Being able to work from anywhere (cheap) in the world means that I’m always on the lookout for potential places to live for longer periods of time. That paradise island with free fast wifi, great bars with live music, a lively expat scene, easy access to other interesting areas etc etc etc. Everyone has their own set of ‘must haves’ and I would always compare this list in my head with the places I was in to see if it coule be somewhere I’d like to unpack my back for awhile.
Besides Beijing and Bangaldesh, I didn’t spend longer than a week in any one place which is kind of surprising given my love of lazing around and taking things slow. I came across a couple of places I could have seen myself staying a long time in but it just never worked out that way. So here is my shockingly small list of places in Asia I could definitely live in for much longer than a week.
Yangshuo, China
This place is a total tourist town but it’s beautiful and has a lot going for it including a large population of expats, lots of bars and restaurants, plenty of countryside to expore, and good internet connections (for China). It’s also relatively (again, for China) close to hong Kong for making any visa runs. Plus if the internet earnings start to take a dive or if I wanted to save a bit more money, there are lots of opportunities here for English teaching. You can even volunteer to chat with students for a couple hours four nights and week in exchange for food and accommodation if you want to cut your costs.
Pai, Thailand
This is aother touristy place but I loved it. Like Yangshuo, there is a lot to keep you busy in the areas around town and some really good live music at the bars. There are loads of restaurants and bars around town and a few expats around too. Lots of the Thai people in Pai seemed to be from somewhere else and they’re pretty friendly so if you make an effort it would robaby be possible to end u with a nice group of Thai friends. Especially if you play an instrument or like reggae. Most of the restaurants and hotels have wifi (sometimes free, sometimes not) that is pretty fast and there seemed to be a few signs offering up houses for rent but Im not sure of the prices. Chang Mai is about 3 hours by bus and Myanmar and Laos are nearby too for any visa runs. I got loads of work down here sitting on the balcony of my bamboo hut watching the river flow by.
Manila, Philippines
This one is probably a bit of a shock for most people but I had a great time in Manila. But it was less about the city and more about the people I met there and where I was staying. I made friends with the guy who runs Friendly’s Guesthouse and had a group of people to hang out with at night (and play poker). Manila is a great example of how the place you are might not matter as much as the people who are there with you. I could have stayed there for a lot longer than I did. Fast net connection, great working area on the hostel’s roof top, nice people to keep me company and have a beer with and, though the city isnt really known for being that nice a place, I started to warm to it in the end.
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