Best tropical place to live?

[cryptofriendly]

Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka - heat

You can find cooler places everywhere:

Laos: Phonsali
Cambodia: Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri
Malaysia: Cameron Highlands
Vietnam: Sapa
One could even add Dali, Lijiang, Shangrila (Yunnan, China)

But wasn't the topic about 'tropical places'? Aren't they hot by nature?

 

[cryptofriendly]

Actually South Africa is much more ready for a WW or TEOTWAWKI that US/EU, generators, boreholes, electric fences, private armed security. I am not saying SHTF this year, but it is not looking good imho

Depending on your skin color, it might not be the best place to be right now.
But we all know that only white people can be racist...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888267755771531607

 

[daniels27]

Depending on your skin color, it might not be the best place to be right now.
But we all know that only white people can be racist...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1888267755771531607

It is EFF and they won 39/400 seats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_South_African_general_election

 

[ilke]

It is EFF and they won 39/400 seats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_South_African_general_election

40 seats too much

and the popularity of MK in the last elections is also not any better.

 

[daniels27]

40 seats too much

and the popularity of MK in the last elections is also not any better.

Not good. But after DA joined the government, there is no load shedding anymore.

 

[PMbx]

If you are super rich, Cayman Islands or bermuda.

If you can speak Spanish and all your income comes from abroad, Panama is great.

If you need more infrastructure, Canary Islands in Spain thru Beckham Law is decent.

 

[void]

If you can speak Spanish and all your income comes from abroad, Panama is great

Panama is not a small country... any particular areas you would recommend or have personal experience with?
is the (fluent?) Spanish your biggest concern?

 

[PMbx]

Panama is not a small country... any particular areas you would recommend or have personal experience with?
is the (fluent?) Spanish your biggest concern?

I live in the city (Im relatively young and thats where everything happens). Older folks who 'do nothing' all day live in Boquete. Nature/surfer ones live in the Pedasí area.

I guess its personal taste, but I like to be able to chitchat with my uber driver... waiter... gym coach.... Daily social life requires Spanish.

If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.

 

[5K1PP3R]

Brazil. Ideal weather and ocean temperature year-round — not too hot like 99% of other tropical places. Take South Bahia, for example. Gated communities offer total safety, along with good service and restaurants. Healthcare also seems decent, based on what people say in forums. Real estate is still relatively cheap. Check out Trancoso and the surrounding condominiums. People don’t even lock their doors there.
Rio is also fairly safe if you know when and where to go — look into Ipanema and Leblon. Just keep in mind that most people don’t speak English, although there are plenty of expats around.

 

[marioIT]

Brazil. if you know when and where to go

it's better to know where you are going... a friend went there 10 years ago to settle and his body is still missing....
(unofficially, he was killed)
One thing is to be a tourist and another is trying to settle long term.
I think his only fault was being a hard worker and starting a local business that picked up too much, it seems his success pissed off some envious locals

 

[JohnnyDoe]

it's better to know where you are going... a friend went there 10 years ago to settle and his body is still missing....
(unofficially, he was killed)
One thing is to be a tourist and another is trying to settle long term.
I think his only fault was being a hard worker and starting a local business that picked up too much, it seems his success pissed off some envious locals

 

[5K1PP3R]

it's better to know where you are going... a friend went there 10 years ago to settle and his body is still missing....
(unofficially, he was killed)
One thing is to be a tourist and another is trying to settle long term.
I think his only fault was being a hard worker and starting a local business that picked up too much, it seems his success pissed off some envious locals

OP didn't ask for a good tropical place to start a business, so I assumed it was to live and enjoy.

In Trancoso or Ipanema (Rio), the probability of a white person being murdered is still higher than in Europe, but it's drastically lower than Brazil’s average — especially if you're upper-middle class or rich, and not involved in risky behavior.

Estimates:​

Location	Estimated homicide rate (white, upper/middle class)
Trancoso	~2–4 per 100,000
Ipanema / Leblon	~4–6 per 100,000
EU average	~1 per 100,000 or less

Interpretation:​

• In Trancoso, for a white person living in a gated home, avoiding favelas and drugs, the murder risk is low, approaching Eastern European levels (e.g., Bulgaria or Romania).
• In Ipanema/Leblon, it's a bit higher due to Rio's complex urban crime landscape — but still far safer than poorer zones like the North Zone or suburbs.

Compared to Europe:​

• 2–6 times more dangerous than the EU average, depending on exact area and lifestyle.
• But much safer than Brazil’s national average (~20–25 per 100,000), and especially safe for well-off whites not involved in crime.