Wi-Fi is everywhere in Thailand. So I never bought a local eSIM. I roamed on a Malaysian plan for 11 USD and stayed online in cafes, the gym, our apartment. Here is what it cost me in speed, battery, and upload time.
John Ho built Chiang Mai's first coliving, then admitted he had spent five years building bubbles for nomads. We talk culture, the Network School shutdown, and his blunt question: everyone says community matters, but will you actually pay for it?
Three nomads told me to go. So we booked two months in Chiang Mai, mid-June to mid-August, dodging the burning season. We enjoyed khao soi, a five-story gym, and cute cafés in this nomad haven.
At nineteen, Ryan sold his car and flew to Japan with no plan. Twenty years and a dozen countries later, he speaks several Asian languages and runs his companies from Qubes OS. We talked identity, visas, and the bank account he closed on day one.
To pay by QR in Thailand, I used a Malaysian app. That took a local SIM, a KYC check, and two conversions. Absurd, and still the best option I found. Here's the setup and what actually worked.
A waterfall you climb up, not swim in. Barefoot on limestone that grips like spider web. No slipping, no shivering, no water shoes needed. Ninety minutes from Chiang Mai, Buatong turned my morning into the strangest climb of my Thailand stay.
Accommodation doesn't have to be nomad's biggest expense. After years on the road, I cut my lodging costs in half without downgrading. Rooms, colivings, apartments, direct rentals. Here's my unconventional approach to a place to stay.
Clear communication is everything to me as a nomad. WhatsApp, iMessage, Telegram, Slack, Signal, Discord, etc. Dozen apps, one me. Beeper bridges them all into one inbox, so I meet people where they already are. Here's why it earned a spot on my phone.
Join hundreds of digital nomads for recommendations, resources, and stories to enrich your journey around the globe.