Dear Live and Invest Overseas Reader,

This is the best time in our lifetimes to discover the world's most exotic and affordable corners...

Dine out every day of the week...twice a day if you like.

Why not? When you can enjoy a nice dinner for just a few dollars, including wine and dessert...

And a tasty, hearty lunch, all you can eat, costs 50 cents!

Have an hour-long massage. Heck, have one every afternoon. The cost is US$3.50...

Engage full-time help around the house. Plus a gardener, too. Never wash another dish or pull another weed. Again, why wouldn't you get yourself a little help, when a maid can cost as little as US$100 a month...and a gardener half that...

Rent a fully furnished condo for a few hundred dollars a month...

Or a place that qualifies as all-out luxury, with every modern convenience and amenity, for perhaps US$100 or US$200 per month more...

Take off for long weekend escapes whenever the whim strikes. Travel around this region is so affordable--special promotions allow you to fly from one country to another on the area's low-cost airlines for as little as US$10 per person and less--you'll be tempted often...

Medical care, prescription drugs, dental work, movie tickets, dry cleaning, organic foods, taxi rides, a haircut...everything is so cheap that, at first, you'll feel like Alice in Wonderland. Nothing will add up...

Because everything adds up to cost so little!

The truth is, right now, the world doesn't get cheaper.

In some ways, it doesn't get better either. This land of ancient kingdoms, emperors, explorers, adventurers, traders, and pioneers is also beautiful, safe, welcoming, and, in some parts, completely at peace.

What would your life here...as a retiree, as a part-time adventurer, as a holiday-maker...be like?

Beautiful, welcoming, and, in places, completely at peace...

Asia Correspondent Wendy Justice, retired at the age of 50 and, since then, a resident of Hanoi, Chiang Mai, and Kuala Lumpur...and Intrepid Correspondents Paul and Vicki Terhorst, who made their first visit to Asia more than 20 years ago, who have returned nearly every year since, and who are currently based in the region, have long considered that question.

What would it be like to retire to Thailand...or Indonesia...they've asked themselves...

What would your life as an expat or retiree be like living, maybe part of the year, in China or Laos, in Malaysia or India?

In some of these places, you'd be a true pioneer and, no question, you'd have the adventure of your lifetime.

But could you live here?

Our intrepid Asia correspondents have not only posed these questions...they've hit the trail in search of answers.

Their collective conclusion?

See Asia now.

As Paul puts it:

"Of the many good reasons to visit Asia now, one of the best is that it's cheap. The Chinese have undervalued the yuan (called the 'kwai' on the streets), the Malays have undervalued the ringgit, all to foment exports. Many other countries have done the same. We travelers enjoy the benefit of export-led growth policies, sort of on the side. Those cheap currencies translate into cheap food and lodging for us travelers and retirees..."

In other words, you have a window of opportunity right now...a chance of your lifetime to discover the world's most exotic corners...

Even to make them home.

All at an absurdly low cost.

Asia opens a whole new world, exotic and cool, glittery and mystic.

But how would you get started, trying to make a new life for yourself in this exotic and mysterious part of the world?

Start with a single trip...a visit, as extended as you can make it. Our Asia experts, Wendy, Paul, and Vicki, have many good suggestions for where to begin, based on decades of firsthand experience.

Stretch your retirement nest egg...

Choose a base. From that base, take advantage of super-low-cost airfares to explore the region...

What you'll discover, I guarantee you, is that, not only could you live here...but you could live here well...in a higher style than you're likely enjoying right now...at a far reduced cost.

Spending time some place like Chiang Mai or Kuala Lumpur...Bali or Hangzhou...living for pennies on the dollar will move from rhetoric to reality.

But an absurdly low cost of everything is only one of the attractions of this ancient region...

In some parts, it's also indescribably beautiful...

It can be awe-inspiring...

Some parts of Asia are hot and super-sticky, sure...but, in others, the weather can be near-perfect...

Some corners of Asia are remote, yes, but others are home to expanding expatriate communities...

For more than two decades, Paul, Vicki, and Wendy have wandered from village to village, from coast to coast, and from country to country with open minds and open hearts...and an unusual agenda.

They've been enjoying and exploring this part of the world not as tourists and not as sightseers. They've undertaken their grand around Asia adventures with the objective of investigating the prospects, the opportunities, the advantages, and, yes, the frustrations and the challenges of living in these countries as a foreign retiree.

And they've recorded their firsthand experiences and invaluable from-the-scene intelligence into a series of living and retiring in Asia guides that we've collected into a kit called "Discover Asia--How To Make The World's Most Affordable And Most Exotic Countries Your Home."

I understand. The idea of Asia can be intimidating. It's halfway around the world...and the people not only speak another language but sometimes use another alphabet...or no alphabet at all!

An unbelievably cheap cost of living and an enormously rich quality of life are the promise. But how do you realize these things short of investing two-plus decades on the ground, as Paul, Vicki, and Wendy have done, feeling your way around and getting the lay of the land?

Well, you leverage Paul, Vicki, and Wendy's investment of time, energy, and travel budget!

That's the whole idea behind our "Discover Asia" kit.

These three folks are the savviest Asia experts you'll find anywhere. They've explored Asia from end to end. And not from the comfort of air-conditioned tour buses...but on the ground.

They've traveled overland--by bus, yes (though often not air conditioned and sometimes seated alongside a couple of chickens), but also by rickshaw, motorbike, bicycle, taxi, ferry, and rowboat. They've struggled to communicate in even the remotest regions of some of the world's most exotic countries. They've spoken with shopkeepers and hoteliers...with taxi drivers and waiters. They've learned their way around these beautiful and ancient places the hard way.

Along the way, they've also spoken with expats and attorneys, visa specialists and residency experts, doctors and alternative health-care practitioners, contractors and carpenters...

Combined, the experience that Paul, Vicki, and Wendy have amassed is incomparable. And it has allowed them to thin-slice the best current options in this enigmatic region that we Westerners are only beginning to appreciate.

Most all of Asia is affordable, and much of it is downright cheap. But not everywhere in Asia is someplace you'd want to call home.

That's why we asked our trio of Asia experts to call on the depth and breadth of their experiences to name:

Specifically, our trio of Asia experts has identified four countries you should consider right now: Thailand, Malaysia, China, and Indonesia.

Of course, those recommendations on their own are of little value. No one is going to retire to Thailand, for example, nor to Malaysia either. Bangkok isn't Chiang Mai...and Kuala Lumpur isn't Penang. As we remind you often, you've got to thin-slice your overseas lifestyle choices.

And that's just what our Asia pros have done. They've brought their experiences and judgments to bear to identify the most appealing regions, cities, beaches, and towns in each of their top-pick destinations.

And then they've worked with us to produce complete guides to living or retiring, full- or part-time, in each one of them.

These one-of-a-kind resources not only introduce you to the beauty, the history, and the culture of these extraordinary places...they also provide the nuts-and-bolts how-to information you need to consider which of these retiree-friendly Shangri-las might be your ideal overseas retirement haven.

In the guides our Asia team has produced, charming anecdotes and colorful insights into the people and the ways of life are supported by current research into everything from health care to immigration...from building your own home to embracing the local language...from transportation and banking to sourcing cash and keeping the beer cold...

Retire Well On Less Than US$700 Per Month Marco Polo once described one of the places featured in our "Discover Asia" collection as "the finest and noblest in the world." Others have said, "Heaven below is here..." Although the long history of this place may seem overwhelming, it is still accessible. It has a sense of community while offering all the amenities of a city. "This place gets under your skin," one expat explains. "People come to visit and end up staying for years. This city has a sneaky way of starting to feel like home after a very short time." Your life as a retiree in this part of the world could be special and sweet. No question, it'd be affordable. You could live very well indeed on less than US$700 a month. Another spot we've identified is more discovered as a foreign retirement haven. In fact, this place is home already to more than 17,000 expats and foreign retirees, meaning you'd be able to connect immediately with a well-established foreign community. What's the big attraction? For years, retirees have been lured to this corner of the world by the pleasant weather (at least part of the year), the top-rate medical care, and the super-low cost of living. A third place we want to introduce to you qualifies as one of Southeast Asia's most livable destinations, combing the best of island and city distractions and amenities with an interesting colonial past. English is widely spoken, and you'd find no end of ways to fill your days and nights. Again, the cost of living certainly wouldn't be a concern. Our correspondent's budget shows that a couple could live well in this place on a budget of US$1,200 per month, including rent...

Any travel guide can tell you where to go and what to see in Chiang Mai, for example, or Kuala Lumpur. Our guides assume you've already got that covered. That's not our beat.

Our beat is identifying, vetting, comparing, contrasting, and presenting in full detail the world's best places to think about spending your time, in retirement or otherwise.

So, when we set out to consider Asia, that's the perspective we took. Our "Discover Asia" collection of resources, therefore, is both colorful and charming...and packed to the virtual gills with practical details and particulars.

For example, our "Discover Asia" collection includes need-to-know information on...

For key destinations, our "Discover Asia" kit includes detailed monthly budgets itemizing what you can expect to spend on...

• Transportation
• Groceries
• Entertainment and Dining Out
• Help Around the House
• Property Taxes (if you own property)
• Homeowner's Association Fees (if you own your own home)
• Utilities
• Internet and Cable
• Owning a Car

Plus, of course, we provide ranges for the cost of housing, both for sale and for rent...along with samplers of properties currently on the market at the time.

In some of the places we highlight, a retired couple could live comfortably on a budget of as little as US$600 to US$800 per month if you own your own home.

Adopt a local lifestyle, and your monthly cost of living should be even less, perhaps dramatically less...

In some of the places featured in our "Discover Asia" kit, the cost of medical care and prescription drugs can be as little as 10% of what you'd pay in the United States for comparable services, treatments, and medications.

A doctor's visit can cost US$10 to US$20...a dental check-up as little as US$6...

One contact reports that the prescription drugs that cost him US$300 a month in the States cost US$20 where he's living now in Asia. Common statin (anti-cholesterol) drugs that might cost US$50 to US$100 a month in the United States can cost less than US$10 in this part of the world.

At these low prices, you might decide that health insurance makes little sense. Many expats do.

However, if the thought of no health insurance makes you sick, you'll be delighted to hear that the cost of this, too, can be extraordinarily affordable. In some cases, depending on the country and your age, your cost of health insurance could be as little as US$200 per year (that's per year, not per month) or less.

From a Malaysia base, for example (which can be a great place to launch your Asia adventures), you could easily discover a whole lot of the rest of the region...at a ridiculously small cost.

Recent promotions from Air Asia, for example, have included flights to Bangkok for about US$33...to Jakarta for US$36...and to Singapore for less than US$7!

Rent a furnished studio for less than US$200 per month...

Or a larger and more luxurious place for about US$380 per month...

How about a condo in a central location (meaning you wouldn't have to invest in owning your own car) and in a building where the on-site amenities include a pool, jacuzzi, kiddies' wading pool, gym, tennis court, indoor badminton court, and squash court? A two-bedroom, 900-square-foot unit in a building with this standard of amenities could rent for as little as US$325 per month.

Need more space? Here's a 1,278-square-foot furnished rental for about US$600 a month...

It's always advisable to rent before investing in the purchase of a new home in your chosen overseas retirement haven. This is especially true in Asia, where foreign purchase of real estate is often restricted and sometimes not possible (at least not safely).

That said, interesting opportunities to buy exist. And, like everything else in this part of the world, real estate prices can be delightfully low. For each destination featured in our Asia kit, we bring you tempting examples.

And we support them with full details on any restrictions, caveats, and downsides you should be aware of before launching a property search in this region where the ins and outs of buying a house can be as exotic as the dinner menu.

For example...

• When must you buy with a local partner?...
• In what places must you be prepared for a minimum spend requirement for foreign buyers?...
• If you did buy, would you own the land where your new home sits...or the construction only?...
• How can you verify history of ownership (that is, how can you be sure of clear title)?...
• Could you reasonably expect the value of your property purchase to appreciate? The answer can be no...in some Asian cultures, the only real estate with value is new real estate...here, condos can depreciate like cars...

What taxes and other charges will you be liable for as a property owner?...

Here's the bad news: It's not easy to arrange permanent foreign residency in most Asian countries.

Here's the good news: There are exceptions, including one important one. There is one country in this part of the world that is working aggressively to attract foreign retirees and to make it as easy as possible for them to establish full-time residency if they decide they want to. They're even offering interesting special benefits and discounts, a la the pensionado programs of Latin America.

Eat, Shop, Travel The attractions for me in Kuala Lumpur are that it's a great base and an easy place to live and the cost of living is so low. "There is good entertainment... lots to do. This is a real city that's awake 24 hours a day. I don't do it, but, if you wanted, you could go out to eat at 3 a.m. If you like to shop, you'll love K.L... -- Liz Price, full-time expat in Malaysia

Here's more good news: You could avoid the question of permanent residency altogether by retiring part-time! Many of the places our Asia experts have identified as offering absurdly affordable and immensely appealing lifestyles can make most sense as part-time retirement havens. Spend three to six months a year in these super-low-cost getaways...and your budget for the remaining months of the year is expanded accordingly.

You could savor an exotic lifestyle in Thailand or Malaysia for part of the year...then spend the rest of the year maybe back home...maybe in Europe...maybe way down south Argentina way...

In addition, in our "Discover Asia" kit, we report on the other nuts-and-bolts details you need to consider your options and make your plans...from how you'd spend your days, things you might do on a Friday night, how you'd stay in touch with friends and family elsewhere, how you'd get around town, options for phone, cable, and Internet plans, what taxes you'd be liable for locally as a foreign resident, where to go to meet fellow expats, and insights into local etiquette to help make sure you don't insult your new neighbors!

Launching a new life in a new place overseas is never easy. It's a grand adventure that leads to a richer, fuller life that can also be way more affordable than the life you've been living...

But, again, it doesn't come without challenge. Launching a new life in Asia is no exception. In fact, making a new home for yourself in this part of the world probably presents added challenges...as our Asia experts discuss...

"Our biggest problems have turned out to be finding cold beer and obtaining local currency," Paul jokes, for example...

You'll also encounter more serious challenges, of course, related to language, related to culture, related to the weather...

In this part of the world, you need a guide. As Asia guides go, you won't do better than Paul and Vicki Terhorst and Wendy Justice.

An open mind...breadth of experience...and a reliable sense of humor. These are the critical virtues of a good scout, and these are the things Paul, Vicki, and Wendy bring to bear in the reports they've prepared as a result of their decades of experience traveling overland and across borders...by boat, by bus, by plane, by rickshaw...all around Asia.

Their tales are delightful...full of real-world, firsthand insight and information into the world's least-understood, most mysterious, and fastest-changing regions...and also entertaining. Charming.

And, in our "Discover Asia" kit, presented in full color.

This Best of Asia collection is supported by dozens of photographs that help to bring these off-the-beaten-path Shangri-las to life for you.

This is a tour around Asia unlike any you'll find anywhere else. Paul, Vicki, and Wendy introduce you in real time and a very real-world way to the cities, villages, and beaches of this region that we've identified as holding out real potential right now for the adventurer-retiree.

Whether you want to run around and have a look or to settle down and stay awhile, Asia makes so much sense right now...

As an adventurer's playground where you could follow in the footsteps of ancient explorers, traders, emperors, and pioneers...

As a tropical paradise where you could spend part of each year...

And as a retire overseas option where your retirement nest egg will stretch further than anywhere else on earth today...

But where, specifically, should you consider...and how, in this most exotic land, would you get started?

This "Discover Asia" collection details everything you need to know to consider the top (and almost absurdly affordable) retire-overseas choices in this part of the world.

Exotic and cool, glittery and mystic...

These in-depth reports detail all the practicalities and particulars, including specifics on cost of living, finding a rental, arranging for utilities, staying in touch with the rest of the world, getting around in-country, medical facilities, health care options, residency options, visas...plus firsthand accounts from expats just like you already living and spending time in these beautiful, friendly, welcoming, and most affordable spots.

In-depth destination guides to our top Asia picks...

Plus, in addition, a fully illustrated guide to the region overall.

Together, this collection of resources are your complete introduction to the world's most affordable and most exotic places to spend time or to launch a new life.

If your interest is piqued by the idea of a grand adventure in this ancient land, here's the how-to support you need to follow through.

You'd be a pioneer. And that could be a whole lot of fun.

Plus, you'd be shrinking your cost of living and stretching your retirement nest egg. And that could be even more fun.

Let Paul, Vicki, and Wendy show you how in our fully illustrated collection of resources, "Discover Asia--How To Make The World's Most Affordable And Most Exotic Countries Your Home."

No one can bring you Asia the way Paul, Vicki, and Wendy bring you Asia, for they bring you Asia, not for the tourist, but for the expat and the foreign retiree.

The resource that they have worked with us to create is available today at a discount that saves you more than 55%.

This is the best time in our lifetimes to discover Asia.

Here's everything you need to know, available now for a limited-time savings of more than 55%.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Peddicord
Publisher, Live and Invest Overseas

P.S. Our "Discover Asia--How To Make The World's Most Affordable And Most Exotic Countries Your Home" is a one-of-a-kind collection of Asia resources prepared by the savviest Asia experts you'll find anywhere. It is available starting today at a discount that saves you more than 55%.

The special discount is offered for a limited-time only. Go here to take advantage of it now.