Obtaining permanent residency is a little different than it previously was, but it is easily attainable if you follow the guidelines. Medications are mostly generic, but they are of a high quality. Medicines and examinations are all included, as are surgeries and standard dental work. It is very inexpensive ($70 per month for a single, $80 for a couple), and my experiences have been good with their service and care. Health insurance can be purchased through the government once you have established your residency. Most medications can be bought over the counter, and there is access to countless generic equivalents that are very reasonable. I’ve noticed that there are people visiting Manta for tourist dentistry and surgery, as healthcare here cost pennies compared to the U.S. The shopping, access to healthcare, with several hospitals nearby, and the availability of excellent specialists and dentists, combine to make this a good place to be. It’s all about convenience for most of us. These attractions have brought many more expats to Manta. You might even find a few more “Mega” businesses it seems to be a local thing. There are also hundreds of craftsmen and businesses here that offer just about anything you might be looking for, too. And a well-stocked MegaKiwi, Ecuador’s answer to the Home Depot is just across the street. There is a beautiful new shopping mall in Manta that has opened within the last two years that includes a terrific grocery/everything store called MegaMaxi. It is Ecuador’s 4th largest city, with a population of around 300,000 people. Manta has been exploding with new growth for the past few years and shows little sign of slowing down. I have been able to exist in shorts and sandals every day there’s little to no need for getting dressed up.

There are days when the sun can be intense (keep your sunscreen handy), and there are others when there’s a good cloud cover, leaving you comfortable to explore this great city. The average daily temperatures range from the mid-70’s F during the cooler months of July, August, September, and October to the low to mid-80’s F the rest of the year. Manta is quite dry for most of the year, so the rains are always a welcome gift to the region. Fortunately, most of the rain visits during the night, clearing out in the morning, leaving us with a clean air feeling for a brief while before the sun starts to heat up. Summer here brings our highest temperatures and our heavier periods of rainfall. It’s officially tourist season, and people from all over the world come here, so we get to share our city and its offerings, but Manta is more than capable of handling the task of host admirably. January, February, and March are the months considered to be the high season along the Ecuadorian Coast, which means that we all get to soak up the warm temperatures and gentle breezes of the Pacific Ocean. Like so many other retirees from the United States and Canada, I’ve chosen Manta as my home, and I’m never disappointed. It’s a new way of life for me, and I drink it in like my morning coffee. I watch the sky lighten up as the sun emerges from the coastal mountains to the east, and I just sit back and enjoy it all. I get to sit on my terrace every morning, watching this routine play itself out each day. There’s work to do in Ecuador’s second largest port, but for me things are different. A loud booming boat horn pierces the crisp, cool air, announcing to all that the day is about to start, with, or without them.

One by one, large shrimp boats emerge like ghost ships from the foggy horizon, heading for home after a long night of work. There’s a light rain, but work will soon begin among the fishermen and others who share this busy harbor. It’s Saturday morning, a little after 6 a.m., and life is just starting to stir in the Port of Manta.

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