Best Places In The World To Retire

The best reasons to retire overseas have nothing to do with saving money, although that is often a side-benefit.

 

Nor do they have to do with moving from a horrible, frigid climate (like Canada, my home country) to a beautiful place that is warm and sunny 12 months a year (Panama), although, again, that is a side-benefit.

 

Nor is the slower, more relaxed pace of life (in places like Panama) one of the most important reasons for moving overseas,...

The best reasons to retire overseas have nothing to do with saving money, although that is often a side-benefit.

 

Nor do they have to do with moving from a horrible, frigid climate (like Canada, my home country) to a beautiful place that is warm and sunny 12 months a year (Panama), although, again, that is a side-benefit.

 

Nor is the slower, more relaxed pace of life (in places like Panama) one of the most important reasons for moving overseas, although it is definitely a selling point.

 

No, the main reasons you should consider retiring overseas are different, and may surprise you:

 

You have probably lived all your life in the same country, indeed the same state or province, or city. This is a big world. Learn more about it. Expand your horizons. Move somewhere new and discover what it is like to adapt to a different culture. Stretch your mental universe. You will learn lots about your new country -- and  about yourself.

 

If you come from a wealthy and well-organized city like Toronto, as I do, you will be shocked at all of the unmet needs in poorer regions such as Panama. You will see starving dogs on the roads. You will see impoverished indigenous peoples in the countryside, often living in dirt-floor shacks with leaky, thatched roofs. You can react in two ways to these sights: either 1) feel appalled or 2) think of them as opportunities to do something useful with your life, as opportunities to make a contribution. You will be amazed at how much better you will feel about your own life when you start to make a positive contribution to others.

The price of a home, condo or apartment in Pedasí, Panamá depends on what you are looking for. Right now you can find a house close to the beach with ocean view for $250,000 or more. But you can find something cheaper if you are not looking for luxury products.

 

However, Chitre, which is an hour away from Pedasí, is a small but developed town with all the amenities of a big city: major banks, shopping center, supermarkets,...

The price of a home, condo or apartment in Pedasí, Panamá depends on what you are looking for. Right now you can find a house close to the beach with ocean view for $250,000 or more. But you can find something cheaper if you are not looking for luxury products.

 

However, Chitre, which is an hour away from Pedasí, is a small but developed town with all the amenities of a big city: major banks, shopping center, supermarkets, etc. There is a unique luxury project in Chitre called Cubita and it is a gated community. There are 26 houses and 64 apartments. The apartments start at $124,800 and the houses at $233,000 with a 6,459 square foot lot.

 

 

The hiking in Belize is very impressive. One of the areas where you can find excellent hiking is in the Mountain Pine Ridge. It is private reserve that has about 100 miles of hiking and biking trails going to different waterfalls and swimming areas. That area is near The Thousand Foot Falls, which is the highest waterfall in Central America. Hiking tours are usually combined with other activities such as zip lining, cave tubing, etc. You can also go to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife...

The hiking in Belize is very impressive. One of the areas where you can find excellent hiking is in the Mountain Pine Ridge. It is private reserve that has about 100 miles of hiking and biking trails going to different waterfalls and swimming areas. That area is near The Thousand Foot Falls, which is the highest waterfall in Central America. Hiking tours are usually combined with other activities such as zip lining, cave tubing, etc. You can also go to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. There is a lot of hiking on that part of Southern Belize.
 
Camping in Belize is being promoted the way it should. There are a lot of opportunities for camping here in Belize. The areas along the Macal River and the Belize River that are great for camping. There is also some camping up in the Mountain Pine Ridge. Most of the people who go there visit some of the Maya Ruins in that area. People also like going the waterfalls or to the nature parks around the area, and they can go camping there.

 

(Waterfall in Mountain Pine Ridge, Belize, pictured.)