Alternative Gay Friendly Retirement Areas?

[sunreader]

If not Thailand, where else would you consider or have good experiences of? Malaysia/Penang...Singapore... anywhere where the cost of living is favourable where there are beaches and reasonably modern infrastructure....ideas or suggestions?

[farang prince]

If not Thailand, where else would you consider or have good experiences of? Malaysia/Penang...Singapore... anywhere where the cost of living is favourable where there are beaches and reasonably modern infrastructure....ideas or suggestions?

If you are looking for a gay friendly retirement area outside of LOS, I would suggest the Philippines. There are a lot of gated communities in the Phils that are worth exploring. And you can buy a house at a reasonable price in the Phils once you have established residency (plus the Filipino guys and ladyboys are gorgeous...just a little more larcenous than their Thai counterparts). Plus the Filipino government REALLY WANTS outsiders to move there. That's a nice change from LOS. If you consider the PI, I would stay away from Manila. Mindanao is a beautiful island and there are some great resorts there. Plus there are some gated communities on Mindanao that are worth looking at. One word of caution about Mindanao, however...they have a nasty Muslim terrorist group that is operating in the interior highlands. They've killed more than a few outsiders. But the Cagayan de Oro area has some great beaches nearby.

In Malaysia, the only place I would consider is Kuala Lumpur, which I think is one of the best metropolitan areas in Asia. It has good infrastructure, great shopping, some happening gay clubs and of course, lovely Malaysian men. And they speak English. I'd stay away from Penang. It is a shithole.

There are some places that you might consider in China. A friend of mine is in Chengdu now. He loves it and no one is hassling him or his bf. The cost of living is very reasonable. Of course you would have to overcome a language issue.

One of my favorite places in the Pacific are the Marianas Islands...specifically Guam and Saipan. But I get the feeling you are British or Australian from how you spelled "favourable." The value of Guam or Saipan (Saipan is one of the most beautiful islands I've ever visited) is that they are American territories or protectorates and use U.S. currency. For American citizens they is no problem establishing residency and on Saipan there is no income tax.

Hope that is a little help. Good luck to you.

[PeaceBlondie]

I am reconsidering Mexico, where I lived for three years. Low cost of living, infrastructure similar to Thailand's, far more accepting of foreigners, not quite as accepting of gays, but far more tolerant than the USA or UK. I knew Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific Coast was gay friendly, and now I'm told the big urban city of Guadalajara is, also.

[sunreader]

Thanks for that! yes British! always good to get some advice from a fellow traveller.

[Jingthing]

Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara (no beach) Mexico are certainly great gay friendly choices. You do need a pension or documented investment income to retire in Mexico as there is no bank account option.

I am quite keen now on Cebu City Philippines. However, I wouldn't call it gay friendly at all. It is a very conservative area. When a gay bar tries to open, there are predictable police raids. I also would characterize the entire Philippines are a do it yourself kind of gay environment. Nothing like Thailand. Manila of course has it all but it is not a nice place to live. You can retire in the Philippines without showing a pension or investment income. It has the friendliest retirement program in the world and I expect it to become massively popular in the next ten years.

Edited September 4, 2007 by Jingthing

[TopChinese]

Philippines.. great dive sites, cheap beer, bad food and twisted sick little boys.

No thanks.

[geriatrickid]

I was considering all of the suggestions and thinking of my own experiences. I hadn't thought of Guam, but the more I think of it, the more I realize it really does have some great things to offer. Guam has the heavy american presence so it comes with the good ;

- access to subsidised food shipments, which means fairly fresh food shipments with a good selection. (Don't snicker, have a look at the quality of red & green peppers or other veggies at Carrefour.)

- Oversight by the U.S. agricultural department and FDA so you have a better chance of knowing what you are consuming food & drug wise

- Decent communication infrastructure

- Things actually work there.

- Community health investment, e.g. no sewage ditches in front of your house

- Environmental protection enforcement

- Duty Free and lots of shopping including the world's largest KMart

- Good health care

- Relatively free of the corruption and irritations that plague SE Asia. e.g. police, courts

- If there's a catastrophe, there will be a prompt response from the Feds due to the large military presence.

- Everyone can speak english.

- You can order just about anything. My friend who was posted there was excited when his 600 thread cotton sheets came. (Try and find those in Thailand.)

and then there's the bad;

- Large military presence means there's a Yob factor when the navy kids get drunk and stupid.

- American style diet and cultural pollution. (Lots of morbidly obese people. If you plan for local lust, get an extra strong bed.)

- Very Catholic. Sort of like the Philippines situation. (My girlfriend slept over and that raised some eyebrows. I can only imagine what the reaction might be to same sex.)

- Small population of 200K or so I think.

- It's an island and you are sort of trapped.Going somewhere involves a long flight and a transfer either in NRT, MNL or HNL

- Guam comes under the US Dep't of the Interior, which means you get the joy of the Homeland Security hassle.

- If you are a US citizen and take up residence you lose some of your voting rights.

As for the other countries; Mexico - the crime is far worse than Thailand and it has many of the same issues., The Philippines is a basket case. When you are as impoverished and screwed up as the Philippines, you better be welcoming of any type of FX. My friends swear by Costa Rica. 3 hrs to Miami From miami they can go anywhere. And it's got everything you need, including decent folks.

[farang prince]

I was considering all of the suggestions and thinking of my own experiences. I hadn't thought of Guam, but the more I think of it, the more I realize it really does have some great things to offer. Guam has the heavy american presence so it comes with the good ;

- access to subsidised food shipments, which means fairly fresh food shipments with a good selection. (Don't snicker, have a look at the quality of red & green peppers or other veggies at Carrefour.)

- Oversight by the U.S. agricultural department and FDA so you have a better chance of knowing what you are consuming food & drug wise

- Decent communication infrastructure

- Things actually work there.

- Community health investment, e.g. no sewage ditches in front of your house

- Environmental protection enforcement

- Duty Free and lots of shopping including the world's largest KMart

- Good health care

- Relatively free of the corruption and irritations that plague SE Asia. e.g. police, courts

- If there's a catastrophe, there will be a prompt response from the Feds due to the large military presence.

- Everyone can speak english.

- You can order just about anything. My friend who was posted there was excited when his 600 thread cotton sheets came. (Try and find those in Thailand.)

and then there's the bad;

- Large military presence means there's a Yob factor when the navy kids get drunk and stupid.

- American style diet and cultural pollution. (Lots of morbidly obese people. If you plan for local lust, get an extra strong bed.)

- Very Catholic. Sort of like the Philippines situation. (My girlfriend slept over and that raised some eyebrows. I can only imagine what the reaction might be to same sex.)

- Small population of 200K or so I think.

- It's an island and you are sort of trapped.Going somewhere involves a long flight and a transfer either in NRT, MNL or HNL

- Guam comes under the US Dep't of the Interior, which means you get the joy of the Homeland Security hassle.

- If you are a US citizen and take up residence you lose some of your voting rights.

As for the other countries; Mexico - the crime is far worse than Thailand and it has many of the same issues., The Philippines is a basket case. When you are as impoverished and screwed up as the Philippines, you better be welcoming of any type of FX. My friends swear by Costa Rica. 3 hrs to Miami From miami they can go anywhere. And it's got everything you need, including decent folks.

Hola