A 5 STEP GUIDE TO TRAVELING AND WORKING IN ASIA FOR THREE MONTHS

As a budding travel enthusiast, I’ve always wanted to explore the world deeper. And I’m not talking about frequent weekend getaways or laying on a beach for a week.

I wanted to experience what’s it like to live and breathe the air of another country. That’s why the idea of escaping the 9-5 grind and being able to work remotely from anywhere in the world has always been appealing to me.

But why Asia? It actually goes back to my student years – my BA focused on exactly East Asia. And while I kind of “left” it after graduation, I always wanted to go back. With its rich culture, delicious food, incredible history, fascinating architecture, and affordable prices – it’s a great destination for those looking to travel and work.

In this guide, I’ll share my experience of travelling and working in Asia for three months and do my best to provide some tips on how to make the most of your trip.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Why write another travel guide?

• Step 1: preparation

• Step 2: choosing the right destinations

• Step 3: accommodation

• Step 4: transportation

• Step 5: sightseeing

WHY WRITE ANOTHER TRAVEL GUIDE?

While the internet is littered with myriads of different guides and experience stories of people travelling the globe, I didn’t exactly find a realistic guide that reflects the experiences of someone who’s just trying out remote work for a time.

Sure, you’ll find lots of information about how to travel with a remote job or how to make travelling your job, but not exactly taking your in-office 9-5 job on an adventure.

That’s why I also wanted to share my journey and talk about some of the most important things when preparing for such a long trip with a virtual office job. If that’s something you find interesting and would like to learn more about, keep on reading!

STEP 1: PREPARATION

Before embarking on any kind of journey, it’s always important to plan and prepare. While it depends heavily on how every person wants to plan their adventure, the fact is – pre-planning hasn’t hurt anybody yet. Especially when we talk about longer trips. That’s why the first step should be to decide where you’ll be going and what you’ll need for the trip.

Once you know where you’ll be going, I strongly suggest doing some research on every country you’ll be visiting. And not just any research but trying to find information that gives both the good and the bad.

I found that this helps with expectation management and makes the trip much more realistic and grounded in reality. Just make sure to always read up on several sources and never take anything completely for the truth. Experience is subjective and can lead to unnecessary prejudice and fear.

BUDGET

When you have a least a general scope of your trip, the next step should then be to plan your budget. Asia can offer a very diverse experience in that aspect. You can count on getting a full-on luxury experience and an extremely cheap backpacker adventure. So, to say the least, there are definitely some options to choose from.

Still, I’d recommend checking the cost of living and looking up the best seasons to travel, as holidays and festivals can often have a rather costly impact. Also, you can research the average cost of accommodation, food, transportation, visas, and vaccinations to get an idea of how much you will need for your trip.

VISAS & VACCINATIONS

Knowing what documents you’ll need and might need is a must – trust me. Some visas can be acquired online and in just a couple of hours or days, while others need more time – not to mention tedious paperwork. The good news is more and more countries have online platforms that allow travellers to apply for eVisas online!

Just make sure that a website is legit, there’s a growing number of scam websites. And, while not always necessary, when it comes to documentation – I’m old-fashioned. So printing out visas and other documents you might need simply makes it easier.

And then there are the vaccinations. Booster shots are recommended for a reason. Whatever your views on medicine are, you should prioritise your health and look up any potential dangers you might face. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by information online, I know I was, you can always contact your doctor to discuss things in more detail.

PLANNING WORK

Finally, make sure everything’s set up properly in your workplace. I can’t be happier that more and more employers offer flexible work arrangements, but you should still be aware of your company’s policies for working abroad. They let you go exploring, so make sure you do your part as well to avoid any misunderstandings and miscommunication.

STEP 2: CHOOSING THE RIGHT DESTINATIONS

Asia is a vast continent with many different beautiful destinations to choose from. I truly believe that literally, everyone can find something that will appeal to every individual.

From rowdy and crowdy nightlife-packed capitals to small traditional villages, quaint towns by the ocean, and mountainside hamlets – whatever suits your fancy. You could also consider factors such as the cost of living, the availability of remote work opportunities, and the local culture.

That’s why I can’t really say which cities are better explicitly for remote work. It really depends on what you want to see and do. The only real advice I’ll share is to get a reliable internet service, have an appropriate power socket adapter if needed, and, most important of all – not be afraid to experience.

STEP 3: ACCOMMODATION

When it comes to accommodation, there are many options to choose from. Hostels are a great option for budget travellers and those looking to meet other travellers. Co-living spaces are becoming increasingly popular among digital nomads as they offer a community-oriented living experience with shared workspaces and social events.

Not to mention that the boom also kickstarted many new projects – meaning newly built hostels that are often more modern and fancier than huge old hotels. In my particular case, the most popular apps I used in the search for that “new-temporary home” were:

BOOKING.COM

It’s familiar, quick, and relatively easy to use. You can book in advance or on the same day. One of the most convenient features of this website is the customer service and often the direct line of communication with a host. This way, you can always discuss any special needs you might need before and during your stay.

AGODA

While less familiar, Agoda is more popular in Asia than Booking. There’s a huge selection of all kinds of bookings – apartments, houses, condos, hotels, hostels, and everything in between. It may be a little overwhelming at first, but you’ll quickly get the hang of this website after a few searches.

One thing to note: Agoda adds additional charges, so before you search, I recommend going to your settings, choosing your currency, and specifying that you’ll want to see the price for the entire stay. It’ll make the experience much easier – at least, that was the case for me!

Regardless of the type of accommodation you choose, it’s always best to first have a dedicated budget, think of the area you’d like to stay in and check the overall location of a booking you’re interested in. I find this to be extremely helpful when going to work in a foreign country. Doing this kind of “background check” saves you valuable time.

For example, I love coffee, and I need to eat at least two times a day. So, whenever I booked accommodation, I looked for a place that was close to some restaurants, cafes, public transport, and laundromats. Unless the place you choose already has a laundry service – in that case big win! Look for reviews from previous guests and check the location to ensure that it is convenient for both work and leisure activities.

STEP 4: TRANSPORTATION

Getting around Asia can be a bit challenging, but it’s also part of the adventure. There are many different options to choose from. Even domestic flights – in some countries, it’s an incredibly affordable and convenient option – not to mention time-saving!

Either way, make sure to look up the best options for you and your budget. Long train rides during the day can be really exciting, so if you’re travelling with a backpack, have access to the internet, and no Teams meetings planned – you can work comfortably and enjoy a scenic journey.

My experiences while travelling were a combination of public transport and… cabs. It all really boiled down to a few criteria – value for money and convenience. Let me explain a little more in detail.

SOUTH KOREA

Hands down, public transport. At this point in my life, I’d already travelled quite a bit, and this was the first country where I couldn’t understand why anyone would want cars. The public transport in this country is literally on the next level. It’s extremely modern, ridiculously cheap, convenient, and developed extensively throughout the country.

Buses, subways, or trains – everything’s designed to take you from point A to B in the best way possible. Oh, and the best part: you can choose your own cute card. That and besides crowds at certain times, you can say goodbye to traffic jams.

THAILAND

I lived in Bangkok for almost a month, and I definitely recommend the Bolt and Grab taxi apps. One of the first things I heard used to describe tourists and foreigners was that “they try to walk everywhere”. Well, no one walks in Thailand – it’s simply too hot. At extreme temperatures, it even becomes a health hazard. That’s why there are so many motorbikes going around everywhere – walking is simply not an option here.

While there are buses and subways present, you still have to walk to them. But if you have just a few hours in between meetings, lunch breaks, or before work starts (I personally had to follow the hours of my country) – you’ll be looking for the fastest and most convenient way to get by.

Another reason to use these apps is that you’ll get a predetermined price which will usually be pretty cheap. Just make sure to have some cash, and you’re good to go! Oh, and don’t forget to at least try out tuk-tuks – you’ll need to negotiate, but it’s an experience nonetheless.

STEP 5: SIGHTSEEING

Now, of course, you want to actually go sightseeing, explore, and gather all kinds of experiences – I know I did! But before I share how I managed everything for myself, let me just say that there’s no one correct model.

Stuff will happen, plans will change, and you’ll definitely be left at least a little bit scared and frustrated sometimes. So how to make sure you can both enjoy your trip and keep your work-life separate and fulfilled at the same time?

I created an Excel sheet. Yup.

Three of my main objectives were to mark the time difference, list out some of the places I’d like to see or activities I’d like to engage in – and have a rough scope of how long I’ll be staying in one city.

Honestly, I found that this model worked best for me. Don’t get me wrong, I tried different methods, and I even went full detail freak and planned everything I’d do in a day. Take my advice – don’t go there.

Truthfully, I think all of us who want to go on this kind of adventure want to feel a little bit of magic, surprise, and awe. Just make sure to first work things out around your job, and you’ll soon find that despite the possible time difference, you’ll feel a little bit more at home and ready to take that first explorer step into something unexpected!

WRAPPING UP

Travelling and working in Asia for three months can be a life-changing experience, but it’s also just another chapter in your life. My advice to all of you who feel like trying this out is – don’t idealise any country. Do a little bit of research, plan your time while prioritising your work, and everything will soon fall into place.

While every country and culture is unique, once you look from the perspective of everyone being humans with the same basic needs – there won’t be that much of a shock (besides climate, that’s kinda hard to tame).

With some planning and preparation, you can enjoy the best of both worlds and escape the all-too-familiar 9-5 grind. Feel what it would feel like to be a long-term digital nomad without completely transitioning to remote work. Most importantly, don't forget to take breaks, explore the local culture and attractions, and even take that weekend nap and do nothing if that’s what you feel like!