VI
EN
Rosie Nguyen started her lifestyle of combining online work and travel as a digital nomad in 2018. She owns the Living List Journey channel on YouTube and Instagram. For four years, Rosie and her American boyfriend traveled the world together. Before coming to Southeast Asia, the couple spent four months exploring the US and Mexico. Speaking to Travellive, she shared that Thailand was the first stop on her Asian travel adventure.
Thailand
"Thailand is my haven of peace. I've been here for a while and have returned two or three times already," said Rosie Nguyen.
Rosie Nguyen chose Thailand first because it's very close to Vietnam, making it easy for her to return to visit her family. Besides that, Thailand offers flexible spending options, with prices suitable for all types of travel, from luxury to budget-friendly. Rosie Nguyen loves Thai food; she finds the dishes diverse and appealing to tourists. Her favorite is Thai papaya salad, which she could eat daily without getting tired of it.
Thailand also scores points for its excellent tourism services and friendly, enthusiastic locals. In particular, the Land of Smiles has many festivals throughout the year, so tourists only need to choose a time that suits them to fully experience the country.
"I also really like the Thai language. There was a time when I stayed in Thailand for 3-4 months and tried to learn a little Thai," Rosie said.
Rosie's main concern when visiting Thailand is the terrible traffic congestion in Bangkok. She suggests tourists use Grab bikes for convenient transportation. On the other hand, the long distances between tourist attractions are also a drawback. Tourists cannot fully experience the Land of Smiles in just a few days.
Singapore
Upon arriving in Singapore, Rosie Nguyen was impressed by the cleanliness and modernity of the island nation. Singapore has many tourist attractions suitable for photography enthusiasts, such as Gardens by the Bay, the waterfall at Changi Airport, Universal Studios, Marina Bay Sands, and more. Unlike Thailand, transportation is very easy and traffic jams are rare. Popular tourist spots are close together, so they can also be easily reached on foot.
"Shopping tourism in Singapore is great because you can find every brand here," said Rosie Nguyen.
Most Singaporeans can speak English, so communication and finding directions are easy. However, Rosie felt that Singaporeans were less open and welcoming than people in other parts of Asia. When experiencing service at restaurants or hotels, the staff often didn't seem friendly or enthusiastic. She felt she didn't have any positive memories of the service in the Lion City.
In Singapore, travel costs are quite high. Rosie Nguyen and her boyfriend booked a room in a regular hotel for $200 per night for a small room. Furthermore, she couldn't find a room on Airbnb. Singapore has many beautiful places, but most of them are man-made. Therefore, the country wouldn't be suitable for tourists who prefer to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of hills, mountains, and waterfalls.
Indonesia
Rosie Nguyen spent nine months in Bali, Indonesia, during the pandemic. While there, the couple experienced a lockdown, but it wasn't too strict. People could still go to the supermarket occasionally, but tourist attractions were closed. Rosie Nguyen believes Indonesia has incredibly beautiful scenery and high-quality tourism services.
"Almost every villa I've rented comes with a housekeeper who cleans the house daily for me. They also help me take my clothes to the laundry," Rosie said.
Rosie Nguyen noted that Bali has many festivals. The most impressive for her is Nyepi – the Day of Silence. Nyepi is like a New Year's Day here. On this day of silence, all traffic on the streets is prohibited. No entertainment activities are allowed. The entire island population dedicates the day to prayer at home or at temples.
Bali is a world-renowned tourist destination attracting a large number of visitors. However, its transportation infrastructure is underdeveloped, and traffic jams are frequent. Furthermore, during peak tourist season, you may have to wait for hours in line to take photos. The food on this island nation is not very diverse, and the flavors are not particularly innovative.
"Sometimes I crave Vietnamese food, but there's only one chain of Vietnamese restaurants that serves authentic Vietnamese dishes," Rosie said.
Philippines
Rosie Nguyen believes the best time to visit the Philippines is in September or October, when many places play Christmas music and decorate in preparation for December.
"The Philippines has a cultural blend of both Eastern and Western influences. Because a large portion of the population is Catholic and Christian, they celebrate Christmas very early," said Rosie Nguyen.
The Philippines has many beautiful beaches and islands, and most of them are clean and beautiful. According to Rosie, the people are very friendly and communicate very well in English. If she has the chance to return to the Philippines, Rosie would choose to visit Cebu and Baguio. Baguio, in particular, resembles Mexico, a country Rosie has spent a lot of time exploring.
The Philippines has quite a few strict regulations. For example, when visiting Boracay, the beach management wouldn't allow Rosie to bring anything down there, not even a coconut. Wearing overly revealing swimwear can also result in a fine. Additionally, the internet in the Philippines is quite slow. Therefore, this country wouldn't be suitable for travelers with a digital nomad lifestyle.
