Retire Early Lifestyle
Retirement; like your parents, but way cooler

In 1991 Billy and Akaisha Kaderli retired at the age of 38. Now, into their 4th decade of this financially independent lifestyle, they invite you to take advantage of their wisdom and experience.

The Beach Boardwalk

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli

Long before Puerto Vallarta became a tourist attraction, pirates and smugglers operated out of this harbor. Vallarta, as it is sometimes called, was a small fishing and pearl-diving village, turned into a small beach-landing port serving the Sierra towns nearby.

Throughout the decade of the 1950's the area on the hill of the downtown area north of the River Cuale developed as an expatriate neighborhood called Gringo Gulch. In 1963 Richard Burton was to star in a movie directed by John Huston, "The Night of the Iguana" to be shot mostly on location in the jungle at Mismaloya. He and Elizabeth Taylor stayed in Casa Kimberley in Gringo Gulch, making this area famous world wide as a vacation destination.

Incidentally, Burton ended up buying Casa Kimberley, a nine-bedroom villa, for $57,000, and gave it to Elizabeth as a birthday gift for her 32nd birthday, a few months after finishing the movie and a month before they officially married.

Hotels and restaurants line the beach

Hotels now climb the hillsides in the Romantic Zone and restaurants are lined up one after the other on the beach. It's easy to walk around with the sidewalks in front of the restaurants and cafes.

Vendors and tourists alike enjoy the sea view and the convenience of this modern location.

Hotels, restaurants, spas and massage houses

It's an easy-going, clean area. Beaches are combed daily, taking away seaweed or other deposits. The morning sun is gentle and people ready themselves for a day of lounging around (getting their vitamin sea and D), either on the beach or by the pool.

The lifeguard watch tower is the bamboo style building on the left with the palapa top.

Tables and chairs set up for the daily meals

What a place to have a meal! Sparkling glasses reflecting the sun, comfortable chairs, toes in the sand, and a sea view.

Walkway and pier

Beyond these tables you can see the pier out into the ocean with a structure at the end resembling a boat with its sails up. It's a great way to look back at the beach and surrounding area from a different vantage point.

In the evening, these same tables have heaters (if needed) set up to take off the chill, fans if the weather is too warm, and the pole lights to create a romantic mood.

All open-air dining

It's really lovely and a high-end destination for tourists to enjoy. The palapa type of ceiling, fans are available, and potted plants to give a sense of privacy and coolness.

Lots of styles and choices

It's really one restaurant after another here on this walkway. "Our" little restaurant location, Fidencio's, is further down the way. Still, it's a pleasant sauntering in the morning or anytime, really.

Palms are lit up with tiny lights in the evenings and there are pole lights along the path. Often times, live music wafts through the air as you pass by.

Tables on both sides of the lane

These attractive tables have broad white beach umbrellas to create shade while sipping on ice tea, a Margarita, a beer, or a fruit juice. Service is table side and uniformed wait staff are there to make your stay comfortable. Beach chairs are further to the right and closer to the sea.

Beach grill!

The sign here advertises a Sunday brunch for about $10 or $11USD.

The grill is ready for the day's meals; seafood, or meats. In the background you can see white-shirted waiters who have set up the outside dining area.

All of this is in the Romantic Zone, Puerto Vallarta, on the Western Coast of Mexico.

If you have never been, it's worth a trip!

For other stories and photos of Mexico, click here

About the Authors

Billy and Akaisha Kaderli are recognized retirement experts and internationally published authors on topics of finance, medical tourism and world travel. With the wealth of information they share on their award winning website RetireEarlyLifestyle.com, they have been helping people achieve their own retirement dreams since 1991. They wrote the popular books, The Adventurer’s Guide to Early Retirement and Your Retirement Dream IS Possible available on their website bookstore or on Amazon.com.

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