Why I Moved to Mauritius at 65 (And Didn’t Choose Spain)
After three flights and a forty-four hour journey from Guatemala City, this sixty-five year old British guy arrived in Mauritius on the 14th January, 2026 to begin what might be his latest, and possibly his last, great adventure.
I've lived in a lot of countries over the last forty years. I've built businesses abroad, written books, helped people move their lives overseas. So I thought I knew what to expect when I landed here.
But Mauritius felt different.
Most Brits thinking about retiring abroad still look first at Spain or Portugal. And I get it. Sun, sea, familiar culture. But since Brexit, things have become more complicated.
The paperwork is heavier, the income requirements are higher, and once you're tax resident, a lot more of your pension can end up going to the government.
Rules change, costs rise, and simplicity becomes harder to find.
Mauritius offers something quieter and, in many ways, simpler. It's an English speaking island (with most also speaking French and Creole) with a respected legal system, a stable government, and clear residency options.
If you're over fifty, there's a long-term retirement residence permit.
The financial requirements are realistic. And the tax system can be very favourable for foreign retirees when structured correctly.
In Mauritius there is no inheritance tax. No wealth tax. No capital gains tax. For many people, that alone is worth paying attention to.
Then there's the lifestyle. Warm weather all year. A multicultural society that works surprisingly well. Modern private healthcare that's affordable by international standards. And a cost of living that, depending on your tastes, can be lower than much of southern Europe.
So this YouTube series is going to document the journey. Properly. Not the glossy brochure version, the real version.
What it's like to arrive here, settle in, deal with residency, look at property, understand costs, and build a life on this beautiful island.
So if you'd like to follow the adventure, or if you're interested in living, retiring, getting secure long-term residency through property, or doing business in Mauritius, a respected English-speaking jurisdiction, subscribe to the channel and come along for the journey.
I'll see you in the next video...
Scott Oliver is a retired British writer and independent researcher living in Mauritius. A former Royal Marines Commando and former Wall Street investment professional, he has spent more than four decades living and working internationally across 14 countries. During that time, he worked extensively in international wealth management, cross-border asset protection, international business structuring and global residency planning.
Today, Scott's focus is no longer on managing money or providing professional advice. Instead, through MauritiusWealth.mu, he writes independent educational articles designed to help successful African business owners ask better questions, make better decisions and, when appropriate, identify the right expertise to help protect everything they have spent a lifetime building.
His articles are published solely for general educational and informational purposes and should not be regarded as legal, financial, tax, immigration, investment or other professional advice. Every business owner's circumstances are unique, and readers requiring professional assistance should always consult an appropriately qualified and licensed professional.