Vilcabamba - Where Have All the Centenarians Gone?

Vilcabamba is famous for it's old people. It is a community with one of the highest rates of longevity in the world. In the 1970's one man lived to be 127. The men in Vilcabamba are possibly the oldest in the world (women in Okinawa, Japan are older) - that is if these old timers are still in Vilcabamba.

Vilcabamba: World Center for Geriatric Research

In recent years there has been an influx of Westerners buying land and building big homes in and around Vilcabamba in part because of the lovely scenery and great weather. Many are older Americans. Like the conquistador, Juan Ponce de Leon, who was searching for the Fountain of Youth, these gringos have come to Vilcabamba to find the Fountain of Really Really Old. Well that and a cheap place to retire.

Unlike Cuenca, Ecuador - which is a large city and can absorb the large number of foreign retirees without altering the city's equilibrium - Vilcabamba is being completely swallowed by foreigners buying up land to build their dream homes or to start their dream businesses. The locals understandably sell their land to developers for high prices and then cannot afford to live in their own village anymore or to have lunch at a restaurant on their plaza.

I heard an unsubstantiated rumor from another traveler that many of the old people have left Vilcabamba to the outlying villages. Essentially priced out of town. True or not, I do not know. But I can tell you that during my time people watching at the plaza we see only one really old looking guy. The rest of them might just be in their homes watching game shows.

For Sale: In a new, posh gated community 

In any Latin American town or city the plazas are a center of activity and a great indicator of the vibe of the place. Included around Vilcabamba's plaza are three real estate offices with signs and listings only in English, a cafe on every corner geared towards foreigners and an Indian restaurant. Most towns of this size in Ecuador will have zero real estate offices, maybe a cafe or two and for sure not an Indian restaurant. Vilcabamba is changing, and if I was a local centenarian holding the secrets to longevity I would probably run away also.

From my people watching I notice there happens to be plenty of older gringos about, but I did not notice as many as I imagined there would be -- maybe they´re in their haciendas watching game shows? I am quite surprised, on the other hand, to see a healthy sized contingent of New Age hippies (read: white people with dreadlocks and/or colorful baggy pants and/or handmade string bracelets). Of course this type of traveler is found everywhere in South America, but there seems to be quite a lot of them here. This could be because Vilcabamba has been deemed "spiritual."

Let me give an example. Besides the ubiquitous ads for tours, hotels and restaurants our hotel message board has the following posts for fee-based spiritual activities: The Center for Meditation; Sacred Valley herbal products; Bioenergist/Massage Therapist; A Sacred Medicine Journey; Yoga with Caroline.

I am not sure if this new found spirituality at Vilcabamba is connected to the indigenous residents' longevity, but I am quite positive that a 100 year old Ecuadorian never went to a bioenergist session or a reiki class.

Mundo Ganesha restaurant

We arrive on a Sunday and the town is quite busy with Ecuadorians enjoying their weekend. During the week it is fairly quiet with foreigners being the majority of people walking around. There are only a few local restaurants found on the main road and some small shops for those who like to self-cater, though I do not think any of the hostels have kitchens for guests. Places to stay are well maintained with nice gardens but cost more than what is in the normal budget for long-term travelers like us.  

In conclusion, I would have to say for a true traveler in Ecuador Vilcabamba is easily miss-able and I am even leaning towards recommending a harsher do not go at all. There are some nice mountain views, but where in the Andes aren't there nice mountain views. There is some hiking, but hiking is everywhere too.

Mountains, Clouds and Vilcabamba

What Vilcabamba is lacking is the Ecuadorian small town charm. It has become a growing enclave for Westerners trying to create a bit of 'home' in a far away land. But whose to blame them?

The Chinese in New York, Indians in Kuala Lumpur and the British in Malaga, Spain are just three examples out of hundreds with immigrants searching for their "promised land" while simultaneously clinging to the bosom of their motherland.  However, for someone like me just rambling through Ecuador to know the country a little bit better, Vilcabamba is pretty much exactly not what I am looking for. And for that matter probably neither is a really, really old Ecuadorian.

No beating around the bush: Typical Gringo Bakery