We live in South Africa and plan to retire to Ecuador in 2 years' time, Where is the best place to settle?

We're interested in the Vilcabamba area. The beautiful landscape, cheap cost of living and housing draws us to Ecuador. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

You need to visit many times the place you want to settle; and make sure you like everything about it. It would be sad to move there and find out things that you hate about the place. My cousin moved to France years ago; but they visited many times before and made friends there before moving. They are very happy where they are.
A place may look beautiful but may have things that you don't really want to live around.

Hi there, i am forwarding you some information regarding Vilcabamba, i have property for sale and i am happy to offer you advise as well, visa paper work from a retirement perspective is quite easy all you ned to do is show your monthly bank statements, Ecuador is a great country in many ways and most peaceful and stable out of all South American Countries, Vilcabamba is probably your best choice close enough to Loja and Cuenca, great places, i am happy to answer your questions. Regards anamariamoore@yahoo.com.au

http://www.viviun.com/AD-85865/

I have been there many times as my husband is origenaley fron there, and he still has family there, I would how ever caution you to wait a bit, cause the new President there, is'nt very stable right now, and every one is leery of him for now as they really don't know what his plans are, he is a "leftist" which isnt very good, and he is very good friends with the president of Venezuala, who is an "American basher" my husbands family is trying to find a way out of there and so are so many other's, I would hold of and wait to see what happen's first, it's not generaley a good idea to want to move somewhere, where people are trying very hard to flee!