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ASIA & ASIAN DESTINATIONS
Learn something about MONGOLIA below
The term "Asia" engulfs a significant area of the world and includes nearly 40 territories which are east of Europe and the Middle East, and south of Russia.
Asian nations include the former Soviet republics (Central Asia); China, North and South Korea, Japan (North Asia); the Indian sub-continent (South Asia); South East Asia and the 'Pacific Rim' and some Indian Ocean islands. See the area map below. (Some sources include the Middle East and Turkey in Asia)
Learn more about some of these countries, whether you're thinking of retiring or just looking to go somewhere new for your next vacation.
For travel info, click on a name or area on the or the list
>>
Here
at Retire-Asia.com we
focus mainly on the tropical Southeast Asian region (see a larger map
below) which lies between the Equator and the northern
Tropic of Cancer and the southern Tropic of Capricorn.
South East Asia comprises ASEAN
(Association of South East Asian Nations) as well as East
Timor, making a total of 11 countries.
From time to time we add articles of interest and links to websites and organisations in other countries of Asia, whether or not they could be considered as 'foreign' or 'expat' retirement destinations.
Incidentally, you can retire almost anywhere if you have sufficient income. Retire-Asia aims to suggest ways to earn more money wherever there's an internet connection!
Here are the flags of the 11 ASEAN Members of South East Asia:
Timor-Leste
South East Asia is the tropical region south of China, east of India and north of Australia.
Apart from some small islands or archipelagos (groups of islands) like Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands administered by Australia, South-east Asia includes eleven countries. They are:
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Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar (also still referred to as Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and East Timor (Timor-Leste). Although East Timor is not yet a full ASEAN member, it has been a member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) since 2005.
Countries covered in some detail on our website presently include Thailand, Philippines, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore and Bali, Indonesia's best-known exotic holiday island province. See the left side-bar menu.
Find useful travel information and MAPS for other SE & other Asian countries not fully covered on Retire-Asia pages here:
East Timor
(Timor Leste)
Timor-Leste or East Timor is located at the southern tip of the Indonesian archipelago, northwest of Australia. The country includes the eastern half of the island of Timor as well as the Oecussi enclave in the northwest portion of Indonesian West Timor, and the islands of Atauro and Jaco. The capital of Timor-Leste is Dili.
East Timor was granted independence from Portugal in 1975, although it was later occupied by Indonesian troops from West Timor which now forms part of the Indonesian province of East Nusa Tenggara. Kupang is the principal city of the former West Timor.
North Asia & Pacific Rim region
China and its SARs
Los Angeles to Hong Kong from $751 Roundtrip Total
South Asia region:
One of Asia's more surprising destinations: Mongolia
Mongolia
is a land-locked country located in North Asia, sandwiched between
Russia and
China; one that
relatively few travellers know much about – let alone
have thought of visiting.
Mongolia is the world's nineteenth largest country, with a land area of 1.5 million sq. km. (Iran is in 18th position, Peru in 20th).
The present-day democratic government is based on the parliamentary model and there is a developing market economy. There is a Stock Exchange in the capital Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator).
Mongolia also spreads into the fascinating Gobi Desert and it the country has certainly had an interesting past.
Mongolia's history – and also some oddities
Genghis
Khan is a name most students of both European and Asian history have come across in
their studies. Under his leadership in the 11th and 12th centuries, the
Mongols conquered more lands and people than the Romans had in
over 400 years.
In less than 100 years, Genghis Khan and his famous descendents like grandson Kublai Khan had established the largest empire in the world, exceeded only by the British Empire in the 19th century.
Through sheer brute force and cunning disguised as diplomacy, Genghis Khan managed to unify the hitherto incompatible Mongols, then set out east and west to conquer vast areas of Asia including China, Tibet and the Korean Peninsular; effectively controlling all trade routes to the Orient. (The photo is a reenaction, by the way!)
Mongoloids and Morons. If you are from an older generation, you may have wondered about the medical term 'mongoloid' (of mongol-like appearance) to describe someone suffering from a physiological condition more commonly known as Down's Syndrome. The term, now considered offensive, has no connection with the Mongolian race. Additionally, citizens of the Mongolian city of Moron are no less intelligent than anyone else! The word comes from Greek moros, meaning dull or stupid (also offensive). There are other towns called Moron around the world, several in South America.
Mongolia is fast becoming a popular Asian tourist destination
With its extremes of geography from desert to mountains and vast lakes, there is now also a growing Mongolian tourist industry as adventurous travelers seek new destinations and experiences in faraway places.
Apart from scheduled flights from China (Beijing is only 90 minutes by air), another popular way to reach Ulaanbaatar is by The Trans Mongolian Express train through Russia from St. Petersburg and Moscow via Mongolia and then across the Gobi Desert to Beijing – or the opposite direction.
Visas for Mongolia are required for all except US citizens (tourists or business visitors who may stay for up to 90 days). Find out how to obtain an advance visa for Mongolia for other passport holders.
Learn more about visiting Mongolia, where you can stay and what can be seen and done there by reading reviews of people who have visited and experienced Mongolia firsthand.