After living in Bahia Ecuador for fifteen months we decided that the time has come for us to share with you the top ten reasons for you to visit this South American town. This question was posed to Bahia locals as well as some of the English speakers who also live in Bahia. -What do you like the most about Bahia-?

One: Tranquility. If you are looking at a photo of Bahia, you may see the many large buildings and think that Bahia is much larger than it actually is. The truth is the buildings, in those photos, are apartment buildings and most of them are empty. Many of the buildings have sixteen to twenty apartments but only two or three of them are occupied year round. The other apartments are owned by folks from Quito and they are only used during holidays. That makes Bahia very quiet and peaceful.

Two: Safety. Bahia is a place where security is seldom questioned. It’s a carefree town but as with any town in the world, you must learn the danger zones. Most people in Bahia will tell you that you will need to watch out for the crazy drivers more than watching out for thieves.

Three: Weather. Many people think that by being on the equator that the temperatures would soar past the one-hundred degree mark and the humidity would be unbearable, but that is not the case at all. The truth is the temperatures seldom eclipse eighty-five and if that does happen, it is only for one hour or so. Many evenings you will be more comfortable with a light sweater or long sleeves. While it never gets cold here, with the evening breeze it can get cool.

Four: Prices. Unbelievably low and here is a short list. Property taxes, for a $100,000 condo, are $64 per year. Lunch is $2 and that includes soup, main meal and juice. Taxi is $1 to anyplace in town, (or you could walk). Labor costs here are $10 per day. The list goes on and on and on. A fifteen hundred square foot apartment with three bedrooms and three baths between $70, 000 and $95,000. Oh, and did I mention that these apartments are beach front?

Five: Clean. Early, every morning, you can see a little street sweeper outside your window pushing his broom to clean up yesterdays mess. It is truly amazing, but Bahia is a very clean town. Six: The Ocean waves. At bedtime, the ocean waves will lull you to sleep and keep you asleep until you simply cannot sleep any longer.

Seven: Entertainment. It turns out that the simplest things in life are the best things in life. Sometimes, when the tide is high, the waves will come roaring over the malecon wall. People will line up against the wall hoping the waves will fly twenty feet into the air to cool them and bring them excitement. It’s fun to watch.

Eight: Triciclo. This is a human driven bicycle with three wheels. This contraption seats passengers in the front and ids covered to protect them from the elements. These tricyclo’s serve as a pleasant mode of transportation. Travel anyplace in town for 50 cents.

Nine: Friendly people. The people here are all friendly and happy. They don’t know much English but that is not a problem, they understand what you need anyway.

Ten: The sunsets. Here, the sunsets are like no other place on this planet. They are very special and well worth the trip just for that.

Bahia is a unique place. A person may search for many years to find such a place. While it is not perfect, show me a place that is.

Life begins in Bahia