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Best place in South East Asia to get something shipped from USA?


by @tylertringas 9yr  | 10 comments

I want to buy a new backpack and get it shipped from the US. Iโ€™m currently in Ubud and generally in Southeast Asia for the next few months. Whatโ€™s the most reliable place to get a product shipped to?

I know Hubud will let you receive packages but Iโ€™m a little too nervous about customs grabbing it or it taking forever and arriving after Iโ€™m gone (here for 1 month). The shipping cost to me is free and Iโ€™m happy to pay a reasonable fee to customs or whatever to get it reliably delivered. Any specific tips for Bali? Anybody successfully done this?

Places like Singapore and Hong Kong are a bit later in the schedule, wondering if those are generally more reliable places for this kind of thing and worth it to just wait until then.

Any advice is very much appreciated.

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So as promised hereโ€™s the report. I ended up having the new backpack shipped to Hubud in Ubud, Bali. The company shipped it via UPS and it sailed across the world in 2 days until it landed in Jakarta. Hereโ€™s what happened nextโ€ฆ

First the bag simply disappeared from tracking. With UPS, packages should be scanned every day even if they are sitting in a warehouse. After 4 business days of nothing, I contacted the shipper (company I bought the bag from) they promptly filed โ€œa lost package exceptionโ€ arguing that with no scans for 4 days the package was effectively off the grid. Uh ohโ€ฆ

Meanwhile I made about 8 different calls to UPS HQ and UPS Jakarta. The contact info from HQ was incorrect and some of the numbers listed on their website for Jakarta office didnโ€™t even have the right number of digits :-/

I finally connected with someone who told me that the Exception had been filed and they need 8-10 business days to โ€œresolve the exceptionโ€ โ€ฆ I asked โ€œYou mean 8-10 days to find my package?โ€โ€ฆ โ€œYes.โ€

Mega-bummer. For some reason I just didnโ€™t trust that process so I called Jakarta again the next day. This amounts to sitting on Skype and hitting redial between 15 and 22 times before someone will pick up. I got ahold of someone who, now roughly 10 days since the package arrived in Jakarta, said, โ€œOh, we need a proof of payment from you because customs disputes the value listed by the shipper.โ€ They claimed they had trouble finding my contact info even though I gave them my email, US mobile, Indo mobile and the number of Hubud where they could leave a message to 4 different people already.

Whatever. I emailed them a PDF of the Paypal receipt, they submitted it to customs and we waited 4 days.

So customsโ€ฆ I knew I would have to pay customs but there is literally no way to pre-determine the amount you will have to pay, itโ€™s just determined on the spot by some negotiation between a local broker (hired by UPS) and customs. As far as I can tell there is no dispute mechanism.

Customs came back, a whopping 42% of the total price of the backpack. Ho-Ly Crap. But there was nothing I could do at this point, either I paid or I donโ€™t get the backpack. The package made it from Jakarta to Ubud in 24 hours. I had to wait at Hubud and pay the delivery guy small fortune in cash to receive the package.

On the whole I would recommend not having anything of value shipped to you in Indonesia but if itโ€™s necessary, hopefully this will give some idea of what to expect. About 2.5 weeks of delay, >40% custom duties and taxes and several hours on Skype.

So what was all the hassle about? The Outlier Ultrahigh travel bag. Iโ€™m glad I bought it when I did because itโ€™s sold out now and it is freaking amazing, but what an ordeal!

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Hi Tyler! I read your post and wonder if the same applies to Thailand. Iโ€™m flying out next Wednesday to Bangkok for 1 year and unfortunately the toiletries I have will not fit in my bag. I went to the Post Office and a large box would be a flat rate of $88.00.

Do you think Customs will charge me more if put the value is $100?

Norwegian Airlines is very strict and I already have 2 checked bags, 1 carry on and 1 personal item. I need my products, but I would hate for them to be stolen or be charged a crazy fee. Thanks in advance : )

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Hi
I had an Amazon global shipping in Koh Tao in Thailand last summer without a problem, value was around 250-300 US$. It wasnโ€™t fast but it worked.

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Singapore is great. Just keep everything coffee mugs and happiness so your alcohol doesnโ€™t get figured out.

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Thanks folks. This is super helpful. I decided to go ahead and roll the dice and get it shipped to Bali. Iโ€™ll report back here with how it goes.

Question for those who did have to pay customs. How does that actually work? Do you have to pay cash on delivery or do you get a bill delivered to you?

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@gillesm 9yr

You pay cash on delivery. If they find your house :smiley:

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Iโ€™m based in Singapore and I would suggest to wait till youโ€™re here. I get a lot of stuff shipped from overseas including the US and it always goes smoothly. Just note that any packages over SGD 400 will be charged with tax, so you might want to break up your packages if possible.

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@gillesm 9yr

Try to avoid Indonesia for importing stuff, if the value is more than 50$ you will have to pay custom and itโ€™s very difficult to know what you will pay (there is nothing that talk about that on internet ), the customs fees varies from 0% to 100% (yes yes, 100% of the price, Iโ€™ve seen that onceโ€ฆ )

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@rimu 9yr

Thailand is fine, Iโ€™ve had things shipped to me there and they arrived quickly.

I havenโ€™t had anything shipped to other countries but I expect Laos and Cambodia would be a different story to Thailand. Iโ€™d be very wary about Vietnam also.

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@don_lee 9yr

I bought something on Amazon for $200 and got it shipped to Vietnam after 1 week. Shipping and customs fees costed ~$100.

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Read and participate in 14,117 discussions on Nomad List

Suggested topics

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Best place in South East Asia to live for 6+ months per year


in Indonesia by @miklaskroager 4yr 4 years ago  | 1 comment

We're looking for a country in South East Asia that can function as our base, mainly for tax purposes. Meaning it will have to be a place where we can stay for the 183 days required without too much hassle.

We've been looking at Thailand, but have heard that it's very hard to do visa runs etc., so what other can you recommend? Indonesia looked like a good option, but the income rate is a flat 20% and very high for the region.

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What are the best blogs by individuals who have started businesses in Southeast Asia?


in Thailand by @haiducii 4yr 4 years ago  | 0 comments

Hey everyone,

Looking for blogs by individuals who document their progress/business in South East Asia - ideally Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos - but also Thailand/Myanmar too.

Thank you,

Haiducci

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Should we go to South East Asia or Latin America with kids?


by @nomad4 5yr 5 years ago  | 2 comments

Hi guys!

Weโ€™re leaving on Dec 1st for a 5-month DN experience with our kids, but we have second thoughts on our journey. We were supposed to do a trip in South-East Asia (Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia). Weโ€™re from Canada, and our clients are all in Canada right now (weโ€™re digital marketing consultants).

After comparing destinations, weโ€™re starting the think Latin America may be a better choice to make sure we keep most of our clients during these 5 months (same timezone). Also, it seems Latin America fits our needs too :

  • cheap (actually often cheaper than Chiang Mai according to Numbeo)
  • great weather (sunny while less hot than Asia)
  • business continuity : good wifi connection, limited time difference
  • learning opportunity : one single language = great opportunity to improve our Spanish
  • relaxed pace of life
  • kid-friendly
  • relatively safe (see countries below)

So here are our 2 options ; which one would you recommend for our criteria?

A: SEA : Thailand (Chiang Mai and a couple islands in the South), Indonesia (Bali and Lombok), Malaysia (Penang)
B: Latin America : Mexico (Playa Del Carmen/Tulum), Colombia (Medellin), Peru (Lima and other TBD towns), Chile (Santiago and other TBD towns), Argentina (Buenos Aires and other TBD towns).

Thanks!

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Which places in South East Asia are suitable for kids?


by @nomad4 5yr 5 years ago  | 3 comments

Hi everybody,

weโ€™re a family of 4 from Canada (Quebec province) leaving to Thailand on December 1st.
Our plan is to take things slowly and live in a peaceful environment while working a little and doing homeschooling to our 6-year-old son (plus escaping Canadian-cold winter :smile:)

This is roughly what our plan would look like:

  • arriving in Bangkok, staying there for about a week (air bnb probably)
  • moving to Chiang Mai then Krabi (most likely Ao Nang, Ao Tha Lane, Railay) or Koh Pha Ngan (North part) or Koh Chang (2-3 months)
  • then Indonesia (Bali/Gili islands) (1,5 months)
  • And Malaysia (Batu Ferengi, Penang) to finish (1 month)

Weโ€™re not city dwellers, and love being surrounded by nature.
Knowing that, what would be the best places for a family who want something quiet, walkable and with reliable Internet service?

Thanks! :slight_smile:
Magali and Guillaume

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Nomad volleyball hubs, know of one? (Asia)


by @brmolin 5yr 5 years ago  | 2 comments

Hey all! Planning to head to Southeast Asoa later this year and Iโ€™m looking for a place thatโ€™s got a good community of people who play beach volleyball. Iโ€™m in Medellin at the moment and joined up with a community of locals and expats who play a few times a week and Iโ€™ve gotta say Iโ€™ve quickly fallen in love with the game!

I want to find a place thatโ€™s got a good community I can play and practice with somewhere down there. Mix of locals and expats are both fine, though ideally thereโ€™s at least a few expats so I can communicate with at least one person in the same language! Iโ€™m open to indoor volleyball too, though I know thatโ€™s much less common (especially amongst nomads).

Appreciate any direction yaโ€™ll can give!

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Where in Asia should I go?


by @bovanalst 6yr 6 years ago  | 3 comments

Hi there,

Glad to be part of the digital nomad community.

Originally from the Netherlands, I lived in Madrid for two years and have been living in Melbourne since July 2017. Although I am used to living abroad and working from home, the digital nomad lifestyle is new to me.

I recently decided to explore Asia starting from July/August this year, and am wondering what your thoughts and experiences are. I am thinking of staying about a month in each place. Bali, Chiang Mai and Vietnam are on my mind.

I enjoy a balance between fun and tranquility/nature. I very much enjoy socializing with people, but I prefer good talks in a chilled environment over going out in nightclubs. Any ideas which cities/environment might be suitable?

Thanks in advance for your advice :slight_smile:

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Do you have time zone issues working remotely in Asia?


by @anniestrout 6yr 6 years ago  | 1 comment

Regarding remote work in Asia/Far East, How have or could you successfully navigate the time zone and internet issue. It sounds like you really have to use a cowork space there to have adequate connection but I would be working mainly in US time zones with 12 hour difference, are there spaces open 24 hours? Is it possible to get good internet with a long term rental instead? I would need a really good connection, which itโ€™s hard to tell if exists in some places at all. Thanks!

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Looking for something to prop up my Asus MB169B+


by @jbweimar 7yr 7 years ago  | 2 comments

I recently purchased a second monitor to connect to my MacBook Pro 15". I use the Nextstand laptop stand to get my MacBook to eye level. Iโ€™m wondering what second monitor (without base) users are using to get their second monitor at the same level. I know of this company Elevate Stand (.com), but it seems a bit heavy and bulky (although I guess it must be somewhat, if it is to hold a monitor).

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Do I need vaccinations for traveling in Asia?


by @fredrivett 7yr 7 years ago  | 6 comments

Iโ€™ve been looking to travel for a few years now, and Iโ€™m finally at the point where Iโ€™m pretty much ready to get going, hopefully next month.

That said, Iโ€™ve not planned ahead well, and it only just occurred to me about vaccinations. Iโ€™ve done a bit of research and there are vaccinations available, but Iโ€™m unsure how necessary they are.

I plan to chat to my local nurse/doctor before going, but Iโ€™m also interested to hear whether most people do vaccinate at all before heading out or not?

In terms of specifics, Iโ€™m planning to fly to Japan and then move south, likely hitting up Thailand, Bali, Vietnam etc.

Not expecting any official health advice here, more just personal experience. Any thoughts appreciated :+1:

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Bring external monitor to SE asia and avoid coworking cost?


by @anderkd 7yr 7 years ago  | 13 comments

Would it be advisable or wacky to lug an external monitor from the US in hopes of avoiding coworking costs by working from Airbnb with decent wifi? Iโ€™m not sold on coworking spaces, and like the solitude of coding away in my own little airbnb space. One screen is limiting to productivity, hence the love of an external monitor. Thoughts?

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Best places for local, organic food and strong internet outside of South East Asia?


by @jmacattak 7yr 7 years ago  | 8 comments

Where can I find locally sourced, organic (or at least non-GMO) and also be able to work with strong internet?
I did a search but didnโ€™t find much info. We love Bali and the food here is amazing, we are just looking to try somewhere else out (preferably somewhere in Europe) after a long time in Asia. We also loved the Northern Rivers area in Australia and want to find similar food offerings and compare our options!

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Is a 4G sim device in addition to phone advisable in SE Asia?


by @anderkd 7yr 7 years ago  | 4 comments

Iโ€™m planning a visit to Chiang Mai and Bali starting in April. I have a Google Nexus which has worked flawlessly in Mexico at least. Assuming it will work just as well in CM and Bali? If I decide not to work in a coworking space, but rather Airbnb w/wifi and/or Coffee shops wifi, would a dedicated 4g sim card device be worth spening $75 USD to purchase, plus local sim, plus potential SIM hassle, or just rely on Nexus hotspot + airbnb and coffee shop Wifi?

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Where to easily open a personal/business account in SE Asia?


by @jakub 7yr 7 years ago  | 0 comments

Hey guysโ€ฆ Iโ€™m from a EU country but in the past 6 years I spent there just 3 weeks.

I have a bank account in Australia, since I spent there over 4 years. Now Iโ€™m mostly in Thailand or travelling around.

Because of my experiences

a) PayPal froze my account for several weeks until I was able to give them documents that are very difficult to get if Iโ€™m no longer in Australia

b) when applying for a tourist visa to Australia just to pick up rest of my stuff - itโ€™s supposed to be done within 48 hoursโ€ฆ well it took them 3 weeks just to ask me for additional details (that I already gave them with the application anyway) - I lost my tickets and bookings - of course no way to email them, call or whatever

This made me think about the fact that I have all my money in Australia. While Iโ€™m doing nothing illegal I canโ€™t risk that some โ€œofficerโ€ with a bad day decide to freeze my account to investigate whatever and Iโ€™ll be left with nothing for who knows how long. Not to mention they usually canโ€™t grasp the concept of perpetual travelling.

So my question - anyone has RECENT experience with opening a bank account in SE Asia? Either personal or business (thinking about UK LLP or US LLC)

It seems that

a) countries such Singapore has assumption that everyone and his dog is laundering moneyโ€ฆ $500 at a timeโ€ฆ

b) Thailand with lazy and incompetent staff where you ask to open non-resident bank account just to be told โ€œdonโ€™t haveโ€ โ€ฆ you point on the 3x3 metres huge board behind them listing interest for non-resident bank account - answer โ€œaaah, yes yes canโ€™t open, new rulesโ€ (even while having a Thai with me)

Thanks!

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Worth waiting until getting to Asia to buy gadgets?


by @skewed_corp 7yr 7 years ago  | 7 comments

Iโ€™m ticking off my lists before I venture off again and am starting to purchase stuff like 4G Routers, Wireless speakers, Mice, etc.

The only thing isโ€ฆ all of the stuff is shipped from Asia in the first place. Are all these gadgets readily available in a place like Bangkok and is it worth waiting to save on costs?

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Why is South East Asia preferred by nomads over Latin America?

 

by @oskar 8yr 8 years ago  | 34 comments

Hi guys

Why do you think south east asia attracts far more 1st world digital nomads and tourists than latin america does? i have some theories but i would like to know your opinions because most of the people in this forum are from 1st world countries :smile:
Is it because is cheaper? safer? closer? more โ€œcoolโ€ ?

thanks

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2 Weeks in Asia - Where to go?


by @jacob_tr 8yr 8 years ago  | 9 comments

Hello,

Iโ€™m going to Asia in November, from the 15-30th. My first stop is the Phillipines, I have an office there and am meeting with my team for the first time (never been or seen them, weโ€™ve worked together on the internet), I donโ€™t want to spend too much in Manila, maybe 2-5 days - so I was thinking of heading to Palawan for 5 days, but then venturing out of the Phillipines and going to Laos or Cambodia or Thailand (still undecided). And then ending the trip with a few days of refreshment in Bali or may skip Bali if it makes the trip to crammed.

Iโ€™ve been to Thailand (10 years ago when I was 8, so you can probably write it off as a never been) Iโ€™ve also been to Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, KL, Bali, Japan. - so want to avoid those areas (excluding Thailand) - but I think 2 weeks is really limited.

Things I love are beautiful waterfalls, turquoise beaches/reefs, exploring incredible places โ€“ I donโ€™t want to be bored lazing by the beach all day for days. I was in Kuala Lumpur for 5 days a couple of weeks ago and found myself bored by the 3rd day, so I think I like to move often.

What do you think I should do to get the best out of this? Iโ€™m going with my best friend and meeting one of my employees/friend from Venezuela whose coming from a 40 hour journey so I want to make this trip the best for all of us.

This is my first proper trip to Asia / taste of digital nomadism, so I want to make it great :slight_smile:

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Is Flying Business Class to Asia Worth it?


by @iamjamesrodgers 8yr 8 years ago  | 10 comments

Flying soon from Toronto YYZ to ICN Seoul so, most likely Asiana but maybe Korean Air.

Read a few of the websites/blog post reviews for both Airlines -Seems nice. First/Suite Class seems a little bit lacking in value proposition for me. But feel like Iโ€™m kind of at a point in life where I want to fly upgraded just to have an experience with it.

But from your experience as a nomad is it really worth doing?
โ€ฆ Maybe Iโ€™ve been home for too long haha.

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How to insure my belongings when traveling in SE Asia & South America?


by @adrienbetweets 8yr 8 years ago  | 9 comments

I want an insurance that covers my belongings only.
I already have a international travel health insurance, hence I do not need some link or recommendation to do-it-all packages (i.e. insurance for health + rescue + belongings).

I came across this threads:

But they did not help me because:

  • I do not live in the UK, nor am I a UK citizen
  • My credit card does NOT cover my belongings, nor does any of the insurances I already have

Ideally, Iโ€™d like to find an insurance that can insure my belongings regardless of my nationality & residence. Any link to information of quality is welcome.

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What do you do to avoid plastic bottled water in Asia?


by @nomadaccountant 8yr 8 years ago  | 18 comments

If I stay somewhere for a while I usually get hard bottled bulk water containers, but often I have to rely on cheap plastic water bottles, which isnโ€™t good from both a health and environmental perspective. Have used a drink bottle with a filter but canโ€™t say I trusted it, and it was a little annoying. Any better options in use?

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Do digital nomads of South East Asia work at night?


by @matthieudrula 8yr 8 years ago  | 3 comments

Hi,
Currently in LATAM, Iโ€™m in the same timezone as the USA, very good for the teamwork.
In SEA, particularly for the developers, do you sleep during the day and work during the night with your clients? Or donโ€™t they care at all?
In my mind the best countries would be UK, USA. Do you work with Australian mainly time zone wise?

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