Big place Asia - I know I have seen a little of it.
So what countries have you 'done' so far, and where you planning on going next?
Best Wishes
Paper Tiger
Disc: In Singapore next week.
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I didn't realise that - so we're basically paying the Smartshares fee. Seeing as it's common knowledge that Superlife and Smartshares are controlled by the same company, it seems very odd that they advertise the .20 at all - it makes it appear like they are double-dipping, even if they are not. :t_down:
So far this trip we have been to:
Thailand
Malaysia
Hong Kong
Taiwan
Japan
Vietnam
And currently in Cambodia.
Current plan is to head to Laos, Myanmar and Philippines before stopping back in NZ for a couple of months. Then next year we are hoping to visit some combination of Iran, Sri Lanka and Nepal on the way to Eastern Europe.
We have visited Singapore (and Brunei and Indonesia) on previous trips - it's a great place (albeit expensive compared to most of the surrounding countries).
Of the places we've been, Taiwan was the most underrated - awesome country. Hong Kong is the only one I would be reluctant to return to (excluding Brunei, which really only needs about a single day stop over, unless you are planning some specific jungle trekking or something).
I live in Malaysia and have lived in Singapore, Indonesia (Java) & Thailand + (5 non-Asian countries)
I have not been to Iran, yet.
I would go back to any those countries including Brunei (one day only - really?) they are all great, though I found the food in the Philippines somewhat disappointing.
Consider North Korea - that is interestingly different.
Best Wishes
Paper Tiger
Things may have changed. I actually emailed Smartshares today to ask them about this (and a couple of other things). The person who responded expained that he works for both Superlife and Smartshares and this is what he told me:
"Investing into our fees via SuperLife will only charge you the fees shown on the SuperLife website. The Smartshares fees are taken into account. If you add up all the fees for SuperLife it becomes cheaper when investing around and upwards of $20,000 depending on the fund (because of the $33/year admin fee)."
I find the statement in bold a bit strange - I find it hard to believe the higher Smartshares fee is "taken into account" when setting the lower Superlife fee.
Either way, for me anyway, the annual fee rules Superlife out for me.
It's cheaper to invest with Superlife (for amounts over $20k) due to the lower trading costs for the Superlife funds compared to individual investors. Think of them as being wholesale buyers of the NZX ETFs - they basically get a much better deal than anyone investing smaller amounts.
Also keep in mind Smartshares only makes a market for new funds - i.e. they issue new units to people who invest directly with them. You'll need to use a broker if you want to exit.
Either way I don't think there's too much in it compared to saving rate etc etc
Malaysia is one country where I could see myself settling long term (and it appears currently one of the easiest to do so). And not only because it has the best donuts in the world in Big Apple Donuts. :p
North Korea is on the list of places to go - I'm waiting to see if they start holding the Mass Games again though, as I would like to visit when those are on.
And I have heard the same about the food in the Philippines from others. I think the beaches will more than make up for it however.