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The DigiTao journal
Places we are drawn to, questions we are working through and a little room for life along the way. Articles from our contributors sit beside clearly marked editorial previews.
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Page 1 of 8: 12 published articles.
Of the three countries we cover, Thailand's DTV is the easiest digital nomad visa to get, Portugal's D8 the most demanding, and Vietnam has none. Thresholds, fees and delays.
None of our three countries leaves a resident's foreign income untaxed. Thailand taxes what you bring in, Portugal and Vietnam tax what you earn. Rules, rates and day counts.
Thailand is better on visas and hospitals, Vietnam is cheaper by about a quarter and now tests faster on national internet speed. Four criteria, dated sources.
Nomad and Ubigi suit a laptop hotspot, Airalo and Holafly sell unlimited data with a cap, and a 10 euro local SIM beats all four. An EU SIM may already roam free.
Nomad and Ubigi suit a laptop hotspot, Airalo and Holafly sell unlimited data with a daily cap, and a local SIM often costs less. Prices for 15 and 30 days, from each provider's own page.
Da Nang has more coworking, tested internet and hospitals inside the city. Hoi An is calmer, cheaper on rent, and now formally part of Da Nang, but its old town floods hard most Octobers.
The DTV gives five years and 180 days per entry for 10,000 THB. A tourist visa gives 90 days at most and no proof of funds. Here is when each one wins.
A Koh Tao ferry costs from about 350 THB to 1,100 THB one way in 2026, depending on the operator and the mainland gateway. Every route, checked and dated.
Six Koh Tao dive schools price the Open Water course from 9,900 to 12,950 THB in September 2026: what is included, the medical form, the island fee, cheapest against best value.
Renting a scooter on Koh Tao costs 200 to 450 THB a day in 2026. What decides who pays after a crash is the licence and permit, not the deposit.
Koh Tao is cheaper and built for diving. Koh Samui has the airport, the international hospitals and the immigration office Koh Tao residents already use. Sourced and dated for 2026.
Lisbon coworking in 2026 runs from a 10 euro day pass at Heden to a 399.75 euro monthly desk with VAT at Second Home. Where the main spaces sit, what they cost and how to pick one.
Write about a place, a question or a turning point from your free account. Linda and Etienne read every story before it goes live on the journal, with your name on it.