Luxury island life is perfect for retiring expat professionals

For the perfect retirement, tropical islands are dream destinations for retired expat professionals.

When winter’s grip on the northern hemisphere gets too much, those approaching retirement turn to dreams of sun-kissed beaches, warm breezes and life lived outside within arms’ reach of natural beauty. One such island is Mauritius, nestling in the Indian Ocean halfway across the planet from winter snows and cold rain. The island is larger and more developed than most people expect, and welcomes expatriates with a managerial background in the hospitality, retail and financial sectors.

The lifestyle is exquisite, with weekends spent on the beaches or on boat trips to smaller islands, and the local attitude takes laissez-faire to a whole new level. Infrastructure and healthcare provision are both of high standard, and the crime statistics are 100 per cent traffic-offence centred. Housekeepers and nannies are affordable, giving trailing spouses the freedom to enjoy life in the slow lane.

As regards the practicalities, income tax is a flat 15 per cent and inheritance tax, council tax and capital gains tax don’t exist.. Expat property purchasers can gain residency if they buy a property on developments which are government-designated at a minimum price of $500,000 and, for those wishing to rent for a while before committing to a purchase, rentals are affordable for those with savings or a generous pension.

Another tax-free location with buckets of expat appeal is the Cayman Islands’ chain located in the Caribbean Sea and considered as a perfect location for expats and their families. Grand Cayman has a strong expat community, good private schools, excellent healthcare facilities and is well-connected by air to Miami and the UK. Again, weekends are spent on the beach or snorkeling around the reef, and property prices are less than in London. Island life is a dream come true for upscale British retirees after a lifetime of working and saving for the perfect future.