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As a pilot with a charter company, Paul Tyminski  has journeyed to all corners of the globe. He has touched  down at far flung destinations including  El Salvador, the Galapagos Islands and Kenya.
In some places the Briton couldn't leave his hotel after dark or find a decent meal, while other spots were blighted by crime and inclement weather.
But when Tyminski decided to retire early and sail around the world with a friend two years ago, he found Malaysia fulfilled all his wishes for a retirement home.
'I like the lifestyle here. The weather's great, the people are very friendly,' says Tyminski, 60. 'Certainly, I can't see myself leaving Malaysia - except to go upstairs, so to speak.'
Enticed by the year-round tropical climate, affordable living and a government scheme to attract expatriate retirees, a growing number of people from around the world are setting up home in Malaysia.
While other Southeast Asian nations such as Thailand are also trying to tap  into the lucrative 'silver hair' market, Malaysia is  one of the most popular, attracting about 12,000 foreign retirees.
As the global credit crunch continues to bite, some believe the trend will increase  as retirees look to places where their savings can stretch further.
Foreign residents accepted under the Malaysia My Second Home  programme receive a 10-year renewable visa,  can buy property, employ a maid and purchase a locally assembled car tax-free.
Pensions remitted to Malaysia and any income earned outside the country are also tax exempt, and there is no inheritance tax.
For Tyminski, a divorced father of four, being able to buy property under his own name was a major incentive to go to Malaysia.
He bought a flat in Kuala Lumpur before moving to the Malaysian capital and is now upgrading to a condominium home with a pool.
'You get value for money, especially compared to Australia and Britain,'  he says.
The plan began in 1996 as the 'Silver Hair' scheme and was initially only available to people over 50. When that attracted only about 800  retirees in six years, the government revised the conditions  in 2002.
The new scheme removed the age limit but bars foreign residents from working in the country. Retirees over 50 must also maintain a fixed bank deposit of M$150,000 (HK$337,000), while younger residents must put in M$300,000.
According to Ong Hong Peng, secretary general of the Malaysian Tourism Ministry, the idea is to bring in more foreign exchange, generate economic activity and diversify the country's tourism  base.
It seems to have worked. More than 11,000 people have signed up under the revised scheme, with an average of 1,500 people moving to Malaysia annually.
Britons made up the biggest contingent of retirees this year, followed by Japanese, Koreans, mainlanders and Bangladeshis.
Ong says foreign retirees spend  an average of M$8,000 each month, and bought property worth M$282 million over the past two years.
Thailand has also introduced a one-year retirement visa for foreigners over 50 but Ong  isn't overly concerned about competition for the grey dollar.
'The pool of potential participants is big enough for different countries to attract participants,' he  says.
More than 2,000 ethnic Chinese retirees, including Hongkongers, have moved to Malaysia since 1996.
Ong says they usually  adjust quickly to life in Malaysia as there's  a strong Chinese culture, and Cantonese and Mandarin are  widely spoken.
According to a report last month by market research company Euromonitor International, retirees are drawn to Southeast Asia because  the region offers a low cost of living, good health services and generally stable administrations.
And as more retirees move,  businesses have opened to cater for their lifestyles. 'This makes for a bigger social network, as well as a wider range of facilities and benefits for retirees,' says Parita Chitakasem, Euromonitor's travel and tourism research manager for Asia Pacific and Australasia.
But retirees should consider currency fluctuations.  It's now up to 30 per cent more expensive to live in Southeast Asia compared to a year ago, she says.
There are also possible downsides to retiring abroad: the Euromonitor report warns  some conveniences taken for granted in developed countries may not be readily available, and  not everyone is able to adapt to the culture and lifestyle of a new country.
But when it comes to health care, the report finds Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore score 'almost perfect marks' and often provide medical services at a fraction of the cost in the west.
Bob Holland, who moved to Penang with his wife Elena 11 years ago, says the private hospitals are of international standard, and fees are very reasonable compared to his native Britain.
Holland, 61, served with the Hong Kong police for 20 years and  now spends much of his time playing golf, diving, snorkelling, sailing and playing racquet ball.
'I think Malaysia generally tends to reward people who are interested in an outdoor life,' he says.
'We investigated living in Australia, New Zealand and Europe and we had property in the US, but Malaysia was without a doubt the very best place for us to live.'
Holland says being able to legally live in Malaysia long-term was one of the biggest drawcards, along with being able to buy property.
'The purchase of property was very important, especially that all the documents were in English,' he says. The Hollands, who have kept a holiday home in Penang since 1989, have formed a network of local and expatriate friends.
But another attraction was being able to travel regularly around the region, thanks to a choice of budget airlines. They have already been to Beijing, Hong Kong and Japan this year, and plan to visit the Philippines and India next.
Andy Davison, founder of the Expat Group consultancy which helps retirees apply for the scheme, says people considering settling overseas should factor in cultural differences and currency swings.
The Malaysia My Second Home programme requires applications to be made through registered agents such as Davison's company.
'It's one thing going on holiday to a place,' he says.
'But it's quite another thing living there day to day. So you   really need to get an understanding of what it's like to live there beyond a two-week holiday.'
Karl Hutchison, a former tobacco company executive who moved to Kuala Lumpur two years ago after taking early retirement, says the wide use of English, and ease and low cost of living were the main attractions  of Malaysia.
'KL is cosmopolitan on the cheap,' says the 54-year-old American, who rents a three-bedroom flat in the suburbs.
'I wanted this kind of international community feeling. Here I've got people from all over the world.'
The city has its drawbacks - traffic is often congested, petty crimes such as bag snatching can  be a problem and alcohol is expensive - and Hutchison also  had to adjust to the tropical heat.
But he says the positives have outweighed the negatives.
'There have been pleasant surprises, the instances of people being genuinely warm and friendly, service in shops is good,' he says. 'There's a bit of nightlife here, there's a bit of culture. You have to look to find it but it's here.'
Where Tyminski is concerned, Malaysia allows him to enjoy an active lifestyle.
He not only enjoys outings to the opera and the theatre, but regularly explores the country on the back of his Harley-Davison motorbike. 'I think it gives you a new lease on life,' he says.
'I don't consider it my second home - it is my home.'
For more information about the scheme, visit www.mm2h.gov.my or www.mm2h.com



Halfway to heaven