7,000 Hidden Island Paradises
It wasn’t hard to get IL’s roving correspondent Steenie Harvey to spend time in South-East Asia. After all, there are no winters here…just thousands of glittering tropical-island paradises, all within easy reach…
Getting from one to the other is an affordable pleasure…seriously discounted airfares and short-hop flights mean these glittering jewels are just your whim away. From the air these islands are like emerald necklaces strung out in a turquoise sea.
Everywhere you go in this region there’s the intoxicating exoticism of the east…multi-colored temples tucked into mountainous jungle clearings…strange, delicious fruit…spice gardens, pearl divers…smiling, welcoming locals…
Today you’re walking barefoot on sugar-white sands. You’ve just emerged from water the color of a shimmering peacock’s feather…tomorrow you’ll be riding an elephant along a jungle trail or treasure-hunting in Asia’s largest night market for hand-loomed silk…
Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines—these three beautiful countries offer several lifetime’s of opportunity. Here, thousands of miles of tropical beaches, lush mountains and dense rainforest are yours to explore …
For many visitors, Malaysia’s most beautiful spot is Pulau Langkawi, in the Andaman Sea, close to the border with Thailand. Here, you can get back to nature among a jungle-full of exotic birds, or just hang a hammock between coconut palms…
With an architectural heritage of mosques and mock-tudor, Hindu and Buddhist temples, Kuala Lumpur is the country’s gleaming capital. Its airports, highways, and user-friendly monorail are more modern than those in many western cities.
You’ve heard of Bangkok. You may even have been there. But you’re guaranteed that this city of 10 million souls has more to offer with each visit. Its 35-acre floating market alone requires more than one visit to navigate.
The “Rose of the North”, Thailand’s other city is Chang Mai. This is traditional Thailand where teakwood houses cluster around golden wats (temples).
Thailand’s idyllic resorts, like Pattaya and Koh Samui, are popular spots, and then there’s the “just emerging,” like the relaxed, royal beach resort of Hua Hin on the upper-western side of the Gulf of Thailand.
For some of the world’s most amazing seascapes…some of its best snorkeling and dive sites…there are the Philippines. Made up entirely of island paradises—7,107 to be precise—it’s essentially an English-speaking country.
In the latest issue of International Living magazine, IL’s roving correspondent, Steenie Harvey reports from the Philippines…
“It’s a sight to swoon over. As the plane dips down, there they are—strewn across the South China Sea…glimpsing even a fraction of the Philippines gives most visitors a visual knock-out. With tropical sunshine, silvery beaches, world-class diving and jungle adventures, the Philippines is seventh heaven for vacationers. But this South-east Asian country also has retirement credentials…”
Steeine found out all about the Philippines special retiree visa. (If you’re over 50 years old and have a monthly pension of $800 a month you can obtain permanent residency.)
She also found the tastiest food in Asia—in the island paradise of Penang, Malaysia, a country which also has a special retirement program…
Yes, you can retire to these countries. Real estate is affordable, medical care is world-class…the cost of living is so cheap you can actually save money…
But it doesn’t have to be a permanent move. How about an extended adventure? Discover your own Asia…your own slice of paradise. Can you afford it? Yes…
You can live in a beachfront bungalow for $12 a night in Thailand. Rent in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia’s smart capital for as little as $170 a month. In the Philippines you can find a mountain retreat of your own in Tagaytay, surrounded by orchards and wildflowers, for only $315 a month.
And on Malaysia’s Penang Island, dubbed “the Pearl of the Orient,” you can live in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Georgetown for less than $1,500 a month—that’s for a couple…and includes rent.
In south-east Asia the retiree lifestyle is all about exploring new places, playing golf and tennis, swimming, diving, surfing, and sailing—and never having to think twice about being able to afford to dine out. A couple will be hard-put to spend more than $30 between them on breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
These islands, beaches and glimmering cities are the dream zones for a long-term retreat—even permanent retirement under the tropical sun…
Begin your Asian adventure now…with the latest issue of International Living magazine.