Zihuatanejo among the best places to retire in the World

International Living magazine has evaluated and compared the World´s best retirement destinations for the past 15 years.

This year thirty countries were analyzed and ranked according to the following variables: cost of living, health care, quality of life, climate, safety, stability, and infrastructure, among others.

And the results were... Italy in the third place with its historic sites and beautiful cities. Ecuador came in second because of its low cost of living, great weather, beautiful landscape and a growing economy tied to the US dollar.

So, what´s the best country in the World for retiring according to this study? Well its... MEXICO! in part due to these powerful arguments:

• Extremely convenient because it´s so near to the US and Canada
• Mexico´s Senior Citizens´ Benefits Program offers up to 50% discounts on many services to retirees over the age of 60
• Mexican government has enacted many new laws encouraging foreign investment

In brief, "Mexico has become an incredible place to enjoy retirement that offers the quality of life that North Americans are accustomed to with numerous other extra benefits".

The study goes on to mention that some of the best places in Mexico to retire are located in the Pacific Ocean coastline which seldom sees hurricanes or troublesome storms and offers more than a thousand miles of incredible views with a climate similar to Hawaii´s.

The most desirable locations are: La Paz, Todos Santos, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Escondido and... our gem of the Mexican Riviera, Ixtapa / Zihuatanejo!!

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Source: http://www.lartp.org/seven-world-wonders/looking-for-the-best-place-in-the-world-to-retire

The NYT in Zihuatanejo

The NYT and its Travel section recently visited the enchanting town of Zihuatanejo in an article entitled "Dreamy Days on Mexican Sands".

The author, Megan Harlan, compares this jewel of the Mexican Riviera to other more famous resorts like Acapulco, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, praising "Zihua´s authentic small-town charm".

Harlan, a writer and poet from San Francisco, writes about Zihuatanejo´s unique natural gifts -- "sheltered, diamond-shaped bay... fringed by creamy beaches" with "red foothills of the Sierra Madre, leafy with coconut palms and mango trees" and "by night... little lights from the adobe buildings studding the hills and the sailboats bobbing on the water".

La Ropa, "Zihuatanejo´s most stunning beach" is described by her as a "half-mile crescent of powdery sand snugly bookended by glistening cliffs [where] restaurant tables spill onto the sand, inviting quick dips in the warm ocean waters between refreshments".

Zihua, she recounts, also appeals to the "city people" inside her because of the "good selection of restaurants and shops". The fresh ingredients of the restaurant menus, a delight just like the shopping for local quality artwork.

Harlan enjoys and portrays a fascinating World of palapas, brilliant blue days, large black-winged gulls, dachshund-size iguanas posing motionless on a branch, coral reef lagoon with feathery turquoise, iridescent violet and tiger-striped fish, sunset streaked water...

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Taste the Flavor of Zihua with the recipe for "Tiritas"

Authenticity is inherent to any time spent in Zihuatanejo. One way to taste the flavor of the town is through their popular "Tiritas", (fish strips) thah that celebrates the freshness of the sea.

A popular Zihua recipe for "Tiritas" consists of:
- Fresh fish, tuna, dorado, gruper, sailfish, marlin, bonito
- Lime juice
- Red onion
- Chiles serranos
- Salt

Cut the filet of fish in thin strips ("Tiritas"), then cut the red onion and the chiles the same way. Cook the fish in the lime juice by allowing it to marinate for about 20 minutes. Place the fish strips on the plate, then on the fish, lay the red onion, chiles and salt. Pile on to corno chips or crackers.

Buen provecho! (Enjoy!)

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Direct flights from USA and Canada to Zihuatanejo

In recent years, more tourists in North America are discovering Zihuatanejo and as a result there has been an increase in the number of airlines offering nonstop flights to this beautiful and picturesque town in the Mexican Pacific.

Among the airlines with regular flights are: Alaska Airlines from Los Angeles, Continental from Houston, US Airways from Phoenix and Air Canada from Vancouver.

Those with seasonal flights especially offered to escape the freezing-cold winters are: United Airlines from Los Angeles and Denver; Apple Vacations flying in from Minneapolis and Milwaukee; MLT (Worry Free Vacations) from Minneapolis; Mark Travel (Funjet) from Chicago and Minneapolis; GoGo (Liberty Travel) arriving from to sunny Zihuatanejo from Chicago, Houston and Kansas.

The charters from Canada are the following: Conquest from the cities of Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal; Sunwing from Toronto; Sunquest departing from Calgary and Vancouver; Vacances Air Transat from Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary, and Tour Mont-Royal from Montreal.

And just a few days ago, Frontier Airlines announced adding seasonal (Jan. 15-March 26) direct flights from Denver to Zihuatanejo starting in 2011.

The other good news is that the flying times to Zihuatanejo are very accesible:

East Coast and Vancouver: 6 hours
Chicago: 5 hours
Denver: 3 hours
Los Angeles: 3.5 hours
Houston: 2.5 hours

So... reserve your seats now on the next flight to Zihuatanejo!

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So very many things to do in Zihuatanejo!

Zihuatanejo is one of those vacations spots so blessed that you can practically do everything you dream of.

Of course, as soon as you hit the beach, you´ll be tempted to try the parasailing and "ride like the wind".

The warm blue sea will seduce you to swim, surf and kayak. And you can also snorkel or scuba dive the colorful Pacific coral reefs.

Anything more inspiring and romantic than sailing to the sunset?

Or if fishing is for you, Zihuatanejo is the fisher´s paradise...

But Zihuatanejo is not only blue, but also green and the spirit of the lushious mountain will call you with ecotourism activities like hiking or bicycling.

"Tennis or golf anyone?" Spas, Jacuzzis, infinity pools...

And for the "night creatures", there´s fine dining, picturesque bars and dance-until-the-sun- comes-out discotheques.

Already salivating for Zihuatanejo?

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Seaside Wedding in Zihuatanejo

A Seaside Wedding in Zihuatanejo, Mexico is for you if:

• You always envisioned your wedding dress softly dancing with the sea breeze while sunlight highlights your hair
• If you close your eyes, you can hear the murmur of the waves in the background while you say "I do!"
• If you think the best treat to your senses are lush gardens and tropical flowers
• You always dreamed of your maids of honor barefoot in the sand
• If you think wedding banquets in hotels are for people that lack imagination

To top this all, another great advantage, according to Lorin of San Francisco is what you can save by having a seaside wedding in Zihuatanejo: "I spent half of what my friends did on their weddings" (http://www.bride.com/)

So, honey, check out these faaaabulous Villas in Zihuatanejo and... make your dream come true!

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When is renting a Luxury Villa in Zihuatanejo less expensive than a hotel room?

This is a well kept secret that only seasoned travelers know about.

It might sound incredible, but sometimes you end up paying less money when you rent a Luxury Villa than when you stay at a hotel.

Case in point: The high-season rate (arriving Dic 1, 2010) quoted in Expedia for a double room in Tides Zihuatanejo Hotel in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, starts at $350 dollars. That is for a double room for two persons.

Yet for $1,000 usd per night you can rent a Luxury Villa just for yourself and family and friends with 4 suites (8 persons) AND private infinity pool and jacuzzi, free cable & internet access, all the services included and the best view of the beautiful Zihuatanejo Bay (check it out for yourself at http://tinyurl.com/23nq5dg)

To "rest my case", let's do the math: in Tides Zihuatanejo Hotel you would need to ditch out $1,400 dlls per night for the 4 rooms needed to accommodate 8 persons (2 per room), compared to the $1,000 bucks you would pay in a Luxury Villa, a savings of 40%! ... and let me tell you that the experience of staying in a Villa surely beats staying at a hotel in privacy, exclusivity, uniqueness and the "overall enjoyment" factor.

So now you know-- next time enjoy your vacations more while you spend less by renting a Luxury Villa!

http://www.luxuryvillaszihuatanejo.com

http://www.montecristomexico.com