Recently Martin from Smart Money Asia tweeted out a link to one of those “best places to retire” lists.
I think these lists are ridiculous because everyone’s situation is unique. It’s like those “most livable cities” lists — really designed for well-paid, co-located executives in Zürich, Melbourne, Vancouver, or Singapore. Not folks looking for Cory provincial cities where one can vaguely disappear and stretch money for a long while
My criteria were simple: cheap, warm, weird. On the surface Japan doesn’t look like that, but with a little digging you can find exactly what you need. In the thread, a bunch of folks complained about Japan’s taxes, which I found comical — our property taxes are fantastically low, and the overall system-for-benefits feels pretty equitable compared to other so-called developed countries.
Anyway, I mostly wanted to park some notes about looking for a new home as a placeholder. I’ve got much more to say someday; for now, here’s a taster — my mini-dispatches from the thread (short forms intact).
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Martin’s original xtweet
Something a little different from my usual market updates: Top retirement destinations
If it’s going to be too hot in Japan, where are we going? Let me know your ideas.
Link in the post below [Note I’m not including the link because the article is ridiculous]
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My replies (in thread order)
When “the wheels came off” I visited dozens of countries looking for a new home since became medically retired holding stock / found everywhere has pros & cons (obv duh) / now im Japan forever, brutal summers so plan to get a 2nd place in a forest or beach area within 2 hrs~)
When was looking for a new home, live many places for extended stretch to see realities of transportation, healthcare, postal services, safety, relax index with mantra of “cheap, warm and weird/interesting” and of course visa
Had three passports (at the time) and settled for a while in Jamaica and later on a small island in Indonesia, now liquidated both places, gave up on Canada, Greece nearly captured me except holy smokes, paperwork, Portugal interesting but suddenly overrun
Spent some time in Belize (interesting but…) Panama always pops up on these US-centric lists / while I haven’t visited, seems a segmented society servicing enclaves of USA’rs living in extended retirement communities with touches of banking, shipping and laundering thrown in
I think Malaysia and Thailand should be high on anyone’s list. Malaysia allows outright property ownership by foreigners, is a real mix of cultures, generally politically stable now and not dogmatic about dominant religion.
Thailand is prone to very rapid changes so best to have a fixer and exit plan
In Indonesia, was “too young for retirement visa / too old for student visa” the cultural visa was obtuse (of course visa types are fluid) so found myself leaving frequently on inconvenient runs
With my medical situation, I took several multiple day visits to a private hospital in Thailand, a rather niche workaday pleasant city called Phitsanulok and settled in, rode trains and short hops from Pai to Hat Yai but only fell in “like” not in “<3”
I was absolutely charmed by Nepal and imagined myself disappearing into one of the absurdly adorable mountain villages but realized my physical constraints and natural, economic and political upheaval was not a fit / yet fell in love in many ways
spent quite a bit of time years ago around Micronesian islands / the ‘secret place’ i thought would disappear (when cashed out from one of these Internet companies (ha ha)) is Palau – remains extremely intriguing on so many levels but i don’t talk about it loudly cause ____ ;)
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Martin’s reply in the thread
Scuba divers talk with great reverence about Palau. I did my open water certificate and first dives around Sipadan, which is an incredibly lucky place for a beginner to land!
