International Living Community

Hi AD1452, A scouting trip to Portugal sounds like a good plan. A tip: You might try leaving your question under the Portugal category of this Internatillnal Living Community section. A lot of people go straight to the country section they are interested in or know about.

In general, I suggest spending a month and staying in each of the places to really get a feel for them and check out the vibe for yourself. But heading to different areas to get a feel for them is a great first step.

I don't have anyone in particular that i can recommend for tours.. but I met this man on an editorial trip and he is starting a group to help people- https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574689898866&rdid=q4twgfg5Z2gaIxih&share_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fshare%2F1B6pbpgsTY%2F#

The best healthcare is in the Central Valley, so keep that in mind. The best equipped hostpitals and most specialists are there. Often times, a specialist will visit a clinic in Guanacaste once a month. So it isn't as conveninet.

An important factor to consider is the weather. What temperatures do you prefer? It rains everywhere, yet some places have more rain than others.

The beaches
Hot and humid, and I love them!
Guanacaste is the driest part of Costa Rica. The Central Pacific receives more rain.

Lake Arenal
Cooler (temperature) than the beach.
Nuevo Arenal gets about 50% more rain than Tronadora, located just across the lake.
Tronadora is much windier.
La Fortuna and the surrounding towns like Chachagua are drier and warmer.

The Central Valley
Cooler temperatures - especially from the variety of elevations available.
I always recommmend reaching out to FB groups and asking questions. I use those groups to learn about differnt areas and connect with new people all of the time. FB groups are very active here and worth using as a resource.

These FB pages might be a good start:
Arenal
https://www.facebook.com/groups/712758082803982
https://www.facebook.com/groups/270122543035935
Guanacaste
https://www.facebook.com/groups/297720547030161
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3442610169117243
Jaco
https://www.facebook.com/groups/290260966853843
https://www.facebook.com/groups/711552235579574

There are lots of expat groups too:
search 'Expats in... '

This group posts about a women's would be a great place to get insider info for Guanacaste. https://www.facebook.com/groups/663758784658197

Many people find staying in an Airbnb a good way to check out a community, more so than a hotel.

I talked with Nick when in Nuevo Arenal and he rent out an Airbnb.
https://internationalliving.com/from-deaths-door-to-thriving-in-lake-arenal-costa-rica/ (https://www.airbnb.ie/rooms/40036748?source_impression_id=p3_1719933875_P3ic3CyJiPWB-oYF)

Good luck on your travels. Let me know if you have any more questions.

I have 2 contacts for Real Estate in the Central Valley
Carol Prado - KW | Costa Rica. You can send him a message on WhatsApp message (‪+506 6345 7251‬) or email (Carol.prado@kwcostarica.com) to connect with him.

And Brooke Bishop +506 8311 5336.

And Mariana with KW in Tamarindo +506 6155 5265.

I am following your exact road actually just 6mo to a year behind. Due to the government instability particularly for science work she might be laid off soon and is a year from early retirement. I am already effectively retired waiting for her. Spain and Portugal were on the top of our lists

Hey, Raine,
I just singned up, as well. It was kind of annoying with all the sales pitches. Then, I didn't get my sign in credentials and had to reset my PW to actually get into the site for the first time. I am just now exploring and I hope there is more substance than all the fluff I've seen so far. It seems that everything leads to another upsell.
Mike

Hi Ken,

Costa del Sol is a great choice!

I'm sorry to hear you're not eligible for EHIC coverage, which means you’ll need to take out private health insurance plan. And, it’s true that many private insurers in Spain have age caps, often around 74.

That said, you should still be able to find a plan. There are brokers who specialize in finding coverage for expats in exactly your situation. I recommend checking out Gidea–Insbrok. They’re an expat insurance broker in Spain and can often help find plans even for those over 75 or with pre-existing conditions. You can get a free quote through my link: https://insbrok.com/shehitrefresh/

Also, once you’ve been living in Spain for over a year and have been registered with your local town hall (‘empadronado’), you may be eligible to apply for the public health insurance scheme called the Convenio Especial. This is a monthly paid plan through the Spanish public system that gives you access to healthcare regardless of age. Details and applications are handled by your regional health authority, so be sure to check their website.

I hope this helps!

Best,

Cepee, IL Correspondent - Spain