Ecuador is this the place to retire?

Dear Vilma,

Welcome to the Ecuador forums of expat.com ....

Here are some tips for retiring to the Manta area....

1.  The are many micro-climates on the coast of Ecuador.  Make sure the one that includes your potential new residence is suitable for you.

2.  If you prefer cool breezes, get a rental right on the ocean.  Not three blocks inland or anywhere like that .. unless it's on a high-cliff abutment with unusual cooling features.

3.  Use the resource Manta Expats Online.

4.  Make sure you have ready access to health care.

5.  Recognize that all coastal sections of Ecuador are located on the seismic Ring of Fire.  Ipso facto, do not buy property in or near Manta or anywhere near the coast.

6.  Make sure that your building was constructed to standards to withstand a nearby earthquake.

7.  Do not be tempted by anybody offering for sale the supposed real estate deal-of-a-lifetime, including a fixer-upper, raw land or a high-floor condo apartment.

cccmedia

resource:  www.mantaexpatsonline.com

Something to be aware of, which I was not when I moved here two and one half years ago, is that it seems there are no sound regulations or ordinances.  Anyone can make as much noise as they please and they do.  In Quito it is very common for someone, or a group, to set up one or more of those ultra loud loudspeakers on their terrace or out in the street, and crank music full volume at all hours.  Car alarms are very common and sometimes constant. Also altered mufflers on cars, which are illegal in the US, are common here.
Same seems to be true of building codes, ordinances, and /or zoning.  It is completely possible for someone to open a night club next to your home with extremely loud music until 2, 3, 4 in the morning.
I am still deciding if I can adapt.  Fortunately I am retired, but if I had to get up for work in the morning I definitely would not stay.  Peace and quiet is not a value in this culture.
I am not sure about Manta but suspect the rules, if they exist, are similar.

Noise depends on your location. I found where I have stayed in Guayaquil to be about the same noise as dense city neighborhoods as others I have lived in the USA and UK. I found El Centro in Cuenca to be very quiet after 9pm. However, Puerto Lopez was quite noisy, not just city noise, but loud music at random hours, and roosters. Lots of roosters.

lebowski888 wrote:

Noise depends on your location. I found where I have stayed in Guayaquil to be about the same noise as dense city neighborhoods as others I have lived in the USA and UK. I found El Centro in Cuenca to be very quiet after 9pm. However, Puerto Lopez was quite noisy, not just city noise, but loud music at random hours, and roosters. Lots of roosters.

Absolutely the case in Quito. The first neighborhood I lived in was the commercial district. The noise was nothing out of the ordinary. A gym a couple times a week would blast music for those high-intensity cardio classes. The local park during fiestas and holidays would also be loud with live music.

We're getting a new mayor next year, so I think that will stop for budget reasons.

My new neighborhood, there's dog barking, one in particular who obviously suffers from separation anxiety but it's quiet after 7 or 8 p.m. Dogs barking doesn't affect me as I can go an entire day without noticing. So, I guess one does become accustomed to various types pf noise.

What I'm currently trying to become accustomed to is the sound of nature especially a clocking/clacking sound at night. I moved merely a few kilometers northward and remain in centro-norte but the sound of nature is so much more noticeable. According to YouTubers, I narrowed down the sound to birds, frogs, chipmunks and perhaps even an insect whose name eludes me. ajajajajajajaja

I easily drown out the noise before bed by turning on a small dehumidifier that I place near my bedroom.   

So yeah pick your neighborhood wisely especially if you intend on buying. For me, perhaps the sound of nature is more pronounced because I now live in a house. More windows, doors, etc as opposed to an apartment that is more insulated.