registered nurse, Peggy Stranges, who came to Roatán in 2001, founded and now runs Hospital Esperanza, better known around the island as Miss Peggy’s Clinic.

This non-profit and highly organized endeavor operates to serve all people of the island. It uses a network of volunteer medical professionals, including students from the finest medical schools in the U.S. It also maintains a staff of physicians, nurses, technicians, and pharmacists. All patients pay a tiny fee, only a few dollars, for services.

The topography of Roatán is breathtaking. The valleys, gorges, and ridges, all covered in dense jungle, provide homes to large macaws, monkeys, coatimundis, and what seems like millions of hummingbirds. Reaching for your camera becomes a reflex.

On the south side of the island’s west end, three commercial zip-line operators offer canopy tours. This is a fun way to experience an overhead view of Roatan’s stunning topography. South Shore Zipline and Canopy Tours are close together and offer similar experiences. Dense jungle covers broad valleys and steep ravines, and zip lines are an exciting way to see it, if you look quickly. Prices start at about $60 per person.

There’s also an attitude on Roatán that I haven’t found on other islands. It promotes respect for the environment and seems to pull all residents together—locals, tourists, and expats alike. I believe it goes beyond the need to protect the reef for the good of the economy. It is inherent in the culture, and to come to Roatán mandates that you buy into that culture.

For those who are prepared for island life, take a hard look at Roatán—the most beautiful island I have ever seen, and the only one that has ever tempted me.

Learn to dive on Roatán

Roatán is the perfect place to learn to dive. The water is almost always calm and crystal clear, without dangerous currents to complicate things.

Off the sheltered coast of Roatán, the water is as clear as you’ll find anywhere on the planet. ©iStock.com/BeusBeus

Local resorts and dive centers normally offer introductory lessons, and the prices are hard to beat. For about $110, you’ll enjoy a four-hour session under the close, direct supervision of a PADI (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) certified instructor. You’ll start out on the dock with a briefing about the gear, safety rules, and underwater behavior. Then you’ll move into waist-deep water, kneel down, and experience your first underwater breaths. Next, you’ll head to a shallow, confined water area to practice skills and add confidence and control, followed by a short swim around the area. At this point, you’re ready to go diving.

You usually board a small boat for the ride to the nearby reef. There you’ll follow an anchored line up and down a few times, getting more comfortable. At the end of four hours, you’ll be swimming freely about the confined area.

If you want to continue and get your open water certification, that usually takes an additional two days and costs about $400. But you’ll almost always receive credit for the money you spent on your introductory dive. 

Option 2: Active and Cosmopolitan: The Dominican Republic

Reefs, jetties, palm fronds, and boats. The Caribbean dream is within grasp in Cabarete. ©iStock.com/VisionsbyAtlee

By Jason Holland

When I told friends and acquaintances that I was headed to the Dominican Republic, many broke into wide grins and mentioned they’d visited…and loved it.

Invariably, though, they’d been to beach resorts, mostly in the resort area of Punta Cana. I was more interested in seeing where you could live at the beach, long-term, comfortably. That brought me to the towns along the north coast, where small but thriving expat communities have sprung up in the past couple of decades.

Cabarete and Las Terrenas—the two towns lie along the northern coast, just a little less than a hundred miles apart—offer the best in laid back Caribbean living: Walkable beach towns with plenty of conveniences, beautiful scenery, great restaurants, active nightlife, and fun-loving communities of friendly locals and welcoming expats. The expat community includes a huge percentage of Canadians, a good number from the U.S., and plenty of Europeans.

Las Terrenas has a very European feel. First settled by French hippies in the 1970s, when there was no electricity or paved roads, this spot on the Samaná Peninsula has since grown into a sophisticated destination that retains a Gallic flair. Step into the French-run grocery store, Supermercado Lindo, and you find a huge selection of imported wine, cheese, and charcuterie, without a huge import markup. Shop hours and signs are often in French, and you hear the language spoken as you walk around town.

It’s a very multicultural scene in Las Terrenas.

It was fun to see older French men concentrate on their game of pétanque as they sipped pastis. A scene straight out of rural France, were it not for the tropical beach backdrop.

The sizable Italian population has brought their language, too, as well as espresso, pasta, and traditional wood-fired oven pizza. There are also plenty of North Americans, as well as locals and middle- and upper-class Dominicans visiting from the capital on weekends and holidays. It’s a very multicultural scene.

Cabarete is a little different. There’s plenty going on both on the sand and in town, whose heart is one long road that parallels the beach. The town is where you’ll find shops and such, with access roads to developments and inland neighborhoods branching off. Along the water, you have a long strip of beach bars and restaurants. But much of the action is in the water.

If you enjoy fishing, snorkeling, boating, or other watersports (Cabarete is the kiteboarding capital of the world), you’re in luck. And if you’d rather watch the water from a hammock strung up between two palms, there are plenty of spots. I was shocked at how affordable it was, from my $6 dinners to plentiful fresh produce and seafood, to rents at $400 or even less for a walk-to-the-beach condo.

It’s a rare thing on a Caribbean island. But you really can live well for much less in the Dominican Republic. It all depends on your lifestyle (and how many gourmet French dinners you enjoy). But all in, a retired couple could do well on $2,500 a month, with maid service and eating out a few times a week.

You can live on the beach (or close to it) very affordably on the north coast, with plenty of units in waterfront, resort-style condo communities under $100,000. Because these are small towns, you’re always pretty much within walking distance to the beach, restaurants, the market, banks, and anything else you may need.

For $130,000, you can pick up a one-bedroom, recently refurbished condo on Punta Popy beach in Las Terrenas. It has two community pools and 24-hour security; plus, you can walk to the heart of town on the sand. In the center of town is a loft-style condo for $99,500. A two-bedroom condo, walkable to the beach in Las Terrenas, is listed at $89,250. Nearby, but in a gated community on the water, is a duplex townhouse for $149,900, with three bedrooms and furniture included.

In Cabarete’s Kite Beach, east of the main part of town, is a two-bedroom condo with community pool and 24-hour security for $65,000. If you want to maximize your time kiteboarding, it’s perfect. Otherwise, you can check out properties near the town center, like a one-bedroom, fully furnished condo on the beach for $99,000. A two-bedroom condo, walkable to the beach, is listed at $125,000. It comes fully furnished and has a community pool.

If you want to try before you buy, you can find high-quality and affordable rentals in good locations, too, with furnished condos starting at $400 and up for a walk-to-the-beach, two-bedroom (although I found some folks paying even less). Sometimes utilities, internet, and/or maid service are included. A two-bedroom casita in Las Terrenas, with a small yard, is available for $500 a month.

You can secure a long-term rental through a real estate agent or property manager, but often you can get much cheaper options if you network in person or check local Facebook pages for Las Terrenas and Cabarete. These pages are great to join, as they are where expats and locals network, announce community events, buy/sell vehicles and household goods, and much more. Las Terrenas has turned into quite a bustling beach town, with low-slung development spread out along a series of gold- and white-sand beaches lined with palm trees. But you’ll still find glimpses of its previous life as a simple fishing village.

Early one morning, as I strolled past the camp where open boats are brought up on the beach, I spoke with a local fisherman who—as his companions mended nets and rigged tackle—was filleting a dorado (mahi-mahi). I could have had it for $3 a pound.

A furnished condo on the beach for $99,000.

In the heart of the Pueblo de Los Pescadores former fishermen’s shacks (spruced up and turned into restaurants and bars) is a must-visit: One Love Surfshack, a restaurant/bar run by a retired Canadian Mountie and his wife. Trivia night on Thursdays is a great time to meet local expats…and have a good time with new friends.

Cabarete, on the other hand, is all about watersports. Its beach draws sailboarders and kite surfers from around the world. You’ll see dozens crisscrossing the bay, taking advantage of steady easterly trade winds. The winds pick up in the afternoon, especially from June to August, just enough to cool you off from the heat of the day. When evening comes, there’s a relaxed party feel. Be sure to check out Los Gringos for the Sunday afternoon expat meet-up, as well as Voyvoy for open mic night on Sunday evenings. There I met Randy Jenne, a drummer and University professor from Edmonton, who spends summers in Cabarete.

“It’s a small town, and the expat community is a smaller town within it. Everybody is very friendly and ready to share their experiences with newcomers,” says Randy, who rents a two-bedroom condo within walking distance of the beach for $700 a month. “If you come in the morning for paddle boarding, it’s very quiet. In the afternoon, you have kiteboarding. And at night, it’s a party. There’s something for everybody.”

In either town, meals at nice restaurants (everything from Italian to American sports bar fare, tacos, and vegetarian and vegan options are available) can be had for $8 a plate. Be sure to try the conch or lobster dishes, whichever one is in season. Local meals of rice, beans, and a protein will run you a couple of bucks. But keep in mind the 18% sales tax, and that many places also automatically add a 10% service charge.

You won’t break the bank at the grocery store, either. Thanks to a very productive agricultural sector, fresh fruits and veggies are varied and cheap. Even produce not typically grown in the region, like apples and broccoli, is available, because of cool-weather highland farming areas. Tomatoes are 80 cents a pound (by the way, they use pounds in the Dominican Republic), and red apples are $1.25 a pound. Corn on the cob costs $2.35 for three ears. Of course, there is abundant tropical fruit, too: guava, mango, and more. The local variety of passionfruit, called chinola, makes a wonderful juice, and it’s available just about everywhere.

Other basic items are cheap, too. You can get a pound of ground beef for $2.25 and a whole chicken for $3.62. For bigger purchases, and for gathering the necessities for setting up house, there are options, as well. On the north coast is the country’s second-largest city, Santiago de Los Caballeros, which is about 90 minutes from Cabarete. Here you have an international airport, large hospitals and clinics, a PriceSmart warehouse shopping club, and more. And from Las Terrenas, it’s only two-and-a-half hours’ drive to Santo Domingo, the capital city of 3.6 million. If you need something, you can get it there. Santo Domingo even has IKEA. And its colonial centro, founded in 1496, is one of the oldest European-founded cities in the Western Hemisphere.

Cars and electronics are pricey, though, and expats typically bring these from home. And if the heat (highs are in the mid-to-high 80s F during the day, cooling off to the 70s F at night) and humidity (80%) gets to you, your electric bill can soar if you leave your air conditioning running day and night.

Nevertheless, for relatively small beach towns, Cabarete and Las Terrenas are well served for necessities. And both have high-quality healthcare options. Las Terrenas has a hospital with specialists and a 24-hour emergency room (Clínica Especializada Internacional), as well as a large medical clinic. Cabarete has a small clinic in town, as well as a hospital—Cabarete Medical Center—with an emergency room and specialist care on the road to the nearby town of Sosúa. These facilities can do minor surgeries.

About an hour-and-a-half drive from Cabarete, in the city of Santiago de Los Caballeros, is the region’s best and largest hospital, Hospital Metropolitano de Santiago. It has an MRI facility, cancer center, robotic surgery, and other services.

Costs are quite cheap, and local, international, and travel insurances are generally accepted. A Canadian couple I met pay just over $1,000 a year for full coverage medical and dental insurance. If you pay out of pocket, expect to pay $60 to $80 cash for a specialist visit; $250 for a root canal; a CAT scan for $100; and an MRI for a few hundred.

For serious health issues, especially from Las Terrenas, many expats head to Santo Domingo. It’s on the southern coast a two and a half hours’ drive south across the breadth of the island. There you can find the country’s top doctors.

It’s an impressive array of healthcare options, reflecting this small nation’s priorities. Bear in mind that the Dominican Republic, which shares the second-largest island in the Caribbean, Hispaniola, with Haiti, is still developing. Some of the roads can be pitted with potholes. And short power and water outages are common. As with any vacation destination, petty crime—such as break-ins while you’re away, or somebody walking off with your bag at the beach while you’re swimming—is an issue. For the most part, though, it’s safe.

Of all the beach destinations I’ve visited in Latin America over the years, the Dominican Republic’s north coast is now definitely one of my favorites.

Public Transport in the Dominican Republic

Getting around the Dominican Republic’s north coast beach towns is easy, once you get the hang of the island’s quirky public transportation. You can walk just about everywhere in Cabarete and Las Terrenas. But for trips to outlying areas or between towns, simply stand on the side of the main road and hail one of the large vans that pass every few minutes. These guaguas cost less than $1, so be sure to bring change or small bills. They can be quite packed. So get friendly with your seatmates.

If you’re more adventurous, you can jump on the back of a motoconcho—a motorcycle taxi (or, as one driver joked, the Dominican Uber). Very handy for quick rides around town. For longer rides (or if you don’t feel comfortable zooming around on a motorcycle in traffic without a helmet), there are also car taxis for hire.

Plenty of expats also have cars, as well as motor scooters and ATVs. But you have to be a defensive driver here—and that’s an understatement.

Option 3: Getting Away From It All on Isla Mujeres

By Don Murray

With tropical weather normally providing temps in the mid-80s F, habitually warm waters on all sides, and a perpetual sea breeze that delivers the thrills of soaring seabirds, Isla Mujeres, off Mexico’s Caribbean coast, maintains a loyal complement of full-time residents, seasonal snowbirds, and short-term vacationers. It is no longer a hidden gem. Rather, it has grown into a mature destination, where expats can enjoy an affordable island retirement in casual, Caribbean comfort.

After our first winter, we didn’t want to leave.

Isla Mujeres is a tiny island. Technically, it’s divided into the “downtown” zone on the northern tip, along with the “mid-island” and “south end” areas. But there’s not much difference to note among them. Just over four miles long and less than a half-mile wide, this diminutive tropical retreat offers just the right feel—and is just the right size—to constantly remind you that you’re on an island. And yet you’re close enough to the mainland and the city of Cancún to avoid claustrophobia.

Isla Mujeres’s north end has a very nice beach (appropriately called North Beach) bedded with soft, white sand. Beach bars offer ice-cold beer, tropical cocktails, and good, simple food. Small palapas set up on the sand accommodate skilled masseuses offering half-hour massages for 400 pesos (about $20). However, the island’s primary draw is not the beaches. It’s the casual island vibe, where high fashion means wearing shoes, and weddings are often conducted in swimwear.

Transportation to and from the island is provided by a fleet of modern, high-speed ferries that maintain a frequent daily schedule between several terminals in Cancún. Cost for a roundtrip ticket is about $20, and it’s a comfortable 30-minute ride.

Isla offers dozens of bars and restaurants, and most have at least two versions of margaritas. (The Soggy Peso bar is my personal favorite.) In typical island fashion, the relaxed pace of life almost demands that residents and visitors pay no attention to the time. The posted operating hours for many small shops and stores are understood to be approximate. Full-time residents number fewer than 20,000. The population swells when boatloads of snowbirds flock to Isla during the cold winter months up north.

On Roatán, Isla Mujeres, or the Dominican Republic, live a life as relaxed or busy as you choose. ©Jason Holland

Life on Isla Mujeres can be very affordable. Retired expat John Pasnau and his wife Valerie occupy an 800-square-foot home with two bedrooms, a modern bathroom, a small sitting area/living room, and a very functional kitchen. It comes furnished, air-conditioned, and has a small fenced yard. They pay $800 a month, including all utilities.

There is a wide variety of home types on Isla Mujeres. Within the same neighborhood, you can find traditional Maya structures with stone foundations, stick walls, and thatched roofs…next to modern, low-rise condos whose height is restricted to three levels. The latter can cost from around $145,000 to over $500,000.

I found a newly constructed one-bedroom, one-bathroom home in a nice neighborhood for $158,000. This would be a great home for a retired couple, or it could be put to work as an income property. There is even enough land to build another unit.

“We actually purchased our property on our second trip to the island,” says Rob Goff. “Julie and I thought it would be a good investment and we’d place it into the local rental pool. But once we got down here, we realized how much we enjoyed the slower pace of life,” says the former Missouri resident. “I decided to retire, and we’d winter on Isla. But after our first winter, we determined that we didn’t want to leave. We went back to the States for a few weeks and sold everything. That was over a year ago and we still love it every day.”

Grilled lobster tail and a fresh juice cost about $8.

Life on an island, any island, costs a bit more than life on the mainland. But Isla Mujeres offers an affordable Caribbean lifestyle and tremendous value for dollars spent. The freshest possible seafood is available in every restaurant, and a breakfast of eggs Benedict topped with grilled lobster tail and a fresh juice costs about $8.

I learned of one expat who lives on Isla entirely on a Social Security check of around $1,700 a month. His apartment is small, and he pays 6,000 pesos a month (about $325) in rent. He lives a very comfortable life and puts $300 in his bank account each month, so he can fly home to see his kids and grandkids a couple of times a year.

Just a 30-minute boat ride from the bright lights of Cancún, Isla Mujeres is much quieter by nature. ©iStock.com/Zhuzhu

Isla Mujeres has dozens of small, family-owned convenience stores and two modern supermarkets. As you’d expect, prices are slightly higher than the mainland, due to the cost of transportation.

“A bottle of local beer, Indio, is only 20 pesos everywhere. That’s about $1. And I can buy a whole chicken for about $3.30. A large bottle of Coke is 12 pesos (65 cents) and a big loaf of bread is 14 pesos (75 cents),” says John Pasnau.

“A couple can live in grand style on Isla for $2,500 to $3,500 a month, which includes rent, utilities, frequent meals in restaurants, and a couple of trips to Cancún each month for major shopping,” says Robb Goff.

Residents tend to their minor-to-moderate medical needs in a recently constructed community hospital. With 13 beds, a modern lab and X-ray department, ultrasound capabilities, emergency services, and even a new decompression chamber for diving accidents, this facility is a great addition for those who need immediate treatment. It even has a labor-and-delivery department.

Several physicians offer traditional medical care through their local offices, too. And expats who participate in the national health plan, Seguro Popular, can be treated for little, if any, payment. While the local island hospital is gaining popularity among expats, many of the long-term residents still prefer to catch the short ferry ride to Cancún, with its four major hospitals and hundreds of doctors and clinics.

Many believe that the best thing about Isla Mujeres is the access to great boating and world-class fishing. The proximity to a bountiful reef, the world’s second largest, provides the required eco-system to generate tons of aquatic life. You can keep your own boat in one of several safe and inexpensive marinas for $300 to $500 a month. And, of course, dozens of charter boats, with professional captains and crews, are available for offshore excursions for trophy game fish. Half-day charters run about $500.

For those who make Isla Mujeres their full-time home, owning one or two motor scooters, or investing in an electric golf cart takes care of transportation needs. And plenty of taxis are around if you’ve had too many margaritas at the Soggy Peso.

If you are one of the many who dream of carving out a new life on a small Caribbean island, Isla Mujeres may be just what you had in mind. High-speed internet service is available and inexpensive. The power rarely fails, and fresh water isn’t a problem. The markets have all the necessities, the hospital provides good care, and the casual island vibe will probably add years to your life, anyway.

The article Escape the Winter on These 3 Caribbean Islands by Don Murray first appeared on International Living. 

The post Escape the Winter on These 3 Caribbean Islands appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Akumal is a special kind of place. From north to south, its gorgeous beaches encompass five breathtaking bays, each with its own distinct characteristics. There’s Yal-Ku Lagoon to the north, which teems with tropical fish—a snorkelers paradise. Half Moon Bay, a semicircle of haciendas, villas, and dive shops. North Akumal Beach, with its manicured perfection, a perfect spot for beachside dining. And south past Jade Bay, Akumal Sur, you’ll find Aventuras Akumal, my personal favorite. And the spot where I found myself drawn back to again and again over the course of my stay.

Of course, I’m not the first to have felt the deep draw of Akumal’s shores.

After all, Akumal in Mayan means “Place of the Turtle.” Loggerheads, hawksbills, and green turtles have been returning to nest here for millennia. It’s said that they travel thousands of miles before the earth’s magnetic field draws them back to the place of their birth.

Perhaps it was the same magnetic draw that led a Spanish merchant ship and its crew to run aground here in 1741.

And perhaps Akumal’s mysterious pull was the reason writer, adventurer, businessman, and big game hunter Pablo Bush Romero decide to buy up land here in the 1960s, establishing the Riviera Maya’s first resort. Of the entire shoreline of the Yucatán Peninsula, he choose Akumal as the most spectacular spot. And in a twist of faith, this early commercialization of Akumal is what saved it from the same overdevelopment as Riviera Maya mega-resort, Cancún. Because the land in Akumal was locked down early, it kept the area boutique and low-key and helped preserve the areas impressively diverse ecology.

Watch between the jungle palm trees, bromeliads, and orchids and you can spot all kinds of creatures. Coatis, tapirs, anteaters, porcupines, and armadillos are often sighted. In the quiet morning light, you’ll sometimes hear the distinct call of howler monkeys in the jungle canopy.

But the real treat of Akumal is what you’ll discover under the warm Caribbean water. Dive into Akumal Bay with some basic snorkel gear and you’ll enter another world. At the sandy shallows, you can get up close and personal with turtles grazing on eelgrass. If you’re lucky, you’ll spot octopus, stingrays, and parrot fish. But be warned, the gentle lulling of the waves is enough to put you to sleep.

The community in Akumal is aware of the value of what they have and are determined to preserve it. In the Airbnb where I stayed, I was encouraged to keep the lights low at night, to prevent the turtles mistaking it for the glimmer of moonlight hitting the waves.

Many of the expats here are amateur conservationists. At night, during nesting season, many of them volunteer on the beach, helping the hatched turtles find their way to the sea. You’ll spot them by the red lights they use in their lamps.

Many of the houses and condominiums in the area have even constructed wetlands that act as water filtration systems, which prevent pollution entering the water.

This is a true nature-lovers’ community. It’s laidback but adventurous. The folks here prefer to live away from the hustle and bustle of Playa del Carmen, or the boho-chic glamour of Tulum. But located approximately 30 minutes from each, they can enjoy the best of both worlds.

During my stay, I took a taxi to Tulum to visit the Maya ruins and take a wander down its delightful beach road. In a hip beach club, I sipped on tiki cocktails and admired the mesmerizing white sand. My fellow patrons were young and impossibly beautiful—European honeymooners or fashionistas on a weekend break from New York.

Heading the other direction, to Playa del Carmen, the vibe was more local. Busier. With the air of a town in perpetual celebration. From the early evening, bars and restaurants along Fifth Avenue spilled over with revelers. (I walked for what seemed like miles and didn’t get to the end of it.) Brand stores and colorful craft shops beckoned. There was little you couldn’t find. And to take a break from it, the beach was always just a couple of parallel blocks away.

As much as I enjoyed my time in the town, it wasn’t long before I missed the gentle hum of mangroves and the serenity of Akumal’s pristine beaches. Away from city lights, I could sit under its night sky and watch the Milky Way. And if I got lucky, I’d cross paths with a mother loggerhead turtle, drawn, just like me, to the heart of the Riviera Maya.

Related: How to Take a Slow Tour Through Southeast Asia

The article A Caribbean Paradise for Nature Lovers by Paul O’Sullivan first appeared on International Living.

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Moreover, lessons, equipment rental, accommodation, entertainment, food, and transportation are a fraction of the cost of what you could expect to pay in the U.S.

It can make for an affordable vacation of a lifetime; and, with the low costs, you could easily go quite often if you wanted and scuba dive all day. Many enthusiasts (as well as people who just love to live by the water) have made these locations their permanent home, starting small businesses or enjoying their golden years in the sun while enjoying their favorite activities.

Cabarete, Dominican Republic — Kiteboarding Capital of the Caribbean

Thanks to steady, easterly trade winds and year-round warm water, Cabarete, a small beach town on the northern coast of the Dominican Republic, has become one of the premier kiteboarding spots in the world.

Kiteboarders discovered it in the 1980s and since then the sport has grown exponentially in popularity here and around the world. The “windy” season in Cabarete is from May to August (16 to 30 knots), attracting people from around the world, especially Europe. But most days of the year, the expansive bay is filled with kiteboarders zipping across the whitewater, occasionally launching off the whitecaps and taking 20-foot leaps through the air. There are plenty of windsurfers too. The winds pick up around mid-day.

If you’re a beginner, there are about two dozen shops and schools offering lessons for around $250 for six hours. Rentals are available for a great rate: $50 for a board and kite. If you have your own gear, you’re all set. Just stay at one of the many beachfront hotels or condos right in town or at the community of Kite Beach just down the road and you can be out on the water

Of course, you can’t be on the board 24 hours a day. Cabarete offers plenty of amenities, including restaurants of every cuisine, markets, boutiques, and cute little handicraft shops. Many bars and restaurants are right on the sand, offering live music, salsa dancing, and happy-hour specials—$2 mojitos are plentiful, although you should be sure to try the national drink made with locally distilled spirits, rum, and coke.

If you’re interested in staying long term, a typical couple can expect to spend about $2,000 per month for all their expenses, including rent with a few scuba dives thrown in. A two-bedroom condo in a beachfront building will run you about $900 a month, less if you’re a few blocks inland. The same unit to buy will be about $200,000 and up. No need for a car; you can walk everywhere. But many expats do end up buying an ATV or motor scooter to get around…or just a regular bicycle. Taxis and motorcycle taxis are abundant. And for longer trips to other towns, you can ride the bus or the gua gua (shuttle van) for about a dollar.

Roatán — The Diving Hot Spot

The island of Roatán is just 40 miles off the coast of Honduras, but it’s worlds away from mainland Central America. It’s a mountainous island, 48 miles long and five miles wide at its widest, much of it covered in forest, with no shortage of white-sand and golden-sand beaches along its shore.

What put Roatan on the map for travelers and expats is the scuba diving. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the world’s second largest after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is just offshore, about a 10-minute boat ride away. Sea turtles, rays, and dozens of species of tropical fish…along with many varieties of coral…it’s all out there for you in vivid color

And if you head 20 miles away to the protected marine reserve of Cayos Cochinos you’ll find even more pristine coral and sea life. You can’t stay on these islands, so you’ll have to hire a live aboard boat.

Diving in Roatan is very low cost. Local expats pay about $30 per person for a day of diving, including a ride on a dive boat and equipment rental. Many homes here are right on the water, often with their own dock or a dock shared with other residents of the development. So you can have your own boat ready to go for your diving and snorkeling adventures.

Roatan is a popular spot for cruise ships. So it does get quite a bit of tourist traffic at certain times of the day. But in general, it’s all about laidback island life in beach communities like West End, which has a village atmosphere, and West Bay, which features resorts, condo towers, and gated communities. There are about 15 minutes apart by water taxi. On the far west of the island, these communities are the most popular spots for tourists and expats, with plenty of beachfront bars and restaurants. A can’t-miss spot in West End is Sundowners—be sure to get there well before sunset to grab a seat with a view. A bonus with Roatan is that, thanks to its history as a British settlement, is largely English speaking.

The community of Sandy Bay is mostly residential and popular with expats who’ve settled here. The major towns are in the center of the island but not very attractive—more commercial and business centers with larger stores, government offices, and medical clinics. The further east you go, the less development there is, with some locations even completely off grid and even reachable only by boat. There are also plenty of local fishing villages.

One or two-bedroom condos and small homes within a quick walk to the beach will run you about $1,000 a month in rent. To buy condos start under $200,000. All in, a typical couple can expect to pay about $2,000 to $2,500 per month for all their expenses. Because this a small island, most items have to be imported, which means high costs for some items.

The article The Best Places for Scuba Diving and Kiteboarding in the Caribbean by Jason Holland first appeared on International Living.

The post The Best Places for Scuba Diving and Kiteboarding in the Caribbean appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Next, she walks over to the many luxury shops lining the port’s entrance to check in with affiliate store managers and assist guests with their high-end purchases. Later in the day, she’ll often take a dip in the crystal-clear Caribbean waters, or perhaps check out the local port performances, before re-boarding the ship that she calls home.

Luxury cruises? Really?

Geri is like any other guest aboard the luxury cruise line she works with, except in one special regard. Despite being dressed like a regular guest, and enjoying the amenities of the cruise ship like anyone else on board, she’s being paid well for her time there.

Geri is an onboard port and shopping guide, now on her third contract. What this means is that she aids guests with their shopping needs while enjoying the cruise. She provides sales assistance and guidance to ensure the passengers make the most of their shore-side shopping experience.

Before the cruise ship arrives in any new destination, Geri will advise guests on what to shop for and where to go while in port. She then checks in with shore-side merchants and managers to be sure that guests are receiving the best service possible. She also hosts an onboard shopping TV channel, and gives live talks and seminars.

Explore the world

The grandmother of seven loves her cruise position, not only because she gets to explore the world and make friends with fellow travelers, but because it suits her retirement lifestyle.

“It’s a rigorous job but a glamorous job at the same time,” she says. “It’s a great position if you have flexibility in your schedule. The main attraction for me about this is being able to take long periods of time off in between contracts. I took two-and-a-half months off after my last contract and did whatever I wanted to do during that time. For my next leave, I will be taking my eldest daughter to Southeast Asia and I might even hop a plane to New Zealand afterwards.”

Geri also says that she gets to be her own boss. “It is completely up to me as to when I book a shopping event or how many I book during a cruise. It’s like running my own business on board the ship. I even hire my own additional team members for administrative and marketing assistance. Shopping guides work independently. However, we do report to an onboard revenue and marketing manager as well as a shore-side director.”

All the amenities

Not only does Geri have the freedom to make the role her own, she also gets to use the cruise amenities just like any other passenger.

“For the most part I have full run of the ship. I can go to any of the onboard restaurants, bars, or shows. If a guest wants me to have dinner with them, no problem I can do that. I also get to wear my own clothes all the time, which means no uniforms. Finally, I get my own cabin, which can be a bit small but it’s mine, and the rest of the amazing ship is my house.”

Port and shopping guides can make $40,000 to $50,000 a year. While people who have been doing it for a while can make $100,000 or more. Because salary depends on shopping presentations and affiliated sales, it very much depends on how much effort you want to put into the role.

Prior to being hired as a port and shopping guide, Geri had some experience in public speaking, training, and presenting. However, she says that it’s not essential when applying.

On the job

“That type of experience helps, but it is certainly not required. The main aspect of the role is getting to know the brands and products that you will be representing. It is also very important to develop relationships with brand managers and to learn how to become a good educator and negotiator for your onboard guests.”

Because the role requires a broad set of skills but doesn’t require formal experience, it is ideal for people of retirement age, who have a lifetime of mixed skills to draw from, as well as the flexibility to make the most of short-term contracts.

The article This Cruise Ship Role Offers Adventure, Freedom, and a Big Income by Amanda Hathorn first appeared on International Living.

The post This Cruise Ship Role Offers Adventure, Freedom, and a Big Income appeared first on Grit Daily News.

Lime Out has just opened the first floating taco and cocktail Bar in the Caribbean. The bar is only accessible by water. It serves a variety of tacos, craft cocktails while on a floating boat.

The floating bar floats 200 feet off Hansen Bay Beach. It can only be reached by kayak, paddle board, or a power boat. Aspiring visitors will have to book a plane ticket to St. John first in order to get to Lime Out’s floating bar.

A couple, Richard and Chelsea Baranowski, own the Lime Inn bar and restaurant in St John’s Cruz Bay. Chelsea said that the project is the brainchild of her husband.

Richard partnered up with fellow St John’s Coral Bay natives Dane Tarr and Dylan Buchalter to open up Lime Out. “The three have always wanted to open a business in the area,” Chelsea said.

Buchalter manages the bar. Amaro Rivera serves as Lime Out’s head chef.

First of its kind

Lime Out had just opened this month. The new eatery is said to be the first of its kind in the Caribbean.

It serves craft cocktails and tacos like the ones from a typical food truck  These innovative recipes serve a range of meat choices including seafood and vegan.

The floating bar offers other gourmet choices like tacos filled with citrus-marinated ceviche, green curry, surf and turf, chicken, shrimp, and “rum ribs.”

The gourmet taco-and-cocktail boat is floating around the coast of the Caribbean escape in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Environmentally friendly

The boat used in this floating bar is solar-powered. It also has two sides for dual purpose.

One side of the boat caters to grab-and-go boat traffic, similar to the drive thru system in fast food chains. The other side serves as the bar’s Caribbean Sea hangout.

The hangout is complete with a water-level wooden bar and submerged bar stools. It allows visitors to stay cool while eating tacos and sipping on craft cocktails which include margaritas and fruit-filled rum drinks.

It’s not only the bar itself that is environmentally friendly as Lime Out’s kitchen is solar-powered as well. The bar’s cups, menus, and packaging are all made from recyclable or biodegradable materials.

Lime Out’s souvenir items are also earthly. It sells tumblers which you can take home and reuse instead of disposable cups. No straws can be found in this floating bar as it is hazardous to marine life.

The team’s top priority is to be environmentally cautious. They do regular checks under the boat to clean up anything that may have dropped.

Licensing restrictions

Licensing restrictions has prevented guests to sit on the actual floating bar. The only options they have are to either raft up, lounge on an inflatable, or secure a spot at Lime Out’s swim up bar.

Lime Out also offers deliveries to nearby boats.

The post A boat serving tacos and cocktails is floating on the Caribbean appeared first on Grit Daily News.