Where Should I Move To Retire & Kite?

[Slappysan]

Peru could work. I haven’t been there, but looks like they have some amazing spots.

Warm water is a must. It's freezing where I live, I'm over it!

I don't think you'd enjoy the water temps in Peru.

[Rojbrown]

I am going to add a little nuance to the discussion. Being able to supplement my retirement savings with some form of remote part-time income would be helpful. Is there anyone out there who is in their late 50s and beyond finding ways to supplement their retirement kiting with part-time employment. As I'm considering the expat route I'm assuming this would need to be web based work. I'm not a tech guy so the classic digital nomad gigs such as coding are not in my wheelhouse.

[Dave_5280]

Maybe teach kitesurfing, or English? You could start a cryptocurrency exchange…laugh!

[CaptainKook]

Thailand wouldn't offer reliable wind over 12 months, if that's what you want.

If you have some Spanish, central or southern American countries might be worth more investigating.

The Canaries in Europe are warm all year and Spanish speaking, but more expensive than Philippines/Asia.

In an ideal world, splitting your year up by wind forecast would be perfect
6 months in Greece/Turkey
6 months in Brazil

I have been to Taiwan. Stunning location and beaches, but by no means cheap.

If affordability is key, along with
consistent wind and warm weather, Brazil, Philippines or Vietnam might be leading options. Spend a month in each and get a feel for the place.

[hotracer]

Visit all locations during windy and non-windy season first. I've kited in a few of the Asia locations, below are impressions, which can change drastically from year to year and over time due to changes in the environment, Federal government, local government or all kinds of political issues, recommend not committing anywhere permanently. All of these beaches are also subject to changes in North American/EU "recycling" as products that are "recycled" by environmentalists in rich nations end up getting dump near/in rivers in Asia, making beaches temporarily unavailable. Indian/Chinese booze cruises or tar balls can also destroy a beach for weeks at a time.

Hua Hin = January to May, good foil wind, 10kn max days are most common, nice beach, safe clean environment, June to December = no wind or dangerous conditions due to storms, tide, beach erosion, pollution, 2+ hours to Bangkok. Nai Yang = May to August, occasional wind, amazing big air conditions when just right, very rural surrounding area but walking distance to international airport. Many other spots in Thailand with widely varying conditions.

Mui Ne = December to March, wind blasts 30+ 50% of the days, dangerous shore break, dangerous wave/tide/wind conditions, no rules/Russia rules on the beach, jet ski support required. Surrounding area is dangerous, tourists are subject to endless harassment, scams and blackmail. Kites shops are a mix of drug dens and fly by night scam operations, C2Sky and Kite Vietnam are the only two exceptions, kite shop support is required to kite on the beach. Beach access is frequently restricted to beach hotel guests only. Phan Rang is even windier than Mui Ne, more rural/rustic, don't travel alone or ride a motorbike in this part of Vietnam (extremely dangerous).

Other spots to check out that I have not, but been told were decent; Sri Lanka, East Coast Taiwan, Boracay PH, Ping Tan CH.

OMG this has got to be the biggest load of rubbish I have seen on kiteforum! I have been kiting in Mui Ne almost every year since 2007, and firstly and most importantly I have never experienced any drug den kiteshops, very rarely have I even seen any drugs apart from the occasional motobike driver offering weed!! As far as scams and being unsafe, well I most days pump up when the wind picks up and the leave kite bar and board on the beach all day with no problems, not many places in the world I feel safer, in Saigon you can maybe get problems with harassment but Mui Ne 100% not, this is one of the main reasons for returning, OK the beach is narrow, shore break about one or two days a month can get tricky, wind can get gusty, and yep there are alot of Russians but the keep to themselves. As far as Phan Rang and traveling on a motobike being dangerous, if you mean by the lack of road rules it's the same as most of Asia, apart from that very safe. The main problem with retiring in Mui Ne is firstly getting a long term visa and then also you have to think you have really good wind for 4 months and then nothing for the rest of the year and not much else to do!! Good luck finding somewhere

[hookedcook]

Visit all locations during windy and non-windy season first. I've kited in a few of the Asia locations, below are impressions, which can change drastically from year to year and over time due to changes in the environment, Federal government, local government or all kinds of political issues, recommend not committing anywhere permanently. All of these beaches are also subject to changes in North American/EU "recycling" as products that are "recycled" by environmentalists in rich nations end up getting dump near/in rivers in Asia, making beaches temporarily unavailable. Indian/Chinese booze cruises or tar balls can also destroy a beach for weeks at a time.

Hua Hin = January to May, good foil wind, 10kn max days are most common, nice beach, safe clean environment, June to December = no wind or dangerous conditions due to storms, tide, beach erosion, pollution, 2+ hours to Bangkok. Nai Yang = May to August, occasional wind, amazing big air conditions when just right, very rural surrounding area but walking distance to international airport. Many other spots in Thailand with widely varying conditions.

Mui Ne = December to March, wind blasts 30+ 50% of the days, dangerous shore break, dangerous wave/tide/wind conditions, no rules/Russia rules on the beach, jet ski support required. Surrounding area is dangerous, tourists are subject to endless harassment, scams and blackmail. Kites shops are a mix of drug dens and fly by night scam operations, C2Sky and Kite Vietnam are the only two exceptions, kite shop support is required to kite on the beach. Beach access is frequently restricted to beach hotel guests only. Phan Rang is even windier than Mui Ne, more rural/rustic, don't travel alone or ride a motorbike in this part of Vietnam (extremely dangerous).

Other spots to check out that I have not, but been told were decent; Sri Lanka, East Coast Taiwan, Boracay PH, Ping Tan CH.

OMG this has got to be the biggest load of rubbish I have seen on kiteforum! I have been kiting in Mui Ne almost every year since 2007, and firstly and most importantly I have never experienced any drug den kiteshops, very rarely have I even seen any drugs apart from the occasional motobike driver offering weed!! As far as scams and being unsafe, well I most days pump up when the wind picks up and the leave kite bar and board on the beach all day with no problems, not many places in the world I feel safer, in Saigon you can maybe get problems with harassment but Mui Ne 100% not, this is one of the main reasons for returning, OK the beach is narrow, shore break about one or two days a month can get tricky, wind can get gusty, and yep there are alot of Russians but the keep to themselves. As far as Phan Rang and traveling on a motobike being dangerous, if you mean by the lack of road rules it's the same as most of Asia, apart from that very safe. The main problem with retiring in Mui Ne is firstly getting a long term visa and then also you have to think you have really good wind for 4 months and then nothing for the rest of the year and not much else to do!! Good luck finding somewhere

True, Mui Ne is a pretty tame happy place. Unless you are looking for trouble doing shady things the town is harmless