The destinations in Southeast Asia you should definitely visit as a digital nomad

There is no doubt Southeast Asia is the best place to start your nomad journey, here you will get the maximum for your well earned money. Places like Bali, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai are the first places that come to your mind when thinking about digital nomad hubspots. But there are many other places that are worth considering.

After living for many years in Southeast Asia, we have compiled the places, that in our perspective are the best choices for digital nomads that are starting or want to try something different.

1. Bangkok, Thailand

Whether you like Bangkok or not, everyone can agree that it’s a great place for any digital nomad. This list would be incomplete if we didn’t talk about Bangkok. This big city gives digital nomads many opportunities and lifestyle choices. From enjoying a nice massage to networking in one of the many events, there’s no limit to your choices. Depending on your budget, you can sleep in a hostel and eat streetfood for few dollars or get a luxury condominium with skypool and have dinner in one of the many fancy rooftops of the city.

Sure Bangkok isn’t like the other Southeast Asia destinations that feature peace, quiet and close-to-nature experiences. However, this big noisy city is a very good choice for every digital nomad because of its extremely low prices as well as thriving expat communities.

2. Ubud, Bali

Located in the center of Bali, Ubud is a popular destination for those who are looking for a quiet spiritual town, connected to nature and at the same time something cheaper than other Bali towns. Compared to 10 years ago, Ubud has evolved from a layback pace of living to a tourist-focused town, back then there was was zero nightlife, little to no shops and even power outages were happening from time to time.

Recently, this changed as Ubud became a hipster hotspot with many cafes, art galleries, and yoga schools opening up in the area. However, this place is still quiet and you will find peace if you go looking for it there.

3. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia with over 7 million people living there. The atmosphere is very similar to Bangkok. There’s a lot of hustle and bustle that deprives you of the peaceful Asian experience. Instead of peaceful villages and sandy beaches, in Kuala Lumpur, you’ll find nice architecture and huge skyscrapers.

One of the best things of Kuala Lumpur is almost all the population speaks English and you can easily communicate. Even though it’s not quite in Kuala Lumpur, it’s still an amazing choice for a digital nomad. You can live and learn about Asian culture, all while staying at an affordable apartment from $500 a month and working at trending cafes.

4. Da Nang, Vietnam

Da Nang is a beach resort town and the second most affordable destination on our list. It’s a big town and close to the beach at the same time. Housing here is very affordable, as low as $300 per month, but most digital nomads choose houses close to the beach which are a little bit more expensive. Da Nang is also very famous for its fast and reliable internet connection.

As for cafes and coworking spaces, you’ll find a lot of them in Da Nang. They offer you internet and power when power outages happen and basically save every digital nomad’s day. Something that must be mentioned is that if you don’t know Vietnamese, you might have some problems when speaking to locals in markets or the street.

5. Canggu, Bali

This beach town in Bali is the most famous location in Bali and probably of all Southeast Asia. Here you will find everything you need, from fancy coffe places to the best equiped gyms, coworking spaces and yoga studios in every corner. Get ready to spend a few thousands a month for an instagram villa or choose one of the many hostels in the area to save in accommodation.

Practicing surf or yoga, watching the sunsets from the beach or shopping in the local markets are the best activities you can do while in Canggu.

If you’ve had enough of Canggu and want a more relax vibe, check out Uluwatu in the south of the island.

6. Penang, Malaysia

With a 90 days tourist visa, Malaysia is a great choice for digital nomads that want to visit Southeast Asia. Other than Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia also has some amazing islands like Penang or Langkawi. The city of Penang is known for its amazing food and unique architecture.

Just on a 50 minutes plane from Kuala Lumpur, Penang offers a different vibe from Kuala Lumpur, get ready to explore the street art of George Town or admire the views at sunset from the Penang Hill.

Same as Kuala Lumpur, accomodation and food here is really affordable and you won’t need to break the bank to get a decent place.

7. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai isn’t the typical Thai town with a lot of chaos, pollution, and traffic, or maybe it is, but in a much lower escale. Chiang Mai features something different and that’s why it’s one of the best destinations for digital nomads around the globe. In Chiang Mai, you’ll find affordable apartments as well as affordable food and restaurants. Street food is extremelly delicious adn cheap but there’s is also a wide variety of Western food available in case you feel a bit homesick.

This Thai town has over 10 coworking spaces and even more cafes with stable and fast wifi. When visiting Chiang Mai, you should definitely explore the city temples and visit one of the Elephant sanctuaries (make sure it is a legit one)

8. Seoul, South Korea

Very different to the neighbouring countries, South Korea, it’s an open country with a lot of things you can do and complete freedom to move.

In Seoul you can enjoy the impressive modern architecture, bustling markets, delicious street food. Another good point of Seoul is that it has one of the lowest crime rates in the world and you don’t have to worry about theft or pickpocketing, the Internet in Seoul is also great and if there’s one downside about Seoul that is accomodation. If you want to live in a decent apartment you should have at least $1500 per month, while not convenient for all digital nomads, it can be a really good option if you need to focus on work.

9. Kathmandu, Nepal

Home to 8 of the 10 tallest mountains in the world, Nepal is a small country squished between Tibet and India. It’s a country that often gets overlooked by digital nomads but it shouldn’t. When you get down from the mountains, you’ll find many cafes in Kathmandu and overall a place where digital nomads can actually thrive.

Plan accordingly and trek to the Base camp of the Everest or take part in one of the many wildlife tours.

10. Taipei, Taiwan

Taipei is one of the most friendly towns in Southeast Asia. They treat everyone with respect and that’s what they’re really known for. Oh, they’re also known for their English level which is pretty good, better than most Southeast Asian countries apart from Singapore.

Taipei has delicious food, unique cafes, and a lot of coworking spaces where you can work and make connections. The internet is also great in Taipei and you will find a growing digital nomad community once you get there. In your free time, explore the temples, the markets or trek in the multiple national parks. It’s not a mainstream destination for digital nomads but it’s a really good choice.

11. Koh Lanta, Thailand

Koh Lanta is one of the favourite choices for island destinations in Thailand, it has become a famous digital nomad hub and there are quite a few reasons for that. First of all, the peace and quiet of Koh Lanta is unmatched. As a result, most digital nomads that look for a combination of peace and Southeast Asian culture visit Koh Lanta.

Furthermore, Koh Lanta already has a fully developed and thriving digital nomad community that organizes many events and activities together. Digital nomads in Koh Lanta are like a big family. The only downside about Koh Lanta is that because of its reputation, housing is kind of expensive, but sure you won’t worry about that when swimming in one of the multiple crystal clear beaches of the island.

12. Hanoi, Vietnam

We’ll be closing off this list with Hanoi, the second most affordable city in Vietnam. Hanoi is known for its lively street food, nature, and rich history. Hanoi’s culture is a blend of Chinese and French culture. Nightlife is vibrant and there are many choices for activities and excursions to do from Hanoi that you won’t get bored easily.

Hanoi has affordable houses, you can find a decent home for around $350 per month, and the only thing that could be considered a downside about Hanoi is that internet speeds are inconsistent from time to time. This problem can be easily solved if you visit a coworking space or get a backup Sim card.

These are our favourite destinations in Southeast Asia for digital nomads. We visited popular digital nomad countries like Thailand and Indonesia but some less-known countries as well like South Korea. If you’re planning a trip to Southeast Asia, keep this list in a safe place because it’ll definitely come in handy at the right moment!