I am kinda in the same boat- 58 years old, staring down the barrel of retirement. Have spent the past 5 years or so travelling SE Asia, doing long stays (a month at a time) looking for places to retire. Not full time, planning 6 months on and off through the year.
Thailand has great places like Chiang Mai, but the smoke in winter is horrid. Beach resorts like Pattaya and Phuket have gone to crap with so so many Russians and Chinese. Smaller cities are better.
Malaysia? Loved Penang. Loved Malacca. Also the place doesn’t stink of the devil’s lettuce like Thailand does. But…harder to get a good massage, beer is more expensive.
Plus the visa free thing. Ninety days in Malaysia, thirty in Thailand.
I am kinda in the same boat- 58 years old, staring down the barrel of retirement. Have spent the past 5 years or so travelling SE Asia, doing long stays (a month at a time) looking for places to retire. Not full time, planning 6 months on and off through the year.
Thailand has great places like Chiang Mai, but the smoke in winter is horrid. Beach resorts like Pattaya and Phuket have gone to crap with so so many Russians and Chinese. Smaller cities are better.
Malaysia? Loved Penang. Loved Malacca. Also the place doesn’t stink of the devil’s lettuce like Thailand does. But…harder to get a good massage, beer is more expensive.
Plus the visa free thing. Ninety days in Malaysia, thirty in Thailand.
Tough call.