As we come to the end of our six-month Southeast Asia trip, we have A LOT to unpack from it all. If I had to sum it up in one word, it’d be gratitude.

We spent the month of July in Da Nang, Vietnam, which is situated on the central coast. It’s often overlooked by the larger cities like Ho Chi Minh to the South and Hanoi to the North, or by the UNESCO world heritage site at Hoi An.

Pai has been a highlight of our travels so far. It’s a small place about two hours north of Chiang Mai, but it felt a world away.

We stayed in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for the month of May, so this portion of the trip quickly became referred to as “Chiang May.”

In most cases, Angkor Wat is the reason that travelers come to Cambodia. It’s located right outside Siem Reap which has benefitted immensely from the tourism created by the Angkor Archaeological Park. The religious site was built by King Suryavarman II nearly 900 years ago and is one of the most impressive architectural feats in the world today.

We first came to Koh Lanta back in February for ten days. It was a super enjoyable time because we were happy to be somewhere for longer than normal, the weather was seemingly perfect, and the island had an overall chilled vibe that we liked. This time we were there for five weeks and I think I could’ve stayed longer.

As someone who is pretty new to this whole digital nomad thing, I can say that it is quite difficult to strike the right balance between earning an income, growing it, and experiencing the new places you're in. We definitely don't have it all figured out yet, but we are learning a lot along the way!

Upon arriving at Vang Vieng, our second stop in Laos, we could tell that this place is a much smaller backpacker town compared to Luang Prabang. The main thing to do here is to go tubing down the Nam Song river and bar hop along the way. This activity became popular decades ago when young and inebriated travelers would traverse down the river on floating tubes.

We’re in a new country! Laos often gets overshadowed by its popular neighbors, but it is definitely worth adding to any SE Asia itinerary.

Kamalaya is a world-renowned wellness retreat on the island of Koh, Samui in Thailand.

After hopping around for a bit, we were more than happy to book a ten-night stay on this island. I first discovered this island from an Instagram post from a guest on the Zero to Travel podcast. He posted his nice yet affordable long-term accommodation on a digital nomad-friendly island called Koh Lanta. 

So this is a bit of a two-part post about one island. Lucky for me I went twice, once with Anthony and once with Kellie.

This island is probably most well-known for the infamously wild beach parties that come around every month on the full moon.

We’re back! And we’re in Southeast Asia.

The official Oxford Languages definition of a digital nomad is: “a person who earns a living working online in various locations of their choosing (rather than a fixed business location).” It sounds simple because it is! We work entirely from our laptops in various locations of our choice. That’s not to say that being a digital nomad IS simple.

Another country, another address, and another phone number, but what’s new! No one could have predicted what 2020 would bring, but what matters most is how we react and the mindset we keep through tough times.

Tasmania is in fact still apart of Australia, it just almost feels like a different country. Tassie is known for gourmet food and wine, colonial history, exceptional scenery, and apparently is known for having the cleanest air in the world. Which after visiting, all of these traits were confirmed for me!

I feel lucky to be living only two hours from this buzzing holiday destination. To me Byron seems like the quintessential Aussie beach town, so we had to go and see what the hype was about!

Fun fact: Brisbane is estimated to experience over 280 sunny days a year. It is the third largest city in Australia and the capital of Queensland. It’s a city that is growing in population, hence in popularity amongst Australians and expats alike. All things considered, Po and I plan on calling the city home for the time being.

It has been a heartbreaking summer for Australia due to harsh droughts and bushfires. Nevertheless, the best way to help the country rebuild and heal is to travel here, and spend holiday dollars in the still beautiful country.