Top 10 countries outside of U.S.A. or Europe to spend rest of your days aboard?

Okay..so you hear about alot of different countries these days that you didn't used to very much in terms of places to retire or liveaboard and retire....Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Belize, Equador, Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Tahiti, Thailand,Malaysia,Etc...I am thinking TopTen best in terms of all the things one would like....allows foreign nationals permanent residency of (of course), good beaches and clean water, friendly people (relatively-speaking)?, exchange rates/local economy, marine parts/support/services, political stability, future political stability, likelihood of all hell breaking out outside of natural disasters(again,political stability), "safety" for foreigners, and the country's prospects for the future in an uncertain 21st century....

 

Better add 'and allows foreign nationals permanent residence' to your list otherwise it's utterly pointless.

I nominate Iceland.

PDW

 

Anywhere tropical and FAR away from interventionist "big government"...

- - - - -Western bureaucracies seem to be convinced we all need a nanny to look after us and oversight everything we do.... - I DO NOT WANT - to be anywhere near - A NANNY STATE...

I do not want roads.
I do not want airports.
I do not want extensive military defences.
I do not want reticulated power.
I do not want reticulated water.
I do not want connection to centralised sewerage.
I do not want high population densities.

- - - - - just 1000 or so extended families, spread out with enough for 100 acres each person of prime arable land separated by lots of natural forest land that is not worth or not able - by other constraints - developing up into anything else...

 

Okay Thanks Wiley....

Iceland... interesting..They allow permanent residency for Foreign nationals.? Hmm...a little chilly but close to Europe..and the geothermal geyser under your yacht will keep you warm....

 

I think souljour was asking about 10 alternative countries not what was on your wish list...

 

Okay...so what does that leave....Masalai..? Chad, Cameroon, wait they have rebels and probably Al-Quaeda in Chad....what about PNG since your closer to that...curious?

 

I take it that you don't want hospitals or dentists either. Better not have the sort of stupid accident I had some years ago.

No doubt you also realise that you couldn't either build or maintain your boat if you live in your place of "don't wants" unless you take yourself somewhere with a late 20C (minimum) technology.

PDW

 

PNG is basically a 3rd World hole with corrupt government, few services and a very high crime rate anywhere there's significant population density. OK in the far reaches where there's no services - that's where Mas wants to go. But - there are no services. None. If you don't bring it or can't make it, you're SOL.

There's also malaria. Personally I will not live anywhere in a malaria zone. Visit, sure. Live, no.

The Philippines have a lot going for it as long as you stay a long way away from the separatist groups and expatriates. Oh, wait...

PDW

 

Iceland is European, but if Iceland counts as non-European then the choice is easy. The Nordic Passport Union (don't know if that's the correct translation for "Nordiska passunionen") is more far-reaching than the Schengen agreement within EU and allows a Nordic citizen to move to Icelend without any restrictions.

I agree with masalai that the nanny state is negative, but other aspects (roads, airports, power grid, internet) of the civilized world are desired. As the total absence of nanny state tendencies is difficult to find, I minimize contact with authorities, banks and insurance companies to get a more enjoyable life. The strategy works reasonably well in Sweden (as long as I pay my taxes) and should work elsewhere also.

If choosing Iceland is cheating, what about the southern tip of South America? Argentina and Chile are civilized enough and the climate agreable. Along with Iceland they fulfill another of my desirables, long coastlines.

Erik

 

I actually said Iceland because it was the 1st World country that was, I think, furthest from where I live.

Patagonia is too close. Don't encourage rich expats to move to the Southern Hemisphere, please. I like it how it is.

PDW

 

Tasmania!....Hobart is in Tasmania...Folks...Now that isn't it's own country but might as well be...The inhabitants probably think it is...seems fairly remote...I sure don't know of anyone who lives there except now PDwiley....He's a smart fellow...must know something we don't... I think Tasmania and Hobart deserve a healthy look...single file please...no pushing...The Hobart express has left the gate! Okay seriously...Too cold for me ...same with Iceland..even with the geothermals...I was thinking maybe an island in the Indian ocean...with a good tsunami warning system like Fiji or the Maldives...butI have no direct experience...

 

Australia....
The Top end with all the tropical waters, islands, and great places to see like the Kimberley, Cape York and the Great Barrier Reef. You could spend years seeing the place.
Best of all we all speak english, are 1st world and are friendly....just watch out for all the wildlife that will kill you.

 

How are things in Curacao I wonder...or Guyana...or Honduras is making a comeback I hear...? I always prided myself on knowing a fair bit about other cultures and countries...but the world has "opened up" alot since the end of the cold war...and I am not the world traveler I used to be as a young foreign service brat...I've lived in India, Pakistan and Egypt...nice places but currently off the "must re-visit" list....and likely to stay off there for awhile...

 

I always like Belize. Stable government, foreigner friendly, speak English, good climate (watch out for hurricane coast). It can be reach by land roads, by sea, and by good airports. Also, far from big government countries.

 

So to put names to the places:-
- - Samoa (not American),
- - Vanuatu, (northern provinces)
- - Kiribati, but it is very low and susceptible to rising sea-levels
- - Solomon Islands (remote regions), (Western Province, Temotu)
- - PNG (Not so much, the mainland)),
- - Timor Leste,
- - A-n-d-a-m-a-n IS A BLOODY ISLAND NOT A BANNED WORD and Nicobar islands (Indian possession),

- - Mauritius, Reunion, & Madagascar all have a certain attraction