Post: #1

As I previously mention in the entrepreneurship thread, I have made the decision to stop all of the location based work I have in Beijing and temporarily leave China for the winter of 2018-9. My reason for doing so are several.

• As of the end of the this month, other than 8 weeks of vacation travel outside of the country, I'll have been living in Beijing for 4 years non-stop. I need a break from where I've been living and there's no better time to do that than in the winter when the weather and social opportunities in China suck.
• I've been actively developing several products over the past three years, but working enough hours to pay for the high cost of living in Beijing makes it hard to have extra free time and energy to work on product development. I'd like to focus on product dev exclusively for a period of time.
• I need to give myself a firm deadline to motivate me to switch over to semi-location independent work. I've made real strides towards this so far this spring by confirming that I have a skillset for location independent work that clients are willing to pay good money for. While I still need to discover had easy it will be to come by this type of work on enough of a routine basis to pay my living expenses, the potential very much seems to be there.
• A think a change of location for a few months will be good for inspiring additional creativity. I haven't struggled with having creative ideas, but it never hurts to get some fresh perspective.
  

My plan is to move somewhere for the winter that will be comfortable for a short term stay. It doesn't need to be somewhere I would consider living long term, because that isn't the purpose. Rather, my requirements are as follows:

• Must have a low cost of living. It would be ideal to pay about $200USD per month (or less) for a decent apartment that serves my basic needs.
• It needs to be a place with a 90 day visa on arrival (or routinely available on advance at an embassy) for Canadian passport holders. The last thing I want to be doing is spending money on visa runs and deal with the stress of "what if they don't let me in again next time?"
• Internet needs to be optimal, as I anticipate engaging in VOIP calls and Skype video chats with clients throughout the globe.
• The local women need to be cute. Not ridiculously attractive, but definitely fun and cute.
• Tropical or subtropic weather.
• South East Asia would be ideal, as I don't want paying for my flight to bite into my savings too much. I'll need to live on saving for the duration of the winter if I am to focus almost exclusively on product development, so that rules out anywhere that would cost more than $1000 to fly to. SEA locations that would cost less than $300 to fly to from Beijing would be preferred as it would allow me to stretch out my stay for as long as possible.
• Good local cuisine would be preferred. I'm not a picky eater, but I'd prefer to live somewhere with local restaurants that serve up tasty, reasonable healthy fair at a low cost.
• I'd like to avoid anywhere incredibly impoverished (Philippines) where safety is questionable and you have to be worried about looking like you might have cash. I don't mind a place with a tourism economy as long as it is safe enough to walk about alone at night.
• A low level of daily corruption would be preferred. It would be nice to be able to take taxis with constantly having people try to rip me off.
• The local language doesn't matter. I'm flexible.
• A local expat entrepreneurial start-up scene would be nice. I don't need a "group" to feel motivated, but it would be nice to meet a few people and hear their stories and bounce some ideas back and forth.
  

I'll be departing mid-December, as my apartment lease ends on December 10th. My plan is to put most of my Beijing possessions into storage as I expect to be back sooner or later and I'd only relocate them if I decide to settle somewhere else permanently.

Requested Response
I'd appreciate any suggestions about cities where I could spend the winter.

I've spent time in Malaysia and really like the country, but I've also heard good things about Jakarta. Bali is vacation economy, but I hear it's cheap as dirt, so that might be an option.

Your thoughts and feedback will help me to expand my list of possibilities and then narrow it down to a final decision.

If anyone is also working on a business, ideally not a print-on-demand t-shirt company (but rather something involving a real, scalable product involving some level of innovation no matter how simple) and would like to join me for this quest, please ask questions below or PM me. I'm fairly strongly against the idea of having flatmates, but I wouldn't rule it out altogether if it meant a significant cost of living reduction and other advantages.

Post: #2

On all the points you mention Vietnam or at least 2nd tier Southern Vietnam ticks those boxes. Can Tho, Bien Duong, Danang, Flats for less than $200 rent can also be found in first tier so I'm told, ie: District 7 HCM .

Whether you are keen is a different matter but it is an option - based on your criteria.

Post: #3

This is a very brief summary regarding possibility of staying in Indonesia.

Based on your criteria, I would say Jakarta is probably not a viable option. A decent apartment will cost you anything upwards of $500/month. A kos (essentially like a small hotel room with communal kitchen/facilities etc) in a decent area will be $300+.

The price of living isn't SEA prices (coffee at Starbucks $4, pint $7 for example) and the visa entry is a 30 day limit (although can be extended for a further 30). Checking out a second tier city in Indonesia could be a better option. (Bandung, Yogyakarta...although still face same visa issues). They are much cheaper places to live and easy access to countryside etc, still plenty of options in terms of girls.

Bali is indeed tourist central, and although the cost of living is low, $3-400 would still be a budget to find a decent kos. December/January is the busiest time of the year as Australians flock over during Xmas/NYE period and prices go up with it. February would be the best time to make move to Bali, food is cheap, can rent scooter to get around. Good array of Indonesian girls, a lot of beach whales (white girls) as well on holiday so you wont go without. Again visa limited to 60 days in total though. There are groups of online startup/entrepreneur scene etc. Canggu would be the place to be based.

Post: #4

Before I even finished reading your post, the first place that popped into my mind is Taiwan. Taipei will be a tad too expensive for your liking, but second tier Taiwanese cities like Kaohsiung or Taichung squarely fit all your goals:

1. Based on numbeo.com, you can easily get a 1 bedroom apartment for USD 200-300 in Kaohsiung. Numbers should be similar, if not lower, for Taichung.

2. I don't really understand what you are asking here, but Taiwan is visa free for Canadian citizens for 90 days. Not sure if you want a visa free country, or a country where a visa is required. If the latter, then you'd be left with Vladivostok, freezing to death and surrounded with dilapidated infrastructure and white girls

3. Out of all the countries or territories I've been to, Taiwan is definitely at the top regarding internet speeds. Truly top notch first world internet.

4. Local girls tend to be very cute with many being ridiculously attractive. They are essentially Chinese girls but with a bit of a Japanese vibe and are fun too. Arguably the #1 territory in Asia for pussy. I'd say that the girls in Taiwan are at least 1 point higher than non-peasant Mainland girls. As high as 3 points if we include peasant Mainland girls. My comparison is between Shanghai and Taipei, but I think the same dynamics should be in place for Beijing vs Kaohsiung or Taichung.

5. Weather is subtropical being around 20 degrees celsius in the winter.

6. Unlike SEA which has AirAsia along with the Chinese low cost airlines shuttling budget Chinese group tours all over the region, Beijing to Taiwan flights tend to be Taiwanese businessmen and their families or higher end Chinese tourists. Tickets will probably be a bit over $300 but definitely way lower than $1000. Most likely $300-500 roundtrip. Flight time should be slightly shorter than to SEA. To get from Beijing to Kaohsiung will require a connection in Hong Kong, Shanghai, or one of the Fujian cities. Taichung is reachable via HK only.

7. Taiwan is well renowned in the Mainland for its food, so local cuisine is excellent. There should be a ton of Taiwanese restaurants in Beijing. Plus Taiwanese cuisine is probably more palatable to Western tastes than Beijing cuisine. Japanese food in Taiwan is cheap and very authentic and on point too, since Taiwanese people tend be rather obsessed with Japan on top of Japan's colonial rule leaving behind lasting positive impressions especially outside of Taipei in the second tier cities I'm talking about.

8, 9. Taiwan nominal GDP per capita in 2017 = 24,227. PPP GDP per capita = 49,827. So we are talking about a solidly first world territory with cheap cost of living. Moreover, its extremely safe. Definitely just as safe as Beijing. While the cities themselves, especially the buildings, look second world, things like healthcare, food safety, and corruption levels are first world. Southern Taiwan has a fair amount of tourists, but mostly Taiwanese from Taipei and few annoying western tourists. In the winter I think tourism shouldn't be a problem at all. Plus if you like motorbikes, scooters and motorbikes are the #1 mode of transportation in Taiwan just like in Vietnam.

10. Local language is Mandarin Chinese. I'm sure after all these years in Beijing you should be able to speak decent conversational Mandarin. English skills will be fairly weak especially outside of Taipei.

11. Not sure about the expat scene. Taiwan's expat scene is IMO one of its weakest points and consists of mostly English teachers or students.

Aquarius verdict for Suits: Kaohsiung (or Taichung, but I recommend Kaohsiung more)

If you decide to not go to Taiwan, then I'd recommend Penang, Malaysia as the runner-up.

Post: #5

I agree with Aquarius

Taiwan is pretty awesome. Probably more awesome if you speak/read Chinese.

Must have a low cost of living. It would be ideal to pay about $200USD per month (or less) for a decent apartment that serves my basic needs.

Could prob get away with $1,500 (maybe less depending on lifestyle) per month in Taipei. Guessing outside of Taipei is even cheaper

It needs to be a place with a 90 day visa on arrival (or routinely available on advance at an embassy) for Canadian passport holders. The last thing I want to be doing is spending money on visa runs and deal with the stress of "what if they don't let me in again next time?"

Internet needs to be optimal, as I anticipate engaging in VOIP calls and Skype video chats with clients throughout the globe.

Internet speed is good - I think 100MB is easily attainable

The local women need to be cute. Not ridiculously attractive, but definitely fun and cute.

Def cute. Top tier Asia IMO - if you like light-skin/Northeast Asian looking girls

Tropical or subtropic weather.
South East Asia would be ideal, as I don't want paying for my flight to bite into my savings too much. I'll need to live on saving for the duration of the winter if I am to focus almost exclusively on product development, so that rules out anywhere that would cost more than $1000 to fly to. SEA locations that would cost less than $300 to fly to from Beijing would be preferred as it would allow me to stretch out my stay for as long as possible.

Good local cuisine would be preferred. I'm not a picky eater, but I'd prefer to live somewhere with local restaurants that serve up tasty, reasonable healthy fair at a low cost.

Food is really good. In Taipei you can get a meal for $2-3 USD

I'd like to avoid anywhere incredibly impoverished (Philippines) where safety is questionable and you have to be worried about looking like you might have cash. I don't mind a place with a tourism economy as long as it is safe enough to walk about alone at night.

Very safe. People turn in stacks of cash that they find (story from local friend)

A low level of daily corruption would be preferred. It would be nice to be able to take taxis with constantly having people try to rip me off.

People seem very honest. But I am not white

The local language doesn't matter. I'm flexible.

A local expat entrepreneurial start-up scene would be nice. I don't need a "group" to feel motivated, but it would be nice to meet a few people and hear their stories and bounce some ideas back and forth.

Post: #6

I suppose $200 is a typo and you mean $2000?

$200 ain't going to get you more than 3rd world tier housing anywhere.

I have very mixed feelings about Chiang Mai as it's still 3rd world and has tons of femnazis and white trash types rolling in, but it's not the worst place to grind out some work, have your daily swims in the pool and work out in the condo gym - stuff you generally won't be able to get in Beijing unless you're very wealthy.

It has tons of female Chinese tourists you can daygame if you don't like thais.

$1000 a month will get you a great lifestyle in Nimman (walking distance to restaurants, a mall, dozens of cafes etc.). You can probably get a 90 day visa in BJ from the embassy if you have a resident permit. There are also agents on taobao who may or may not be able to help you.

Tokyo is easily doable on $2000 a month if you watch your spending and cook a lot by yourself, but it's damn cold in the winter.

Heading to Europe from BJ isn't that expensive if you don't mind non direct flights. Think $600 to Barcelona, so this is also an option.

Post: #7

(04-24-2018 04:20 AM)AsiaBaller Wrote:  I suppose $200 is a typo and you mean $2000?

I meant $200 for housing. Obviously my entire budget will be higher than that.

If I pay a bit more than that, it's not a problem. Up to $500 might be doable. I comes down to how much money I can save up between now and then.

Post: #8

(04-24-2018 04:31 AM)Suits Wrote:  

(04-24-2018 04:20 AM)AsiaBaller Wrote:  I suppose $200 is a typo and you mean $2000?

I meant $200 for housing. Obviously my entire budget will be higher than that.

If I pay a bit more than that, it's not a problem. Up to $500 might be doable. I comes down to how much money I can save up between now and then.

With such tiny budget you'll live like a pauper anywhere, even in SEA.

$250 in a good location is doable in Chiang Mai but it'll be bare bones tier housing and you might question your life decisions.

$600 + utils for 3 months is the lowest you'll get there for a nice studio with pool and gym.

Post: #9

Worth noting the price difference between medium/long term rentals is drastic.

Post: #10

(04-24-2018 04:46 AM)AsiaBaller Wrote:  

(04-24-2018 04:31 AM)Suits Wrote:  

(04-24-2018 04:20 AM)AsiaBaller Wrote:  I suppose $200 is a typo and you mean $2000?

I meant $200 for housing. Obviously my entire budget will be higher than that.

If I pay a bit more than that, it's not a problem. Up to $500 might be doable. I comes down to how much money I can save up between now and then.

With such tiny budget you'll live like a pauper anywhere, even in SEA.

$250 in a good location is doable in Chiang Mai but it'll be bare bones tier housing and you might question your life decisions.

$600 + utils for 3 months is the lowest you'll get there for a nice studio with pool and gym.

Let me clarify. My target numbers for housing are for monthly rent costs. So, when I say $200, I mean $600 for three months. Location is not especially important to me. Some nature for hiking would be nice and within a one or two hour range of an ocean waterfront would be bonus, but these things are not a priority.

My daily routine would be to spend as much of the day as possible working on product development and preparing marketing materials. The rest of my time would be used to do inexpensive activities to relax and recharge for the next work session.

As much as I like to go out on the town, that's not the purpose of the three months and I plan to minimize such activities beyond what is helpful in making a few friends.

Post: #11

(04-24-2018 12:58 AM)Suits Wrote:  I would say Vietnam (even though it wasn't the best country for me, it does easily meet most of your needs more or less.)

• Must have a low cost of living. It would be ideal to pay about $200USD per month (or less) for a decent apartment that serves my basic needs.
  $200 is pretty low anywhere in the world these days (for something decent) but just last year I was renting a modern, clean, 1-bed (two rooms) in District 7 for about $450 so you could find something much cheaper further out, or smaller, or less high quality or a tier-2 city than HCMC for example.
• It needs to be a place with a 90 day visa on arrival (or routinely available on advance at an embassy) for Canadian passport holders. The last thing I want to be doing is spending money on visa runs and deal with the stress of "what if they don't let me in again next time?"
  Easy - There's a few guys around in HCMC who can get you a proper visa for 3-month, 6-month, 1year... whatever you need. Takes a week or so after you arrive, piece of piss.
• Internet needs to be optimal, as I anticipate engaging in VOIP calls and Skype video chats with clients throughout the globe.
  Yeah it's generally fine
• The local women need to be cute. Not ridiculously attractive, but definitely fun and cute.
  I personally believe Vietnam women are MASSIVELY overhyped on this forum and elsewhere (after having lived in the main city for almost a year) But some disagree with me so it's horses for courses! But even I found a handful of "cute" enough girls quite easily on Tinder etc. Enough to keep you warm in the winter...
  Which brings us onto the next point:
• Tropical or subtropic weather.
• South East Asia would be ideal, as I don't want paying for my flight to bite into my savings too much. I'll need to live on saving for the duration of the winter if I am to focus almost exclusively on product development, so that rules out anywhere that would cost more than $1000 to fly to. SEA locations that would cost less than $300 to fly to from Beijing would be preferred as it would allow me to stretch out my stay for as long as possible.
  There you go - Vietnam - yeah it does rain a lot sometimes and can even get chilly some evenings but generally it's hot all the time and sunny skies.
• Good local cuisine would be preferred. I'm not a picky eater, but I'd prefer to live somewhere with local restaurants that serve up tasty, reasonable healthy fair at a low cost.
  It's tricky knowing what you are ordering in Vietnam but get a girl to show you around and take you to good local places. Everyone knows the Banh Mi sandwiches (meh..) but Pho Bo and Pho Ga (beef or chicken soup) and found all over and are very good usually. Vietnam has LOTS of dishes (although to be honest, it's all mostly variations on a theme lol) but you can eat tasty and cheap easily - and far, far less food sickness than you get from dirty Thai food which can be almost constant sometimes.
• I'd like to avoid anywhere incredibly impoverished (Philippines) where safety is questionable and you have to be worried about looking like you might have cash. I don't mind a place with a tourism economy as long as it is safe enough to walk about alone at night.
  Vietnam is very safe and has some poverty but it's all mixed in with normal living. Be a little more cautions in district 4 and 8 they say. It's fine, never saw anything.
• A low level of daily corruption would be preferred. It would be nice to be able to take taxis with constantly having people try to rip me off.
  Uber/Grab no problem. Just they are idiots that's all.
• The local language doesn't matter. I'm flexible.
  English is fine with some gesturing...
• A local expat entrepreneurial start-up scene would be nice. I don't need a "group" to feel motivated, but it would be nice to meet a few people and hear their stories and bounce some ideas back and forth.
  Internations / Meetup/ this forum - all there
  

I'll be departing mid-December, as my apartment lease ends on December 10th. My plan is to put most of my Beijing possessions into storage as I expect to be back sooner or later and I'd only relocate them if I decide to settle somewhere else permanently.

There you are - all bases covered - Vietnam is very easy to do really.
Just fucking annoying as fuck traffic !! But not as bad as Philippines or
Bangkok because it's all scooter based, not so many cars.

Post: #12

I’d argue that Vietnam is more dangerous than the Philippines (at least Manila). You don’t really need to be worried about someone snatching your phone on a motorbike or getting stabbed to death in Manila.

Most Viets you come across in daily encounters won’t speak enough English. Even lots of girls on tinder that you’ll meet. You won’t really be able to get anything decent to live in on $200 in HCMC.

I’d probably go with Bangkok or Chiang Mai.

Post: #13

I agree with everything about Taiwan. The visa situation is also interesting for Canadians : we can stay up to 180 days there (the 90 days can be extended without having to leave the country).
https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/taiwan

Post: #14

yeah don't bother with Jakarta.

Choosing a place to party at the weekend and choosing a place to live are two very different things

Post: #15

I strongly vote for Taiwan as well, especially southern Taiwan. Northern Taiwan in the winter has terrible, rainy, overcast, cold weather. Gaoxiong is the spot. Great weather, the city really cleaned itself up in the last few years, lots of outdoor stuff to do and places to eat.

Plus its cheap, all the infrastructure such as internet, hospitals, etc are great. People are incredibly friendly and polite.

I would live there if I could make more money. Education just doesn't pay enough like mainland China.

Post: #16

I love Taiwan, but I don't agree with it as a recommendation for your particular situation. I feel like you need to get away from Chinese culture in general for a while if you're looking for a true break. From what I've heard, Taiwan is different but does still have Chinese cultural influence mixed in at the end of the day.

Personally, I'd go with a small island town in Thailand or Vietnam. You can get out of air-polluted cities for a while and as long as you don't go somewhere like Phuket or Pattaya, you'll have enough remoteness to focus on you, very reasonable apartment prices, and be able to get some much needed nature views if you've been in China for a few years straight in one of the big cities. I'd say Philippines but internet and electricity isn't great on the islands and apartments are more expensive over there.

If you want a city, then I'd say Bangkok, Saigon or Hanoi would do just fine for you. But, I get the feeling you wanna get away from city life for a bit while being productive.

Post: #17

Visas are not as easy anymore in Thailand as they used to be. He already stated he didn't want endless trips to immigration and the possibility of not being readmitted to Thailand after a visa run.

Post: #18

Seriously check out Phu Quoc. Most western and southerly island in Vietnam. Its sparsely populated and miles of jungle and white sand beach. Constant trickle of tourists. Small expat scene.

Winter is THE time to go.

Most who have been love it. Its a low key tourist destination that is steadily building infrastructure and is only slightly more expensive than the rest of 2nd tier Vietnam.

It may or may not suit you, but its a diamond in the rough and only a short, cheap plane ride from HCM on the daily.

Post: #19

(04-24-2018 02:16 AM)Aquarius Wrote:  Before I even finished reading your post, the first place that popped into my mind is Taiwan. Taipei will be a tad too expensive for your liking, but second tier Taiwanese cities like Kaohsiung or Taichung squarely fit all your goals:

Aquarius verdict for Suits: Kaohsiung (or Taichung, but I recommend Kaohsiung more)

(04-24-2018 07:56 AM)ball dont lie Wrote:  I strongly vote for Taiwan as well, especially southern Taiwan. Northern Taiwan in the winter has terrible, rainy, overcast, cold weather. Gaoxiong is the spot. Great weather, the city really cleaned itself up in the last few years, lots of outdoor stuff to do and places to eat.

Plus its cheap, all the infrastructure such as internet, hospitals, etc are great. People are incredibly friendly and polite.

I appreciated these recommendations regarding Taiwan. Taiwan is definitely high on my 'places to go to' list. I've been holding off mainly because I want to wait till I can visit long enough to experience it properly. I hate visiting a place I'm interested in for the first time for a period of less than three months. This coming winter may be the perfect opportunity to explore the country while achieving other goals.

(04-24-2018 07:09 AM)Soyouz Wrote:  I agree with everything about Taiwan. The visa situation is also interesting for Canadians : we can stay up to 180 days there (the 90 days can be extended without having to leave the country).
https://travel.gc.ca/destinations/taiwan

That's very good to know.

(04-24-2018 08:48 AM)yankeetravels Wrote:  I love Taiwan, but I don't agree with it as a recommendation for your particular situation. I feel like you need to get away from Chinese culture in general for a while if you're looking for a true break. From what I've heard, Taiwan is different but does still have Chinese cultural influence mixed in at the end of the day.

That's the other side of the coin. I've been spending more and more time in Malaysia recently, which has been amazing therapy after four years nearly non-stop in China. Living in Beijing has a way of crushing your belief in the decency of humankind.

(04-24-2018 02:16 AM)Aquarius Wrote:  If you decide to not go to Taiwan, then I'd recommend Penang, Malaysia as the runner-up.

I've been to Penang, but just stayed overnight and didn't have an opportunity to really check out the place, but it seemed decent.

Do you have any idea what would rental costs be there?

Why is it runner up in your opinion?

I'm definitely interested in exploring KL, Penang or any other 2nd tier cities in Malaysia on the basis that I've had such pleasant experiences so far in the country. The people are great and have done a lot to restore my faith in humanity. There are also some very cool forum members in the country and I love the environment, having access to the ocean, hiking, etc.

I had a very nice AirBNB apartment not far from the most happening part of KL for $700 a month a year ago (not including a monthly discount), so I'm guessing I could get rent down to half of that or more if I lived in the suburbs or tried a second tier city. I don't know rent expenses throughout the country, but I'm speculating that I could likely get something decent for $300 or a little less per month without completely roughing it.

However, I'm definitely not ruling out Taiwan. There are distinct advantages to spending the winter in TW. I expect the country to be a key market for my products in the future, so it would be advantageous to have the experience of showcasing my products to a few potential buyers during my visit just to gauge their reactions and get some feedback.

(04-24-2018 02:16 AM)Aquarius Wrote:  2. I don't really understand what you are asking here, but Taiwan is visa free for Canadian citizens for 90 days. Not sure if you want a visa free country, or a country where a visa is required.

Some people call it visa-free. Others call it visa-on-arrival. In either case, I'm simply interested in a place where I'll be able to visit for 90 days in one shot regardless of whether or not I need to pre-apply for a visa.

(04-24-2018 02:29 AM)whiteknightrises Wrote:  Taiwan is pretty awesome.

Probably more awesome if you speak/read Chinese.

(04-24-2018 02:16 AM)Aquarius Wrote:  Local language [in Taiwan] is Mandarin Chinese. I'm sure after all these years in Beijing you should be able to speak decent conversational Mandarin. English skills will be fairly weak especially outside of Taipei.

I can. Weak English skills in Taiwan would not create a language barrier for me if people speak Mandarin.

(04-24-2018 07:15 AM)Irish Wrote:  yeah don't bother with Jakarta.

Choosing a place to party at the weekend and choosing a place to live are two very different things

That's a good point. Thank you.

(04-24-2018 04:20 AM)AsiaBaller Wrote:  I have very mixed feelings about Chiang Mai as it's still 3rd world and has tons of femnazis and white trash types rolling in, but it's not the worst place to grind out some work, have your daily swims in the pool and work out in the condo gym - stuff you generally won't be able to get in Beijing unless you're very wealthy.

The visa situation in Thailand has become very messy in recent years. I don't have a residency permit in Beijing and I'd like to be able to make my decision without needing to test out what visa I can get through trial and error.

(04-24-2018 04:20 AM)AsiaBaller Wrote:  Heading to Europe from BJ isn't that expensive if you don't mind non direct flights. Think $600 to Barcelona, so this is also an option.

Wouldn't the weather generally suck in Europe December to February?

(04-24-2018 08:48 AM)yankeetravels Wrote:  Personally, I'd go with a small island town in Thailand or Vietnam. You can get out of air-polluted cities for a while and as long as you don't go somewhere like Phuket or Pattaya, you'll have enough remoteness to focus on you, very reasonable apartment prices, and be able to get some much needed nature views if you've been in China for a few years straight in one of the big cities. I'd say Philippines but internet and electricity isn't great on the islands and apartments are more expensive over there.

If you want a city, then I'd say Bangkok, Saigon or Hanoi would do just fine for you. But, I get the feeling you wanna get away from city life for a bit while being productive.
d

(04-24-2018 06:01 AM)Sandstorm Wrote:  I would say Vietnam (even though it wasn't the best country for me, it does easily meet most of your needs more or less.)

Vietnam is very easy to do really.
Just fucking annoying as fuck traffic !! But not as bad as Philippines or
Bangkok because it's all scooter based, not so many cars.

I'll definitely look into these recommendations. I've been to Vietnam a few times (Hanoi), but am not sure how well it would suit my plans price wise. I am fairly confident that if I go somewhere a little further off the beaten track, I could probably find a cheap place to focus on work for a few months and would probably learn some Vietnamese in the process.

Are there any particular cities that anyone can recommend in Vietnam besides HCMC and Hanoi with decent Internet speeds that would be nice places to disappear for a few months and pound out some work?

(04-24-2018 10:26 AM)Bienvenuto Wrote:  Seriously check out Phu Quoc. Most western and southerly island in Vietnam. Its sparsely populated and miles of jungle and white sand beach. Constant trickle of tourists. Small expat scene.

Winter is THE time to go.

Most who have been love it. Its a low key tourist destination that is steadily building infrastructure and is only slightly more expensive than the rest of 2nd tier Vietnam.

It may or may not suit you, but its a diamond in the rough and only a short, cheap plane ride from HCM on the daily.

Thanks for this recommendation. I'll look further into it.

Post: #20

The only thing with Taiwan is it's hard to find a place to rent month-to-month outside of Airbnb. Almost every place wants a one-year contract minimum.

Which is annoying because look at what you can get for sub-$300 a month there:

https://rent.591.com.tw/rent-detail-6265698.html

The same place would definitely cost closer to $500 in Taipei, for example.

Don't even bother with Craigslist or similar ads, they'd want $1,000 a month for the same place.

It's worth digging a bit to see if you can find someone who will do month-by-month though. This is all moot if you're going the Airbnb route though.

Post: #21

Danang and Dalat in Vietnam would be nice alternatives to HCMC and Hanoi.
Internet is fast and rent should be dirt cheap. Might be hard to find a place for 3 months in Dalat though.

Just gotta check the rainy season.

Da lat has mountains and no beach.
Danang has both (and lots of suit tailors 30 minutes away in Hoi An).

Post: #22

Or you could look at Vung Tao which is a seaside place quite close to HCMC - some say it's a bit of a shithole but I'm sure it's cheap and if you're just looking for a quiet getaway for a few months might be doable. If you get bored HCMC is only an hour away I think.

Or as someone else has suggested, Phu Quoc Island - it basically doens't look like Vietnam, it looks more like Thailand. But you get the benefit of easy as fuck visas of Vietnam, and less development and tourists.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/desti...tnam-tips/

Post: #23

If location doesn't matter much, I would check out the very eastern part of Bangkok, around Bang Na or even further out. You can easily get good value-for-money apartments there for 6-10k Baht (not on AirBnB though) and still be connected to the Skytrain, i.e. enjoy all the amenities that Bangkok has to offer, which is way above the likes of Jakarta, HCMC or any second tier city in SEA. Wouldn't suprise me either, if you can even get an apartment there for 200-250$ with a swimming pool. Visa shouldn't be an issue for 3 months. Just get a 2 month tourist visa in advance and then extend it for another 30 days once you are in Bangkok. The whole visa situation in Thailand only becomes a problem, if you want to stay long-term. The weather is also perfect from December to February. Probably the most enjoyable weather you can get in Bangkok.

Edit: And if you are in Bang Na, you can always use whiteknightrises' famous pickup line to order chicks to your place. Just tell them to "come bang na".

Post: #24

Hope you find somethings, Suits. I plan on working my job until hopefully summer of next year. Then Findinsh a cheap place abroad to stay for a monrh or two.

Post: #25

I've never been but a friend keep trying to push Hanoi on me and claims he's living well off 700 - 800 per month and he's a party everyday type. Said his apartment is 125USD per month.