I'm planning to spend 3-4 months working remotely from SE Asia next year. Looking for places with decent WiFi, affordable accommodation, and good coworking spaces. Right now I'm thinking Vietnam or Cambodia but open to suggestions. Has anyone done this recently?
Get a local SIM card as soon as you land - it's way cheaper than relying on your home provider and gives you a backup if your main WiFi dies.
I spent two months in Da Nang last year working from a small apartment and honestly the internet was reliable enough, but I'd pick a place within walking distance of a cafe with backup power because brownouts happen.
Chiang Mai's probably your safest bet if you want the most established remote worker community and consistent infrastructure, but if you want something less touristy and cheaper, Siem Reap's actually stepped up its game - just scout your accommodation's WiFi situation before committing since quality varies wildly block to block.
How long are you planning to stay in each place, or are you thinking of doing a longer stretch in one city? I'd say Chiang Mai is still the go-to for remote workers - solid WiFi, tons of coworking spaces, and your money goes crazy far.
Vietnam's great too, though from what friends have told me recently Hanoi's internet can be a bit sketchy in some areas while Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang are more reliable. Cambodia's cheaper but the infrastructure's a step down unless you're in Phnom Penh, and honestly unless you've got work that's super flexible on connectivity I'd lean toward Thailand or Vietnam for a 3-4 month stretch where you actually need to be productive.
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have gotten way better for remote work infrastructure-wise, though internet can be spotty in older neighborhoods so pick your accommodation carefully.
One thing I'd suggest that most people overlook: rent a local SIM with a mobile hotspot as backup before relying solely on WiFi - costs like three bucks a month and saved me multiple times when cafe or coworking connections dropped.
What's your actual internet needs like, are you doing video calls constantly or mostly async work? That'll matter a lot for whether somewhere like Siem Reap works for you versus needing a bigger city with more redundancy.
Skip the really trendy spots like Bali or Phuket if stable internet is your main priority - tourism infrastructure doesn't always equal reliable connectivity for actual work.
Something nobody seems to mention: scope out your accommodation's WiFi quality *before* booking by asking the landlord for a speed test result or joining local Facebook groups where remote workers post real reviews of specific buildings.
Vietnam's definitely solid, but I'd also throw Penang, Malaysia into your consideration since the coworking scene there rivals places like Chiang Mai without feeling as saturated with digital nomads, plus the food is incredible if that matters to you 😄
The internet reliability story nobody mentions is that you need to test your connection during peak evening hours before committing to any place, since that's when most digital nomads are online and speeds tank.
I edited a full 4K project timeline from Hoi An back in 2023 and had zero issues because I specifically chose accommodation with fiber, but then watched colleagues get stuck in "cheap and cheerful" places where upload times killed their deadlines. Vietnam's your solid bet for what you want - both Hanoi and HCMC have matured way past where they were even 3-4 years ago, though honestly Da Nang and Hoi An punch above their weight for actually keeping things running smoothly while being half the cost.
Consider spending your first week testing coworking spaces and different neighborhoods rather than locking into month-long stays immediately, since what looks good on a listing might have power issues or shared bandwidth problems that'll tank your work.
Vietnam and Cambodia are solid picks, and if you end up in either one definitely scout out your accommodation's WiFi before committing - ask the landlord or previous tenants about actual speeds during peak hours, not just what they claim.
One thing that saved me tons of headache when I was working through some longer gigs abroad: download offline maps and find a backup coworking space within walking distance of your place, because even in decent neighborhoods the internet can tank randomly and you don't want to be scrambling during client calls.
I spent a couple of months shooting in Vietnam a few years back, and the WiFi situation varies wildly depending on where you land. The suggestions above about picking accommodation carefully are solid - I'd add that you really want to test the connection before committing to anything longer than a week.
For your 3-4 month stretch, I'd lean toward Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang over Hanoi if stable work is the priority. HCMC has better overall infrastructure and more coworking options if you get tired of coffee shops, though it's noisier and pricier than some places. Da Nang splits the difference - quieter, still has decent spots to work, and the cost of living is genuinely low. Vietnam's a good call because the accommodation is cheap enough that you can afford somewhere with solid internet without breaking the bank. Cambodia's workable but infrastructure feels more hit-or-miss, especially outside Phnom Penh.
One thing worth considering: most people focus on one or two cities for the duration instead of bouncing around constantly. If you're working on actual deadlines, constant moving means constantly hunting for reliable WiFi. Pick your main base for 6-8 weeks, get comfortable with a few reliable spots, then maybe move to a second city for the rest if you want variety. The coworking spaces in both Vietnam cities are reasonably priced and you'll meet other remote workers, which helps if you're working solo. Just don't assume every cafe with decent coffee has internet that'll handle video calls.
One thing that really matters but doesn't get mentioned enough is power reliability - I've got friends who've worked remotely from places with great WiFi but terrible electricity, which becomes a nightmare when your laptop dies mid-meeting.
Places like Penang in Malaysia or Chiang Mai have solid power grids that rarely go down, whereas some cheaper spots in Cambodia or Laos can be unpredictable. Since you're considering Vietnam, the bigger cities handle both internet and power well, but if you want a smaller vibe with equal reliability, look at Penang - it's got coworking spaces, decent food scene, and you won't feel like you're in a tourist bubble like you might in Thailand.
The trick people miss is that "good internet" varies wildly depending on what you actually do - if you're just emailing and video calls, most places work fine, but if you need to upload large files or do livestreaming, you'll want to test the upload speeds before committing to a neighborhood. One thing worth checking: whether your coworking space or accommodation offers a backup connection (like a dedicated fiber line or a second provider) since single-connection setups can tank your productivity when the main line hiccups.
Don't rely solely on coworking spaces for your internet lifeline - I'd actually push back a bit on the idea that the major cities are reliably better than smaller ones. Chiang Mai's got great communities, but Vietnam's internet can be genuinely unpredictable even in central Hanoi depending on your building's wiring, so test your accommodation's WiFi before committing to anything long-term. If you're serious about three to four months, consider splitting time between a couple places rather than staying put - Da Nang's worth checking out, and places like Penang in Malaysia often fly under the radar but have surprisingly solid infrastructure and lower burnout risk since they're less saturated with remote workers.
What's your tolerance for heat and humidity - does that factor into your choice at all?
I'd actually push back a bit on skipping the smaller coastal towns entirely. Spent three months in Nha Trang a while back and the internet was honestly more stable than what friends experienced in Hanoi's bustling districts. The key seems to be picking accommodation with fiber rather than older copper lines, which is increasingly common even in smaller cities now. Thailand's still solid, but Vietnam's infrastructure has genuinely caught up in a lot of places, and your money stretches further there. The local SIM card tip is gold - do that immediately - but also test your WiFi in person before committing to a place, even if reviews look good. Places fill up fast during peak season, so if you're going 3-4 months you've got the luxury of being flexible about timing.
What's your tolerance for power outages - that matters more than you'd think in SE Asia?
Before you book anything, test the internet speed at your potential accommodation by asking the owner to run a speedtest while you're video-calling them; screenshots don't lie, but landlord descriptions definitely do. I'd add one thing nobody's mentioned: bring a portable power bank for your modem or router. Sounds simple, but when the grid hiccups (common in Vietnam and Cambodia), you can keep your connection alive for another 30 minutes just by plugging in your equipment - enough time to finish a meeting or save your work. That's saved me more headaches than finding the "perfect" coworking space.
Chiang Mai's solid, but don't sleep on Penang in Malaysia - it's got reliable fiber, super affordable, and way fewer digital nomads clogging up the coworking spaces, so you can actually focus on work.
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