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Corporations aren’t the only ones turning to outsourcing. Retirees are also looking offshore for post-work paradises. And the declining dollar has them looking beyond the old enclaves like the Costa del Sol or the Côte d’Azur.

Here are five destinations with special perks for those willing to go the distance:

Panamania
Where else could you surf in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and hike in the mountains — all in the same day? Minimal residency requirements, a 20-year free pass on property taxes and fast flights to the United States make Panama even more tempting for older adults.

So does a discount program that offers seniors 50% off everything from public transport to hotels, mortgage rates, doctor’s visits, electricity, restaurants and airfares.

Birders, hikers and mountain bikers will want to consider Boquete in the mountain region. Here quetzals are as common as canaries, and the temperate climate lets you indulge in natural beauty year-round.

Thai me up
A charming city on the Mekong River in northeast Thailand, Nong Khai, rates as one of Modern Maturity’s top spots in the world for retirees. Four hundred miles from the bustle of Bangkok, you’ll find world-class golf courses, silk shopping and all the Laab you can lob with your fork. You’ll also enjoy easy access to Laos over the nearby Friendship Bridge. Older visitors to the area have been increasing by almost 25% a year.

Nonstop safari
Just off the east coast of Africa, Zanzibar promises powdery white sand beaches, affordable oceanfront real estate and some of the best scuba diving in the world.

The aroma of clove and coconut from the island’s two main crops will further intoxicate you. And nearby on the mainland, you’ve got great wonders of the world, such as Mount Kilimanjaro, the Serengeti plain, the Ngorongoro Crater and Victoria, the second largest freshwater lake in the world.

Baltic state of mind
If gazing at women in bathing suits made of dental floss just depresses you, winter lovers can button up in Tallinn, Estonia. This Old World city shrouded in romance has enough haute cuisine, spas, nightclubs and cathedrals to rival Western Europe — at better exchange rates.

You can also keep in easy touch with your friends and family back home. Known as the Baltic Silicon Valley, Tallinn is so thoroughly wired that residents pay for parking with their cell phones and vote from their laptops.

KLites delight
Forward-thinking retirees can experience the New World in Kuala Lumpur. You’ll find world-class architecture, markets, museums and performing arts. Almost 10% of residents, called KLites, are foreigners, which adds to the cosmopolitan aura.

A government program, “Malaysia — My Second Home” (MM2H), provides incentives for foreign retirees. A five-year visa will give you unlimited entry and exit privileges and eligibility for permanent residency afterward. Your pension or outside income is exempt from income tax, as is the interest on any fixed deposits made through the MM2H program. And, unlike the Philippines, foreigners can easily own property here.

Forward address
With so many exotic locales to explore, you may want to migrate from one to the next. Just be sure to keep your banker informed of your whereabouts to make sure your funds follow you — whether you are in Sacramento or on the Serengeti.

 


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