For many people the most pleasurable aspect of Paraguay is it’s countryside. Living there can be a very enjoyable thing to do.

It is a relaxed and friendly place to be. An easy going lifestyle can be found here. One where in general terms everyone is left to live as they choose so long as that does not cause harm or inconvenience to others.

That said that in common with Paraguay more generally it is not to everyone’s taste. Everything seems to happen more slowly, many things don’t work quite as they should and it is on the whole still quite undeveloped.

However if you can see the charm and character that such things give to a place and are of an adaptable and flexible nature then the Paraguayan countryside may be somewhere that at the very least you investigate.

It is the sort of place that someone who feels the pull of such places would have little trouble settling into.

The local population is almost universally welcoming of outsiders. Those within a few hours travel of Asuncion are used to people from there visiting for extended periods, and there have been for a long time expat communities scattered across the country.

To feel part of the community and to be treated as such by those who have been there for many years is really quite simple. Integrate with the local community,mix with the people take an honest interest in local events.

Then invites to local events will soon come in.

First though before all that you must if you are considering Paraguay ask yourself what sort of person you are or want to be. A city person, a town one or someone of the countryside.

City life offers those luxuries such as shopping malls that cannot be found elsewhere. It is also a place more vibrant and full of life. However it is hardly reflective of Paraguay as a whole. It is far to easy for the likes of safety for example to stay almost entirely in the modern upmarket districts that bare no relation to the vast majority of the country.

A better way to see and appreciate Paraguay is to be in one of the country towns. There are a lot of nice towns within a couple of hours of Asuncion. They are all surrounded by countryside, which they tend to serve. An advantage of being in a country town is that it is possible to live without owning your own transport. Stores will be within walking distance and buses available for heading further afield.

There are through a few downsides to being based in a town.

A couple are, firstly that the open spaces of empty countryside will be nearby while you have neighbours all around.

And secondly care is needed in choosing where in a town to be. Country towns are on the whole safe peaceful places, but every town in the world has it’s better areas. Also as often there is little going on bored teenagers (as they do in similar places everywhere) will be looking for something to do to liven up their lives, and those somethings could be quite loud.

The final option however for somewhere to live in Paraguay should be far more peaceful. The Paraguayan countryside.

There is no reason to live far from a town with most being surrounded by green countryside. Unless the aim is to be living off grid it makes sense to be just a short trip away from a town and it’s stores.

Once out of the towns roads leading off the main paved roads are dirt, so the quality of the road and the likely hood of it becoming impassable in bad weather need to be considered. Life down these dirt tracks has a slower more rural feel about it.

A complete antidote to the rush of modern life.

The houses out here everything from simple one room dwellings to mansions and everything in between, by way of farm houses and summer homes.

Then of course if you were to find the right spot but discover there is no house there it is quite possible to buy the land and have one built. However when considering building I would suggest finding somewhere with a run down house and removing and replacing it. That way connections to both water and electric should already be on the property.

There are many fine areas of countryside in Paraguay. The one that I know best is the Cordillera hills area which contains towns such as Piribebuy and Caacupe.

Other areas such as Villarrica and Aregua amongst others also have a lot to recommend them, but it is Cordillera that I know best.

It is just a couple of hours travel from Asuncion so within easy reach of the capital for those things that can only be done there. I take day trips to Asuncion a few times a year just to see a little city life. It is though always nice to head home away from the city afterwards.

Cordillera is the nearest region of higher ground to Asuncion and it is just a little bit fresher there. It has a landscape of hills and valleys, all of which are pleasing on the eye. It is also where many of the streams and rivers in Western Paraguay start as crystal clear mountain streams. Cool, clear and refreshing.

Properties can be found, more commonly around Piribebuy, with their own private stretch of river. A stream is one of the few places where the heat of summer can truly be escaped.

I myself may not have a river but I open the curtains every morning to look out upon tree covered hills that rise sharply across the valley from my house. Then at night I can sit out behind the house looking up at a star filled sky that does not have to compete against a single artificial light.

And for most of most days I hear like is to be heard in much of the countryside little beyond the sounds of nature.

That nature must be considered as part of the countryside. It is packed with life. This includes insects and spiders of all shapes and sizes as well and larger creatures such lizards and snakes. So if you do have an issue with bugs the Paraguayan countryside might be a challenge for you.

Alternatively though there are also many colourful and exotic birds to be seen every day.

As I hope you have seen in this brief overview the Paraguayan countryside has a lot to offer anyone of the right frame of mind. Someone who wishes for a new life somewhere more peaceful, or as they say in Paraguay “tranquillo”.

If you would like to discover more please do contact me either by leaving a message below, or through the Contacts page on the website.