Useful Resources for Retiring and Living in Ecuador

There's a lot of material out on the web even on a topic as niche as living and / or retiring in Ecuador. Much of it isn't particularly useful and a lot of it isn't particular entertaining either. Of course, that's my opinion and shouldn't dissuade you from digging into the content that's out there. During my own research I've come across some sites I think are worthy of mention. This, and my other posts here, are my own attempt to add value and hopefully I can direct even one person to something useful.

eddsaid—-cuenca—ready or not, here we are!!!
I've yet to read anything as engaging about living in Ecuador as that which Edd Staton writes. Yes, some sites may force you to crack a smile, but Edd actually elicits out loud laughter with many of his posts. They're also super informative and, best of all, balanced. You won't get any of the everything-is-perfect type of commentary that other sites, which are likely trying to sell you something, try to pass off as information.

Professional travel writer Deke Castleman moved to Cuenca and is sharing what he's learned. He reveals a lot of useful information leading up to his move, but his post-move material is available by subscription only. Based on the free stuff, I imagine the subscription-based content will not disappoint. Deke is very specific in his recommendations — no one else has provided such detailed recommendations as bring a sharp knife and a bath mat. You won't get such specifics from many others.

Grimm's Travel Tales
Mike and Patty Grimm happily share their experiences in Ecuador. Like Edd above, they too have spent a lot of time in Cuenca, but have recently decided to move to Cotacachi. Their posts are great if you're looking for ideas about things to do in Ecuador. They're also helpful in that they provide contact information for Ecuadorians that helped them and are willing to help others thinking of moving to Ecuador. Invaluable!

Gringos Abroad
Written by a couple from Canada, this site brings a bit of different perspective from that of other sites as Bryan and Dena have a child and are not even close to the typical retirement age. They describe their adventures in moving to Cuenca. They even made it onto an episode of House Hunters International. They round out all of the other commentary rather nicely and provide their own take on living in Cuenca, Ecuador.

Our Ecuador
One of my more recent findings, Our Ecuador, is run by Bill and Loretta. From what I can tell they're at least a little better off than your typical retiree which provides yet another perspective. What I like about their posts is that they describe everything and I mean everything about day-to-day life in Cuenca. They're quite open with their experiences and I have to applaud them for not shying away from describing even their biggest and most costly mistakes.

Retiring and Living in Ecuador Custom Search Engine
This is my own piece of added value. I've taken almost 100 sites about Ecuador and grouped them into a Google Custom Search Engine (CSE). What this means is that when you do a search, the only results returned will be those from the predetermined sites. In this way low quality sites won't get in your way and you'll hopefully be able to zero in on the answer you're looking for much faster. If you notice that a bad site has managed to get into the list, please let me know.

Note: I have no affiliation or business relationship with any of the folks mentioned above. In fact, at the time of writing I haven't communicated at all with any of them (although this is something I hope to change at some point).