28 minutes ago, NorthernRyland said:

am I only the only person that thought Vietnamese people were a little aggressive and  not very friendly? I only visited Hanoi and they weren't pleasant at all. 

I lived in the south of Vietnam, and my friends there told me that even they don't find the northerners very friendly. Once I met a very friendly and helpful guy at the reception of my hotel in Sapa (his name was Mr. Thai, to my surprise), and it turns out that he was from the deep south of Vietnam. He told me that even he gets overcharged in Hanoi because they can hear that he has a southern accent. So maybe a strategy would be to live in the south and only visit the north for short periods.

32 minutes ago, MichaelHunt said:

Easy visa for a long stay? That's not the impression that I have. Please elaborate.

New 90 day visa, no money in bank required, rinse and repeat every 3 months!

easy

any other questions?

that will be the day I leave $800,000 baht in a Thailand bank

27 minutes ago, nickmondo said:

I agree.  I dont think Thais are that great either..........very false smile, no manners, me me me attitude.  But better than UK, so I am ok here in Thailand.

Exactly, they have no manners when out in public. In private they're all manors though and it's very tedious actually.

 

All the Americans I know and have ever lived with are descended from English, Scottish, Irish and German (some nordics too but much less), which are not known to be friendly people. The people in the midwest (I think maybe Nordics and Germanic) are extremely polite and outgoing

 

I have a "Yeah, I'm from Ohio" shirt which I got second hand because I liked the fabric and ever year when I'm back visiting Colorado some people from Ohio notice it and strike up a conversion with me. Such nice people.

 

Never do you see Thai people making banter with each other in public like that. It feels like the jungle in Thai society, every man for himself, me first! etc... Some prick yesterday cut across the street from a parking place and cut me off while I was turning at a traffic light. This is common behavior over here.

1 hour ago, blazes said:

 

One of the great benefits of living in LoS (or indeed ANYwhere in Asia) is that if, like me, you don't spika de Asian, you don't have to hear people talking WOKE as they do in the Anglosphere.

 

Alas, this benefit is too easily cancelled out in these unsocial media days by simply going to an Angloshere media website to learn the latest news.

 

But to answer the thread question: Defo Spain (except for June to August).  Cheap fruit and wine and wonderful cities and trains (FAST trains) to whisk you between cities.   Seville or anywhere down south.

#2 would be Penang, Malaysia, but the local religion is not exactly hospitable to alcohol.

I'd agree on Spain. Railway is great! Particularly like Avila and Ciudad Rodrigo.

7 minutes ago, MichaelHunt said:

I lived in the south of Vietnam, and my friends there told me that even they don't find the northerners very friendly. Once I met a very friendly and helpful guy at the reception of my hotel in Sapa (his name was Mr. Thai, to my surprise), and it turns out that he was from the deep south of Vietnam. He told me that even he gets overcharged in Hanoi because they can hear that he has a southern accent. So maybe a strategy would be to live in the south and only visit the north for short periods.

That makes sense. The weather in the north was shocking better than Thailand, I would have never guessed. I don't think I could stand those people and their pushing and shoving and honking behavior. Such a pity. 

23 minutes ago, ChipButty said:

I fancy taking a look at Zanzibar I like a bit of milk chocolate, 

The east coast of Zanzibar has the most beautiful beaches that I have ever seen in my life.

17 minutes ago, Henryford said:

I thought Vietnam's visa policies made it impossible for long stay/retirement. Personally i think only Cambodia offers an option to Thailand.

I believe you are correct, along with, not really allowed to drive a motorbike, I think.  So why would someone go there, as just a matter of time, before rules enforced, or prone to tea money all the time.

 

All silly what if and or alternatives.  Neighboring countries are fine, aside from those little things ... IF ... you don't need good infrastructure.   Then is only good for the 'stay in 1 city/barstool folks'

 

4 hours ago, mr_lob said:

Been in Portugal 4 years after 17 years in Thailand. Cost of living? Very similar.

Property more expensive obvs. Food shopping mostly same. Beer less than half price. Wine ridiculous. Fuel costs more. National parks... Free! 

Loads of outdoor sports opportunities at great rates

Love Portugal! Was visiting several times per year for 20+ years before retiring and moving to Thailand. Been to all the regions and most of the Cities and larger towns.  

44 minutes ago, jesimps said:

In UK we tend to call those things permanently parked a mobile home for some reason. Caravans are what you drag behind a car.

Static caravan is what they're called for the permanently based home.

10 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

New 90 day visa, no money in bank required, rinse and repeat every 3 months!

easy

any other questions?

that will be the day I leave $800,000 baht in a Thailand bank

Are you sure that it's possible to renew those 90-day visas indefinitely? I'm not saying that it's impossible. It just seems improbable to me.

 

If I were to retire there, I'd live in the beach resort city of Nha Trang, and take trips to nearby Dalat every time I felt the need to experience cool weather.

8 hours ago, still kicking said:

You don't buy a mobile home to live in it if you like to live in it, you buy a caravan, a mobile home is for traveling as the name suggests. 

A mobile home is also called a trailer...... Thus the phrase 'trailer trash'.... A trailer is parked and generally stays for a long period of time on your own lot (land) or a rented lot in a 'trailer park'. A trailer (aka mobile home) does not have a motor so it cannot be driven anywhere.

 

A so called caravan is an RV (recreational vehicle). It has a motor and can be driven around and parked at RV parks or campgrounds. 

 

A camper is generally a smaller camper and is either attached to the bed of a pick-up or pulled behind a truck (and in some cases, smaller ones, may be pulled by a car).

 

NOTE: This is all coming from a person who doesn't call a sweet dessert cookie a friggin biscuit.

King of Prussia

Phil. - unfreeze state pension; in fact, it's only laziness really, that keeps me here.

https://www.mylifeelsewhere.com/cost-of-living/thailand/spain

 

 

Some people seem to be spewing nonsense about all these countries being cheaper.  Spain for example rates 50 to over 70% more expensive.

Best to do some research on these great wonderful cheap places .

1 hour ago, Nemises said:

Vietnam? A foreign retiree cannot own in a car in Vietnam, so no way. 

Not true, please don’t comment on something you know nothing about 

1 hour ago, NorthernRyland said:

Some prick yesterday cut across the street from a parking place and cut me off while I was turning at a traffic light. This is common behavior over here.

If the Thai traffic police would work (I know an alien thought) to the same standards as US or Aus police it would probably be quite pleasant driving in Thailand, until they catch you for something that is.

30 minutes ago, nausea said:

Phil. - unfreeze state pension; in fact, it's only laziness really, that keeps me here.

likewise Philippines maybe as would be better off.  No frozen UK Pensions...  

Old people care home back in UK ?

Portugal lived there for years, just to expensive now... so that leaves Malta or Croatia, been many times years ago..

in 2 months been here 20 years and no willing/wish plan to move

Middlesbrough......because it wouldn't matter where I went on holiday, I would already know it would be sooooo much nicer.

2 hours ago, Nemises said:

Vietnam? A foreign retiree cannot own in a car in Vietnam, so no way. 

What about a motorbike? Are the motorbike riders in Vietnam as stupid as most of the ones in Thailand? Riding on the wrong side of the road, coming out of road junctions without looking, etc, etc, etc.

5 hours ago, blazes said:

Yes, indeed.  At least 2 million have just walked into USA in the last two years.  No questions asked.  But then, they do have sanctuary cities to wander off to.....

they have been walking in for 40 years invited  by the R party that supposedly despises them cheap labor ,destroy wages and unions then blame Dems for it   Vulture Capitalism

2 hours ago, blazes said:

#2 would be Penang, Malaysia, but the local religion is not exactly hospitable to alcohol.

Alcohol is more easily available in most of Malaysia than in Thailand; none of the you can only buy between 11-2pm and 5-11pm nonsense. The only area where you might encounter difficulties is the North East -  Kelantan and Terengganu. Certainly no problems in Penang.  

I think a few AN members may have a drinking problem, as alcohol price & availability seem to be a priority, as mentioned more than a few times 😎

1 hour ago, MichaelHunt said:

Are you sure that it's possible to renew those 90-day visas indefinitely? I'm not saying that it's impossible. It just seems improbable to me.

 

If I were to retire there, I'd live in the beach resort city of Nha Trang, and take trips to nearby Dalat every time I felt the need to experience cool weather.

The main reason I retired to Thailand was the 90-day "visas" near the end of Thaksins premiership. contrast that with now.

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I think a few AN members may have a drinking problem, as alcohol price & availability seem to be a priority, as mentioned more than a few times 😎

I was thinking the same thing....sad...sad...sad when all you care about is where your next bottle will come from.

40 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

If the Thai traffic police would work (I know an alien thought) to the same standards as US or Aus police it would probably be quite pleasant driving in Thailand, until they catch you for something that is.

true but the bad police are a reflection of the people not caring about respectful driving. 

55 minutes ago, Northstar1 said:

Not true, please don’t comment on something you know nothing about 

Doesn't help if you don't have a Vietnamese DL ...

 

"Foreign driver licenses, even when accompanied by an international driving permit, are not valid in Vietnam.  Even though a driver’s license from an ASEAN country may be recognized in certain circumstances as valid in Vietnam, it is still advised to obtain a local Vietnamese driver’s license if you wish to drive legally in Vietnam."

SOURCE

17 hours ago, Bunny Silverhand said:

Vietnam.

Cheap, beautiful, modern enough, nice people, easy visa policy...

 

Easy visa? No retirement visa there.

3 hours ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Back to my cabin in the Rocky Mountains with the million dollar view.

Nic. Got any pics?

 

2 hours ago, nickmondo said:

I agree.  I dont think Thais are that great either..........very false smile, no manners, me me me attitude.  But better than UK, so I am ok here in Thailand.

Are you in a tourist area? You'll get that anywhere in the world. Have many genuine Thai friends with none of the traits mentioned here, but then again I'm not in Phuket, Pattaya, Samui etc.

People mentioning alternatives in the region, but how long until they start rolling out their own level of special bs? It'll catch on. Seems best bet is to move around, perhaps 3-4 months in this or that place.

16 hours ago, El Matador said:

I speak Spanish

Might think about Mexico then.