Jason Holland

Jason Holland

As a “military brat” Jason Holland, IL’s Roving Latin America Editor, had the benefit of growing up in Germany and Spain, before returning to Florida for college and a career as a writer. But life abroad beckoned, so in 2012 he, his wife, four-year-old son, and two dogs made their way to Costa Rica, splitting their time between the mountains of the Central Valley and the Pacific coast. Nearly five years later, they moved to Mexico, first to the white-sand beaches of the Riviera Maya and now they’re enjoying the colonial splendor of the UNESCO World Heritage town, San Miguel de Allende. From this home-base Jason travels across Latin America learning about the expat experience in places like Roatan, Panama, Belize, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and beyond. In all that time, he’s never visited a beach bar he didn’t like. Follow Jason on Google

A Fun Retirement in Belize’s Placencia Peninsula

A Fun Retirement in Belize’s Placencia Peninsula

Belize Insider Articles
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When Steve, 58, and Kathy Wade, 61, from Myrtle Beach, first visited Belize’s Placencia peninsula almost 12 years ago they were smitten with the friendly locals, tropical vibe, unspoiled beaches, and blue Caribbean, so they decided to make the move. They made the right choice. Over the years, development and more tourists and expats have come to the area. And services have improved to keep pace. You can get high-speed internet everywhere. The road was completely paved four years ago and real estate has boomed with new developments being put in up and down the peninsula.

A Chef Fulfills His Dream With a Business on Mexico’s Riviera Maya

A Chef Fulfills His Dream With a Business on Mexico’s Riviera Maya

Fund Your Life Overseas
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After a long and grueling career in the restaurant industry in New York and New Jersey, Anthony Chalas was ready for a change. He wanted his own place, where he could fulfill his vision of a seaside restaurant serving Greek food. And he found it on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, in the sleepy fishing village and expat haven of Puerto Morelos.

A Little-Known Tax Benefit of Belize

A Little-Known Tax Benefit of Belize

Belize Insider Articles
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Furniture to fill their new home...shop and car repair tools...TVs...scuba diving gear...a brand-new computer...decorative tiles...and "too many clothes" for the warm, tropical climate and their relaxed lifestyle. When Barry Munson, 60, and Dena Carey, 58, joined Belize's Qualified Retired Persons program five years ago, they brought a shipping container full of household goods and possessions.

Good-Value Beachfront Homes on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast

Good-Value Beachfront Homes on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast

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From bustling beach towns to small fishing communities, stunning stretches of sand to lush rainforests teeming with life, Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast has a huge variety of lifestyle choices to offer expats. And thankfully, it has the real estate to match. The name of the game in the Central Pacific is good value. Beachfront and walk to-the-beach properties are bargain-priced compared to anything you’d find in popular resort areas of the U.S. And there truly is something for everybody, whether you’re into the vibrant atmosphere of a resort or the peace of a fishing village.

Beach Towns for all Budgets on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast

Beach Towns for all Budgets on Mexico’s Caribbean Coast

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Sinking my toes into the warm white sand, I lean back in a plastic chair warped by the sun to give it a reclining effect. Homemade tortilla chips heaped on the plate in front of me are perfect for dipping into the ceviche of fresh fish caught just off the coast. And the $2 chelada, a lager beer on the rocks—Pacífico is my favorite—with a liberal dose of lime juice and salt on the rim, hits the spot.

Southern Hospitality Comes to Small-Town Costa Rica

Southern Hospitality Comes to Small-Town Costa Rica

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Coming from Tyler, Texas, Harold and Lisa Beasley brought more than clothes and household items when they moved to the village of Atenas, in Costa Rica’s Central Valley region. They also brought with them a touch of Southern hospitality. That and home-style cooking is on offer at Kay’s Gringo Postres, a restaurant with a long history in the expat community, which they bought from its original expat owners.

Costa Rica’s Diverse Central Pacific Coast

Costa Rica’s Diverse Central Pacific Coast

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"The environment here is beautiful,” says Lisa Vanderhaak of her new life along Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast. “You can hike just out the back door. We were looking for a slower and better pace of life and we found it.” Lisa and her husband Pete are much like many expats on the central Pacific coast. They’ve found a place where life has slowed down…where warm weather year-round means you can enjoy the natural beauty around you every day…and you can find a community that’s a good fit for you. Plus, the cost of living is very reasonable for such a beautiful, tropical beach area. Cost of living has a lot to do with the lifestyle you want. But you can live comfortably as a couple for under $3,000 a month, including housing, transportation, healthcare—everything.

Surf Dude to Restaurateur in Costa Rica

Surf Dude to Restaurateur in Costa Rica

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Sun, sand, and surfing. These are the three main draws enticing visitors to Costa Rica’s central Pacific coast. And these have also created a ready market for businesses that can cater to the massive influx of tourists to the region, as California expat Danny Clark can attest. Danny first came to the central Pacific coast more than 20 years ago for a surf trip, and it changed his life. Today, the 42-yearold owns and manages a pair of successful restaurants in the bustling resort town of Jacó. And he says he lives a better lifestyle than he could in the States. His Side Street Bistro is a gourmet sandwich shop with an on-site microbrewery. And Graffiti is an upscale restaurant and wine bar.

Why I Feel Safe and Secure Living Abroad

Why I Feel Safe and Secure Living Abroad

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When I first started planning my move to Costa Rica years ago, I got some interesting feedback from more than one acquaintance. “Aren’t you worried about safety? They love to rob gringos there, you know.” I guess they pictured “banditos” crouched in the bushes ready for ambush around every bend in the road. It’s worth mentioning this seemed to be their view of all of Latin America, Asia, and most of Europe.

Renting in Costa Rica From $400 a Month

Renting in Costa Rica From $400 a Month

Costa Rica Insider
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Costa Rica is one of the most popular and well-known vacation, second-home, and retirement destinations for North Americans. Though a small country, Costa Rica’s regions offer a wide variety of climate, lifestyle, and landscape. And renting in Costa Rica is a great way to experience day-to-day life while looking for your own place under the tropical sun. Much of Costa Rica’s lush tropical forests and sun-splashed shoreline has been designated as national parkland or reserve. Costa Rica is rapidly approaching carbon-neutral status in energy production and emissions, and its health care system is one of the most affordable and highly rated in the world.