SAN DIEGO: Retirees have become a growth industry for second and third world economies. Malaysia offers visas for international retirees; Bali is funding retiree villages, dementia resorts have opened in Thailand, medical tourism has become an Asian/Middle Eastern focus and 10 per cent of western retirees are looking for a ‘second life’ experience different from the first 60 years…
The competition:
2. Chiang Mai, Thailand
A new culture, a new language, new customs, new foods. The city of Chiang Mai is considered the cultural heart of northern Thailand. Located about 400 miles north of Bangkok, Chiang Mai sits amongst the country’s highest mountains and made the list in TripAdvisor’s “25 Best Destinations in the World” in 2012. Chiang Mai offers museums, nightlife, international restaurants, shopping, and more than 300 Buddhist temples. The international community is large, with about 40,000 people from around the globe living there…