Kirsten Raccuia

The life of Dan and Talula, mezcal bar owners in San Pancho, Mexico

San Pancho isn’t just a town—it’s a secret, hidden in plain sight. Tucked away just 25 miles north of Puerto Vallarta International Airport (PVR), it’s a beachside haven so beloved that locals practically swear newcomers to silence. However, keeping quiet about San Pancho is nearly impossible.
Officially, it’s called San Francisco, but no one uses that name. Like a whispered code among those in the know, it’s simply San Pancho. In Mexico, even towns have nicknames. Just as Ignacio becomes Nac...

Living in Puerto Vallarta feels like stepping into a postcard, except the colors are brighter, the air is saltier, and there’s always a cheap taco nearby. When we came here in 2022, we had no intention of staying. But it slowly grew on us, and before we knew it, we realized it was checking off a lot of boxes.

But let’s be real. No place is all sparkles and margaritas (though there are plenty of those here).

Bacalar Lagoon feels like a secret that’s too good to share, but impossible to keep.

According to Mayan legend, the gods used it as a palette to experiment with hues, saturating its waters with a spectrum of blues. The 34-mile lagoon surrounded by
jungle, mangroves, and small hotels, lies in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, near the
border of Belize.

Chetumal-Cancun 307 KM 4.5, Bacalar, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Lagoon front Boca de Agua delivers for discerning travelers seeking a harmonious blend of luxury and nature. These elevated treehouses, 19 kilometers from Bacalar town center, combine sleek minimalist design with an eco-conscious ethos. The property is a tranquil refuge surrounded by lush jungle and serene water views.
Turning off the highway onto the private road leading to Boca de Agua feels like you're leaving civilization behind. I...

My love affair with Puerto Vallarta was a slow burn...

Nestled along the mesmerizing shores of Bacalar's lagoon, the adult-only 16-room Amainah hotel offers an unforgettable stay with its edgy design and modern amenities.

As we approached the Amainah Hotel, the unassuming high stone walls created a sense of intrigue. The sharp, precisely cut triangular motifs in the concrete facade stand in striking contrast to the warmth of the golden-hued stone walls, immediately setting the tone for...

Stroll down the beaches in Puerto Vallarta, and you’re walking through the pages of a scandalous Hollywood love affair. In the early 1960s, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, turned this sleepy fishing village into a hotbed of romance and gossip.
Their love transformed this village into a glamorous playground for the stars that ignited the town’s fame, but it’s the timeless beauty of the beaches that draws the world in today.
When you think of Puerto Vallarta, are t...

Located merely one mile from the airport on one of Puerto Vallarta's best and most convenient golf courses, Casa Velas is more than a hotel for golfers. It is an 80-suite, adult-only, all-inclusive resort and spa that feels like a large hacienda—with a beach club nearby.
Casa Velas feels like a Grand Dame. It's not a brand new, shiny, modern hotel. It's elegant but not overstated. It is opulent but unassuming, and best of...

Below is a curated collection of my magazine writing and other published clips in PDF format. Click the images to read more.
February 2024
January 2024
November 2022
November 2021
October 2021
BBC
April 2021
January 2021
October 2020
August 2020
July 2020
May 2020
April 2020
February 2020
December 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
June 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
April 2019
January 2019
March 2019
December 2018
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
August 2018
August 2018...

Back in 2012, fed up with snowy Chicago winters, tired of high prices, sick of the long grind...
Mark and Kirsten Raccuia looked for a solution.
They thought it lay in Costa Rica...
Tropical shores, verdant mountains, and an easy life of "no shirt, no shoes, no problem."
But they needed to be 100% sure. So they did the best thing you can do, they went straight to an IL conference in the Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas to meet all of our experts in one room...
And there they met IL Southeast Asia C...

Food-loving Malaysians have been known to debate the best local food spots for hours. But one thing they all agree on is that the best char kway teow can be found in Penang.
50 Reasons to Love the World - 2021
Why do you love the world?
"Because I've been making char kway teow for more than 60 years; people come from all over the world to taste it. I'm so proud knowing they've travelled to my hometown of Penang for my food. Even though we don't speak the same language, when I see them finishi...

Puerto Vallarta picked us. We didn't pick it.
In 2013, we packed up our lives in Chicago and decided to rewire ourselves by moving to Penang, Malaysia.
Looking back, we had no idea what we were in for. The joy, the tears, the guilt, the experience of a lifetime. But now that we moved overseas, we couldn't imagine returning to the US. That doesn't make us brave. It doesn't make us crazy (well, maybe a little bit). It's just the lifestyle we chose.
After Covid and being trapped so far away, we ...

Malaysia is one of the best places to retire in Asia right now. A couple can live comfortably in a luxury ocean-view condo on $1,700 a month including rent. The average temperature is 82 F year-round, and you’ll find some of the best beaches in the world here. There are cool hill stations, mountain retreats from the time of the British Raj, islands to hop or explore by yacht, and healthcare is second-to-none. Below are three of the best places to live in Malaysia.
1. Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur...

Sailing into the sunset to start a new life in a tropical paradise is the stuff of many retirees' dreams. However, sometimes the fear that they'll also be leaving behind First World amenities holds them back. But there's a place where you can forget those worries...Cebu City, on the island of Cebu in the Philippines, is that place.
Cebu has everything you'd expect from a big city anywhere in the world. Shopping, nightlife, international restaurants, and—as an added bonus—the beach is only 30 ...