We don’t hike, camp or rough it mainly because I have some auto-immune conditions and have walking problems, but we do like to find interesting and beautiful places to hang out for a while. I would suggest you contact Cassie a friend of mine who lives in Merida and writes about moving to Mexico. Open Wed-Sat 9am -2 pm – Sun 9am – 1 pm.. Guide to Living in Mexico covering expat life, local culture, finding a home, diversity and more. There are several smaller local restaurants in the Chelem area. Create an Expat Profile for Your City or Town, quotes our partner, International Citizens Insurance. We are “mature travellers”. Hot Topics . We offer an overview of the public and private healthcare systems in Mexico, health insurance for expats in Mexico, hospitals and prescription drugs. Is there an RV park in the town? Oh, and you can’t pass up Julie’s cooking if you get a chance she provides catering services and meals cooked daily in her beautiful outdoor kitchen. Contact Us. Join our Mexico forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Mexico. In 2009 Doug and I decided that the Yucatan was going to be our "forever" home, we purchased Mayan Living Real Estate and have spent the last 5 years running the business from Chelem. To get to Chelem you can either fly into Cancun and take the ADO bus to Merida or better yet fly into Merida. First off, Mexico is a big country. Casa Pajaro is run by Julie Tinkey. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. If you head to Natural Thangs such as you will find Anita the Sausage Lady who also has a location in Merida selling some of the best German-style sausages you will ever eat. One expats couple tells their story living in Mexico and there retirement lifestyle in Ajijic Jalisco. Its been about that long since I’ve been in the area and when I look at Google Earth maps it looks like the ocean is encroaching on more seaside buildings and homes than I remember. Yes you could absolutely drive to Chelem and the area around there I know many folks who did. Fly in to Merida, a lovely colonial city with a large historic center dating to the 1500's, and also modern conveniences such as Home Depot and Starbucks. Have you reviewed the immigration requirements for expat residents in Mexico to make certain that you and your wife qualify? There are other expats in Chelem and nearby, and many in Merida which is about an hour away from there. If you are looking for a place to stay while checking out the area take a look at these private vacation rentals. These are a few of the ones that we would heartily recommend: Flamingo Coast Real Estate – This is run by Ramona and Neil Robinson very dependable and have lived in the area for a long time they know all the ins and outs of buying and building in the area. You couldn’t ask for nicer hosts and the apartments are newly built and superb. This expat forum is the perfect place for expats living in Mexico and people thinking about moving to Mexico. Privacy Policy, Disclosure & GDPR Compliance, Chelem (Cheh-lem’) which means “under the magpie”. Thanks. Lots of options with Real Estate, but buyer beware there are some very trustworthy reputable brokers and dealers, but we suggest you ask around for references and check out Yucatan Beach Friends Facebook page for more information. Thanks for any assistance. Is it safe to live in Mexico? Safety in Mexico is a common concern for expats and travellers alike. If you have rented a place (hotels are virtually non-existent) the rental agent should be able to assist you in getting to your destination. Chelem’s intolerant Facebook Group out in the open By Yucatan Times on December 1, 2020 This is the 4th note regarding the conflict in Chelem. Mex$ 6,972. Much has been written about retiring to Mexico but we found it difficult to find more information about specific places on the Emerald Coast. Read up on the area from other expats at www.yolisto.com. I would suggest the best places to live are second row from the beach – I don’t think I would buy beachfront these days just in case, until a solution is found. Since the articles of the conflict were published, new situations have come to light. There is also a big ex-pat community living in Chelem who has formed great alliances with locals to create a very hip a fun community. This is an older fishing village, with a range of services, stores, shops, restaurants, collectivos (buses). We spoke to an expat blogger and other Americans who moved to Mexico for their best advice. , Yuculpaten, or Progreso. Here are some of the locations that they recommend most to others considering living in Mexico. Expats, If you join some of the Yucatan or Chelem facebook groups you can also ask the question there. I highly recommend getting in touch with Ben and Julie Tinkey of Flamingo Coast properties they are from California originally and have settled in Chelem for several years. Yucatan Living has in-depth articles, interviews, photos, videos, event listings, news of Yucatan & listings of dentists, schools, shopping in Merida and beyond. Chelem (Cheh-lem’) which means “under the magpie”. Three-fourths of the expats in Mexico say they feel safe living in Mexico. There are no taxis in Chelem itself but you can order a taxi and there are several that are English speaking, or some ex-pats offer shuttle services for shopping and other needs. Mexican/American Eatery serving breakfast and lunch. The apartments are really pretty and Tony and Karen live on the premises and can help with groceries, airport shuttles, and they are a true encyclopedia of knowledge about the area. Love the information! Tamales, bread, cinnamon buns, carrot cake alongside sausages and tamales. The best way for kids to socialize here though is school although there are activities for them in Chelem itself like baseball and soccer teams. (I am finding it less easy to find a place on the beach there that is nice and still affordable.) Progreso, largest of them, has a […] The area is incredibly accepting of foreigners, gay, free thinking, and many diverse groups. Oh, and you can’t pass up Julie’s cooking if you get a chance she provides catering services and meals cooked daily in her beautiful outdoor kitchen. Yucatan Beach Friends Facebook page – again tons of folks on there who offer driving services from Merida to Chelem. From there, you either take a taxi or take a collectivo to Chelem. We were looking at Puerto Morales but Chelem sounds even better! The collectivos cost around 9 pesos and you pay when you exit the bus. Traditional Tex-Mex preparation. The Rio Mare apartments are run by Jill and Martin and they are located directly above the Bull Pen restaurant, they are lovely little one-bedrooms and some single hotel-style rooms. Expats offer advice on these and other topics. These restaurants are all run by ex-pats in the Chelem area and are great for good food and even better company. Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area. Now most folks have the seawalls deep in front of their properties but they are working on solutions. I also recommend getting involved with Yucatan Giving which helps out the local folks with all kinds of things like food in the times of hardship, school supplies and much more. This is an older fishing village, with a range of services, stores, shops, restaurants, collectivos (buses). You will also quite likely be able to meet every ex-pat in the neighbourhood. Their thoughts on leaving their homes to move to Mexico, life in Yucatan and what they have learned about Yucatan and about themselves. There’s Costco, Sams, McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Krispy Kreme Donuts along with DYI stores, furniture places. Two different companies, same fare, similar service. Real estate listings in popular cities and towns in Mexico. Steamed in a corn husk. To get to Chelem itself which is around 40 minutes or so outside Merida on the coast you have a couple of options. Mex$ 5,197. There are no taxis in Chelem itself but you can order a taxi and there are, several that are English speaking, or some ex-pats. Chelem specifically has had a few issues along that stretch of the coast. There is no RV park though that I’m aware of in that area although I believe there are some close to Merida. A Funny and honest look at American and Canadian expats as they navigate through their retirement and new lifestyle in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. You buy a ticket from the kiosk and you will be directed toward a car. From banking in Mexico to finding a safe city, read these 8 tips before moving to Mexico. You can see her blog at https://mexicocassie.com/ and I know if anyone can find out for you Cassie can. Check with any of the ex-pats here for their favourite local places. Plus there are amazing breakfast burritos, bread, sausages, occasionally the tamale man makes an appearance and there is often a fundraising effort on for the local children’s baseball team or dogs and cats for adoption that have been rescued. There are quite a few services in Chelem from the Rubber Ducky Lavanderia where you can have all your washing done at around $20 pesos a kilo, to Tochas’ Pool Supplies and a hardware store. Retiring to Mexico & living in the Yucatan, Chuburna Living the Ex-Pat Life in Mexico |Gulf Side, Moving to Mexico the best tips for a new life or retirement, Calaveras and dia de los Muertos skulls (Day of the Dead), The Rio Secreto an underground river tour, Merida tours the best day trips from Merida Mexico. You can select your preferred area or neighbourhood by using the radius or polygon tools in the map menu. Several restaurants and B&B’s operate in the Chelem area and ex-pats operate a few of these restaurants where you can get your onion rings or hamburger fix when required. In fact, there are several Tlaperias in Chelem where you can find pretty much any hardware supply you may need. Many people have lost a lot of frontage. The town of Progreso, Mexico, is on the Gulf of Mexico, and it hardly matters when you go to the beach. The Rubber Ducky on Calle 23 headed towards Chuburna, the best place for all your laundry needs, much cheaper to have the lovely ladies here take care of that so you can spend time on the beach. At Los Dunas hotel on the main Chelem road, you will find “The Deli” to the Plaza! Their experience and expertise allows them to guarantee their clients the best quality moving services. The collectivos cost around 9 pesos and you pay when you exit the bus. There are several local charities you can get involved in to meet expats and locals from animals toy drives school drives - whatever your interest There is also the English Language Library in Merida that has many interesting programs The people are very welcoming and friendly. When you exit the terminal and cross the laneway, there will be kiosks, one to your left and the other to your right.