Best Places In The World To Retire

We have much more racial harmony in Nicaragua than in the United States.  It is true that we have some people who will feel uncomfortable being next to someone of another color, but it is very, very rare.  The vast majority of Nicaraguans accept all people, regardless of their color.

We have much more racial harmony in Nicaragua than in the United States.  It is true that we have some people who will feel uncomfortable being next to someone of another color, but it is very, very rare.  The vast majority of Nicaraguans accept all people, regardless of their color.

Of course, the best place in the world to retire to for YOU is different from where it is for ME. If that were not so, you'd be sitting in my living room right now with a cup of tea reading a book after a pleasant walk in our little village of Cerro Punta!

 

I've lived in three countries - the United States, France, and Panama - and visited many more. Any citizen of, say, the United States or Canada knows there is an astonishing variety of locations in the one...

Of course, the best place in the world to retire to for YOU is different from where it is for ME. If that were not so, you'd be sitting in my living room right now with a cup of tea reading a book after a pleasant walk in our little village of Cerro Punta!

 

I've lived in three countries - the United States, France, and Panama - and visited many more. Any citizen of, say, the United States or Canada knows there is an astonishing variety of locations in the one country, and to say "Canada is a great country to retire to" begs the question of where in that country. The same is true of any country in the world, even one as relatively small as Panama, which is about the same in size as South Carolina.

Still, I found governmental bureaucracy in France, that is to say, the Eurozone, not well disposed toward helping foreigners retire happily. The paperwork was forbidding, and the officials unhelpful, sometimes incorrect, and often rather rude.  I speak French fluently, and shudder to think of how they might treat foreigners who are unable to talk in French. Where I lived in southern France was beautiful, and the neighbors delightful, but France, as a government, seemed uninterested in encouraging me to stay.

 

Panama, on the other hand, is well-disposed toward a comfortable retirement. It is a dollar-based economy, which is especially handy for U.S. citizens. A permanent retirement visa is not hard to acquire, but it's not necessary for U.S. citizens; just every six months stamp out at a border and turn around and get stamped back in again, and you're good for another six months. The pace of life (except for the cities) is much more relaxed. The food is delicious and fresh. Restaurants abound. Here in the Tierras Altas of the Chiriqui province, the landscapes are stunning, and, if you're a hiker or even just a leisure-walker, you will find yourself in paradise. Even after living here for two and a half years I still often exclaim aloud in wonder and delight as I walk around the village and the surrounding countryside. The Panamanian people are universally friendly and pleasant. Crime and pollution (except in the cities) are nearly nonexistent. Medical services are, in my view, of better quality than in the States, and at a far lower cost. The cost of living is far lower, with the exception of imported items. And, as a professional writer, I must add that I find this land to be incredibly inspiring; if you pursue some artistic means of expression, I daresay you will have the same experience.
 

Gun laws in Panama are very strict.   Foreigners need to be permanent residents before they are allowed to either get a license to import guns or apply for a gun license.
 
The process to import guns is very complicated and lengthy.  Once the import license is approved and the gun is in Panama, you would need to obtain the gun license, which also takes several months and requires among other items a psychological evaluation.

Gun laws in Panama are very strict.   Foreigners need to be permanent residents before they are allowed to either get a license to import guns or apply for a gun license.
 
The process to import guns is very complicated and lengthy.  Once the import license is approved and the gun is in Panama, you would need to obtain the gun license, which also takes several months and requires among other items a psychological evaluation.

There is little domestic airport in Ambergris Caye. There's no international flight anywhere in the country other than into and out of Belize City. You can go anywhere in Belize by domestic plane because they fly to all the major towns. The planes in Ambergris Caye are more of an air taxi, which is how I think of it. You can travel off to the big cities in Belize.  They fly to Caye Caulker, Dangriga and Punta Gorda, among others. They now have regional flights, too.

There is little domestic airport in Ambergris Caye. There's no international flight anywhere in the country other than into and out of Belize City. You can go anywhere in Belize by domestic plane because they fly to all the major towns. The planes in Ambergris Caye are more of an air taxi, which is how I think of it. You can travel off to the big cities in Belize.  They fly to Caye Caulker, Dangriga and Punta Gorda, among others. They now have regional flights, too.