I traveled for 1.5 yrs all over the south america, central america and a little bit in the north... Vilcabamba was one of the 3 all above of the places I visited. Never felt so calm and free like in Vilcabamba, this place was a pure happiness for me really.. beyond words... I hope one day i could move there
I'd love to hear more about this. We are in Houston TX making our way to being expats as soon as we are ready and we want to start visiting possible places. South America to me seems confusing. Costa Rica in central seems very straightforward but not so confident with the direction the government is going
#1 reason for me, gotta be lifestyle. Our income level would keep us on that treadmill in Canada but here, every day is our own. Nothing more valuable than living your life on your own terms.
Hello! Thanks to your and others' suggestions, we did a view where we interviewed locally about insurance: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-m-E17_NzRLA.html and also interviewed a local doctor: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-JX-__7US__M.html Hope you find both videos useful!
The elevation of Vilcabamba is at 1500 metres (almost the same as Denver). Quito and Cuenca are both at much higher elevations (over 2500 metres). This gives Vilcabamba its very mild climate which is never too hot and never too cold.
@@AbundantLivingEcuador It's very important to mention the elevation, as some people can feel it from about 2000 metres. They say that coca tea helps in this case.
Just posted your video on Facebook. Spent 3 weeks in Cuenca in 2017 and fell in love with the people and land, will be returning in the fall for good to the Vilcabamba area.
Activities in Vilcabamba. People have time for each other and for activities. Putting on plays, book reading groups, meditation, art, community libraries. Lots of stuff to do. If you don't find your activity, organize it. Last time I was in the area (spring '23) people were asking about pickle ball. I bet there is a group doing that now in Vilcabamba. Of course there is gardening, growing your own food, plus buying fresh. Great to live where the food is inexpensive and healthy. The village life which is gone in the USA is alive and well in Vilcabamba. In the market, in the town square. I love the opportunity of improving my Spanish. simply put, people have time to be people vs automata. Thirteen years with the resident visa and I can attest to what you are hearing in this video...buena suerte y salud, good luck and health --
It was a pleasure see your video talking about my city and country, I can say to everyone if you want to enjoy the life in the nature this the correct place.
Excellent content! I’d like to see a “walk around town” style video. Maybe cruse the restaurant scene to see the variety and availability. Gyms? Parks? Only houses for sale or condos too? Price ranges? It’d be great to see those too. 👍
These are great ideas, we will consider making these videos. With regards to gyms, Vilcabamba has one. In this video, Carl shows it off a little bit. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-OLdMZ26Shnw.html We have houses, condos, and raw land available for sale on our website at www.abecuador.com Go check it out.
Thanks so much! As far as future videos......you might consider doing a few "indepth" videos of several of the different expat "sub-groups", like Uppies, Hippies, Grumppies and ex-US government Escappies! Food for thought!!! I sincerely appreciate your videos! I was born in Seattle, raised in Marin County, California.....and have been an expat in Asia for 29 years now!!! And still considering a move to Ecuador at 73! D
Hey Darrell, thanks for the comment and support. Great video idea. We will keep that in mind. This is a great place to be, so let me know if you ever have any relocation questions. I am happy to help. ryan@abecuador.com
Will do Martha, we hope to be releasing new informative content in the coming weeks and months. If you go to our RU-vid channel main page, you can find different playlists of content videos that may be interesting to you. If you ever have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at info@abecuador.com and check our website out at www.abeucador.com
Great video. I would love to see a home that is under construction on one of these lots that you guys have been selling lately. It would give us an idea of what the construction process looks like. I've heard it is vastly different from the "stick built" type of construction in the US.
Yeah! Homes here are different in many ways than those in the US. They're a lot more unique! A video on the construction process will be a while out in the future.
Well, the construction process is simple but heavy. Everything is done with concrete, even the roof, if you can afford it. Usually the roof is built with metal roof covered with vinyl tiles to protect you from the hot weather. Some people will built chimneys but the real thing is that the cold weather is not severe. As long as you have decent windows and doors, your house will be warm enough. In the coast AC is recommended and the humidity is high in february. Besides that, the weather is mild.
Thanks for the information, I look forward to being there!!! I hope that you don't have people bringing things like zoning to a place that appears to offer freedom and a live and let live lifestyle.
It will be interesting as more and more land sells for homesteads and the population increases if the area will retain these positive qualities. We all know that as growth increases so do the accumulation of human problems. I do hope these positives do remain as time passes on. Thanks for your informative videos.
Haha! I love your definition of ‘brisk’. Low 30’s here in Eastern Ontario today and it’s not even cold yet. Low 70’s with a stiff breeze is shorts and t-shirt weather. Sounds like paradise down there on the equator.
Haha, I hear you...but you know how it goes when your body gets used to the same temperature, and then it drops a few degrees you really do feel it. No snow here though, and we are thankful for that.
Do you have any videos about older retirees living in Vilcabamba but who are not necessarily rural or agricultural types? Or comparing Vilcabamba to Loja and Cuenca, especially related to basic infrastructure like transportation and medical services?
Healthcare is really good in Loja, a city of 200,000+ people 45 minutes from Vilcabamba. We plan to make a video about healthcare here soon. Stay tuned. The rainy season is a mix of days that it rains most every day, and weeks when it only rains one or twice. During the time it rains most days, and depending on the amount of rain, the soil can become saturated. It is manageable though.
Hey AnakeaLoke, thank you for tuning in. Vilcabamba is a beautiful area of Ecuador for sure. I encourage you to check out more of our videos to get a good feel for the area. We would be happy to help answer any of your questions regarding relocating to Ecuador. If you want to send us an email, we can be reached at info@abecuador.com. Have a great day!
Love to see a walking tour of San Pedro and Vilacamba and in the mountain area. If not walking then via drone. Also a short talk on the rental process. Your doing a great job! Thanks
@@thomaskeys2549 We are a real estate company serving southern Ecuador. We live here and love this area for its springtime climate, food, environment, and so many other reasons! We mostly produce content for this area, and can't really speak to Cotacachi. Are you interested in moving to that area?
@@AbundantLivingEcuador , Not necessarily. I had heard about it that’s why I asked you guys. I trust a Vermonters opinion. I just watched one of your you tubes where you mentioned you were from Vermont. Let me guess , the Burlington area?
You mention an option to live there for part of the year. I am very interested in that option to live in Vilcabamba!!! How does the 1/2 year process work?
90 days on your passport alone every year. Plus an additional 90 day extension (for a small fee) every year. So 180 days on just your passport essentially. Send us a note to info@abecuador.com with specific questions and we’d be happy to help where we can. ❤️
Ryan - Great video with good information . We are moving to Ecuador this Fall . Would love to look at some properties in Vilcabamba and surrounding area . We will have 1 smaller home here in Texas . We aren’t sure if we will build a second one here to AIR BB or just save the money and buy property there . We will definitely look at what you have available. Seems like a great place to live . Ready to leave Houston !! We will keep watching . Keep up the the great videos .
That's wonderful, Mary! We look forward to meeting you! Definitely reach out to us as you near your move date so we can help you look for properties around here.
Hi Janna Murray! We are working with the Ecuadorian Consulate here in Houston getting our paperwork done in order to move . Hoping to be ready to go by the end of March . We’d love to connect with you .
Ecuador is a country with different cultures and climates so they call it the country of the 4 worlds you can choose the place you like the city of cuenca is another wonder to live I recommend that if you want to live in Ecuador first you should take a tour within the cities of Ecuador I hope you like it
We looked into shipping costs and prices are going up. If we didn't bring our household items and tools and things, would we be able to find stuff to furnish our house and replace what we will need? Would it be difficult? I'm worried we wouldn't be able to find what we may need. Thanks
Hi Bianca, one great thing about living here is you can have furniture custom made! That is what many of us have done in the past. BUT when the new import laws working in our favor, I think we will see cheaper prices and better selection of home furnishings, tools, and automobiles in the very near future! If you have some necessities you don't think you can live without, you can always bring a pallet or other smaller shipping vessel. We recommend our shipping contact Paul Wilches. He will be able to help you with the different options available to you. His US number: +1(305)647-3237 His Ecuadorian number: +593 (98)721-3242.
We planing to visiting first Loja we really enjoyed see all the video we like to see your house you build my husband like to see the difference here in the state and there I hope when we visiting we meet I speak Spanish is not problem for me language and culture I can wait to visiting
Hey Edelma, thanks for the comment. How exciting that you will be making it down to Vilcabamba. Feel free to reach out to us with any questions along the way. You can always email us at info@abecuador.com
My husband is Ecuadorian and we have been considering Ecuador to be our future home. We have a toddler and we want to give him the best healthy life while he grows. How is the education system? Schools? That a big one for our family. Thanks!
Hey Kimberly, Vilcabamba definitely has the healthy lifestyle component you're looking for. La Calandria is a private school in Vilca that you should look into. facebook.com/calandrians/ We would love to see you and your family down here some day soon. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to me at ryan@abecuador.com
Jackie, Do it, do it sooner rather then later. At the end on our deathbed we will have memories or dreams. Life is given to us to dream great dreams that we exchange for memories.
Glad you liked it. We are a real estate company located in southern Ecuador in the mountains. Unfortunately we don't have any videos showcasing the coast. However, we detailed our opinions in this video here. Check it out. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qw6o6WnDuyc.html
Please do a city tour of vilcabamba. It's usually just interviews of people living there. I need a full tour / highline, medical center? Hospital? Shopping? Things to do?
Yes, there are internet providers with high speed fiber optic internet here. Many expats use it for their online jobs. You can also find apartment rentals here in Vilcabamba too. If you rent an apartment, you may want to get your own internet service to ensure that it is the speed you need.
Hi Cecilia! Have you check out some of our vlogs? The team documents some of the things they do for fun around here on those videos. As far as fun activities do, here's tons of hiking trails, river spots, biking trails, bird watching, horseback riding, live music, delicious restaurants, local cultural events, workshops, just to name a few...
That's a good idea. Several of our vlog episodes show the downtown area. Here is a link to Jesse's vlogs: ru-vid.com/group/PLKjonsOeqrPfFQCyRMA8KJElOBmA5oIib Here are Carl's vlogs: ru-vid.com/group/PLKjonsOeqrPdDNt6gnAbhJ7vK28TFU_ux Here are Ryan's vlogs: ru-vid.com/group/PLKjonsOeqrPfk84VIdGZ9N0FPtT2Sp19Y Hope you enjoy. I have posed your idea to our team. We will work on making a dedicated video available! Great idea and thanks for the inspiration.
Looks and sounds amazing! Thank you for the information!…Any info about health clinics and hospital care in the area? We will be retiring soon and considering Vilcabamba and other cities in beautiful Ecuador. Wonderful country!
Sounds good Brunilda, we would love for you to make it down to Vilcabamba for a visit to check it out. Loja, Ecuador has great hospitals and Vilcabamba has many natural health practitioners for preventative care. There is nowhere else I'd rather be. Come join us!
Ryan, excellent video. I used to live in Seattle... Now my wife and I are in Minneapolis... I could define what "brisk" is a little more for you... We build houses outside when it's minus 20°... That is brisk 😂😂
Yes, different people have different ideas of what "brisk" means, haha! Our bodies have gotten so used to the weather here that when there is mildly cool weather it seems really cold to us! 😂
I'm in MN too! I am hoping to plan a trip to Ecuador as I have fallen in love with the beauty of the land that I am seeing in Ryan's videos. I have lived in MN my whole life and HATE snow. Ecuador looks like a dream come true!
@@majimespirit8421 maria, let us know when you go... My wife and I are planning on going down there sometime within the year. We would love to hear your feedback. Maybe Ryan has a two for one real estate offer. Haha 🤣
Thanks for your feedback! Have you seen our vlogs? They'll show you more of the area. And there are more to come. Our videos showcasing homes for sale will give you an idea of how some houses look here too.
My wife is from Kenya and we spent a good chunk of 2021 there. The reality is that it's just to far too much effort across the time zones and everything to live there mostly. We were into Costa Rica but with recent laws and directions and expense of the country it's becoming less appealing. Although we are not sure if you can find the same international community elsewhere - we don't want to live just among locals because it's not a culture we know anything about. I have been looking at other countries and it seems really hard to even know where to begin. We want: Clean air, clean water springs you can drink from, waterfalls or beach etc, land to grow our food and have a retreat and nutrition center, and a really great community of people where we can raise our kids
Hey Carmelo, thanks for your comment. If you want clean air, water, and waterfalls, then Vilcabamba would be right for you. Ecuador has the beaches too, so you could always travel there for vacations if you lived here in the mountains. Our valley is known for natural living, and organic food where families are raising their kids with some of the healthiest foods on the earth. Feel free to reach out to me directly at ryan@abecuador.com for more information.
@@AbundantLivingEcuador Thank you for the reply .... We have several years to think about it, and definitely during that time could take a trip there. When we travel we have small kids and live a whole food plant based life, which means we always end up cooking for ourselves. How easy would it be to land, acquire some non toxic cookware, and lots of produce and grains and legumes in vilca? I've heard in Colombia and Ecuador people rely on animal meat and not legumes for protein so it can be hard to get
Thanks a lot for your great video describing what you get in ecuador.I liked it very much and you described exactly what it is.Anfortunately becouse of the bad governments like the previous one and the present my country is going to "destruction" in every way.Saludos desde puyo.
I'm sorry you're not happy with any of the EC governing parties. I sure hope the country doesn't go to destruction like you suggest. Are you here now? From what I see and from everything the locals are telling me it's very hopeful and optimistic in the country right now because of the capitalist president Lasso. The economy has been thoroughly invigorated and people are excited for his continued measures. The last I checked he had a 73% approval rating. Only going up from when he entered office.
I tried to search for prices for rentals, but could not really find anything. Can you give an estimation of a mid-range apartment with 2 bedrooms, somewhere close to center (walking distance), fully equipped? We are a couple, and searching for a place to live, and in few years, retire full time.
You will pay around $250-$500 a month for a rental near Vilcabamba depending on the quality of unit. You can always be checking the local Facebook groups for rental posts as there is not one central place for rentals. You can search Vilcabamba Community and VilcaPeople Facebook groups for rental opportunites.
Regarding clean air, how often is the air smoke-filled from sugarcane burn, etc? Is it seasonal or ongoing? And yes, I'd be interested in a video on activities.
Hi Sean, sugarcane is only burned once or twice a year for a few days. It would only affect you if you are near a sugarcane field. The smoke from these rarely spreads through the whole area since there are so many mountains.
Hello Luis. Unless you have been established here for 2-3 years (with your cedula), the mortgage market is essentially closed to you. AND you won't find the same low rates as countries "up north". If you would like to talk specifics, please email us info@abecuador.com. Thanks for supporting the channel!
What would life be like for a semi retiree on a semi fixed income there and how much are the average rents? I am currently not in a position to purchase real estate and I realize this channel is all about selling real estate. I need a average monthly budget for the area. I can’t find it on your channel.
Hey Martin, no problem we are happy to help. You can find rent on average here for about $400-500 a month depending on the size of the home and how nice it is. I break down cost of living in this video, so feel free to check it out for your reference. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jXsRUXLpprA.html
Hi Adam. The answer depends on where you live here and how much savings you have. I would suggest you check out our cost of living video if you haven't already: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jXsRUXLpprA.html This might help you figure out if moving here sooner would work for you.
Thanks, I'll check it out. Is it a fact that an individual immigrating to Ecuador has to prove a monthly income of at least $800 US / month to the government?
Hi, Ryan, thanks for the info, I would like to know if the sun rays are too intense. Do people gets very dark easily and their skins dried out? Thank you.
Hey Shinya, the sun in Ecuador is pretty intense. I wouldn't say that people's skins dry out though. I would say that most people take basic precaution by using sunscreen or limiting their exposure to it throughout the day.
The food is incredible. You really notice a difference when you've been eating the produce in Vilca for an extended period of time and then visit the US for example and eat the fruit and veggies there. Night and day difference.
You're RE Agent? You mentioned land there is high $ but building is reasonable. So, what would be average cost for a lot or perhaps several acres? Do you have a RE web site like the MLS where I can view prices? Thanks
Hey Tom, yes we have a real estate company named Abundant Living Real Estate located here in Vilcabamba. You can check out our listings at www.abecuador.com. The size and location of the lot determines the price. You can find lots here 5 minutes from downtown Vilca for between $60k-$100k. You can then build a nice home for between $400-$650 m2. Feel free to reach out to me directly at ryan@abecuador.com for more information.
We recommend flying into Quito (UIO) and then taking a domestic flight from Quito to Loja (LOJ). Domestic flights can be booked with www.aeroregional.com Safe Travels, Baaba! Let us know if we can help.
Thank you for this video! Two questions, please: Is the tap water potable (and good for bathing, washing teeth & clothing, etc), or do people need to add a water filter to their homes/apartments? Also, i know Vilcabamba is fairly small, but are their some apartments to rent there?
Water is great here in Vilcabamba. All of the locals drink it. Some say to filter it with a Berkey filter, but ultimately all of the water in town comes from the Podocarpus National Park and is 100% natural mountain spring water. Yes, there are rentals close to town. If you’d like you can reach out to us directly at info@abecuador.com for more information.
Great question, there are stock video clips in this video but I'm not certain which are which. A great way to get a feel for our area is to watch our property listing videos. We use a drone to capture the areal views of the area.
How is the mosquito problem in Vilcabamba? I'm coming to Ecuador very soon, but was looking more to Cuenca as the elevation is higher - thus fewer mosquitoes. I'm one of those people who mosquitoes just love.
Hey Judy! We have mosquitos and no see ums in Vilcabamba. I wouldn't say they are horrible, but some people are more prone to getting bit than the next. Loja doesn't have the bugs, and is a beautiful place to live. It's only 45 minutes from Vilcabamba. You could live there, and come visit us here in Vilcabamba frequently.
Hi Jorge! It totally means what you mean by "good schooling options". In Loja ,(the largest city near us- about 45 mins away) there are many traditional style private schools to choose from. Vilcabamba has 1 alternative school, which is less traditional and more free form. There are also local public schools in Vilcabamba.
Hey Tim, I forget if I said in this video that I lived in the Seattle area for 10 years. I'm also glad I don't live in the rat race anymore. We hope to see you here one day soon.
Hi Janet! Glad you found it helpful! Let us know if you need anything! You can download our FREE relocation guide at www.abecuador.com/relocating-to-Ecuador Hope you find it helpful!
Hey Vanessa, great question. Rainy season is my favorite time of year. It can rain really hard from time to time, but for the most part it rains moderately. If it rains really hard when the mountains are already saturated with consistent moderate rains it does lead to landslides. However, I would not say there are lots of landslides....but certainly there are landslides throughout the rainy season. One thing to note is that Vilcabamba proper does not see the landslides, but the outlying areas do.
Can you do a video on healthcare in Ecuador? I think that is essential to consider before taking this kind of leap. I may find myself looking for a place to retire earlier than I planned due to the covid mandates.
My mom lived there- died a couple of months ago. She like many there went to a naturalpath doctor. Her abdominal area had been hurting. Instead of sending her for tests or to a real doctor he told her she was constipated and take a laxitive ... after she finally collapsed a short time later the real doctors told her she had stage 4 cancer , she died 2 months later. While she was in the hospital (4 hours away) ppl went into her house and stole everything valuable I flew her back to our country and as soon as the word got out that she died -people came back and took everything.... including... the windows!!!!! Very untrustworthy place to live!!!! ...... you would NEVER hear of that happening here or a community allowing it to happen
Hey Dan, feel free to check out our website at www.abecuador.com for current pricing on homes and condos in the Vilcabamba and Loja, Ecuador areas. You can reach out to me directly at ryan@abecuador.com if you have any questions.
My partner and I are professional musicians, played all over the world (including Carnegie Hall in NYC). We don't play much anymore but maybe we could do some benefit concerts for the alternative school, or the place that rescues dogs....just a thought............lost a few thousand with the Bitcoin drop but it will go up soon and then I can come down with some money and maybe select or plan to build a great home.........can't wait...........thanks for these great video introductions to Vilcabamba!!!! Anxious to join the community and the alternative lifestyle...........we are perhaps a bit. bizarre - LOL - sometimes I like purple hair - cool for Vilcabamba do you think???? I do think about Covid since I am not taking the vaccine............we also rescue dogs and would have 10 or 15 so we need outdoor space even though our dogs always live with us indoors.........
That's a great idea! The valley would love to hear your music! There a quite a few musicians here who you would probably get along with! Also, there are plenty of properties here where your furry friends would be right at home :)
Hey Julie, you don't need a car in Vilcabamba. There are buses that run from Vilcabamba to Loja and then everywhere else you take a taxi starting at $1.50. It's convenient to have a car, but not required.
Hi, Ryan, thanks for the reply, pretty cool. Comparing with the sun in California, is it the same? We don’t have rain, and it is very dry…You have two seasons, I wonder if the sun can be less intense in the wet season? Do people out there go for a walk on the daily basis? Best wishes
The sun here on the equator is stronger than in California. In the rainy season, the sun is stronger because it shifts back south and is more overhead than in the dry season where it shifts north. However, it's not too strong like maybe you're thinking. Everyone gets out and enjoys the outdoors here. I myself get outside daily and enjoy hours of sunlight on my skin without sunscreen. I hope you can make it down to see us sometime.
Hi Shinya, how are you? Thank you very much for your interest in my country. Ecuador has 4 different climates, the coast is all near the sea, the mountains are all the cities that are in the highest part of Ecuador, of course it has a very cold climate, the Amazon region is the jungle or Amazon with a hot climate and finally we have The insular region or Galapagos, which has an extremely hot climate but is a paradise, I recommend a hug, friend.
Good question, Daniel! There are quite a few expats moving to this area and they (we) like to have products that aren't as available here. So, if you have a trade or a craft, you could sell what you do/make since there's a growing number of expats. It's like a small little eco-system. However, it depends on if you're able to do that. Overall, the best kind of work is being able to make money online. Ecuador's minimum wage is around $2.50 and hour, typically in manual labor, housecleaning, etc. So it is not much to live off of if you went the route of getting a typical "job."
@@AbundantLivingEcuador What if I open a pizza shop? Or mobile pizza trailer...or ice cream..etc.? Would that be a possibility or is it economically off..
Hi Liliana! Thank you for your comment! Check out this video about how we built our real estate company here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-TEp-OaY2KQU.html
Have you check out our travel logistics video yet? Here is a link ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DUE55m7ccZ0.html. I recommend coming in through Quito, and then taking a domestic flight to Loja. Once arriving in Loja you take a taxi truck that will be waiting outside to take you 75 minutes to Vilcabamba. If you have any questions about travel logistics, let me know. You can email me at ryan@abecuador.com