• Stephen and Joanna Vargha moved to Ecuador from North Carolina after retiring early.
• The moved to Cuenca for its lower cost of living, vibrant culture, and welcoming expat community.
• They recommend retiring abroad but said anyone thinking about it should do a lot of research.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Stephen and Joanna Vargha, a married couple who moved from North Carolina to Cuenca, Ecuador, in 2020 after retiring early. Cuenca is located in the Andes mountains and has a population of about 600,000 people. Their interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Stephen: I heard about Cuenca, Ecuador, as a place to retire way back in 2010. I checked it out for a week in 2011 and visited some people I knew there. But I was only 53. So I put it in the back of my head.

In early 2019, my work was taking a toll on me physically and mentally. I had worked at a television station in North Carolina for over 37 years. We already had a retirement house in a small mountain town in North Carolina, so we decided to move there. The plan was to leave my job and look for a one at half the pay because we could afford it. But after several months I couldn't get a job.

We also realized the Affordable Care Act coverage was going to cost around $1,900 a month for the two of us and we were too young for Medicare. I didn't work my butt off for four decades to give my hard-earned money to the insurance companies.

Then Joanna goes, "Let's move to Cuenca." This is a woman who had never been there, doesn't like big cities, grew up in a town of maybe 75,000 people when she left. I was like, "Are you sure?" But that's what we did. So I decided to retire at 61 when we moved to Ecuador.

Joanna: I retired around the same time at 56, and before that worked for an auto insurance website.

We started talking about moving to Cuenca in May of 2019. We visited in September and looked at places. We moved in January 2020 and just barely missed the pandemic lockdown.

Cuenca is a great city with a lot of expats

Stephen: You make friends so easily here. I've visited 29 countries, and I can emphatically say that the people in Cuenca are the friendliest people I have ever met.

Joanna: We have made so many dear friends here that we would never have back home. We would've had to stay working and been too busy. Now we do three-hour lunches here just catching up and having fun.

There are so many things to do here, including art events and going to restaurants. There are lots of musical events. We have a free symphony and it's fabulous.

Stephen: Cuenca is becoming more of an international city. It's considered the arts capital of Ecuador and is called the "Athens of Ecuador" because of its culture and education.

We speak a little Spanish, so we try to respect their culture and speak Spanish when we can, but some people here also speak English.

Stephen: There are an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 foreigners living in Cuenca, mostly from the US and Canada, with Europe at a distant number three. Facebook groups are a great way to meet people and the expat community is very helpful.

Joanna: You rely on each other.

The cost of living is so much lower

Stephen: It's a fraction of the cost of living compared to a good portion of the US, like with housing and food. Our electric and water bills are much lower. Healthcare here is very affordable and good.

Joanna: There are some health things that you can't get done here. You have to go to Quito, about one hour away, or back to the states. But there's a lot of things here that you can get.

A pallet of 30 farm-fresh eggs is like $4.25 here. Fresh produce at the market is also affordable. To ride a bus is 31 cents. A taxi across the city could cost you $6 including tip.

A lot of expats don't even own cars because it's very walkable. We walk everywhere. It's the healthiest we've ever been.

Stephen: We average 35 miles a week. It didn't take long for me to lose my American weight, as I call it. I went from 192 to 168 — just by the fresher food, better food, and walking all around.

There is also a great respect for older folks, and it's not just a cultural thing, it's part of the country's laws. There are discounts for older people, including on taxes, and even separate lines at the bank.

Stephen: One drawback about Cuenca is there's not an international airport. We usually have to fly to Quito.

Communication can be terrible with vendors and government entities. Finding real estate listings is a little more difficult here, but we went to a real estate agent and she found our place for us.

There are certain things you just can't buy here.

Joanna: When we go back to the US to visit we load up our suitcases with stuff to bring back with us. But that's changing literally every day. They're offering more stuff here.

We recommend retiring abroad but do your research

Stephen: For people thinking about moving abroad, research is the most important thing. Facebook, blogs, get more than one source and make sure they're reliable. Definitely visit here.

Joanna: Try to make some local contacts who you can talk to because they'll help you ease into local life.

And we would never suggest doing the visa process on your own. You need a visa lawyer or a facilitator to help you because the rules can change quickly. It wasn't hard to do with the help. We used a group in Ecuador called Visa Angels.

Joanna: We don't plan to leave Ecuador soon, but we are researching end-of-life continuous care right now.

Stephen: We may eventually have to move back to the US despite the high healthcare costs because they just don't have the same assisted living facility options here. But right now, we're very happy here.

Joanna: In the five years we've been here, we've had a pandemic, national protests, and one of the worst droughts in Ecuador's history.

There's good and there's bad in any place that you live, but I like to say that when we knew we had to leave our home, we didn't make lemonade out of lemons. We made Limoncello and lemon pound cake.

It's been such a wonderful adventure. I would've never dreamed that we would be able to do this.

Have a news tip or a story to share? Are you an American who has moved abroad? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• As a South American travel specialist, I've traveled to the Galápagos Islands several times.
• Travelers can expect to see species like the giant tortoise and the blue-footed booby. 
• Adventurous visitors can even hike to the rim of one of the world's largest volcanic craters.

I've worked as a South American travel specialist for eight years and have traveled to all 13 of the main Galápagos Islands.

Located 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador, the beautiful islands are mainly known for the many rare wildlife species that reside there.

Here are the top things I think every first-time traveler should do when visiting the Galápagos Islands.

See the islands' most famous residents up close

Many of the birds, reptiles, and mammals found on the Galápagos Islands are endemic, meaning they can't be found anywhere else in the world. Perhaps the most well-known species in the Galápagos is the giant tortoise, which can weigh over 500 pounds. 

In my experience, the best place to see them in the wild is in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, where you can visit a private reserve like El Chato. You can also see the giant tortoise at the Charles Darwin Research Station's breeding facilities on Santa Cruz Island.

However, keep in mind that Galápagos National Park rules mandate that visitors must remain at least 6 feet (or 2 meters) away from all wildlife. If you get too close, the giant tortoises may hiss like enormous cats to warn you to step back. 

Hike to the rim of one of the world's largest volcanic craters

Visitors to Isabela Island can hike to the rim of the Sierra Negra Volcano, which is one of the largest craters in the world.

The trailhead is a 45-minute drive from the town of Puerto Villamil, and the approximately 12-mile hike typically takes about five to six hours to complete.

Since the volcano is within the national park, all visitors must be accompanied by a licensed naturalist guide. 

See the blue-footed booby's mating dance

In my opinion, nothing is more entertaining and fascinating than experiencing the blue-footed booby's intricate and goofy multi-part mating dance.

These iconic birds can be found on the majority of the islands and their mating dances typically take place during the spring and summer months. 

Experience the underwater world while snorkeling or diving

The ocean surrounding the Galápagos has just as much action as the islands themselves, and snorkeling and diving are the most popular ways to experience it. The protected marine reserve surrounding the islands is home to endemic species like the Galápagos penguin, the only species of penguin found in the northern hemisphere.

 You may also be lucky enough to see the marine iguana, the only known swimming iguana in the world. 

Visit a coffee farm in the highlands of Santa Cruz

The rich volcanic soil of the Galápagos Islands is ideal for growing coffee beans. Because 97% of the islands are within the national park and only a small part can be used for agricultural purposes, coffee production is limited.

However, several coffee farms on Santa Cruz Island offer tours and tastings.

Experience local life in the town of Puerto Ayora

Only four of the 13 major islands in the Galápagos are inhabited by people. Puerto Ayora, located on the island of Santa Cruz, is home to the largest human population.  

I recommend stopping by the Santa Cruz Fish Market in the morning to watch the sea lions and pelicans patiently line up around the fish counter for scraps. In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to have a glimpse of local life and witness how the islands' human inhabitants coexist with the wildlife. 

At night, enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants along Charles Darwin Avenue that use fresh, local seafood from the market.

Learn about the human history of the islands

Although the wildlife tends to be the star of the show, the Galápagos Islands have an interesting human history as well. 

Long before Charles Darwin visited in 1835, the Galápagos Islands were frequented by pirates and whalers. Post Office Bay on Floreana Island is named after the islands' first post office. The office is a barrel placed by whalers on a small beach in the 1700s, where they would leave messages for other sailors to pick up and deliver. 

If Post Office Bay is included in your itinerary, bring a postcard with you — visitors can still leave their own postcards in the barrel for other travelers to take and hand-deliver. Take a look through the pile to see if there's a postcard you can deliver when you return home.

Sail past Kicker Rock at sunset

Visitors who explore the Galápagos Islands on a cruise may see Kicker Rock on the itinerary. The ships often circumnavigate this massive rock monolith rising about 500 feet above the ocean.

It's also considered one of the top snorkeling spots on the islands. 

Learn about conservation efforts to protect the islands

In my opinion, the most important thing visitors to the Galápagos Islands can do is learn about the initiatives in place to help protect their fragile, unique ecosystems. 

For example, the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz Island, and similar facilities on San Cristobal and Isabela Islands, raise endangered giant tortoises in breeding centers to eventually be released into the wild. 

IGTOA, the International Galapagos Tour Operators Association, is a non-profit organization made up of travel companies, tour operators, and conservation organizations that contribute to a variety of conservation projects. It's a fantastic resource for those looking for a conservation-minded professional to help plan an unforgettable (and sustainable) Galápagos adventure.

Correction: September 26, 2023 — An earlier version of this story misstated that the blue-footed booby is an endemic species to the Galápagos Islands. Although the islands are home to many, the blue-footed booby can be found along the Pacific coastline.