The snowy weather in the UK has us longing for the sunny days we spent in Asia last winter. It’s anyone’s guess when we can pack up our laptops again and head to sunnier climes, but we are itching to get back on the road again once that’s possible.
Are you also looking forward to taking your laptop on an Asian adventure?
We thought we’d feed our wanderlust a bit by sharing some of our favourite vegan destinations in Asia for digital nomads.
Here are a few of the places we recommend hanging out with your laptop:
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Chiang Mai has long been one of the most popular hang-outs for long-term travellers and remote workers. We loved its easy, laid back vibe, many cafés serving up excellent coffee, and its walkable historic old city full of temples.
Digital nomads flock here for other good reasons: it’s a lot more affordable than Bangkok, there are lots of great options for accommodation, and the Internet is fast. Also temperatures tend to be cooler here thanks to the higher altitude.
Most days, we set up our laptops at Reform Kafé. We loved the relaxed vibe and excellent vegan Thai dishes.
Their sister restaurant Goodsouls Kitchen on Chang Moi Road was another firm favourite for their fabulous vegan food, music nights and yoga classes.
Thailand recently introduced a new 60-day tourist visa (pre-pandemic this was limited to 30 days) which can be extended for another 60 days. More info can be found here.
Taipei, Taiwan
We LOVE Taiwan, and Taipei is one of our most favourite places in this world!
Nomads looking for work-friendly spaces have many coworking spots to choose from with loads of awesome startups working from them. We found that working from cafes and restaurants in Taiwan was not really an option as it isn’t really part of the culture there.
Check out these 7 coworking spaces in Taipei
Taipei is also a vegan dream, with dozens of plant-based eateries serving up all kinds of vegan delights.
Lucy’s favourite place is BaganHood.
But you can find some of the best vegan food right on the street: from ‘stinky’ tofu (double-check for fish sauce!), to sweet potato balls, vegetable rolls, and steamed dumplings.
You can read more about all our favourites in our vegan-friendly guide to Taiwan.
They even have a one-year working holiday visa which you can check out here.
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City is a thriving business city with an international vibe. It’s also a hub for start-ups, especially in Thao Dien in District 2 where you’ll likely rub shoulders with many foreign business owners and long-term expats.
Getting around is easy: public transportation is extremely well organised and Ubike (the city’s short-term rental bike) is a convenient way to get from A to B.
The city also offers loads of amazing vegan food places. We loved Kashew Cheese Deli for their amazing aged vegan cheeses!
You can read a lot more about all the fabulous vegan food to be sampled here in our guide to cheap vegan eats in HCMC.
Travellers to Vietnam can stay for up to 30 days with the e-visa, but there’s another tourist visa available that allows you to stay up to three months.
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Ubud is another popular hub in Asia for digital nomads. This is the place to go if you want to get far away from the buzz of city life and be close to nature. It has a chilled jungle vibe with lots going on.Â
Set in breezy bamboo groves, Hubud co-working space is digital nomad central. Here you’ll find remote workers from all over sitting at long tables and staring into their laptops. And this is only one of many other coworking spots.
Ubud is known for its huge vegan scene and this is the place you should head to if you’re interested in taking raw food and vegan cooking courses.
Ubud Coffee Roastery was our first pick for coffee and we enjoyed many fantastic vegan meals at Zest Ubud while enjoying the views.
Pre-Corona, a visa on arrival gave you 30 days in Indonesia, which could be extended for a further 30 days. Under the Social, Tourist or Cultural Visa, a stay of 60 days was allowed, with the possibility of three extensions of 30 days each. Note that this may change once the country opens to tourism again.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Cambodia is another popular Asian destination for long-term travellers and remote workers. We loved the vibe of its capital city Phnom Penh and were able to get some work done thanks to excellent internet and the many coworking spots.Â
Sacred Lotus Cafe is a fabulous vegan restaurant and guesthouse set in a historic house with a rooftop cafe. You can get your fill of typical Cambodian dishes here, prepared vegan-style, or favourites like veggie burgers.
Many digital nomads also head to Siem Reap which is best known as the gateway to the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat. But it’s also a charming riverside town with a bustling nightlife and lots of bars, pubs and restaurants. Laid-back Kampot and seaside Kep in the south of the country are also popular spots for those looking to stay a while.
Visitors to Cambodia can get a one-month tourist visa on arrival, which can be extended in-country. There’s also a business visa that can be extended for a longer period of time.
Looking for an insurance company that gets you?
We recommend using SafetyWing for your digital nomad insurance!
