Life Hacks and Long Stays in Southeast Asia

WHILE COVID-19 brought travel to a grinding halt and led to what was at the time the dreaded #workfromhome, remote work is now so normalized that, in the post-pandemic world, travel-industry buzzwords of just a few years ago, bleisure and workation, have become a way of life for many. If not you, then probably someone you know.

Priscilla Coumans-van der Weerden and her husband Lennert, from the Netherlands, run a business that makes online-teaching tech. This gives them the flexibility to work from wherever they want—which they’ve been doing since October 2020, splitting their time between Europe and Southeast Asia, where they’ll stay in one spot for a month before moving on.

“We have plenty of time to explore the area and go to less touristy parts instead of rushing through the standard tourist highlights in a couple of days. We also need to carve out some time to keep the business running, so we don’t have to worry about that if we stay longer,” she says. “We had a good life before we started this adventure, but only if you’ve experienced the feeling of slow travel-work lifestyle will you understand why going back to our old lives isn’t an option.”

Nicky De Leon, who hails from the Philippines, works remotely in finance, meaning she can open up her laptop and work from wherever she wants. In the last three years, she’s enjoyed living in various spots in Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia.

“The flexibility of being able to travel and work is a blessing. At the end of my work, I can shut my laptop and hit the beach, meet new friends at a rooftop bar, or discover another part of the world,” she says.

The rise in demand for workations, coupled with the “slow travel” trend, has seen an uptick in hotels offering extended stays at slashed rates—even more reason to leave behind the traditional 9-to-5 desk job and jet off to combine work, travel and play.

CATERING TO LONGER STAYS

“As remote and hybrid work models come into their own, more professional travelers are mixing business and leisure, and seeking out longer stays,” says Adrian Williams, head of Accor in the Pacific region, chief operating officer of premium, midscale and economy brands.

And hotels are consciously adapting to suit. For example, in the heart of Thailand’s old northern capital, Melia Chiang Mai (from US$116) has discounted rates if you book for one week or more. You can also access the 21st-floor Level Lounge and its dedicated meeting spaces. Stays for longer than two weeks come with evening snacks and cocktails.

BOOK YOUR STAY AT THE STANDARD HUA HIN VIA AGODA.COM

The 30+ day package ‘Make Yourself at Home’ at The Standard Hua Hin (from Bt64,999 per month) comes with discounts on food, drink, laundry, green fees at a nearby golf course, and spa, plus on rooms rates for your friends who want to visit. As for your best friend, well, the hotel is pet-friendly.

Beach-fringed Phuket, where many Bangkokians relocated during the pandemic, has emerged as a prime remote-working hub, and Trisara (from US$729) is truly tapping into the trend. Its ‘Stay Longer, Save More’ offers discounted rates and a wealth of other benefits if you book a minimum of four nights.

The hotel also recognizes that most of us want to remain fit, particularly at the beach, so long-stay guests can get free access to the luxurious hotel’s Move in Nature wellness program, and US$67 daily in wellbeing credits. This leaves you no reason to give up your exercise routine— or not start a new one.

“For remote workers, productivity flourishes as effortlessly as the palm trees sway in the tropical breeze,” rather poetically says Kittisak Pattamasaevi, CEO of Montara Hospitality Group, which owns Trisara. “Meanwhile, our residences allow groups to connect in harmony with nature, allowing for privacy” and plenty of space to spread out and concentrate, or relax.

BOOK YOUR STAY AT TRISARA VIA BOOKING.COM

BOOK YOUR STAY AT TRISARA VIA AGODA.COM

In Japan, remote working is actively encouraged as a way to cut down on crowded offices and vehicles on the road. Hence, a raft of workation spots has sprung up, and Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo (from US$450) is leading the way. Home to vast gardens, you can unwind in nature after a day’s work or rejuvenate at the spa. It’s also home to plenty of workspaces, and offers two workation plans. Staying for more than two weeks gets you 25 percent off standard rates, or 30 percent for more than 30 nights—and US$64 in hotel credit.

Some of the wisest hotels are incorporating workspaces. INNSiDE By Melia Bangkok Sukhumvit (from US$105), which opened in July 2023, caters to digital nomads with its vast 32nd-floor co-working space offering inspirational vistas of Bangkok’s sweeping skyline. It also boasts five meeting rooms and multifunctional areas designed to spark creativity and productivity.

An increasing number of hotels are also integrating serviced apartments into their business model. “With so many travellers seeking longer stays, space and quality amenities, we’ve experienced a surge in the demand for all the flexibility and comforts of a home with the convenience of hotel services,” says Accor’s Williams. This includes the Peppers in Australia, and its live@ Peppers initiative, which offers serviced apartments with housekeeping, as well as Pullman, The Sebel and Mantra brands, which are of course better known as being regular hotels, but have been incorporating serviced-apartment elements to give the digital nomads what they want. Namely: #workfromhotel.

10 TIPS FOR LIFE ON THE ROAD

1. Book flexible flights

Sure, it makes sense to lock in a cheap- and-inflexible return flight if you have a definite agenda, however, if your plans are porous, a safer bet is to purchase a ticket that lets you change your return flight for free. Generally, you have to buy these directly from airlines, as opposed to OTAs. An open or one-way ticket is another option, albeit more expensive.

2. Get the right insurance

Travel insurance is an absolute must, and the one area you don’t want to skimp on. Ensure yours covers all the countries you intend to travel to, make sure you’re covered for emergency air transportation, and read the fine print for any disqualifying clauses (like driving a motor scooter or having a blood alcohol reading of a certain level). Get your belongings covered, too.

3. Find a bank with low international fees

Shop around for a bank that refunds international ATM fees and a credit card that doesn’t charge international fees, which can be up to three percent on every purchase. Nicky De Leon has opened a Wise account, which has both credit and debit cards, and allows you to move money internationally without any charges. American digital bank Chase is an example of one that doesn’t charge for overseas purchases.

4. Have a homebase

To provide a sense of stability, Priscilla Coumans-van der Weerden suggests having some favorite spots, which she refers to as “home bases,” and alternating stays in those with visits to new places. “Home bases are typically places where we’ve found the optimal combination of focus on work, a healthy lifestyle, and social interaction.”

5. Join online groups

When arriving at a new destination, Nicky joins the local expat group on Facebook to find out what’s going on, and when, and to meet new people. Depending on the country, you may find groups on other platforms, such as WhatsApp, Meetup, or Telegram, so do a bit of digging around. These groups can be great resources for local digital-nomad hacks as well as keeping you connected to your community.

6. Stay at least a month

Priscilla recommends staying up to one month in each place, incorporating short-stay trips to destinations that are less suitable for longer stays.

7. Hedge your bets and cut your losses

When trialing a new location, Priscilla says, “Typically, our first visit is limited to a week to get a feeling of the area. If we like it, we add it to our home base list.” And if you don’t jibe with a destination, or accommodation, don’t be afraid to take a vacation from your vacation and move on. Priscilla and Lennart once booked a lovely AirBnB in Bangkok… where the bed was so hard they had to sleep on the floor. Towards the end of the rental, they checked into a hotel for a ‘staycation’ to give their backs a break. “Sometimes paying more is worth it,” she says.

8. House swap

To save on overheads, consider house swapping—if you own, or if your rental contract allows it, of course. It gives you the chance to step straight into a new destination and live like a local. There are various websites, such as swaphouse.io and peoplelikeus.world that offer a vast choice of homes.

9. Prioritise WiFi

A solid connection is key for working remotely, so scan accommodation reviews to gauge the quality of their Wi-Fi. You won’t always want to work in a public space, and you can’t trust all properties to report on their Internet connection, so find out from other travellers before you book.

10. Get a local SIM

Even if your home phone company’s roaming rates are reasonable, a local SIM card makes life more convenient. Not only can you hotspot your laptop, you can also sign up for food delivery services, book accommodation on the go, and make it easy for locals (restaurant reservationists, for example) to contact you. Alternatively, international SIMs such as TravelSIM and OneSimCard save you the hassle of buying a new one in each country.

Always-Solid Long-Stay Options

For if you’re not going the hotel route, or need space to spread out:

BOOK YOUR STAY AT LYF CHINATOWN KUALA LUMPUR VIA BOOKING.COM

ONLINE MARKETPLACES: AirBnB and Vrbo.com are the brand-name examples of websites that connect owners with renters for rooms, apartments, villas, houses, houseboats, cabins, condos, and cottages… sometimes even castles.

VILLA RENTALS: For this region, check out EliteHavens.com, TheLuxeNomad.com and AsiaVillas.com—variously, their high-end villa collections encompass Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Japan, Maldives, and India, and they offer personal service and staff. Further afield, EdgeRetreats.com rents luxury villas worldwide.

SERVICED APARTMENTS: There are already major players in this industry, a key feature of which is mixing hotel service with kitchens or kitchenettes, sometimes washer- dryers, and more. Ascott, Oakwood, Frasers, and Centre Point are good bets region-wide. In Singapore specifically, Village Hotels has some serviced apartments aiming to provide cultural immersions—the one on Robertson Quay makes you a resident of the heart of the city.

Note:
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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