Phu Quoc among world’s 15 best islands to retire on

A corner of Phu Quoc island (Photo: VNA)

Experts covering overseas retirement trends for more than 40 years have released their latest picks, said the tourism website.

Criteria for top 15 list include “the ability to live a simpler, more peaceful life, without breaking the bank,” it added.

The website noted that the relaxed and small island of Phu Quoc may be a bit more expensive to live on than the mainland since goods need to be flown or ferried in.

“Still, it’s appealing to retirees for its many beaches and opportunities for enjoying the outdoors in tropical weather. The snorkeling is excellent!” it affirmed.

Malta island country tops the list while three other Asian islands also made their way into the list besides Phu Quoc, which are Thailand’s Koh Samui, Indonesia’s Bali and Malaysia’s Penang.

Vietnam ranked 10th in the 2021 Annual Global Retirement Index by the International Living, with final scores of 75.5 for low cost of living, rich culture and history, and variety of places, from urban to rural.

The magazine provides in-depth coverage of the world’s top retirement havens.

“Vietnam may be growing in leaps and bounds, but for retirees looking for a delightfully comfortable lifestyle, it remains one of the least expensive countries on earth,” it quoted 65-year-old California expat Deb Aronson, who has been lived in Vietnam for 10 years, as saying.

Phu Quoc is also a popular tourist destination in Kien Giang. As the province has remained safe in the COVID-19 pandemic, without any community infections recorded, the locality has seen a quick recovery in the number of visitors after each COVID-19 outbreak.

In the first quarter of 2021, Kien Giang welcomed nearly 1.2 million visitors, down 32.9 percent year-on-year and representing 16.8 percent of its annual target, with total revenue standing at about 1.56 trillion VND (67.6 million USD).

VNA