Maxim Levoshin

Category: Paraguay

  • Caribbean passports are rapidly turning into pumpkins

    Caribbean passports are rapidly turning into pumpkins

    First of all, let’s already recognize that we live in an extremely fickle world. True diversification is at least 3 different citizenships. Any state can go crazy, any bonus can be canceled

    Secondly, the era of investment citizenships for donations to “cocoa fund” states is coming to an end. Bank accounts on Caribbean passports have long been out, now it’s the turn of visas. For any regulator, Caribbean = person got documents without international checks and obvious distrust of such schemes

    How do investors diversify safely? Choose quiet stable stories with real business or real estate investments. The most accessible country for Russian passport holders is Paraguay

    Stable +40 outside the window all year round, stable citizenship for those who really invest in the country’s economy, stable 0 questions at the border and in EU and US banks.

  • Helicopter flight rankings: the best and worst routes in South America

    Helicopter flight rankings: the best and worst routes in South America

    I really love flying, and if there is an opportunity to see something beautiful, I definitely take it. Here’s my ranking of experiences:

    🤮 Chile, lines in the Nazca Desert – 4/10
    School textbooks say that geoglyphs in the desert are only visible from a bird’s eye view. That’s a lie! Near the highway there are metal towers from which everything is perfectly visible. Above the desert tourists are taken by a shaking corncob, the views are monotonous, you get seasick. I don’t recommend it.

    😎 Brazil, Rio de Janeiro – 10/10
    The most beautiful helicopter tour on the continent! Ocean, beaches, impressive city in the hills, Jesus statue above the city. At the same time – the most careless security system at the airport. Bags are not checked, documents are not even asked. Apparently the aura of the city’s saint keeps everyone safe.

    😁 Brazil, Iguazu Falls – 8/10
    The most powerful waterfall system in the world. The most famous part is the Devil’s Throat, a 270 degree circular space surrounded by waterfalls. Powerful and beautiful: a helicopter flies right up to the Throat itself! I took off two points, because from the bottom, from the boat, you can drive into the waterfall itself, and it is much cooler in impressions! Brazilians are leisurely, both the boat and the helicopter will take half a day. If you have to choose one thing, definitely the boat!

    😎 Argentina, Martina Garcia Island – 9/10
    The exile island of a former president on the border with Uruguay. Perfect location for a date: beautiful flight over the La Plata river delta, interesting architecture of the island (even a theater building has been preserved!), lunch in a small authentic restaurant, crocodiles on the waterfront.

    😁 Argentina, Buenos Aires – 8/10
    It’s just really nice to fly over your city and take a look at your favorite places.

    🥲 Peru, Machu Picchu – 0/10
    A place that doesn’t have a helipad, but would really like one! The ancient Inca temple is protected on all sides by the high Andes Mountains. You can only get here by train, but it would be great to fly in.

  • I continue to tell you what different Latin American countries are cool for life and business

    I continue to tell you what different Latin American countries are cool for life and business

    Last week’s series was about Argentina (you know where the link is), and today I will tell you about a country you are probably hearing about for the first time: Paraguay.

    This is where and why do people go here? Imagine throwing a dart into the center of South America. The most accurate will hit Bolivia (but you don’t need to go there). The wise ones will have a little shake of the hand and the dart will land a little lower – just in Paraguay.

    What’s Paraguay good for?

    💰Lowest tax burden for individuals and businesses. 0% on foreign income. 10% rnds, 10% income tax. That said, if the words “tax residency in the Caribbean” causes the “offshore!” light bulb to go off in the regulator’s head, Paraguay is still an unpopular country that no one will have any associations about.

    💵 Special trade zone with incentives and neighboring Brazil and Argentina: you’d be surprised how many business niches are untapped in Latam, and here’s a great entry point to the mainland.

    🪪A nice bonus is the easy path to citizenship through investment (visa-free entry to Schengen!)

    🏡 And finally, Paraguay is a quiet slow distant country, which in 2024 is a big plus. If some other shit happens in Eurasia, it’ll take a week for the news to even reach Paraguay. For 400$ here you can rent a great spacious apartment in a new one with a pool and security and wait out any apocalypse. It’s warm all year round. The local Yandex store runs like clockwork, a hipster introvert’s paradise.

    And what associations do you have with the word Paraguay?

  • How to pass the border quickly by car

    In a year of road-traveling around Latin America, I’ve learned the cardinal rule:

    Never cross the border at a popular place. You will spend three hours in line, they will make you unload all your stuff from the car, take away your bananas (did you know that banana gnats travel only in four-wheel drive cars with air conditioning, and can’t fly across the border because your passport is the wrong color?), and will explain for a long time that you should have bought a special toilet paper with a printed questionnaire for a dollar in advance, and if you don’t have the paper – well, go look for it somewhere in the night yourself.

    Change countries through villages in high mountains or impenetrable jungles. There will be a strong wind outside, so they won’t even look in the car, all customs officers and their dogs will take pictures with you, because ruso gringo turisto in such a hole is the main entertainment of the week, maybe even pour coffee. If you don’t get caught in the lunch break of the only migration officer, you will pass everything literally in 10 minutes.

    What was the most epic thing that happened to you at the border?

  • I am often asked: Max, how safe is it to drive in Latin America?

    I am often asked: Max, how safe is it to drive in Latin America?

    I tell you about my experience (Argentina/Paraguay/Uruguay/Brazil/Chile/Peru/Ecuador). During the year I was attacked only once by petty thieves: monkeys in the jungle got into my travel food bag and snatched chips. Be careful, though!

    Basic rules:

    🌃 Drive around the arc of tourist areas in big cities. Locals know there are gringo white tourists with money walking around. Of course, you can see us all from a kilometer away and the risk of your phone/wallet being stolen is quite high. In Brazil, it’s also dangerous in megacities.

    🗻 It’s quiet in villages in the mountains: locals often don’t even close their doors. Fences are immediately low, there are no bars on the windows.

    😎And the obvious: don’t talk on the phone on the street, don’t put valuables on the table in cafes, don’t drive into slums at night, check that your hotel has parking (for example, in Cusco, the streets are so narrow that even five-star hotels without parking, I was shocked😳), when renting a place for a long time – choose gated neighborhoods with security guards.

    I feel like the danger of latam is exaggerated, the chances of something being stolen from you in London/Barcelona/San Fran are about the same.

    What’s the security situation in your city?

  • I was driving along the ocean yesterday and realized that one of my wheels is dead

    I was driving along the ocean yesterday and realized that one of my wheels is dead

    I was driving along the ocean yesterday and realized that one of my wheels is dead. It’s Sunday, and usually everything is closed, but I’m lucky – there’s a garage with an auto mechanic near the highway.

    While the master removes the tire and pulls out the nail, I chat with his ten-year-old son Danilo. Children are, of course, the best tutors for language. It never occurs to them that someone might not understand them, so they chatter at first space speed and of course with all the slang.

    I divert the conversation from questions about how much my iPhone costs to school and geography: Danilo likes school, but he doesn’t know where the exotic country of Russia is.
    “You’re going to Chile, do they have beaches and blue water there too?”

    – Yes

    However, after about 10 minutes, the boy guesses something:
    “You don’t understand everything in Spanish. Is your mother tongue Quechua?”

    Quechua in Peru is spoken by the indigenous population in the mountains, about 13 million speakers. I couldn’t explain what Russian or “another language” in general was😂

    The older kids taught me how to say hello:
    Nuha essence Max – my name is Max.

    And what new things did you learn from the children?

  • 🚘 Checklist: “How to Survive Travel in Remote National Parks”

    After covering 100,000+ kilometers across two Americas and Eurasia, I’ve learned that near stunning natural spots, accommodations can be… let’s say basic (if they exist at all). Here’s a tested checklist of must-ask questions for hotels, especially in Latin America, where reality often diverges from online descriptions.  

    Before Booking: Ask These Questions

    ✔️ Are you open today? (Obvious, but sometimes surprising answers.)  

    ✔️ What time does the reception close?(Arriving at midnight to locked doors isn’t fun.)  

    ✔️ Is the room warm / does the AC work?(Altitude and jungle climates are unpredictable!)  

    ✔️ Do you have hot water? (And no, “lukewarm” doesn’t count.)  

    ✔️ Is there enough hot water for a full shower or bath? (Because trickling water ruins vibes.)  

    ✔️ Is the internet reliable? (If you’re working remotely or just want to Google stuff.)  

    ✔️ What time does the kitchen close? (After a long hike, you’ll want food ready.)  

    ✔️ Is there secure parking on-site? (Especially crucial in areas with sketchy security.)  

    Pro Tips:

    1. Book last minute – Natural beauty often dictates your pace. Don’t lock yourself into a schedule when the best moments are spontaneous.  

    2. Pack backup food & essentials – Some places lack restaurants or have kitchens with weird hours.  

    3. Bring a power bank and flashlight – Electricity outages in remote areas are common.  

    Trust me, double-checking these small details will save you from big headaches. What’s your go-to travel tip? 🌍✨