One question that I have received several times since I started this blog is about the best retirement destinations in India.
For most Indian retirees, the notion of finding a place to retire is a strange one. Most of them want to live close to their children and other family, and will never consider moving elsewhere. However, with an increasingly mobile and affluent population in India, more people are taking an active role in planning their retirement. Many people are buying retirement homes in desirable locations, sometimes as investment property. There are also more older people from abroad, Indians and non-Indians alike, who are considering long-term stays in India. As a result, this question is likely to come up more often.
To help answer this question, I have tried to list a number of good places for a retiree in India. Any such list is sure to be very subjective for a country as vast as India. I used the following guidelines to select places for this list:
- Good location with interesting local activities and places to explore.
- Good infrastructure, including medical facilities. A significant retiree population is a plus. This eliminates some of the more exotic locations.
- Not excessively crowded. This rules out most of the bigger cities in India.
- Safe, with a cosmopolitan outlook and open to outsiders. A sizable expatriate population is a plus.
1. Chandigarh
Chandigarh, capital of the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana, has always been different from most of urban India. With pedestrian plazas, fountains and streets arranged on a grid, the city always felt modern. Chandigarh today is a booming town with the country's highest per capita income, and is favored by Indian yuppies and medical tourists alike.
2. Coimbatore
Coimbatore is located in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. It has been attracting many Indian retirees in recent years. The city is surrounded by mountains including the Nilgiris and is close to the popular hill station of Ooty. The city is also known for good hospitals.
3. Dehradun
Dehradun is located between two of the most important rivers in India, the Ganges and Yamuna, with the Himalayan mountains in the north. It offers beautiful scenery and a moderate climate in summer. The town also serves as a convenient base for visiting the area's many tourist sites.
Neighboring towns include Haridwar and Rishikesh, known for their religious connections, and the hill station Mussoorie.
4. Goa
The former Portuguese colony of Goa is known for a fine climate and a cosmopolitan culture. Renowned for its beaches, Goa is visited by hundreds of thousands of international and domestic tourists each year. Located on the west coast of India in the region known as the Konkan coast, Goa is home to a growing number of Europeans and Indian expats from abroad.
5. Himachal Pradesh 
Himachal Pradesh, a state in northwestern India, is known as the destination for those looking to experience the Himalayas, espcially the remote valleys of Lahaul and Spiti popular with trekkers. The state also offers much for those looking to settle down.
Popular cities and towns include Shimla, the state capital; Dalhousie, a charming resort town; Dharamsala, the exiled home of the Dalai Lama; and Manali, a ski resort.
6. Kerala
Kerala has been a popular stop for visitors to India for many years. Located in southern India along the Arabian sea, Kerala is known for tropical forests, a fertile coastal plain, and its backwaters.
Besides the two bigger cities of Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and Kochi (Cochin), there are many other popular towns including Kozhikode (Calicut), Munnar and Varkala. A large number of people from Kerala who worked outside the country are now retiring and coming back to live in their home state.
7. Mangalore
Mangalore is the main port city of the state of Karnataka. It is located on the west coast of India on the Arabian Sea.
A growing city with a diverse population, Mangalore is known for its beaches and temples, and a landscape dotted with coconut palms along rolling hills and rivers.
Nearby cities include Manipal and Udipi.
8. Mysore
Mysore has been a popular destination for travelers, particularly for its palaces and temples, and as a base to explore nearby locations.
Mysore has a reputation for being a quiet and sleepy city, but in recent years it has become an active location for IT companies employing large number of young people, while still remaining attractive for older people.
9. Pondicherry
Pondicherry (Puducherry) is a former French colony, known for a laid-back lifestyle and a slow pace of life. A remarkable degree of French influence still exists here and the place has been especially popular with French-speaking visitors and expatriates.
Pondicherry is known for its spiritual connections (Auroville is a popular destination), good infrastructure and medical facilities.
10. Pune
Pune is located in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. With a population of over 4 million, it is the largest city in this list. It is now home to many software and IT companies, and has a diverse population.
Nearby places include the popular hill stations of Lonavala, Khandala and Panchgani.
All Flickr images used per Creative commons.
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10 comments:
agra should also be added to this list, as it is well connected, lots of places to see and activities to participate, proximity with delhi, good medical facilities and cosmopolitan ambience, though it is warm, which is good for lots of old people suffering from cold and asthma or other breathing disorders
I think there are a lot of less well known places one can find depending upon one's own criteria like - language, climate preference, activities interested in etc.
For example, a north Indian will not be at home retiring in Coimbatur unless he speaks tamil. Or a person from a city near sea may feel landlocked in Himachal pradesh!
this is an interesting compilation.
we have people who want to retire in goa approach us. they usually look for sea facing / homes from where you can walk to the the beach. what works in goa's favour is friendly people, the unique culture, urban yet village like atmosphere, clean fresh air etc. what is missing in goa, however, is an extremely busy professional life.
you may be interested in adding the legal aspect of buying property in india. we have compiled some points on our website, and you can use excerpts from it or provide a link to it (http://www.goaproperty.co.in/buyers_guide/2007/08/rules-to-purchase-property-in-goa-india.html)
regards
i think a best place to retire is your own home state if you stayed out of it during working life. you can easily get adjusted to the climate, people etc, the changes in the culture, life style etc wont bother you much.spending the last years before death, dying in their own place is my choice.
Certainly, a lot of people would agree that Mysore city is called the "Pensioner's Paradise". The Royal City of Mysore, a beautiful city ideal for people who wish to live a peaceful life and the weather of Mysore is very pleasant throughout the year. For people near Bangalore/Mysore, the brand new "Evergreen Villas" in Mysore, built in collaboration with Kingsford properties,Australia, promises to give a resort-styled luxury living for the people over 55. Visit the website at http://www.evergreenvillas.in
Gopal Krishnan from Canberra Australia
I think of New delhi where I spent my days ntil I was thirty and migrated to Australia thirty years, I do go to Delhi, it has changed a lot in those thirty years, I can't relate to it at all. My choice would be a semi-urban place like Mysore or Pondicherry where the climate is salubrous and more activities for the older genration.
I went through the list of places suitable for post-retirement living. I was wondering what would be the criteria to choose a place? Apart from the obvious cultural similarities or dissimilarites, what is it that one trully seeks in the post-retirement life? This is because many talk of Goa as a suitable place but given the crime scenario is it still the best choice for many? This applies to every other place on the list. So then what is it that will eventually determine our selection of place?
Very informative & I liked learning about & seeing pictures for different cities in India. I am planning to travel to India, perhaps to move one day.
Alexandria
The site will be helpful if you add information on the retirement homes existing/coming up in these areas and how to contact relevant persons to get details.
Very useful and informative site, I am also looking for people who would be interested to join to start a similar venture in Pondichery.
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