5 reasons why Bangkok is the number one city for a workation

5 reasons why Bangkok is the number one city for a workation

Now that making time for some R&R time in your next work trip is a no-brainer, your wanderlust may be fully fanned with a long vacation on top of your wishlist. Instead of saving all your precious leave days for a holiday that only scratches the surface of the travel itch, how about taking a workation? But, a workation is not to be confused with bleisure. Unlike slotting holiday days into a business trip, workation literally means working on vacation. Think of a workation as working out of the office and even country for an extended period of time. You are taking a break from where you usually work but still are hard at work.

Sounds like a plan?

If you are interested in taking a workation, one uncompromisable factor is that you should be able to work remotely, from anywhere. Your boss should have no issues with you logging on and communicating virtually.

So where is an ideal place for a workation? In 2021, the travel website Holidu put together a Workation Index ranking the best cities in the world to work hard and play hard and Bangkok came out tops. The index ranked cities on factors important to the aspiring Workation-er including the monthly cost of accommodation, the cost of food and drinks, the number of attractions, and more, not forgetting the most important, wifi speed. In fact, we found more reasons in addition to those mentioned by Holidu, why Bangkok is the perfect city for a workation.

1. Wifi Speed and Accessibility

The average Wifi speed in Bangkok is 28Mbps. While that is not the fastest in the world - Singapore came in tops at 93Mbps - Bangkok takes the cake with more than 450,000 free Wifi spots. From the airport to cafes and shopping malls, you will be hard-pressed to find a spot that does not have Wifi to tap on to start working.

2. Language

Most people speak basic English in Bangkok and signs and even menus will have some English translation so you will have no problem navigating your way around the city for the long term.

 

3. Cost of living

The capital of the Land of Smiles is well known for its very affordable cost of living. You can rent a one-bedroom apartment for around SGD 650 a month and enjoy a cup of coffee or even a meal for less than SGD 2.50. In fact, it is not unusual to score a 500ml bottle of local beer from the supermarket for less than SGD3!

For those looking to embrace the vacation aspect of a workation, a serviced apartment is a good balance for longer stays with hotel service. The serviced luxury suites at Akyra Thonglor Bangkok offer residential comforts and top-tier service. Its Thonglor location means you will be close to hip bars, cool cafes, and some of the best restaurants in Bangkok. The Oakwood Residence Sukhumvit 24 Bangkok also boasts fully equipped apartments including living and dining areas with kitchenettes. Located 200 metres from Phrom Phong BTS station, this Oakwood Residence location is in the heart of the prime shopping district.

4. Co-working spaces

As of 2021, Bangkok boasts 117 co-working spaces. From internationally known WeWork and Regus to peppy The Hive and Hubba, these co-working brands have locations scattered around Bangkok including commercial district Sathorn, tourist favourite Siam area, and hipster Thong Lor. All come equipped with the basic office facilities and are great spaces to network and meet new people.

5. Attractions

There is no lack of tourist attractions in Bangkok, including the Grand Palace, temples, markets, and more. Use myBlackBook to search for places of interest near where you are and add them to your calendar. While being on a workation means that you do still have to put in the same hours and work, there is no lack of places to visit after you knock off in Bangkok. Bangkok is also a great base to travel out of, think zipping off to nearby Chang Mai or Koh Samui for a short weekend getaway.

Ready to pack your bags for Bangkok? 

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