It is a tropical paradise island, which until very recently had been largely "undiscovered" by all but a few. In fact, this small island is known as Thailand’s "jewel in the crown". If you are thinking about retiring to a quiet, yet full amenity city, then Phuket is the place for you. Now, that this closely guarded secret locale is finally out, it will be
THE place to retire to. In the July 2005 edition of Fortune Magazine, Phuket was voted as being one of the
"World's Top Five Retirement Destinations!"
So whether you are already retired, or about to retire in the next year or two, then you should probably consider the plethora of reasons Phuket is the perfect place for you!
You will discover a
lush tropical climate with azure waters and the exquisite beaches of the Andaman. The scenery of Pha Nga bay will literally take your breath away. The nightlife in Patong simply sizzles. In fact, Phuket is full of fun activities for the whole family. You have a limitless supply of restaurants and bars
You can easily find a
wide variety of tours and diving excursions leaving daily from Phuket to surrounding islands. In Phuket you can shop until you drop and then indulge in a luxurious spa. There are plenty of golf ranges too. You can go horseback riding, play paintball, ride either and elephant or hop on an ATV and trek through the jungle.
Hua Hin is an enjoyable holiday destination all year round and boasts long uncluttered beaches. Plus, Hua Hin has the added attraction of a traditional fishing port. Hua Hin does not attempt to imitate the international scene and is content with an enduring Thai identity. Hua Hin, incidentally, is Thailand's oldest beach resort, enjoying a vogue among Thai royalty and aristocracy since the 1920s. Hua Hin is a resort where you can spend peaceful time lazing on the beach soaking up the tropical sunshine, the fun of a variety of water sports and a delight in relishing in some excellent seafood dining.
Due to its popularity as a retirement spot, Hua Hin offers all sorts of amenities from an International hospital, a wide range of shopping venues to some amazing hand crafted items such as dolls, ornaments, decorations crafted from sea shells and coconuts, to Kommapat woven clothes, pineapple products, dried fruits and fresh aloe vera health products.
If you are looking for a special retirement property in Hua Hin and the surrounding area you cannot go wrong when you invest in property there. The price of the land and property has increased every year for the past five years. Hua Hin is famous for its natural charm of beaches and mountains. In fact, there are a wide range of properties available, from villas, small houses to luxurious condo resorts.
Hua Hin is also a golfer’s dream come true. If golf is your game and you are contemplating investing in your retirement home in Hua Hin you are definitely coming to the right place. Many retirees decide to buy a property in this exclusive beach - golfing town in the Thailand gulf.
Pattaya is possibly the most enigmatic city in Thailand.
Some people refer to it as the perfect beach front paradise.
Pattaya perhaps has more "farangs" (foreigners) per square meter than any other city in Thailand. In fact, Pattaya has become rather popular as a retirement destination for many westerners. As a matter of fact, there is an extensive support network of other expatriates to rely on for help and advice.
Furthermore, Pattaya has beach front promenades, quiet bistros, more than 20 fine golf courses, an excellent sports club, a lighted lawn bowling green and scuba diving in two directions.
Pattaya is also a
prime tourist destination and lies along the gulf of Thailand 150 km southeast of Bangkok. Utapao airport is nearby. A taxi to Bangkok is a mere 800 - 900 Thai Baht. Buses and trains are much cheaper and service is virtually continual.
Health care in Pattaya is readily available as there are several quality hospitals including Pattaya International Hospital Bangkok International Hospital. Financial ATMs are everywhere and currency exchange booths are also easy to locate.
For the retiree who needs a regular fix of western food and shopping, Pattaya is the place.
Pattaya has it all in regard to dining. You will find everything from sidewalk food carts to elegant restaurants with extensive wine lists. Noodle shops and open front Thai style eateries offering every imaginable cuisine.
Shopping is extremely convenient in Pattaya as the local mall has numerous markets full of everything you could possibly imagine. There are several large westernized stores. Lotus and Big C are "superstores" while Foodland and Tops are well stocked supermarkets.
Bangkok is perhaps the most diverse city in Asia. In fact, Bangkok has become home to hundreds of thousands of expats and retirees from a multitude of countries from around the world. Americans, Australians, Brits, Chinese, Indians ... you name it and Bangkok has it. Bangkok even has its own "Chinatown, Koreatown and Little India."
The metropolis has
world class hotels, multinational companies, a fantastic night life and bargain basement prices at the many shopping venues. For many of the expat residents of Thailand, Bangkok is the only place they would consider living.
Bangkok may not be a quiet tropical paradise like Phuket, but
the expat experience
cannot be matched anywhere in the world. There are many neighborhoods divided
into a wide variety of sections and suburbs. There is literally no "city center." Some
would consider upper
Sukhumvit Road or Silom to be the heart of the city. While
others seem to think that the old city area of Rattanakosin might deserve the
honor because it has the Grand Palace.
Still others might make a claim that central Bangkok is actually Thonburi which is just across the river as it was the capitol prior to the Chakri Dynasty. Yawara, Bangkok's Chinatown is another busy area. Further north, the areas of Bangkapi and Ngamwongwan form yet another hub. Prathumwan is yet another bustling area boasting Mahbounkhrong, Siam Square, Discovery Center and the Pratunam market.
Bangkok maybe a busy burg, but it is actually quite safe, and inexpensive transportation is readily available via taxis, tuk tuks, motorcycle taxis, the BTS or the MRT.
Bangkok has numerous world class hospitals including Bamrungrad which is a classic international, efficient, multi lingual facility. There is also the Bangkok Nursing Home. This is a modern hospital famous for healthy food in their public restaurant. In addition, there is Bangkok General Hospital and dozens more.
Business and professional affairs can be easily carried out in Bangkok as every western country has an embassy in Bangkok, ATMs are everywhere, currency exchanges are common and at least one American brokerage firm has a presence in Bangkok. Interest earned on fixed deposit accounts is taxable at 15% and collected by the bank. Most western countries are represented by Chambers of Commerce. Bangkok has a British Club is on Suriwong Road and The Bangkok Club is the city's oldest in the city. The Pacific City Club attracts the more affluent expats.
Bangkok is also the home for a multitude of organizations including: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Hash House Harriers and the Special Forces Association to name a few. Meeting people is never a problem in Bangkok. Local hangouts include Soi Cowboy, Patpong and Nana. If you want a more specialized atmosphere you can visit Bourbon Street and indulge in a true New Orleans style Cajun restaurant or the Texas Lone Star which has free lunch on Saturdays and attracts dozens of local expats.
