A few years, I don't know :-) Why don't you start with 3 months first? I've been traveling/living/working in Asia for 4 months now, Indonesia, Philippines and V

A few years, I don't know :-) Why don't you start with 3 months first? I've been traveling/living/working in Asia for 4 months now, Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam. I'm currently in Hanoi, Vietnam where cost of living is very low (you can totally live under $1000/month here with a good apartment). Considering your additional requirements: dive, surf I would make sure to check out Bali/Philippines. I've heard Cebu in Philippines is quite a dynamic city with beautiful beaches nearby. I wouldn't recommend Manila or Jakarta or even Bangkok if you are not into the giant sprawling metropolis kind of city. I've also been in South America/Mexico, Brazil/Mexico/few countries in Central America are great for surfing. I haven't been in Colombia so can't tell you about it. Buenos Aires is my preferred city in Latin America: a very European feel, big without being a mess like Sao Paulo or Mexico City, quite cheap, great food (their meat is fantastic), lots of music, culture, bookstores everywhere, friendly people who like to party, etc. The north of the country is gorgeous (Salta, Humahuaca). But yeah, it's a bit far from the ocean :-)