An Idyllic Retirement on Koh Phangan

You’ll never grow old if you live on Koh Phangan! Yes, we said it and there is a strain of truth in that sentence, well we would like to think so anyway.

If you don’t believe us then read on, Koh Phangan is a perfect place to live out those golden years.

As it is a dream when you are young, it is a dream when you are older also, to go and live on a beautiful tropical island and legally you can retire in Thailand by getting a retirement visa.

The Thai Embassy gets roughly 45,000 applicants for retirement visas each year and we are not surprised at all, there are certain criteria that you must meet and be over the age of fifty but check the website for more details.

One of the main benefits for retirement in Koh Phangan or the rest of Thailand is the climate and the slow, easier pace of life. It is well known that living in a hotter climate can help ease the pain of common illnesses such as arthritis and the thai style way of relaxing whilst still living will be welcomed by anyone, young or old, not getting caught up in the busy city or rushed way of life back in the western world.

Retirement is meant to be the time when you reap the rewards of years of hard work isn’t it?!

So come and enjoy island life, swim in the sea, lay down and relax, make friends with the lovely locals and stroll casually along the beach, it couldn’t be more perfect.

Phanganist met a lovely retired gent from Scotland last September when we went to cover the ‘Bike 4 Mom’ event, he was one of the cycling participants, showing that you can still join in with many activities on the island.

He has lived on Koh Phangan for ten years now so we asked him about retiring on the island;

‘I relax and have fun here, I’m not working now. I like to give thanks to all of the thai people who welcome us to the island and for making us feel so at home’.

We also asked about the fact that he could of chosen other places like Phuket or Samui, why did he choose Phangan…?

‘I have been to many places in Thailand but Koh Phangan is number one. I feel at home here, it’s not too busy, it’s real.’

Koh Phangan has a nice retirement expat community so you won’t be alone, this island has the magic to make people open within themselves so you will see that people are really approachable and go out of their way to involve other people, it will be easy to make friends here.

And life really doesn’t stop, yes it may slow down to a nicer pace but there are many activities to get involved with, you could even find a new hobby or passion that you’ve never found before!

You may also find that your lifestyle and diet habits are more healthy which is key to living longer and better, Phangan has a rich variety of fruits and fresh vegetables to chose from and thai food tends to be healthier than the western alternative and of course just as if not more tasty!

You will enjoy waking up to a fresh fruit smoothie or juice every morning and those early morning walks with the clean air will guarantee you getting the freshly picked fruit of that day.

If you don’t like cooking or preparing your own food then this is ok as well, it is cheaper to eat out so if your cooking days are over then you can hang up your apron in confidence knowing that eating out won’t break the bank.

Of course Koh Phangan is known for its Full Moon Party but you will be surprised that if you don’t go near to Haad Rin then you don’t need to even see those party going youngsters or hear the strange pumping music at all.

For example, a popular location for older people and families is the north, Thong Nai Pan. This is completely over the other side of the island away from noise and people.

Other areas are equally as beautiful in their offerings such as Chaloklum, Sri Thanu and even areas of central Thong Sala such as Maduwan.

Koh Phangan is rich in nature, you can have the best of everything, jungle, beach, tranquil seas and rocky terrain, you will enjoy finding new species of flowers and plants to adorn your garden with and animals insects and reptiles to admire.

Maybe you fancy building the home of your dreams to live out your retirement in on paradise island, this is possible and also popular amongst expats.

It is much more affordable than in the west and it can make a wonderful home for your family to come and stay in when they visit you, and you know they certainly will visit you here if you chose to call Phangan home!

If you don’t want to build your home then Phangan’s buildings have really gone up in spec in the last few years so you needn’t worry about having to survive in a beach hut as you can find all of your home comforts here as well.

Again with visa requirements please check the thai embassy website but we think you will love your beautiful retirement on Koh Phangan, it can be a new life start for anyone!