The 4 Best Countries for Slow Travel

These are the four best countries for slow travel!. Stop rushing around so much and slow it down the next time you book your vacation.

When it comes to travel, we often find we have very long bucket lists with a huge amount of experiences we would like to tick off our list – yet, so little time to do it in.  This is particularly true if you work in a conventional job, where essentially, your physical presence is required to get paid.

The challenge is that many people, today, travel around almost trying to tick things off their list, in a rather frantic way, that packs a lot into a city break, for instance, where they might end the day feeling exhausted due to all the things they “needed to see”.

Slow travel, on the other hand, is a completely different kettle of fish.  Slow travel allows for you to take more of the destination in, and to do it at a pace that allows you to scratch beneath the surface of the destination.

The thought is that by spending more time in one location you can experience it more like a local, rather than a tourist, passing through.  Indeed, the term that’s prevalent within travel guides is “like a local”, meaning you get beneath the surface layer of a destination dive into the more authentic side of the culture, and have some more unique experiences along the way.

Here are the 4 best places for slow travel:

1. THAILAND: CHIANG MAI

Chiang Mai is in the North of Thailand, famous for its massage schools and boxing camps.  It’s also become somewhat of a digital nomad’s paradise – with a high concentration of freelancers working in coffee shops throughout the small yet somewhat bustling city center.

If you’re looking to settle down somewhere with a view to co-working, Chiang Mai might be the right place for you.

Finding somewhere cheap to live in Chiang Mai is pretty simple.  There are several modern apartments available at a cost of just $10 per night (presuming you are renting for a month or more).

In terms of finding a more traditional short-term lease, there are property agents but the majority require a three to six months minimum stay.

Chiang Mai is a great place to have as a long-term base, in which you can explore the rest of Thailand.  With direct flights to Krabi, Phuket, and Koh Samui you can have a base in the North of Thailand (much cheaper than the south) and go on mini breaks to more beach front locations.

2. MALAYSIA: KUALA LUMPUR

The great thing about Malaysia, if you’re looking to travel there long term is that it can be a good place to find work.  English is spoken by the majority of people, Kuala Lumpur itself is a modern international city with a twist of ancient culture still present, meaning life is very easy within the city.  For instance, you can get a Fitness First gym membership and use world-leading facilities that would rival those in London or New York.

Similarly, when it comes to living in Kuala Lumpur, there’s always the option of doing a long-term AirBnB though getting a tenancy agreement in Malaysia is a pretty simple process if you’re staying for a few months.

The city itself boasts a huge variety of food and world-class shopping venues. It tends to be a rather chilled-out city, unlike places like Bangkok. The majority of Kuala Lumpur feels rather affluent and there’s an aspirational pulse to the city that makes it a great place for coworking or simply sitting in a coffee shop on your laptop, catching up with emails.

3. TURKEY: ISTANBUL

Whilst whilst there are pockets of unrest, and the occasional political demonstration, Turkey is a very peaceful place to travel where people get along with each other rather harmoniously.

There’s often a sense of community to be found that is hard to find in other countries – Turkish people tend to make you feel welcomed into their culture, and a special guest to their home, rather than a “tourist” thus making it a great place to travel long-term.

Istanbul is much like London, New York, and Paris – in that it is one of the world’s greatest cities yet it is comparatively cheap to its western counterparts.  Istanbul is unlike any other city in the world due to being separated by the Bosphorus Strait which divides Istanbul into two sides, on two different continents, the European Side and the Asian Side.

The European side offers the more modern side of the city. It has well-known brands occupying prime real estate on the busy high street whilst independent hipster bars and coffee shops can be found near the river.  Indeed, the European side has a feel of San Francisco about it, with all its unique and creative independent stores, cafes, restaurants, and watering holes.

In terms of finding a property, this side of the river is where you’ll find trendy loft apartments at a quarter of the price you would pay in New York.  The Asian side, however, is a little more affordable, and this is where you’re likely to find a great deal on a property.  The Asian side has a much more “local” and rustic feel to it.

4. MOROCCO: MARRAKECH

Morocco is an incredibly colorful and vibrant city.  People visit cities like Marrakech for just a short while. There is somewhat of an endurance test to be found with the hustle and bustle of places like Marrakech.

Marrakech, for some, may feel like stepping into Disneyland, in that it is such an overwhelming delight/attack on the sense.  Whilst it provides a stark contrast to the Western World, it is only a short hop on a cheap flight to Mainland Europe, and the “new city” offers some very luxurious accommodation at an incredibly cheap price.

Whilst you may not choose to live in Marrakech for several months, it can be a fantastic place to base yourself for a few weeks whilst exploring the gems of Morocco such as the Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains.  A more relaxed alternative to Marrakech is Essaouira which has a far more chilled-out coastal vibe to the city.

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