Last updated on Mai 30, 2026

Expat Insider 2025 – InterNations

Evan Eh’s Bewertung von Zielländern. Für Langzeitrufenthalten rät er zu Vietnam, Malaysia und Kambodscha.

Ich recherchiere zu folgenden Reisen:

Europa

Vielleicht mit dem Auto, damit ich mein E-MTB leicht mitnehmen kann.

Auf dem Weg mehrere einwöchige „Stopover“ um dort durch die Gegend zu wuzzen und um die langen Autofahrten zu unterbrechen.

Sandanski (Bulgarien)

Albanien

Sonstige

? Florianópolis (Brasilien): kühle, trockene Insel
? Mendoza (Argentinien)
? Taiwan, solange das noch ein freies Land ist

Asien

Idee Vietnam und Malaysia
2 Mon Da Lat + 1 Mon Da Nang
1 Wo Malakka, 2 Wo Highlands, 1 Mon Langkawi
?Langkawi ? Penang
? East Malayisa (?Kuching, ?Kota Kinabalu)

Und
? Roxas ?El Nido ?Dumaguete ?Siquijor  (Philippines)
? Phrachuap Kiri Khan (Thailand): geruham
? Battambang (Kambodscha)
? Si Racha (Thailand): modern, japanisch
MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE IN THE WORLD – EL NIDO PALAWAN PHILIPPINES

AI Planung

Frage an KI:
suche flugkombination für asien reise nach vietnam und malaysia
start und ende in fra
ab herbst 2026
1 mon aufenthalt in da nang
2 mon in da lat
1 wo in malakka
2 wo highlands
1 mon in Langkawi
langstreckenflüge nonstop
kosten der flüge in asien nicht so relevant, weil sowieso günstig
schlage alternative routen vor mit möglichst wenigen flügen

Einige ausgewählte KI Antworten

  • Book open-jaw (FRA-DAD / LGK-FRA) via Vietnam Airlines or Lufthansa sites for ~€800-1200 roundtrip (2025 prices fluctuate). Use trains/buses in Vietnam for scenery (e.g., Reunification Express Da Nang-Da Lat). Internal Asia flights <€50 each via AirAsia
  • Für kaum Flüge & logische Reihenfolge empfehle ichVFRA → Da Nang → Da Lat → Kuala Lumpur → Malakka (Bus/Auto) → Malaysian Highlands (Bus/Auto) → Langkawi → Kuala Lumpur → FRA
    • Nur 3 regionale Flüge: DAD→DLI, DLI→KUL, KUL→LGK
    • Wenige Umstiege bei Langstrecke
    • Bodenverkehr für Nahziele statt Zusatzflüge spart Zeit/Kosten

Siquijor Philippinen: 13 Sehenswürdigkeiten + Tipps zur Trauminsel!

Aktuelle Einordnung zu Südost-Asien von Con Lear

So, here’s what’s really going on, and what I believe will happen when the bubble bursts.

The Old King: Thailand

Thailand is what I call Stage 5 saturation. The government has changed policy specifically to filter people out, and this might come as a surprise to some, but countries generally don’t want foreigners moving there long-term while contributing nothing to the local economy. And when those foreigners start causing trouble for locals, they really hate it. Who would have thought?

The „everyone move to Thailand“ narrative will probably collapse soon. It’s still booming on social media, but I give it about a year. If you have planned the move intentionally and have already started learning Thai, don’t let me stop you. But if you’re going purely because everyone online is telling you to, it’s probably the worst time you could possibly go. I like Thailand. We all know about its incredible culture, food, and hospitable people but given the circumstance I don’t believe it’s the best choice right now personally.

Nearing the Peak: Vietnam

Vietnam is social media’s darling right now, and the escapist’s ultimate fantasy. While it’s a fascinating country with a genuinely inspiring economic boom, the expat narrative surrounding it is completely unstable. Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City are booming and are actively absorbing the spillover from Thailand, but what nobody seems to realise is that Vietnam is the least set up for foreigners to live there long-term of any country in the region. So much so, I’m inclined to think the Vietnamese government simply don’t want large numbers of foreigners moving there and staying permanently.

Right now, thousands of expats are living there in a 90-day tourist visa grey area that has been tolerated for years. Vietnam’s immigration system is behind its regional peers, but it has just introduced a digital arrival card which is standard practice across Southeast Asia. They now have the data required to police the border properly, and word on the ground is that they are already much stricter with suspicious back-to-back border runs, which is how the majority of long-term expats are currently operating there.

On top of that, Vietnam has the strongest nationalist undercurrent in the region. There are already growing concerns about foreigner misbehaviour, and if that continues, expect local pushback to be strong and government crackdowns to be swift.

If you don’t plan on getting a job, starting a business, learning Vietnamese, and genuinely committing to the country or a spouse, Vietnam is probably the least strategic option in Southeast Asia right now.

The Sophisticated Choice: Malaysia

It’s not all doom and gloom, there are much stronger options for those thinking long-term.

Malaysia is the most sophisticated choice by a country mile, and it splits neatly down the middle. There has been a massive uptick in arrivals on the western peninsula side, particularly Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Word has got out about how comfortable life is here for expats, and while visa requirements are set intentionally high, the system is well put together with no grey areas to navigate. Once you’re in, you’re a legal resident. Malaysia is rolling out the red carpet for high earners put off by the circus in Thailand, and for those people, it’s a no-brainer.

More interestingly, eastern Malaysia, which is sitting north of Borneo Island, is still relatively undiscovered, which makes it perfect for someone like me. The Sarawak MM2H is growing in popularity largely because, unlike the mainland programme which now requires a mandatory property purchase, Sarawak has no property purchase requirement. You park your money in a fixed deposit and you have residency. The coastal cities of Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, and Miri are all worth looking at.

Malaysia is also a religious country with limited party infrastructure, so I don’t see it becoming a mess. It will remain the most polished choice for serious expats this decade.

The Access Play: Cambodia

Cambodia sits at the opposite end of the spectrum. It’s the perfect option for people who don’t qualify for Malaysia’s higher-bar visas. Infrastructure is catching up fast, and the country is actively positioning itself for remote workers. Most importantly, while Thailand is effectively pushing most of its current expat base out, Cambodia genuinely wants the economic stimulation and has made it remarkably easy to move there on a business visa.

As the numbers increase, it will probably tighten up. But right now, it’s the golden window. Expect a wave of social media content soon with low-effort YouTube channels popping up telling you how cheap it is, just as they once did about Thailand. If things do go sideways globally, Cambodia is more vulnerable and will rely on its neighbours for support. Over the decade, however, I believe it will continue to improve. People will start calling it the new Thailand. Due to its low barrier to entry, and there is a risk of things getting loud and messy in certain areas but choose the right neighborhoods, and you can live there in total peace without a care in the world!

The Long Game: Indonesia

Now to the most interesting story of the coming decade.

In one corner, you have the most extreme example of an overtourism bubble in history, driven entirely by social media hype. Bali is an influencer zoo with big dreams of turning itself into a Dubai of the tropics. That’s all well and good in theory, but there are some glaring issues to fix first. Half the island is covered in garbage. A significant portion of the economy is built on speculative real estate. And to top it all off, a disproportionate number of the world’s narcissists have relocated there, which makes Bali my least attractive destination in the region, despite the genuinely hospitable nature of the Balinese people and the beautiful scenery, particularly in the north.

But while Bali is not on my list, the rest of Indonesia is looking very good. I believe Indonesia is the next major economic powerhouse, and there are specific qualities that make it a better option for expats than many of its peers. Vietnam gets praised endlessly for its economic miracle, and there’s no doubting the numbers, but the narrative around it online is not particularly realistic, and there’s no specific quality that makes it easy to live there long-term. Indonesia, I’ve found, is the total opposite. While Java also has a high population, the energy feels considerably calmer and more welcoming. The people are incredibly warm, and hospitality is baked into the culture.

Asian people are generally friendly across the region but Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines are, in my view, the warmest and most welcoming countries for foreigners at the moment.

The visas are not easy but there are routes for people who want it badly enough, a real retirement visa, a digital nomad visa, business visas, and several other options worth exploring.

If Malaysia is the polished choice and Cambodia is for people who want easy access and total freedom, Indonesia is for people willing to make a long-term bet on the future of Southeast Asia.

The Bigger Picture: Domino Effect

The pattern is becoming clear. Thailand is pushing people out. They’re spilling over to Vietnam. People will quickly realise Vietnam is completely different to its online persona. Higher earners will move to Malaysia or Singapore. Cambodia and Laos will absorb a large portion of the overflow, and serious long-term planners will figure out how to get into Indonesia.

The Philippines is the wildcard and is currently in limbo. A lot of people moved there to marry, only to realise that the infrastructure didn’t match expectations and that they hadn’t really thought it through properly. There is some migration out as a result. However, I do believe that because of the Philippines‘ young, talented workforce, the country will grow quickly in the years ahead. It remains politically vulnerable and probably the least stable of the group right now bar Myanmar, but it’s still one to watch.

A lot of Southeast Asia veterans are already saying the juice isn’t worth the squeeze anymore. The region has changed. It’s becoming more professional, more developed, and the loopholes are closing. The new expat community will likely be smaller, but far more intentional. Many digital nomads operating in grey areas will drift toward Albania, Eastern Europe, and Panama, all of which have grown significantly in popularity for precisely this reason.

I have no interest in anywhere outside of Asia. And if you come here with a genuine long-term plan, I have no doubt you will do well.

But please, do not move here with no money and no strategy.

The signs are pointing to the peak of the post-COVID bubble.

When will it burst?

Nobody knows.

If you want to be ahead of the crowd, check out the Move to Asia Blueprint below.

​Move to Asia Blueprint​

Thanks for reading and have a good we