Love, international style

Photo: Contributed

Tired of being single and alone in the Okanagan?

Well, perhaps you'd prefer to be single and alone somewhere else?

According to a new report in Internationalliving.com, the best places for singles to retire overseas focuses on Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Malaysia as spots where one isn't likely to feel alone.

The report explores destinations which offer safe, good-value living; welcoming expat communities; warm weather; affordable healthcare; and plenty to do.

“Particularly among women traveling alone—personal safety is often the number one concern. It’s ours at International Living as well—it’s the first thing we consider when we’re evaluating the merits of a place expats might consider retiring (whether they’re single or part of a couple),” says Jennifer Stevens, Executive Editor, International Living. “We’re only recommending communities we feel are safe.”

In these four top locales overseas, life as a single abroad is enriching and invigorating:

Ecuador, the Land of Eternal Spring, is a popular destination for singles. It uses the U.S. dollar as its currency and offers a low cost of living as well as a variety of communities welcoming for single expats, among them—Quito, the capital, offers a vibrant city life; Cuenca, a university town, provides a slow pace and lots to do. Manta and Salinas on the Pacific coast both offer warm weather and great beaches.

Mexico, a close neighbor of the U.S., has more North American expats than any other foreign country in the world. It’s close and convenient, it’s largely First World, and has excellent expat communities all over.

Nicaragua is a beautiful country that boasts a dramatic Pacific coastline, long Caribbean beaches, volcanoes and freshwater lakes that dot the hilly inland. A nation at peace. In low-cost Nicaragua, singles like the lovely colonial city of Granada, and the beach town of San Juan del Sur.

Malaysia, a Southeast Asian gem, has been a popular expat destination since the late 1960s. As a former British colony, English is widely spoken in Malaysia—making it relatively easy to get around and to make friends. Here expats can own property freehold, there is no inheritance tax, and Malaysia places no tax on income earned overseas.

More information can be found here: Where to Live as a Single Abroad.