I've lived in Bangkok previously and after a stint back in the US for about 10 years, the wife and I are thinking about moving back to Thailand to retire in the next year or so. 

 

Both of us are sort of over Bangkok.  Too much traffic, too expensive, etc.  She has a house she owns up-country but I absolutely refuse to live there.  Love the inlaws but I like to keep all of the family drama at arms-length.  Nothing major, but it's just more difficult to drag my wife into the neighborhood dramas if she's not right there.  

 

So, we've been talking about where else to settle down.  We're both partial to someplace close to a beach.  

 

We crossed a few of the obvious ones off the list:

 

Pattaya - Just not our pace.  

Phuket - I wouldn't mind the less touristy parts of the island but the wife sees the entire island like one big Patong.  

Hua Hin - We've vacationed there a bit years ago.  Heard it was getting a bit congested though.  

 

At the moment we're debating Koh Samui and the Krabi area.  I prefer Samui and she prefers Krabi.  Somewhat like Phuket, I think she sees Samui only being the tourist areas so she's leaning towards the Krabi area.  I'm more of a realist in the sense that I'm north of 50 and realize that even though I'm relatively healthy today, I want to be close to quality medical care and such.  

 

We're coming to Samui on vacation next month to check things out.  Unfortunately we won't be able to make it over to Krabi on this trip.  

 

The plan would be that once we pick a place, we would move over with our 2 dogs and rent for a year before deciding on something to buy.  Yes, I know, don't buy anything in Thailand that you aren't willing to lose, you can't own land in Thailand, blah, blah, blah.  Personally, I would prefer a condo but not sure if there's much dog friendly inventory.  For that reason, we will probably end up buying a house (in her name).  I'm going to live there til I croak so I don't care because she'll get it anyway :-)  

 

We're also open to other suggestions and I know the bias may be towards Samui based on the forum that I'm posting but just wanted to get some outside input.  

 

 

 

It sounds to me like you've already sorted this out for yourself. I think your good lady has got it right ..... Krabi.

From what I read on this forum and elsewhere, Samui sounds a bit too commercialized and touristic. And not as easy to travel from as Krabi.

Your future sounds great. Good luck.

OP you might also have a look at the region around Koh Chang

Stay on the mainland. Islands are weird places to live. Everything has to be shipped in. Locals can be hostile.

Thank me later. ????

1 hour ago, manarak said:

OP you might also have a look at the region around Koh Chang

Too rural, I agree with everyone else, near Krabi if you gotta have a beach.

Plenty of houses to rent, your dogs won't like a condo.

before you commit to any where i would go rent and stay there for 6 months first.

Have you considered Jomtien?

While there are many bitter people on here talk bad about Samui it really is not a bad place to live. I looked at Phuket as well before moving here and somehow it just felt too big and busy. Samui has most things you want in daily life and I feel that with today's online offering it is fairly easy to overcome the lack of competition or offering the shops in Samui have. Parts of the island are very quiet and pleasant which seems what you are looking for.

 

Few negatives, flights from Samui are very expensive compared to most other locations. Not an issue if you don't travel a lot or if you don't mind doing the Ferry/Suratthani airport/Bangkok alternative. If you play golf there is only very limited and ridiculous expensive options in Samui. Last but not least, it gets a bit crowded during high season and traffic is a zoo on the island.

 

I am sure you will get many Samui haters leaving their opinion why they hate it or moved away. Aside of the few negative points stated I love living here and see a lot of other people's negative points as part of the package which you will get no matter where you move. 

3 minutes ago, quandow said:

Have you considered Jomtien?

He is a Brit, not a Russian mob boss.....????

4 minutes ago, catman20 said:

before you commit to any where i would go rent and stay there for 6 months first.

as he says "the plan would be that once we pick a place, we would move over with our 2 dogs and rent for a year before deciding on something to buy."

 

 

2 hours ago, neeray said:

It sounds to me like you've already sorted this out for yourself. I think your good lady has got it right ..... Krabi.

From what I read on this forum and elsewhere, Samui sounds a bit too commercialized and touristic. And not as easy to travel from as Krabi.

Your future sounds great. Good luck.

I guess the problem is I want that sweet spot.  I hear Krabi can be a bit of a ghost town during slow season.  Samui seems to have a bit more hustle and bustle, which I like, as long as I don't have to live near it.  

 

In the US, I live about 20 minutes outside of a big city.  I like the fact that we can drive into the city and do whatever but then drive back home and it's pretty residential.  

5 minutes ago, chicowoodduck said:

He is a Brit, not a Russian mob boss.....????

American, but still ????  

Samui have two different worlds.

From maenam to lamai is the tourist hotspot, all major shopping,movies etc is located here.

With that comes traffic and noice.

 

Southern parts of the Island is very rural and quiet.

This would suite your wife, peace and quiet but still only 30 minutes away from shopping and night life.

9 minutes ago, huberthammer said:

While there are many bitter people on here talk bad about Samui it really is not a bad place to live. I looked at Phuket as well before moving here and somehow it just felt too big and busy. Samui has most things you want in daily life and I feel that with today's online offering it is fairly easy to overcome the lack of competition or offering the shops in Samui have. Parts of the island are very quiet and pleasant which seems what you are looking for.

 

Few negatives, flights from Samui are very expensive compared to most other locations. Not an issue if you don't travel a lot or if you don't mind doing the Ferry/Suratthani airport/Bangkok alternative. If you play golf there is only very limited and ridiculous expensive options in Samui. Last but not least, it gets a bit crowded during high season and traffic is a zoo on the island.

 

I am sure you will get many Samui haters leaving their opinion why they hate it or moved away. Aside of the few negative points stated I love living here and see a lot of other people's negative points as part of the package which you will get no matter where you move. 

 

Haven't been to Samui in a long time so I'll get to check things out next month in terms of traffic during high season.  One man's traffic zoo is another man's light traffic.  I'm originally from Los Angeles so I always laugh when people talk about bad traffic when cars are actually moving. ????

 

The expensive flights in and out are one concern I've thought about.  I booked them for this trip and I was shocked.  I wish I had a monopoly on something.  

2 minutes ago, KSwr7UDHyn said:

 

 

The expensive flights in and out are one concern I've thought about.  I booked them for this trip and I was shocked.  I wish I had a monopoly on something.  

As a resident you can get a resident card that will cut the cost, personally I don't mind the trip via Surat airport, I'm not in a hurry.

I think one of the big questions you might want to address is how much you want it to feel like Thailand... to me, the tourist areas you mention, do not... 

 

How about going south of Hua Hin a bit beyond weekend drive time from Bkk... Prachuap...

34 minutes ago, quandow said:

Have you considered Jomtien?

i think the OPs wife would consider that as Pattaya and would be a no go area.

7 minutes ago, kenk24 said:

I think one of the big questions you might want to address is how much you want it to feel like Thailand... to me, the tourist areas you mention, do not... 

 

How about going south of Hua Hin a bit beyond weekend drive time from Bkk... Prachuap...

 

That's actually an excellent question.  Not sure I have an answer to that.  I know that I'm not looking for the full blown rural Thailand experience.  I also know that I don't want shuffle past bar girls and touts to go to pick up groceries.  I'm looking for something between those two extremes.  

 

Maybe something like Hua Hin 10 or 15 years ago.  

 

 

I'd first look at towns/cities/etc..  near beaches. Then I'd look at local hospitals, health care. Then transportation avenues to you home up north. You want the beach, healthcare, easy transport option to the wife's home up north. I'd never consider the island fiefdoms. How about another  SEA country?

Just now, IAMHERE said:

I'd first look at towns/cities/etc..  near beaches. Then I'd look at local hospitals, health care. Then transportation avenues to you home up north. You want the beach, healthcare, easy transport option to the wife's home up north. I'd never consider the island fiefdoms. How about another  SEA country?

Oddly, my wife is actually more open to another SEA country than I am.  Haha.  

2 hours ago, SEAsia Traveler said:

Stay on the mainland. Islands are weird places to live. Everything has to be shipped in. Locals can be hostile.

Thank me later. ????

 

Yes I would agree.   

I would go and check out Pranburi, I was there 5 years ago and it was really starting to look good as a place to retire once I stop going out clubbing 3 nights a week (in 20 years or more hopefully!).

 

 

 

 

Just a few points from me.

It's certainly wise of you to plan to rent initially to get the lay of the land.

If your missus is anything like most Thai women I know her opinion will probably become fact. (good luck ending up at your first choice)

 

I'm from the Province of Phuket and find it can provide almost any living style you could require. It is an Island, but is connected by road to the mainland, something some posters above don't seem aware of. It has first class International Hospitals and an International airport. You can fly almost anywhere on the planet or in Thailand from here. Commuter flights to BKK are frequent and cheap.

Patong is one just one town in the whole Province, and by area is 1/35th of Phuket. (even some members here seem to have trouble understanding this). If it's not your thing, it's not compulsory to visit Patong, I haven't been there for many years. 

However, as stated I'm sure your lady will have much to say about where you end up.

Good luck wherever that is.

Nai Harn or Rawai Beach would be excellent choices, and are about a 20-30 minute drive to most busier places than you would want to frequent.

 

We live up country and have done so for 3 years and have enjoyed it muchly, however the burning of rubbish, rice paddies etc etc creating much smoke is a problem for me, having just discussed a move with the wife, and we are on the lookout, might well be an option for us. 

Look at Natai beach over the bridge from Phuket and still relatively close incase you need to go shopping for items you cannot locate it’s in area called Khlok Kloy nice beauitful quiet beach some expensive real estate but i am sure you can find something it’s only a 10 min drive to sarasin bridge to enter phuket xx phuket is not all like patong i am no expert of areas south

of the island i will let others comment but around Layan beach area near Laguna is lovely and now you have a lot of amenities close by which make life convenient 

Krabi has a lot of benefits, airport very close and very frequent schedules to Bangkok, also to Chiang Mai a couple of times a week, plus other places... hospitals Ok, from government to a private one, plenty of good dentists, docs etc...few expats in town but Ao nang if you need western communication, islands, beaches and some lovely countryside. All the shopping places one needs, great market for fresh foods. As someone mentioned town is quiet in low season re farangs but there's enough locals to relieve the boredom and immigration pleasing pleasant to deal with. But don't tell too many people how lovely it is here!!!

2 hours ago, KSwr7UDHyn said:

 

That's actually an excellent question.  Not sure I have an answer to that.  I know that I'm not looking for the full blown rural Thailand experience.  I also know that I don't want shuffle past bar girls and touts to go to pick up groceries.  I'm looking for something between those two extremes.  

 

Maybe something like Hua Hin 10 or 15 years ago.  

 

 

15 years ago or more, I lived in Cha'am - - which might be an option too, but you can't go back in time or at least not too easily... I can't even visit places like Krabi anymore. But on the other hand, as I have assimilated and Lotus, Big C. and other have spread wings, some of the outlying areas have become much more pleasant for me.. as tourist areas lose all charm or interest. 

 

People have questioned how I could live in a small village - - and one of my answers is that once you are set up there, it is different. In other times, I used to enjoy movies, which I now watch on my computer. I sleep in my own bed, have my coffee on the back porch in the morning, do my internet and emails, reading, and much of my morning and day is spent like most other retirees but in a nicer setting, if you like nature and country living. My time being out and around is somewhat a more enjoyable experience of being in 'Thailand' - time with family and friends, getting a massage at the temple, speaking & learning Thai and Thai ways... then home for dinner as most anyway... there are short comings but benefits that balance it out too... 

 

The experience of visiting, surely could be very boring, but once set up, [mostly having computer, own facilities and family] it is a different experience. 

How about the city Songkhla  on the Beach in the province Songkhla, Just 25 K from Hat Yai . It's pretty good down here If you like it  We do. There is a few Expats around  here If you want to mingle,,,, Not me.

On samui the places from nathon to lamai are pretty quiet but not far from makro ,Tesco etc. The roads are better condition as is the drainage on them and traffic not as bad as the north near bophut / chaweng area. Where I live in the south we hardly ever have powercuts compared to the north areas, beach is 5 minute drive away , Tesco 15 mins , nathon town 10 mins .

Obviously not much nightlife but lamai isn't that far away for that and the whole island has restaurants everywhere of every type of food.

Building work is going on everywhere now on the island although mostly on the north side.

If it continues at rate it is going I would say in 5-10 years the island is going to have major traffic problems with no way to fix it and possible power supply problems.

 

Hmm... Most of the people who say do not live on Samui are not people who live on Samui!

 

Personally, I love it here.

 

Why? The short reason is that I can live both like a Thai and a Westerner on the same day. I can get up in the morning, drink coffee that I bought at one of three supermarkets (or Starbucks, but too dear for me), finish out my shopping, visit one of five International Hospitals (if need be, which fortunately isn't), go to a bar for any/all international stuff wanted, see a movie, etc etc etc, and generally do whatever a 'Westerner' does.

 

Come afternoon, I can go down to a classical tropical beach with gorgeous white sand, clear luscious water and waving palms. Or, I can wander about and shout at a water buffalo. Or, I can hang on the front stoop of a friend's house and hear the birds singing half a klick away. Etc. Etc. Etc.

 

The key to Samui is where you live. if you prefer a more 'built up' area with many people, then perhaps Lamai. If you prefer the real quiet, then the south of the island. I would recommend anywhere along the North Coast (I chose Mae Nam). 

 

Ignore those who don't actually live here; they are just repeating stereotypes, both good and bad.

 

Overall, it is a cool place to live, connected, tuned in, yet with the ability to tune out at will.

 

Life is good!

 

Good luck!

 

4 hours ago, KSwr7UDHyn said:

I guess the problem is I want that sweet spot.  I hear Krabi can be a bit of a ghost town during slow season.  Samui seems to have a bit more hustle and bustle, which I like, as long as I don't have to live near it.  

 

In the US, I live about 20 minutes outside of a big city.  I like the fact that we can drive into the city and do whatever but then drive back home and it's pretty residential.  

I retired to Samui 5 years ago. Driving is irritating, but same all over Thailand. I have a nice 3 bed, sea view villa with magnificent sunsets which you might like to see...