Kiplinger picked Penang as the 4th best place to retire abroad
Kiplinger, the popular publisher of business forecasts and personal finance advice, recently compared and selected top 8 places that are ideal for US citizens to retire abroad. George Town, the capital of Penang, ranked No. 4. I couldn’t agree more. I visit Penang every year and George Town is definitely one of my best place to retire abroad.
Penang, the northern state of West Malaysia, is made up by 2 parts, the offshore Penang Island and the mainland Seberang Perai. Both parts are linked with the iconic Penang Bridge. George Town is located on the Penang Island.
George Town is populated mainly by ethnic Chinese, but English is spoken, thanks to the country’s historical tie to Britain. Due to its comparatively low population of only 740,200, if you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of Kuala Lumpur in the South, George Town or Penang Island is surely a great option. There are many great tourist attractions in the Penang Island which you can read more on my Top 10 places to visit in Penang. If you are craving for foods, Penang’s food will not disappoint you.
The few charateristics of Penang Island that constitute to a nice city to retire, according to Kilinger, include the all year long hot and humid weather with bright sunlight, clear sky, albeit do experience wet weather with fair share of rain during the month of April and October.
The website also highlighted that many foreigners routinely travel to Malaysia for affordable, quality medical and dental services. There are several hospitals and clinics in and around George Town. There is also an international airport in the island so flying to and from abroad will not be an issue.
Most attractively to foreigners looking for second home for retirement would be the remarkable low living cost in Penang. Foods are cheap and delicious in Penang. Accommodation cost while in its up trend for the past 10 years with many new development, is still comparatively lower and much more reachable than other major cities around the world and Kuala Lumpur to the south.
An Unesco World Heritage site, George Town is also one of the Malaysia’s oldest city best known for its rich history and intriguing architecture.
Combining all the above attractions, George Town is inevitably a great choice to live in as a retiree, or to visit as a traveler. 🙂 – Travel Feeder
About The Author
Cecil Lee
The author is an avid traveler and photography hobbyist who loves to share with others his travel and photo-taking experience in many popular tourist destinations around Europe, Asia and Australasia. Read the exciting stories with many photos captured on his journeys.
