In its latest exhaustive list published early this month in which 24 top retirement destinations were surveyed, IL listed Malaysia after Colombia and before Spain. Mexico took first place.
Speaking about Malaysia in glowing terms, IL’s Malaysia correspondent, Keith Hockton said, “In Malaysia, you’ll get the best street food, restaurants and cafés in the region, and some interesting architecture that is unlike any other.
“The food is not just first class, it’s world class, and the shopping in Kuala Lumpur and Penang, where I live, is to die for. From state of the art air-conditioned shopping centres to colourful night markets, Malaysia has it all.”
This “all” includes Malaysia’s “clean and modern” cities, “unrivalled” public transportation and its multi-cultural society, that IL described as the “friendliest” in all of Asia.
Of special interest was Malaysia’s four Unesco world heritage sites, namely Lenggong Valley, the Gunung Mulu National Park, Kinabalu Park and the cities of George Town and Malacca. It also cited Mount Kinabalu, from which IL said the most memorable sunrises could be enjoyed.
Malaysia was also noted for its freehold property that foreigners could purchase, and its strategic central location in Southeast Asia that made travelling to other Asian countries “quick and affordable”.
Special mention was also made of Malaysia’s healthcare that made it a “great retirement haven” in Southeast Asia as far as retirees were concerned anyway.
“Malaysia has some of the best-trained doctors in Asia, and most have learned their profession in the US or the UK. They all speak English, too, which is a huge plus,” Hockton said, detailing how affordable it was here compared to the US, when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and needed treatment.
“The cost of the entire procedure, including the initial consultation, MRI, and then the operation, anaesthetist, and a private room, was just US$2,000. In the US, depending on your insurance, the same would have cost US$18,000 or more.”
The list by IL was compiled through a thorough examination of each country in regard to its cost of living, retiree benefits, climate and healthcare among others.
The Top 10 list of best retirement places for 2017 is listed below:
- Mexico
- Panama
- Ecuador
- Costa Rica
- Colombia
- Malaysia
- Spain
- Nicaragua
- Portugal
- Malta