The nuts and bolts of the DTV | Issue #0005

US passports | coffee | Bali | The best times to be in the best places...

Good afternoon! So, we won’t always have one subject feature quite as regularly as this, but the DTV is still a hot topic here - and around the whole digital nomad world.

This week, now that it’s been around for a few weeks and there is a better idea of the how’s, when’s, and where’s, we’ve found a simple guide that clears a few things up.

Also this week:

 🇺🇸 Spend a month
☕️ Refuelling, the way an expert would
  🇮🇩. Be prepared if you are heading to Bali
 🌏 The ultimate digital nomad itinerary?

Go well this week!

NEWS
Getting hold of the best digital nomad visa out there

Global Residence Index, Unsplash

The Destination Thailand Visa is no longer just the talk of the town in Thailand. It is the talk of the whole digital nomad community.

In every digital nomad group, there are daily conversations about how it works, how to get it, where to get it, and most commonly, what are the requirements.

As this is happening on social media, there are a LOT of opinions, and a fair supply of conjecture and misinformation. The best way to get information about visas is always the source, but it isn’t always easy to pick through the technical terminology or how the information is presented.

A long-time gatherer and sharer of local information for Chiang Mai, Lily Bruns, put together a comprehensive guide to the DTV for those needing a little step-by-step guidance in their application.

We’ll leave her to deliver the details, but be aware that it is new, and visas as popular as this need a little time bedding in. There are varying reports of cost, requirements, and timing from different consulates, so do a little research into your local one, and others, to set realistic expectation!

Good luck!

WHAT ELSE…

🕰️ How many of you work 9-5?: Well, according to the head of by far the most popular connector of workers to jobs, soon no one will be. When we say soon, it’s still 10 years away, but Reid Hoffman - head of LinkedIn - is adamant that we need to prepare for working structure not be as we know it in 2034.

📝 More red tape for entry into Bali: As of this month a health screening step is now required to enter Bali. In response to Mpox’s status being classified by the WHO, you’ll now need to download an app and sign a declaration in advance.

🗣️ Watch your language!: Where you come from will dictate your tolerance, but where in the world you are from has quite a big say in your use of profanities. You might think you swear moderately, but what is moderate compared to other countries?

🇺🇸 US passports are easier to get: Well, if you already have one at least. The US Dept. of State has rolled out online application, which might mean you don’t have to factor in quite as much time in the country if you are only heading home for a new one.

TRAVEL
Does the perfect digital nomad circuit exist?

Some of you are travellers and move every couple of weeks or so. Some every couple of months. A few of you are slo-madding it and perhaps staying for months or years in one place.

Is there an optimal way of staying on the road, dodging all of the adverse weather, high season prices, or floods of tourists in your favorite places?

Well, we did our research and from the conversations and data we found - and assuming 2-month stays in each country/area - and here is what we came up with:

Jan/Feb - 🌮 Mexico Warm, but not too hot. Less crowded in the hotspots of Playa and Merida, making the beaches, cities, and exploring the Mayan ruins far more pleasant.

March/April - 🇨🇴 Colombia A shortish flight south to one of THE digital nomad hubs, Medellin. Avoiding hurricane season and the tourist peak times, and immersing yourself into the digital nomad community at a time many are avoiding the heat of Asia and variable European weather.

May/June - 💃🏼 The Iberian Peninsula Whether you love Lisbon, Porto, Barcelona, or the Algarve - or haven’t hit one of them yet - it’s a temperate time to visit. Or, if the beaches and islands of the med or Atlantic are more your vibe, now is the time to avoid peak tourist prices.

July/August - 🏝️ Southeast Asia 1 If Bali is your thing now is a great time to visit. Out of rainy season and full of networking possibilities. If you can take the heat, Vietnam is fast growing in popularity, whether it’s the beaches of Da Nang or major cities of the north and south. Thailand is in wet season, but it isn’t wet enough to put most nomads off.

September/October - ⛰️ Eastern Europe Step back west for a while as late summer temperatures make exploring the cities, beaches and mountains of Bulgaria, Hungary, and Croatia more manageable than summer. A real change of cultural scene!

November/December - 🛕 SE Asia 2 A list without Chiang Mai? No chance. In fact any part of Thailand, and even Malaysia hits dry season. The south of Thailand will see bigger price increases than in the north, but it really is the best time to be here.

With digital nomadism on the rise this list might look very different in a couple of years. Morrocco, Cape Town, and the likes of Japan and South Korea all had strong cases to be included here.

Where would your hotspots be if you were - or are - on a 12-month rotation? Drop us yours at [email protected].

EVENTS
A month of events for forward thinkers

Edge City

Edge City Lanna is on next month, with events within walking distance of the River Ping, Chiang Mai, in various venues.

Edge City connects people working at the forefront of tech, science, health & wellness, and society as a whole, by hosting popup villages in different parts of the world. This next one is in Chiang Mai, and there are still tickets available to attend.

It’s an opportunity to meet people across a range of genres to discuss and experiment with new ideas, tech, culture, and organizations, with an overall aim of improving the human experience. Whether you want to sit in think tanks, talks, or just co-work with people with some alternative or similar ideas, there’ll be something for you if you’re in Chiang Mai over the month.

More details on the schedule and to get tickets to attend, visit the Edge City Lanna site.

SPREAD THE WORD

Do you have friends who are digital nomads roaming the world? If you think they could use a quick weekly fix of what’s happening in their world, then share this link so they can get The Digital Nomad each week too.

Or, share it on your socials with the links at the top of this newsletter.

CHIANG MAI LEGENDS: 7 QUESTIONS
Fuelling the digital nomads of Nimman

What is the number one fuel nearly EVERY digital nomad relies on to get work done?

No, it’s not Red Bull (though it could be if they sponsored us 😉).

There’s only one answer: coffee.

Chiang Mai is famous for its sprawling coffee culture, with few places offering more cafés and coffee spots per capita - especially here in Nimman. Many of them come and go like the wind, but Toffee Roasters on Soi 5 is well-established.

From digital nomads to cycling groups to the Chiang Mai elite, the owner - Tem - never has an empty shop. And for good reason — he knows his stuff, and he gave us a few insights into coffee and its culture in Chiang Mai.

Where did it all begin for you?
I studied in Sydney and started working in a café there. Coffee is taken very seriously in Australia! When I came back to Chiang Mai I started roasting and making coffee on my terrace, 10km outside of the city. People would come from the city to have my coffee, so I opened the store here in the city.

Where do you get the beans and do you roast them?
I still roast all of our beans at my home in Hang Dong, but the beans are from coffee plantations in Chiang Mai. In fact, they are grown by a friend I made in Sydney.

How has coffee culture changed over the years in Chiang Mai?
There was a time when cafés would open just to look good, serve complicated drinks, and fit into the Instagram culture, but many of them did not last. Now, coffee is taken more seriously, and the cafés that are most popular are the ones who follow that. We also see more light-roasted beans as education on how to look after them is better.

How can people get more from their coffee drinks?
I think that wherever they are, the simple answer is to go with your preference. If you like lots of milk, then have that. It should be enjoyed! We all experience taste differently, but the real answer to the question is to take it black. Then you will taste the real coffee flavors.

What do you drink?
Black coffee every time. Usually an espresso, or americano.

Apart from Thailand obviously, where are the best coffee beans from right now?
Ethiopia. The beans are usually really floral and fruity, but you can also get a caramel, sweet character from them. Chocolatey sometimes too.

What is the #1 thing most people misunderstand about coffee?
Caffeine levels. Most people think espresso is the strongest because it tastes strong. Actually, filter coffee has a lot more and cold brew even more than that. It is to do with the contact time the water has with the coffee. The longer it is in contact with it, the more it extracts.

So, there we go folks. Order in your cold brew or switch to filter coffee if you need to increase your productivity!

Go visit Tem at Toffee Roasters when you are in town. The house coffee is - as the name suggests - a little sweet, caramelly number, but they always have a range of beans to choose from, or take home with you.

COWORKING IN CHIANG MAI

If you are in the city, or heading over soon, then check out the current packages at Yellow - from day passes to monthly or annual memberships - here.

Or, just get in touch with Mickey or the team at Yellow Coworking at [email protected].

BRAIN FOOD
What we’ve been recommended this week

Book: Hip Hop & Hope; Romi Grossberg. A regular face around Chiang Mai, Romi has - like most of you - not followed the conventional route. Here’s a journey through Cambodia, a country still mysterious to many.

TV: The West Wing. This week marked 25 years since this first landed, and thanks to its incredible production values it even got those not in the slightest bit interested in US politics engrossed. If you’re not up to speed with how the political system works ahead of November, this is an entertaining way to get up to speed with the mechanics of it.

Podcast: Digital Nomads Daily. This podcast seems like its on a summer pause, but their last episode simplified nicely how to get started building a personal brand. Whether it’s just a LinkedIn profile, or going into social media, this is becoming a must for digital nomads.

Drop us an email at [email protected] if you have any recommendations we should share!

CONNECT TO CHIANG MAI
Fill your social calendar in Chiang Mai

Steve’s Email: A weekly resource and email for events around the city. Steve’s away for a couple of weeks, but bookmark it for next week!

Digital Nomad WhatsApp: A long-standing group that spawned a range of sub-groups for almost any niche and interest in the city.

ChiangMai Fit WhatsApp: If you want to do something active (trust us, being fit isn’t a prerequisite!) then wholesome activities throughout the week in here.

Yellow Coworking Telegram: For more about what is happening at Yellow, and to be part of their conversation, join here.

THE DIGITAL RESOURCE

We’ve shared some useful resources over the first few weeks, and while you can access back issues here, several have asked us to share them again. So, to save lots of email back-and-forths, or searching through previous newsletters, here are the most asked for resources:

  • Plumia are an arm of Safety Wing, who also offer digital nomad insurance and running community events in various locations around the world. A couple of our members even won a meal out at a top restaurant in Chiang Mai at one event!

  • Genki also do digital nomad insurance.

  • Healthy Junk is the go-to for healthy food near Yellow.

QUIZ
A quick riddle…

I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. What am I?

Answer below.

COMMUNITY
Get seen by digital nomads everywhere

We would love to hear from you if you have some valuable knowledge, products or services, information, or just a fun or crazy digital nomad story.

This is an opportunity to get some extra eyes on your thing, or if you just like to write or provide information to other nomads.

Drop us an email at [email protected] if you:

  • have a travel blog, channel or platform that we can spotlight

  • took a photo worthy of our photo of the week

  • have a product or service that could help other digital nomads

  • know a great event or place in Chiang Mai we might have missed

  • …just have a great digital nomad story!

NEXT WEEK

⚖️ Are Google to blame for work-life imbalance?
 🤖 We finally talk AI
🧘‍♂️ Getting away from it all, for those already getting away from it all

…and news and events we spot for digital nomads everywhere.

See you then.

ANSWER
…and the riddle answer is

The letter ‘e’.

WHAT DID YOU MISS?

If you are new to The Digital Nomad, or just want to go back and read a previous issue, then you can find them all here.