If you could live anywhere in Asia where would you go?
I’ve been having trouble in the last month living in the west and want to move to Asia with my husband and our two dogs. His family are scattered around Asia.
My dream is the beach life, good healthcare and friendly people where I feel safe.
I thought first of Thailand but have been told it can be unsafe, what would you suggest? I’ve visited Singapore and loved it but we would like something more for a beach lifestyle if it exists there
Owning land would be great eventually too
Twenty years living in Asia. Also born in Asia. Not lived there for twenty years now. Miss it sometimes. Sometimes not.
Don’t laugh. But Bangladesh was great. Girls guns and ganja. As much as you needed. I passed on the guns. But it was pretty wild. I lived in Dhaka in the diplomatic area. You can live like a king for not a lot of money. Bangladeshis are lovely people. Very few foreigners so it’s authentic
Which part is best?
Where I’m from-Malaysia.
I’ve been to a number of countries, and it’s the best bang for your buck- almost first world infrastructure at almost third world prices.
Sadly that applies to salaries too.
I lived ten years in Malaysia. You can get everything there. Multinational food. Drugs fast cars hos even a wife constant nightlife it’s also a decent travel hub
Highly unlikely that you’d be able to bring your dogs with you. Unless you agreed to have them in quarantine for a month. Also I cannot think of an Asian country where you would be allowed as a foreigner to own land. You might be allowed to lease land for 30 years and build a home on it. If you can live with that, then I can recommend Bali, Indonesia where I lived for ten years. Also Dumaguete City in the Philippines where I lived for many more years.
This isn’t true, at least not across the board. I’ve moved with my dog to Thailand and China, both with no quarantine. I’ve had friends move to Taiwan and South Korea, also with no quarantine.
Anyone tried Vietnam or mainland China?
Does everyone here have Asian roots or just a fascination with Asia?
Asian roots. But living in Europe now. It’s a different world.
I’m black and live in s.korea. I picked randomly and just never left lol. It’s been 8 years!
what’s wrong with admiring a continent… and yes I have asian roots as well as my husband
In order of preference:
- Somewhere where I know the local language
- If that’s not possible, somewhere where English is commonly understood
- Somewhere that’s reasonably safe
- Somewhere with job opportunities in my field
- Everything else
Singapore is economically extremely competitive, highly developed, safe, English is pretty well understood, but it’s entirely urbanized and there’s no “lonely beaches” where you can live an isolated beachbum / island lifestyle.
Thailand is still pretty decent in terms of safety for Southeast Asia, but has some political instability that comes up semi-regularly, English will work… soooometimes, and I’m sure there’s decent private healthcare if you can pay for it, but it isn’t economically competitive with Singapore… unless maybe you’re in downtown Bangkok, but there’s no beaches in downtown Bangkok.
If your husband’s family are scattered around Asia, chances are he speaks an Asian language? If that’s the case go somewhere where at least one of you can speak the language fluently. There’s no point in moving to a beach with no job, no services, no social life, and where you can’t talk to anybody.
And think of it this way, whether you’re in Singapore or Bangkok - you’re in Southeast Asia, a bunch of lovely beaches are within like a one hour flight or an overnight bus ride. Maybe you won’t live on the beach, but services and infrastructure just tend to be better in the urban centres.
Cambodia or Vietnam. I personally love Indonesia and Vietnam. I’m Asian. But there are so many options. Malaysia is also great if a little strict.
Cambodia has some good deals with their retirement visa. Cheap and allows you to buy land and work somewhat. I might end up there if Vietnam doesn’t work out.
I lived in china as well. It’s actually my favourite place in Asia. Great people food and culture. I almost bought an apartment in Beijing but would be hard to get the money out of china later if I needed to.
I also think they are nicer than the Thais.
Taipei fo sho
Taiwan — the only Asian country that legalised same-sex marriage. But its relations with China and the prospect of a conflict make moving there less appealing
I’m Korean American my wife is Thai and we live in South Korea now so I’m biased but as far as personal safety don’t go in there thinking you’re running s*%t cuz most violence against farangs is if a Thai person is doing something wrong they feel compelled to say something and their feeling is bitch you have no right to tell me what to do.
I know a USAF dude who didn’t want to learn the language so he went to the Phillipines cuz they speak English there he loved that he didn’t have to learn the language but he said the food was terrible.
Once Korean kids asked me if they were to marry a non Korean girl which country would be best.
My answer = if you can eat the girls country food everyday. So if you don’t like Vietnamese food don’t marry a Vietnamese girl.
As for me I’m flexible I can eat Korea (obviously) Japanese American American Chinese Mexican so I’m cool with that. Don’t know Vietnamese food well enough or Malay or Indonesian.
I love Japan so much. It is my happy place and I feel so aligned with so much of it- the peace, orderliness, respect. However the systemic objectification of women is a dealbreaker. So, I’d go with Korea.
South Korea has the same thing I’m pretty sure
You had trouble living in “the West” last month? Lemme guess, you lived in one Western city for a month and didn’t like it, and you think all Western cities are anywhere near similar?
I’m Swedish. So no.
I really don’t know why you think judging me is helpful at all here. Take bad energy elsewhere
I love Japan so much. It is my happy place and I feel so aligned with so much of it- the peace, orderliness, respect. But the culture of objectificying women is a dealbreaker, which breaks my heart but I can’t give that one up. So, I’d go with Korea.
Try living in different places.I lived in Danang in Viet Nam, its right on the beach and offers amazing quality of life, there are many expats there so easy to find a company.
Pretty much anywhere in Asia could be nice, just need to try and see if it works for you.