| MALAYSIA |
| A
Small Tragedy In Kuala Lumpur - Travels In Malaysia |
| I
have been watching a small tragedy unfold here in Kuala Lumpur. The story
is hardly unique to this lovely city, but is, unfortunately, common around
the world as our demands for living space take up more and more of our
natural resources. Compared to the huge misery of a natural disaster like
the Tsunami, it is nothing, but it must be terrifying for the little beings
involved. Jan/06 |
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| Beautiful
Sipadan - In Malaysia |
| Sipadan Island
is both famous and infamous. A tiny, tropical forest-covered island of
only thirty acres floating in the royal blue of the Celebes Sea, it has
been declared both a protected area and a bird sanctuary by the Malaysian
government. The island is indisputably the most famous dive destination
in Malaysia, with diving giants like Jacques Cousteau praising enthusiastically
the wonderful diversity of its marine life. |
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| Can
It Be Done - Living in Paradise without Working - Book Me on that Passage |
| David
McDowell is somewhere in Malaysia on his own private beach. The only
real issue in his beach life is reminding his girlfriend to keep
her hands off him while he's soaking up the rays. They wreck his suntan,
he says. Compare his life's issue to that of your own. How did he
get there? Why doesn't he have to work to stay there? Read
this article and find out that any sustainable income stream is possible.
He's solved the age old problem of supporting one's self without having
to work. And it didn't take rocket science, amigos. |
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| Kuala
Lumpur’s Chinatown - In Malaysia |
| Nestled among
the newer buidings are many reminders of the ethnic distinctiveness of
this vibrant part of Kuala Lumpur. Buddhist temples resplendent in the
red and yellow so loved by Chinese people everywhere face trendy, very
up-scale stores like “Peter Hoe’s” where everything sold is subtle and
elegant, not a trace of red or yellow in sight. On the streets, traditional
stands sell fried seafood, spicy tofu, bean curd,fish garnished with chilis,
and, of course, noodles everywhere. At one stall Miriam, my wife, stopped
to consider the purchase of a (genuine, I swear) Rolex for only $20 US.
At another I considered the bright red t-shirts with a Canadian Tire logo
reading "Cannabis Tire" and featuring the familiar green five-leafed plant. |
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| Lost
In Borneo - Deep In The Forest Of Borneo |
| I'm scared
crazy and my body is shaking terribly. I had just heard two shotgun blasts
fire off in the night. It’s late, as I'm startled awake. I'm camped on
the only trail that follows a narrow ridge deep in this remote region of
Borneo and I fear Murut hunters are coming my way. With animist beliefs
and modern weapons, surely they would fire at any animal or man foreign
to them, including myself. Jan/06 |
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| Malaysia’s
Steamy Capital |
| Kuala
Lumpur’s massive Chow Kit market assaults the senses, especially the eyes
and nose. Stalls are piled high with eggs, slaughtered poultry, and
bloody chunks of meat. There are luridly coloured Indian sweets,
homemade cakes, and bulging-eyed fish. Fruit stalls are a colourfest
of tiny yellow finger bananas, green and orange mangoes, lychees, limes,
and scarlet-skinned dragon fruit. Jun/06 |
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| Malaysian
paradise: no planes, trains, or automobiles |
| There
are no roads and no cars. The calmness is invigorating to your senses.
The sounds of the tranquil days and peaceful nights are many - gentle waves
rolling softly on the beach, the birds in the dark jungle surrounding you,
and like minded people enjoying life as it should be enjoyed. No stress,
no discomfort. During the day there are activities to keep you busy, if
you so desire; or you can do what I did most of the time - relaxed by the
sea, read or ate…..and …..slept….well you get the picture. Oct./06 |
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| Mataking
Island - Diving With Danielle |
| She glides
through the water like a sleek fish, her eyes constantly scanning for life
so miniscule I can barely see it. Danielle is not only an excellent diver,
but also a very good underwater (UW) photographer, hence her search for
subjects. By her example, she has been teaching me a different sort of
scuba than I have been used to pursuing. It’s called macro-diving, looking
for the sea’s smallest and most fascinating inhabitants rather than moving
more quickly and hoping for sharks and manta rays. |
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| Perhentian
Islands - Unique Travel |
| The Perhentian
are a cluster of islands off the East coast of the Malaysian Peninsula
and are only accessible by a one hour boat trip from the main land.
There are two main islands, known as Besar and Kecil or more simply big
and small island. Both rise up out of the sea covered in a lush tropical
rainforest and are fringed by palm fronted, white sand beaches.
Roads are non-existent and the only way to get around is by the many small
boats which ply round the islands delivering guests, food, and collecting
rubbish. Unlike more famous Asian beaches, the Perhentian islands
are remarkably undeveloped and no high rise hotels, loud bars or concrete
disturbs the natural landscape. |
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| Retire
to an English-speaking, crime-free land of rainforests, headhunters, and
tropical beaches - Retire Overseas |
| Malaysia is
a place where most visitors consider staying longer. The government
is inviting foreign retirees to Malaysia as permanent tourists, and you
don't have to be British or have silver hair to qualify. It's cheap,
it's safe, there's little or no language barrier, and the diversity is
astounding. Here's the A-Z on why living in Malaysia on a permanent
or semi-permanent basis is a concieveable prospect. |
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| Retirement
in Malaysia |
| As long
as you are comfortable in the heat, the lifestyle of expatriate retirees
in Malaysia is an enviable one. With temperatures ranging from 32°C
during the day to 22°C at night, Malaysia is a tropical paradise of
friendly people, wonderful food, beautiful beaches, cool hill stations,
historic towns, a dynamic capital and the world's oldest rainforests. The
ticket to this lush retirement paradise is Malaysia’s MM2H scheme which
allows retirees with sufficient, but modest, funds to take up residence. |
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| Sabah:
A Coconut in the Shade |
| Consider Sabah,
one of two states that comprise East Malaysia, on the northern tip of Borneo.
When I was a kid poring over atlases in the library after school, Borneo
was the end of the earth, a land of mysterious and terrifying headhunters
and fevers, from which few returned. Today you can take packaged river
cruises in the Indonesian part of Borneo, to the south, and venture into
its dark heart where headshrinkers may even still be removing neuroses
by removing heads. Sept./06 |
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| Successful
Living in Malaysia - Being a Student of Life - Kuala Lumpur |
| Caroline Couronne
tries to show the country to expatriates the way a local would see it.
She writes, "You should remember not to order pork and alcoholic drinks
when eating with Muslims, not to help yourself with Chinese Tea while forgetting
to serve other table members, not to offer a welcome hug to your guests
but instead a soft and polite handshake. Knowing the basic rules is crucial,
when you happily poured soy sauce on a special home made fish dish, your
host will simply not re-iterate invitations." |
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| Thai
Visa Run - Off To Malaysia |
| Last
week I engaged in a common occurrence among expats here in Thailand—the
visa run. Both my business partner and I were due for out 90-day excursion
outside the Kingdom of Thailand, to satisfy our non-immigrant B visas granted
to us for business purposes. Visas and changes in visa policy are part
of life as a foreigner in the Kingdom of Thailand. Until recently, visa
and work permit requirements for most western developed countries and rich
Asian countries were pretty relaxed. Visa extensions, long-term, and multi-entry
visas could be had cheaply and hassle-free. |
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| MALDIVES |
| Cruising
the Maldives - Beautiful, Wonderous, and Endangered - The Maldives in the
Indian Ocean |
| Clifford Terry
is a writer/producer of documentary films on history and culture. In this
documentary piece, Terry takes us to the Maldives Archipelago, where beauty
and a pristine ecology are in peril from tourism and development. Sailing
aboard the Nanou, Terry and his crew mates began their adventure attempting
to solve the archaeological mysteries uncovered by Heyerdahl in the 80s
while expounding some of our own maverick theories on the origins of the
Maldivians. They found a more pressing issue: impending degradation of
an ecological niche. |
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| MALTA |
| Cruise
to Malta |
| You
have seen Napoli, been to Capri, visited Sorrento, and toured the Amalfi
Coast, now back to Rome? Maybe not. Are you intrigued by the idea of a
cooling sea cruise to an exotic island nation that has been at the crossroads
of the Mediterranean since antiquity, been plundered innumerable times
by pirates, and played host to a storied band of knights? Why this
island was even once pawned by an impoverished king to pay his debts. April/06 |
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| Malta
The Mediterranean Jewel Where Corporations Pay Tax Rates Of 12%...4%...
- Even Zero! |
| Malta, which
gained independence from Britain in 1964, joined the European Union on
May 1, 2004. Any Maltese-registered company can freely trade under the
“passporting” system, which also means that any license or authorization
issued by a Maltese authority is automatically recognized in the other
EU member states. The Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) issues
licenses, including: |
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| Malta
& Goza - Mediterranean Haven |
| Sunny
days…low living costs…English-speaking neighbors…the romance of long ago…plus
$75,000 seaside apartments…on the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo
- Island farmhouses and houses of character can be surprisingly affordable.
For example, small stone farmhouses with flat roofs and inner courtyards
on Gozo go for $125,000. From The Best Of International Living |
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| Malta's
Market Battle |
| With
new European destinations such as Bulgaria, Slovenia and Croatia offering
two and three bedroom apartments for sale for US $80,000, there was concern
last year among some Malta estate agents that 2005 could see a drop in
the number of international Irish buyers choosing to buy a holiday
home on the Mediterranean island. With good all year round temperatures
enticing many buyers for the winter months as well as the summer and a
warm welcome from the local population who nearly all speak English, Malta
has been popular for some years among overseas property buyers. |
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| Real
Estate In Malta - Royal Visit Boosts Island's Property Prospects |
| Malta's
image has needed a boost for some time to attract tourists and overseas
property buyers and to compete with other Mediterranean islands such as
Mallorca, Cyprus and Lanzarote. Malta hosts the Commonwealth meeting in
late November, and in attendance will be Queen Elizabeth II, Tony Blair
and the Prime Ministers of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and 50 other
countries, along with the media from each country. Will Malta let this
golden publicity opportunity slip by? |
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| The
Mediterranean Islands Of Malta And Gozo - Exploring History |
| The
Republic of Malta lies only forty nautical miles south of Sicily at the
36th degree of latitude – almost the same like Monterey, California, or
Nashville, Tennessee. Up to the Ice Age, the islands were part of a land
bridge between Italy and North Africa that was flooded when the ice began
to melt. Since then the waters of the Mediterranean sea have shaped Malta’s
coastline and created a fascinating scenery. Because of the island’s strategic
position north of Africa’s shoreline, it attracted numerous kings and emperors
with their warriors and legions in the antiquity, as well as the Knights
of St. John in medieval times. |
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| MAURITIUS |
| Mauritius:
Offshore Cyber - Island - Offshore Opportunities |
| Mauritius
is well served by business and communications infrastructure and is a dynamic
economy; the government actively encourages foreign investment and offshore
activity through the Ministry of Industry & Commerce. The ministry
operates a one stop shop for clearances and permits; it also provides assistance
in identifying market outlets, joint venture partners, site locations,
and buildings. There is a wide range of investment incentives for
inward investment. Free Trade Zones and a Freeport were established in
1992 enabling up to 100% foreign owned enterprises. Money laundering is
discouraged by the government, as is any trade in guns or drugs. The Economic
Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2000 established an Economic Crime
Office. |
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| Residence,
Immigration & Work Permits - Special Feature From LowTax Online TaxWire
- Residence, Immigration & Work Permits |
| In
an ongoing effort to provide a cross-section of the best offshore information
on the internet, EscapeArtist seeks out the best online resources. We are
really excited about a new website and news letter called, Low Tax Online
NewsWire - In this issue of Escape From America we present a Special Feature
from the NewsWire on Residence, Immigration & Work Permits. Countries
covered are: Bahamas, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Ireland,
Isle of Man, Jersey, Mauritius and Panama. An excellent resource
from a valuable newsletter. If you intend to invest offshore you
need current information from an effective source, the LowTax Online TaxWire
is as good as it gets. Their international editorial staff provides up
to date information from around the world. |
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