@bjornlindholm

Very expensive to live in. Boring, I don't mind the weather so much but I agree with previous reviews about people here having poor social skills and making friends with the locals is VERY hard. This has been confirmed by my other expat friends from US and Europe who lived here for a bit. People overall are very serious and in a group setting things like real estate and social justice/ equality are normally main topics of the conversation. Very little culture in terms of art, museums, history et

I've been here two years, and I can tell you costs aren't as high as reported here - unless you're traveling during the summer months. Any other time of the year, you can find a decent apartment for a decent price (~€800/mo) and take advantage of low cost of living. Has plenty of hikes around, ideal if you have a vehicle. Bicycle culture is pretty established, but not a lot of bike lanes sadly. Sun & Co is focal point of nomad community, but there are plenty of slowmads or ex-nomads who have s

I stayed in Poblenou, which is a really chill upcoming area outside of the tourism of Barcelona. Really enjoyed it. Very tranquil. People were relatively friendly compared to most in Europe and there was lots of nice food and coffee places. Also pretty okay gyms. Really enjoyed Barcelona this time! Just make sure you stay outside the tourist areas.

Can’t recommend Ubud. It’s just the same overdeveloped and overpriced mentally isolated tourist trap that is Canggu, just a bit worse. If you have never been anywhere else, it might be okay for 2 weeks, but to any seasoned traveller it’s a the type of place you dread.

It is something important to mention that if you rent a villa longer term, say 1-2 years, the maintenance will be at your expense. By that I mean if you have mold, it's on you to fix it, if your kitchen cabinets fall apart, it's on you, if termites damage the structure of your house, it's on you, if it floods and submerges your living room, it's on you. You either fix it and pay yourself or you move and do not get your rent back. The landlords will never ever pay for any renovations, any repair

Chiang Mai has had a deep Buddhist influence running over the last 1,000 years and this can be felt in the helpfulness, patience and generosity of the Thai and long-term transplants you come across. The city has an active community scene (nomads, spiritual seekers, hikers, creatives), several mountains with hiking spots and waterfalls surrounding the city, over 20 water bodies inside the city -- many have cafes and walks around, several public parks, and over 13 national parks with campgrounds w

I've been in Phuket for about a month now. Most of that time I've spent in Ka Ron and Kata beach area, but also have been to Chalong, Pa Tong, Rawai, and Kathu. Karon and Kata beaches are my favorite. Beaches are beautiful, especially Karon. Overall most everything is reasonably priced, but not the bargain I was told it is. I eventually found a hotel I like, where I pay 12-13 euro per night (below 500 baht atm) and that is by far the lowest I found for the quality I expect. Considering the loc