How seniors are living their best lives in retirement villages in Southeast Asia

- enero 03, 2026

January 04, 2026

Dear readers,

Over two weeks in December, CNA TODAY journalist Renald Loh and photojournalist Ooi Boon Keong visited 11 retirement homes and villages in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

What they found was a wide range of accommodation offering a mix of lifestyle amenities and varying levels of care, so they can cater to all seniors: from those who are fully independent, to residents requiring help with daily activities, dementia care, or even intensive medical support.

And while some are targeted at the domestic market, others are marketed more to foreign retirees.

Not surprisingly, several of these properties say they receive a consistent stream of queries from Singaporeans looking to retire overseas, where the pace of life is slower and one's retirement savings can be stretched further.

But are they really a viable option for Singapore's ageing population?

Take a deep dive into this weekend's Big Read to find out more.

Yours faithfully,

Yasmine Yahya
Deputy Chief Editor, CNA Digital (TODAY, Lifestyle & Luxury)

Set in nature or city, retirement villages are popping up across Southeast Asia amid growing demand