Does Paradise Exist?
Warm azure waters, swaying coconut trees, miles and miles of green pasture as far as the eye can see, low taxes, stable political system, peaceful local residents, ultra low cost of living, English speaking, great healthcare system, and has no natural disasters.....
Does such a place exist? A place that is the perfect amalgamation of everything that's perfect and peaceful?
In finding the perfect place to kick up your feet and retire, you may have come across countless countries that have a few of the characteristics above. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find the perfect retirement haven.
For a long time, Belize has been a great place for expats from North America. It is an English speaking country, which is rare for retirement havens. The temperature is great, and the living cost is inexpensive compared to other Carribbean countries. The political system is fairly stable, and it's commonwealth. While there is no medicare, it is cheap to get a root canal and its proximity to North America makes it convenient to travel to a major US city for treatment. The problem with Belize is that it is still on the hurricane belt. The weather is becoming more and more unpredictable lately, and although the barrier reef and Belize's location minimizes the damages of hurricanes, it does not completely avoid them.
Fiji is a tropical paradise for travelers. It is also commonwealth, and there are no hurricanes. The land value is still decent compared to Carribean countries. A 500 acre freehold land with a couple of houses and a private island can be found for $400,000 US. The people in Fiji are also friendly and will not be hostile towards foreigners. The problem with Fiji is that there have been coups arising in Suva over the last few decades. Recently, there is fear of another coup as the natives are becoming increasing uncomfortable with their situation with Fijians. Fortunately, the coup is concentrated in Suva, and the neighbouring islands are not affected as much. Also, I have not heard of anyone losing their house due to the coup. But, it is still a factor that weighs heavily on people's minds when choosing the perfect retirement location. Also, geographically, Fiji is further from North America than the Carribean or Latin America, so airfare is costly.
Other retirement havens are Equador, Mexico, tons and tons of Carribean countries, of which I prefer the ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao) because they are below the hurricane belt. Of course, the problem with being below the belt is that Bonaire is quite dry and for retirees who want to have a little organic garden, it may not be the best choice. There is also Margarita Island in Venezuela, but there was rumours of robberies and hijackings of expat residents, it is disturbing.
There are so many choices, and each choice has pros and cons. I would suggest taking the following steps.
Narrow your choices down to four locations. Visit all four locations more than once and during different seasons. It can also be helpful to rent a place first and live there for a month to test out the environment; during the month, you may discover more pros and cons that can help you to make a decision. Be friendly to the locals, as they are always your best source of information. It is unwise to take a North American or European attitude to some of these places, and the local people may not appreciate it. Soon, you may find yourself in trouble.
Then, create a spreadsheet and think about your needs, what you are willing to sacrifice (or not willing to sacrifice) and what each four locations offer. List some of the most important factors of what you are looking for, and rank each location on a scale of 1-10 (ten being perfect). Here is a sample below:
Fiji Bonaire Belize Equador Etc Etc
Temperature 6 2 5 5
Natural Diasters 7 6 9 9
Cost of living 8 4 6 9
Tax Benefits 3 5 5 2
Health Care 5 8 7 2
Friendly Locals 8 8 6 5
Etc
Etc
Total 37 35 35 32
While the scores may not reflect how you feel, you can get the general idea. You can insert whatever is important to you, for example, diving, hiking trails, house prices,etc. If you think diving is crucial for your retirement, by all means, don't sacrifice that! So, according to my chart, Fiji comes out on top.
Finding the perfect retirement haven is a combination of sacrificing what you are willing to give up and knowing what you can't give up. As long as you have clear thinking in outlining these factors, you will not be disappointed with the location you choose. You should do a lot of research beforehand to find the ideal place for you. It will all pay off in the end, because your retirement haven will be your sanctuary for many years to come!
