Hello Fellow Travelling Teachers and Digital Nomads:
It occurred to me that some teachers on the road or ones that desire to go on the road may find stress in finding the perfect place to teach in a city they want to see. I have blogs on living like a local throughout a lot of Asia which includes places I taught. If you want specifics on the cities we taught in you can refer to the other blogs. While talking to other online teachers it dawned on me that making a list city by city of Airbnb’s would be helpful. Airbnb’s are the best option for long term traveling and teaching so I compiled this list for you. Each place I have lived in,worked and did daily speed tests. Some Airbnb’s we stayed in did not make the cut for the blog due to internet issues.
Panwa, Phuket, Thailand
Panwa is a quiet local area in Phuket. About a 20-minute drive from Phuket Town. The nearest beach is about 30 minutes or more on foot. It is a beach full of locals, which is nice. There is a closer beach however it is for the resorts only. This is a pretty remote area unless you have a car. There are a few bars and local food stalls that line the area of a non-swimming beach. More on that in the Phuket blog.
Now we will talk about the apartment. The place is massive. It has an enormous bedroom with a sliding glass door to an extensive living room. Which then leads into a kitchen and bathroom. It has a large outdoor seating area, which is very spacious. If you are looking for a quiet place in Phuket with a locals vibe I would suggest you teach here.
The Logistics:
Perfect for two online teachers because of the space. The router is not located in the apartment but the internet worked perfectly for us. The cost is a bit high at 50$ USD per night and only saving around 200$ USD for month stays. You will save some money with the local food stalls but you then will need to factor more costs for getting around. https://abnb.me/oHjUcZMPm4
Samkong North of Phuket Town, Thailand
The next place I will talk about is also in Phuket. It is in another local neighborhood. It sits about a 3km walk to Phuket Old Town and a 5km walk to Central Festival Phuket. There are busses, but we did not use them. We did not mind the walk at all. The place was very nice it had a summer beach house look to it. It looks like a little beach house sitting right on Laguna Beach in California. However, it is just a short walk to Old Town and there is no beach in sight.
When you walk in there is a living room with smart Tv, a nice couch and a large fridge. The bedroom a good size as well.
The Logistics:
The router was not located in the apartment,but the internet was stable and good. This was only a short stay and it worked just fine for two teachers.When I looked now it said the 28-day cost is 713$ USD with a monthly savings of 84.00$ USD. The drawback would be there is no kitchen and the walk to the centre. https://abnb.me/OcnP65EQm4
Chiang Rai, Thailand
We fell in love with Chiang Rai. It is a fantastic place with its own Lana culture. Most people only go to the white and blue temple but there is so much more. If you want a local feeling I would suggest you read my full blog about teaching in Northern Thailand. It was one of my favorite places in Thailand.
The guesthouse is a traditional Lana wood house, located 2KM from the city center. We walked or used the bikes provided by the host with ease. The family that lives there is extraordinarily kind. The mother provides a tasty local breakfast every morning. Your room is private with a bathroom and fridge.
The Logistics:
We requested that we have a room near the router. The router was outside our room and we did not connect using our ethernet cables. As always with two teachers it was a bit of a struggle. One of us in the bathroom and one teaching in the bedroom area. That being said, for a solo teacher it would work perfectly. The speeds and lighting were nice and the property was pretty quiet. We did a short stay but the monthly stay is 405$USD with a monthly savings of 240$USD. https://abnb.me/M5MZqQZSm4
BUKIT OUG, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This was a shared house, however, most of the time there was only one other guest. It’s about a 5 min walk to the train station which can get you to the city in 45 mins. The room we had was basic but fit us just fine. Huge living room, fans,AC, well-equipped kitchen, washer, and patio.
The compound itself has everything you need food options,markets and a pool. For the pool however, women must have a one piece swim suit.
The Logistics:
It was a shared house,so we opted for a co-working. Since we both need to teach at once one of us would need to be in living room and we did not want to bother other guests. For a single person teaching here would be no issue at all. The router is located in the apartment with ethernet ports and it was very quick. The best part is a monthly stay will only set you back 300$USD monthly stay savings of 100$USD.https://abnb.me/AgDj7buRm4
Donggongon, Sabah, Malaysia
We greatly enjoyed Sabah. Being there for the KDCA rice wine festival was an unexpected treat. I would highly recommend going during this time of the year. This house was a short grab ride to the festival. It is a local neighborhood but has everything you need close by. Bars, restaurants and grocery stores are near. We had a co-working because it is a shared house. We spent most of our days off in our home neighborhood and the area of the co-working. Grab was very affordable everywhere.
The house a fantastic family home. With a large kitchen and everything you need. Washer, living room with smart TV, and AC. There are 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. For a large portion of the time, we were the only ones present in the house. The family stayed there ever so often when we were the only ones in the house. They were a welcoming and enjoyable family to be around. Sometimes there were other long term travelers staying there.
The Logistics:
For two people, we opted for a co-working as to not bother other guests. Sometimes the daughter stayed there and she does a lot of work in the arts and performances so we did not want to disturb their work. A few times we did teach at home me in the room and Ray downstairs or in the open room next to us. Internet was great on the listing it says download 105 and upload 3.72 however I think the upload was much faster. Even with people doing heavy online work it worked with ease.
The router was also located in the apartment. A month’s stay will only set you back 240$ USD with an 83$USD savings for staying 28 or more days. https://abnb.me/4Lc1IyFUm4
Berlin, Germany
Ok, So we did not teach while we were on a short stay in Berlin. So why add it? This place was unique,the host was nice and most of all the internet was fantastic. It is located in Potsdamer Platz, which is walking distance to a variety of things you wish to see. It is a shared apartment, but I rarely ever noticed the host at home. It has an industrial style decor, comfortable bed, huge kitchen and living room.
The Logistics:
I would see no problem teaching here on your holiday. The host works normal work hours so would most likely not be there when you are teaching. Also, you could teach in your room just fine. The internet was excellent and the router was in the apartment. I believe she only does week bookings and it will cost you around 76$USD a night. Still very exceedingly affordable for Berlin and the location. Along with the option to cook meals. https://abnb.me/lnrgGlWVm4
Gdansk, Poland
We absolutely loved Gdansk. The area we stayed in was fantastic. An affordable gym, a mall with an extensive supermarket and food options nearby. Your local bar is Polufka Pub, you can try a wide array of vodka and craft beers. The staff is awesome and there is a substantial amount of board games to play as well. The apartment is near a tram stop. Don’t forget that you can not buy passes on most transit you have to buy them at a machine beforehand but not all stops have machines. They will give you a fine if you do not have a ticket. The shared apartment I believe has 5 bedrooms. Along with one men’s restroom and one women’s restroom. Bathrooms are small but the women’s has a small washer.The space is quite tight throughout the entire house. However, the kitchen has everything you need with cubbies labeled by room numbers.
Gdansk has an abundance of history and the city center is breathtaking.With a great deal of places to try local food, and there is never a shortage of vodka shots bars. Gdansk is close to the sea,making it a terrific summer location.
The Logistics:
The space is great for a solo online teacher. My husband taught in the hallway of the complex. The space was too small inside for both of us to teach. The bedroom is small too. We spent as much time away as we could. The house was a bit claustrophobic and everyone stayed in their rooms. The apartment does have a router,we both connected and taught with ease. At the same time as another guest was live computer games. The cost will set you back 605$USD for the month with a saving of 130$USD for 28 or more days. https://abnb.me/dAD0ekeXm4
Krakow, Poland
Krakow is a place full of history. We enjoyed participating in the Pierogi Festival. I suggest you plan your visit during this time as you can try pierogies from a plethora of different shops. Although they are a bit pricey, the festival is still very nice. The Zapiekana stalls in the Jewish Quarter are a must-try. The bars in this area are also more affordable than in other parts of Krakow. Late-night you must try Blue Nysa, a cart making delectable kielbasa. If your into theme parks you have to take a short train ride to Energylandia we loved it so much we went twice. The have intense coasters and a fun water park.
The apartment we stayed in was around a nice 30-minute walk to the center. The apartment is set in a local neighborhood close to a wonderful park. It was a one bedroom with a fully stocked kitchen including oven, washer, small balcony, and TV.
The Logistics:
The apartment was rather nice for online teachers. The router is located in the apartment with ethernet ports. The full kitchen makes it great for long term stays. Being so close to the city center and a gorgeous park was a huge plus.
The cost is about 965$USD with no saving for staying 28 days or longer. https://abnb.me/Wg3wK5m0m4
Wroclaw,Poland
For our third month in Poland, we decided on Wroclaw(VROTS-waff ). Aside from Krakow we decided on areas that were less touristy. A friend of ours told us about Gdansk and Wroclaw and we were happy with our choice. The history combined with the original buildings were fantastic. We enjoyed visiting the old churches and gnome searching in the city center. You must check out the stip of bars under the train tracks. It offers many unique bars. We liked Pub Cinema Paradiso. Another fun bar throughout all of Poland is Pijalnia Wodki I Piwa. Which is famous for a multitude of different types of vodka shots.
The apartment was gorgeous, and everything was modern. It’s a one-bedroom across from a pleasant park area. Nearby is a supermarket. As a reminder, all supermarkets close on Sunday’s. Further down you will find a few restaurants but they are a bit pricey. The apartment has a very nice kitchen with an oven, good size bathroom,a washer and a balcony.
The Logistics:
While it was a bit far out and we needed to take the bus to the center, we rather liked this apartment. The internet was stable and the router was located in the apartment with ethernet ports. It was extremely fast for two teachers. The accommodation was well equipped for long term budget stays. I taught in the bathroom and my husband in the room. I think I could have taught in the living room as the doors were very soundproof. The cost for long term stay, which is 28 days or more was 820$USD saving 240$USD for long stays. https://abnb.me/YRtzF032m4
Praha 8, Prauge, Czech Republic
We spent a short time in Prague. Gee- Wizz does it live up to the hype it was an extraordinary place. We stayed in Praha 8, which was close to the metro. The metro got us to the city within 10 minutes. The apartment was on the 8th floor. It is a one-bedroom apartment with a vast living room, kitchen, washer, television, separate toilet, and shower room.
The Logistics:
The place was big enough for two online teachers. My husband taught in the kitchen and I taught in the bedroom. We had no issues hearing each other teach. The apartment had stable internet with a router located in the apartment. The kitchen offered the ability to cook for long term stays. We only stayed a week but a 23-day stay seems to be her max. That will cost 880$USD which includes 90$USD discount for weekly stay. https://abnb.me/CdVOBn13m4
Sofia, Bulgaria
We fell in love with Sofia. The apartment is well located near Vitosha Blvd. The apartment was a loft-style apartment, it was pretty basic. You had to hike up massive floors to get to the apartment. It had a beautiful view but no real place for cooking. Near by you will find many restaurants, shopping, and bars. Our favorite craft beer bar was Nosferatu – Craft Beer Shop. You can try an abundance of beers from all over. Sophia is extremely affordable, you can choose to eat local or Western and not break the bank. We enjoyed a speakeasy bar called 5L Speakeasy. One of our favorite local food shops was Mekitsa and Coffee where you can try a wide array of Mekista’s.
During this time was the Sofia Whiskey Festival I highly recommend going during this time as you can try many whiskeys and other types of spirts.
The Logistics:
For the location and affordability of the city, this made the list. For two teachers it did not work so well as my husband and to teach in the hallway. Luckily we were on the top floor with no neighbors. However, the walls were thin and you could hear everything even me being in the bathroom I could hear him.
For a solo teacher, this apartment would work well. The internet was very stable with the router in the apartment with ethernet ports. There is no kitchen for long term stays so being on a budget this can be rough. However, the local food in the city is delightfully affordable.
The cost was 480$USD for a 28-day stay, saving 103$USD for the long term. https://abnb.me/B2PR2lw5m4
Sector 1,Bucharest, Romania
Oh, Bucharest you were jam-packed. Every time we left the house the streets were filled with cars polluting the city. Taking transit you had to wait forever because the underground was packed full of people. While it probably was not my favorite city, Romanian’s are some of the most friendliness people we have met. I will be venturing to the Transylvania region later this year.
We were there for a couple of interesting things one was the beautiful Christmas market. I would highly recommend it as you can try more mulled wine than you ever could stand and local foods. A bit on the pricer side but it is really beautiful. We were also there for St. Stephens where people stay up all night and essentially party with friends. The next day was National Day and we saw a huge parade it was a great experience.
The apartment was in Sector 1 next to a plastic plant. Which seriously polluted my lungs like crazy. There was so much traffic it would take us about an hour to get to the city center. There was a cute lakefront area about a 15 min walk with many bars. Along with the supermarket 15 min walk the other way.
The apartment itself in an older building and construction was going on during the time. So it wasn’t great for teaching. It was a one bedroom with a kitchen,washer and TV. Nothing really special. The neighbors that were doing the unplanned construction often brought us homemade wine,tucia and shared foods with us. That is the part about Romania I love they are always ready to embrace you.
The Logistics:
Another place better for a solo traveler teacher. The bathroom door certainly wasn’t a bathroom door more like a shade. There was no silencing in any part of the house and the walls were very thin. When drilling was going on we had to cancel our shifts. The drilling was never planned with no start time or end . That being said the internet was notably fast, and the router was in the apartment. It made the list simply because the internet is fast and it will work if you are in Bucharest. It was cost-efficient 410$USD for a 28 day stay, with a savings of 230$USD for the long term. https://abnb.me/CxnREVP5m4
Denton,Manchester, United Kingdom
We stayed a long time in Denton 49 nights. We originally wanted to do a month in London and a month in Liverpool but it wasn’t cost-efficient. We found the most “affordable” place near Manchester and that was in Denton. Manchester wasn’t one of my favorites, it was a little crazy in the city center. Our neighborhood was all locals with some eclectic pubs near. Morrisons Supermarket was near which offered fantastic pre-made meals.
The apartment itself is not set up for long term stay. The main house is upstairs although your area is completely private. The router is located upstairs. The bed comes down from the wall which was decent. The fridge barely worked and luckily it was cold enough to keep our food outside. There was a microwave but no way real way to make food. It took about 45 mins to get to the city center by bus which was fine. We took day trips since we were there over Chinese New Year to Hebden Bridge, Leeds, Liverpool, and Stockport. I would highly recommend these places as there was a lot to see.
The Logistics:
This apartment made the list because it did work for online teaching. My husband taught in the main area and I taught in the bathroom seamlessly. The internet was very stable and provided excellent speeds even though we were not connected to the router. I wouldn’t recommend it if you are staying long-term, but if you want to be close to Manchester it is a good choice. The cost for a 28-day stay is 1,240$USD saving 190$USD for long term stay. While it is not affordable for online teachers, if you are in the UK you will find this to be affordable. https://abnb.me/IKKtfJO7m4
Glasgow City, Scotland
We surprisingly liked Glasgow. We stayed during the worst weather, we have seen yet. Still it had a charm we liked. The old bars on Sundays play live music and we quite enjoyed the vibe the city has to offer. Everyone says go to Edinburgh, we did day trip there and it was nice. However, we still enjoyed Glasglow.
If whiskey is your game then The Pot Still is your name. You can try an abundance of whiskeys there. We also did a distillery tasting at Auchentoshan Distillery. We paid 70 pounds for two people which was supposed to include 4 tastings but in actuality, it was 6 tastings and a lot of information. We found it outstandingly unique.
After not finding perfect apartments we vowed a few things are necessities:
1) Two bedrooms
2) A nice kitchen ( stove and good size fridge)
This apartment is a breathtaking in a nice quiet area, close to a huge supermarket and local pubs. A 10 min walk to the ScotRail which is affordable and can get you to the center in 10 mins or less. Two bedrooms, large living room, Tv, fantastic kitchen with everything you could dream of, including a washer with DRYER! A dream come true.
The Logistics:
A fantastic home for two online teachers and long term travelers. You could not ask for anything more. The rail gets you to the city and takes you wherever you need to go. Outstanding internet speeds ping 18, 34 downloads 9 uploads. Super stable on or off the router and in storms as well. So what’s the damage? You know Scotland is not cheap or any of the UK for that matter. The cost for a 28 day stay 1,200$USD however you save 520$ for the long term stay!! https://abnb.me/1BjmsdN8m4
Stay Tuned For Part 2:
Thank you, everyone, for taking the time to read this. I hope this will make your life easier if you are traveling and working in one of these cities. Presently the Airbnb list is up to date, but I will add another blog with more after we work out of them.
I genuinely hope to inspire everyone to live their best life. That even if you have zero savings once you achieve your Tefl Certification your world becomes a lot larger. Doors will open and you should walk through them.
You can travel the world with your only source of income being online teaching. You can do it on a budget and I hope this helps you in becoming more fee and living your best life.
Vanessa
Food Travel Life 