Best Country for Expats

Scouring the internet today, we discovered that one of our favorite countries is consistently ranked at or near the top of most "best places to retire" and "best places to be an expat" lists. Which of all the amazing nations of the world could that be? It's Ecaudor. We have a blog post coming June 16th which will cover specific reasons you will want to visit this remarkable country, so we won't get ahead of ourselves too much. But here are a few reasons why expats love Ecaudor so much, and some teaser photos to get you excited about our upcoming post and your future visit!

Why Expats love Ecaudor:

• You can live on $1,600 or less a month, including rent.
• Waterfront property prices are about 1/4 that found in similar climates in the US.
• Household goods may be imported duty-free.
• Mild, springlike climate year-round in the inland regions.
• Friendly start-up business climate.
• High quality, inexpensive healthcare.

La cascada de San Rafael

Coastal Rock Formations

Canyon Steps, Pailon del Diablo

Cotopaxi Volcano, Ecuador

Escalinatas del Barrio Las Peñas, 
en Guayaquil

Hammock shop in Otavalo Market

Ride the Sky Bike through an Andean
cloud forest at Ecuador's remote
Mashpi Lodge.

Galápagos

Before You Go... 

Pick up our GPS maps. All of our GPS maps will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

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You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

Experience Bermuda!

Horseshoe Bay, Bermuda

Bermuda: It’s the land of pristine white sand beaches, sparkling cerulean seas, and colorful colonial
architecture. Many mistake Bermuda for a Caribbean island, but this gem is actually a mid-Atlantic archipelago, situated about 640 miles off of the coast of North Carolina. With world-class beaches, amazing diving spots, and an intriguing array of shipwrecks off of its coastline, Bermuda has long attracted the eye of famous vacation goers. “You go to heaven if you want – I’d rather stay here in Bermuda,” 19th century writer Mark Twain once famously proclaimed. Today, Hollywood celebs, such as Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, boast Bermuda homes.

Coral Reef, Bermuda

If you want to explore Bermuda for yourself, there is much to see and do. Thanks to the world’s first environmental protection laws (dating back to the 16th century), Bermuda’s natural beauty has been well-protected for the better part of the last 500 years. Visitors won’t want to miss out on Horseshoe Bay, a wide crescent of pink sand that is arguably Bermuda’s best beach. If you have the time, pay a visit to St. George, a picturesque Bermuda hamlet characterized by quaint pastel colored cottages and meandering cobblestone streets. The stunning coral reefs surrounding the island are also a highlight, teeming with a diverse array of marine life. You can even spot whales beyond the reefs of South Shore during March and April.

When in Bermuda, don’t be afraid to venture off the beaten path. There is always a hidden cove waiting or beautiful diving spot yet to be explored. Luckily, with GPS Travel Maps, you can wander around this beautiful island without getting lost.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Bermuda maps. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Bermuda GPS Map

Screen Capture from our Bermuda GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

Visit Beautiful Barbados

Baobab tree in Queen's Park, Barbados

If you look at a good map of the Lesser Antilles, you’ll notice that one island sits considerably farther east than the rest.  As it turns out, this island is the nation of Barbados.  Once a British colony, Barbados has been independent since 1966 but remains a Commonwealth nation, with Queen Elizabeth II still the symbolic head of state.  Modern Barbados is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Caribbean, and for good reason!

Rock Formation near Bathsheba, Barbados

The largest city on the island is Bridgetown, also the nation’s capital.  It will most likely serve as your point of arrival, and it’s worth exploring a bit in town.   While there, check out the Jewish Synagogue—depending on how you measure these things, it may be the oldest in the hemisphere.  In recent years, it’s been lovingly refurbished and a fantastic museum has opened.  Before you leave, pass by Queen’s Park and visit the massive baobab tree.  At
least a thousand years old, it takes about fifteen adults to reach around the tree’s staggeringly large trunk.

Barbados’s most idyllic beaches are located on its western and southern coasts, but for a change of pace head east and visit the seaside town of Bathsheba.  Here, rough seas and winds have created massive and impressive rock formations just offshore that will truly take your breath away.  This area is also popular with surfers.  And lastly, no trip to Barbados would be complete without a visit to the gargantuan Harrison’s Cave, located in the island’s center.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Barbados maps. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Barbados GPS Map

Screen Capture from our Barbados GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

The Beauty of the Middle East Never Ceases to Amaze

Dead Sea, Jordan

Muscat, Oman

Bahrain Fort Archway, Bahrain

Afka, Lebanon

Syrian spice vendor, Damascus, Syria

Petra, Jordan

Sand Dunes, Oman

Tree of Life, Bahrain

Nahr Ibrahim, Lebanon

The ancient village of Ma’loula, the last place where aramaic language is still spoken, Syria 

Tunnel of Light, Petra, Jordan

Old fort and futuristic architecture, Muscat, Oman

Bahraini pearl divers

Phoenician city of Tyre, Lebanon

Beehive houses, Syria

Hot air baloon rally over Wadi Rum , Jordan

Majlis al Jinn cave (Oman)

Durrat al Bahrain

Beiteddine Palace, Lebanon

Deir Mar Musa Monastery, Syria

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Middle East maps. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Lebanon GPS Map

Screen Capture from our Lebanon GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

Magnificent Afghanistan

Beautiful Afghanistan

Recovering from nearly three decades of war and the Taliban’s brutal regime, Afghanistan most definitely is
not an easy place for travelers. But don’t get discouraged; while this majestic mountain country of 30 million inhabitants can certainly be volatile, it is also jam-packed with hidden treasures. Travel in Afghanistan is not only possible, it is also incredibly rewarding.

Sitting at an important geostrategic location that bridges the divide between the Middle East and Central Asia, Afghanistan has long been the focal point of human trade, migration, and expansion. Once a prominent stop through on the infamous Silk Road, the Kushans, Hephthalites, Ghorids, Mughals, and Durranis all rose from what is known as Afghani territory. A constant influx of new goods and new peoples means that Afghanistan’s history is vibrant and varied.

The Majsjid-i-Jami, or
Friday Mosque, Afghanistan

Contemporary visitors to the country can enjoy the mammoth sixth century Buddha Niches, where the tallest statues of Buddha once stood; meander through the 800-year-old Friday Mosque, one of the greatest testaments to Islamic architecture in all of Central Asia; or pay their respects at the Shrine of Hazrat Ali, one of the country’s most iconic sites. Scattered across the country, you will also find remnants of Mughal glory, such as the 17th century Nimla Gardens and the Forty Steps, which lead to a small enclave in the mountain guarded by two stone lions carved by the Mughal’s founder.

Because travel in Afghanistan certainly isn’t easy, it is important to prepare yourself before you go. You will
need to spend time gathering the latest safety information in order to figure out where is safe to venture and where is better left unexplored. Luckily, with GPS Travel Maps, you will also know where you are and how to best get to where you are going.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Afghanistan map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Afghanistan GPS Map

Screen Capture from our Afghanistan GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.

The Cayman Islands—Much More Than Their Banks

Georgetown, Cayman Islands

When the Cayman Islands are mentioned in conversation or in the news, the first image that comes to mind for many people is that of an offshore banking destination.  To be clear, they certainly are!  The Cayman Islands are the fifth largest banking center in the world, and approximately 280 banks call the islands home.

However, as a visitor to the islands, you hopefully won’t be spending too much time at the bank—and there’d be no reason to, not with everything else that they have to offer.

Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

Of course, on the western end of Grand Cayman sit the capital city of George Town and, immediately to the north, the world-famous Seven Mile Beach.  Regularly considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, it’s definitely worth checking out during your trip.  But what if you want to spend some time exploring off the beaten path?  Don’t worry—the Cayman Islands have plenty for you.

Blue Iguana

If you’re into the beach scene but hope to avoid the crowds, just drive until you find a beach, park, and dive right in!  All beaches in the Cayman Islands are public property, so as long as there’s access from the road you’re good to go.  If you’re a nature-lover, head to the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and encounter a blue iguana, found nowhere in the world but Grand Cayman.  And if you’re feeling a bit silly, visit the small town of Hell and send your family a postcard, well, from “Hell!” You can find your way to any of these amazing locations with our Cayman Islands GPS map.

Before You Go... 

Pick up our Cayman Islands map. This GPS map will give you turn by turn directions to your destination using a point of interest (POI), city point, and/or latitude and longitude, with the ability to preplan driving destinations before getting into your car.

The easy to follow instructions allow you to download and install the map into Garmin BaseCamp desktop software and transfer it to your Garmin GPS in minutes. This installable map is compatible with ALL Garmin GPS units .

It's like having your own personal travel guide with you on your trip!

Screen Capture from our Cayman Islands GPS Map

Screen Capture from our Cayman Islands GPS Map

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

You can also connect with us on Google Plus, see our travel guide pictures on Pinterest, and view some of our videos on YouTube.