Great Real Estate Abroad - Homes and Properties Around the Globe

5 Best Kept Secrets of the Yucatan Peninsula

From Mayan pyramids to underground rivers and from exotic wildlife to pristine beaches, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula holds a wealth of secrets. If you vacation in this jungle paradise just south of the border, but sure to check out these gems.

1. CENOTE LaNORIA

Before you can snorkel in the crystalline waters of Cenote LaNoria, you'll have to find George of the Jungle. A waiter at Juicy Rosie's Juice Stand in Puerto Morelos, this shaman/tour-guide can lead you into the hinterland where a recently discovered fresh-water well plunges into the earth. Watch out for bats as you explore the stalactite laden cave and resist the temptation to venture into the gaping, black mouth of the subterranean river. It's never been explored. The cost? $20 USD to George (includes lunch) and $5 to the struggling Mexican farmer who owns the cenote.

2. YAL-KU LAGOON

This art-garden lagoon hides at the end of a pebbly road between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Shell out 9 bucks, don your mask and fins, and snorkel out past weathered bronze statues-sentries on miniature islands until the halocline clears and you're floating over limestone valleys and underwater caves. You'll encounter rainbow hued parrot fish, pin-striped sergeant majors, and endangered sea turtles. You may not encounter many tourists, but local families cool off here and the school girls will giggle if you say, "Hi!"

3. CROCOCUN ZOO

Wander down the tamarind tree shaded paths of this conservation and rehabilitation center and you'll quickly discover you're not in a typical zoo. At Crococun, just 15 minutes south of Cancun, you can play with spider monkeys, feed white-tailed deer, and wear a python like a necklace. But the real adventure begins the moment enter the crocodile enclosure. And by enter, I mean get right in. Pet the toothy reptilians if you like, but as your guide will warn you, just caress their scaly tails. They get a little cranky when you wander too close to their heads.

4. AGUA FRESCA

I first tasted agua fresca from a plastic jug on the back of a bicycle. Mixed with pineapple, mango, strawberry, melon, hibiscus flowers, or my favorite, tamarind, this fresh water is popular with the locals. Ask for it at any restaurant or road-side stand. But I think agua fresca tastes best when, after an afternoon in the hot Mexican sun, you gulp it from a flimsy plastic cup handed to you by a young man carrying a jug on his bike.

5. CHICHEN ITZA AT NIGHT

The pyramid of Kukulkan rises like a ghostly apparition into a Milky Way washed sky. A few intrepid travelers join you as you perch on a folding chair on the lawn between the stair-stepped temple and the Great Ball Court. A story teller's lilting voice paints the history of Chichen Itzaaaah-she draws out the name like a magic spell. You feel pulled into a distant time, an other place. But experiencing these Mayan ruins under a blanket of stars is reserved for those brave enough to spend the night as Chichen Itza lies 3 1/2 hours into the jungle. No worries. Hacienda Chichen, expedition head-quarters for Dr. Sylvanus Morely, Spielberg's inspiration for Indiana Jones, lies within the borders of the ancient Mayan city. Prices start at $120 USD.

~Travel Addict, Laura LaBrie, has been wandering the globe swimming in crystal clear underground caves, climbing Mayan Pyramids, laughing with local people, greeting wild crocodiles, and sampling native foods. She often finds herself writing about her adventures in an effort to bring you along for the ride so you too might experience the wonder of this great blue planet and ponder its secrets and hidy holes. Article Source: Ezines.

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Easing into Expatriate Life

Have you spent all your working life in a land-locked state? Do you dream of retiring to a foreign beach? Selling off, packing up, and moving abroad is possible. Just don't forget to do your research.

Ask yourself some questions about your dream country. Will it be easy to establish residency? Places like Panama and Portugal may love you, but think twice about New Zealand. You're not welcome there. Even in a residency-friendly country, you'll need to consider your nearest neighbors. Do they like America? Will they welcome an American? What about your new country's lifestyle? Does have it a Type B personality? Are you a Type A? Can you wait for a service or product?

And how will you get the money you need to pay for goods and services? Most expatriate retirees chose to keep bank accounts at home and use ATMS or wire transfers. Fees for these services can add up and may force you to keep a bank account in your new country.

Speaking of money, you'll need to consider taxes. As a U.S. citizen, you are still subject to this annual liability. You may also have to pay taxes to your new country of residence.

You'll need to test the waters. Follow your country in the news. Check out its climate, crime rate, and politics. Is there a coup every other year? Learn your country's laws and languages. Even if English is the primary language, there may idioms and dialects you never expected.

Visiting your new country may be the most important piece of research you do. Find a short-term rental and live like a local for a few months. Pick the off-season so you can enjoy the bad weather, the mosquitoes, the potholes, tornadoes, and traffic that tourists may never see.