Spoiler alert: it was amazing. 

But it wasn’t without challenges. 

Even with my extensive 17 years of digital nomad experience, I had a learning curve in making the most of this month of coliving and coworking. So much so, that I actually rearranged the entire rest of my year of planned travel to compensate. 

In this article, I’ll provide a detailed account of life at Hacker Paradise, I’ll touch on how it compares to similar co-living and co-working programs, and I’ll share the top lessons I learned. 

Want to see the video accompaniment to this article? Click here to watch!

2025 Update: Hacker Paradise Powered by NOMA Collective

In early 2025, Hacker Paradise joined forces with NOMA Collective to provide an even better experience to digital nomads and remote workers. Hacker Paradise Powered by NOMA now includes:

• 1 Kickass LOCAL Community Manager
• Private room w/ Cleaning
• Coworking Space
• Skillshares
• Worldwide Network of 1,500 + Members
• Monday Lunch or Family Dinner or Potluck
• Local Sim with Data
• 2 Yoga Classes per week
• Prepaid Activities/Classes 
• Friday After-Work Drinks 
• 2 – 3 Prepaid Weekend Excursions 
• Weekly Neighborhood Walks in Cities 
  

Keep reading to see what it’s like, and to get a special discount just for you!

What is Hacker Paradise? (Now NOMA Collective)

For starters, Hacker Paradise isn’t an exclusive club for hackers, despite the name. It’s not about breaking into computer systems; it’s about breaking free from the traditional office cubicle. 

Hacker Paradise is a program designed to facilitate the lifestyles of digital nomads; it’s what I refer to as a co-living co-working program. I wrote about Hacker Paradise along with other similar co-living co-working initiatives in this article: Best Coliving Coworking Programs for Remote Workers and Digital Nomads.

If you’re a digital nomad already, you know the struggles – the constant planning and movement, the logistics, the uncertainty about where you’ll work and live next, the fleeting social scene, and sometimes feeling isolated and ungrounded. 

If you’re not a digital nomad, then, take my word for it. (Or watch this video I made, which outlines the pros and cons of digital nomad life). 

Hacker Paradise simplifies all of that. You no longer need to stress over finding accommodation (in a good part of town for exploring, with good internet, etc), suitable places to work, or coordinating activities in a new destination. 

But even more so, Hacker Paradise isn’t just about convenience and logistics; it’s also about community. It’s about spending time with like-minded individuals who share your passion for remote work and travel. 

As much as we digital nomads cherish our freedom, it can get a bit lonely out there on the digital nomad road. I would know; after 12 years of full-time travel and living locally around the world, I lost all sense of belonging in the world and totally burned out of the lifestyle. I returned to my hometown of Toronto Canada to get a home base, thinking I was missing a cultural connection. 

It took me a few years to realize the sense of belonging I was searching for was in other people who have similar lifestyles; people who understand the nuances of work-life balance and the pace of travel when it is done in conjunction with full-time remote work. People who have the same thirst for slow travel and living around the world. 

This is what inspired me to experiment with coliving and coworking in 2023, in my 17^th year of career travel. I dipped my toe in the world of co-living in Madeira Portugal in January, and then I went all-in with Hacker Paradise in Tallinn Estonia in August. 

Here is what I learned. 

Wanna cut to the chase? Check out Hacker Paradise / NOMA Collective here, and use FAMPROHOBO150 for $150 off. 

This and other links to Hacker Paradise in this article are affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a commission if you click through and end up going on a program. My enthusiasm for Hacker Paradise is genuine! Thank you for your support.

Benefits of Hacker Paradise for Remote Work and Travel

Here are some key advantages of choosing this program for your remote work and travel needs.

Outsourcing Travel Logistics

Hacker Paradise is a powerful antidote to the endless tedium of travel planning. If you’ve been on the digital nomad path for a while, you know how exhausting travel logistics can be. Picking a destination, finding suitable accommodation, ensuring it’s conducive for remote work, and planning activities – it’s a lot to handle, when travel is a lifestyle and not just a vacation once or twice a year. 

Co-Living and Co-Working, Harmonized

The living and working setup with Hacker Paradise varies by location. In some destinations, everybody is together in a large home or repurposed boutique hotel (or even a castle!). In Tallinn, we were all staying in an environmentally sustainable container hotel; an old railway depot filled with repurposed sea containers (each container being a room). It was suuuuuuper funky! 

Some accommodation naturally has co-working space built in, and in other destinations Hacker Paradise arranges memberships for everybody at a nearby co-working space. In Tallinn, the container hotel had space for co-working on-site, making for a super easy (as in, non-existent) commute. 

Either way, all you have to do is choose the destination (and in some cases, certain accommodation options). Hacker Paradise takes care of the rest. 

Explore in New Ways 

I saw and did things in Tallinn that I wouldn’t normally have done on my own; sometimes because of a higher cost or other challenges to doing it solo, sometimes because it’s not something I’d have thought to do, and sometimes because I simply wouldn’t have had the energy to coordinate it all on my own. 

In all cases, I appreciated the opportunity to discover Estonia in new ways that significantly enhanced my experience of the place, and made me feel like I got much more out of my month there than I would have gotten if I weren’t with Hacker Paradise. (I’ll admit this is a bit of a double-edged sword, which I’ll get to later). 

Easier to Get Out (Especially for Introverts) 

While you might think that a group travel experience like Hacker Paradise would be an introvert’s worst nightmare, on the contrary – as an introvert myself, I found it to be a much easier way to get out and explore! 

Picture this: there’s an event/museum/whatever you might like to visit. But you’re a little tired, and you’re in a new destination that you aren’t familiar with, which means you inherently need to be alert and attentive so you can get where you’re going and have your experience safely and smoothly. And once you get there, it’s a whole other kind of energy output. And sometimes….it’s just easier to stay home and eat potato chips. 

But when there is another person (or people) headed out to where you want to go anyway, it’s much easier to tag along; there’s safety in numbers (when you’re in a destination where safety is an issue), and it’s fun to explore new things with different people who are viewing the same thing through their own specific cultural lens. 

Community 

Hacker Paradise is like a family. It is run by a small welcoming team, and once you have participated in a Hacker Paradise program, you are a permanent family member with access to a Slack channel with all HP alumni (currently over 1,000 people). 

A large percentage of the people on my trip in Tallinn had done Hacker Paradise trips before. I get it: I plan to be a “repeat offender” myself. 

This is because of the beautiful community spirit on each trip. It is incredibly inclusive, and the facilitators work hard to make sure it isn’t clique-y or segmented in the way that groups can often get. This is quite impressive too, because the range of ages and nationalities on a trip can be vast – from early 20’s to mid-70s, and while most participants tend to be North American or European, on my trip we also had members from Brazil, Argentina, and Taiwan. 

The community spirit is even more enhanced by Hacker Paradise’s schedule of activities; read on. 

RESOURCES

Looking for monthly accommodation? Here are some digital nomad-friendly options that are fantastic alternatives to AirBnB. 

Want to focus just on co-living? Here’s a collection of coliving spaces around the world to check out 

Hacker Paradise Activities and Schedule

This is what sets Hacker Paradise apart from other co-living and co-working programs; the facilitators create a schedule of events that help to connect and elevate everybody’s experiences across the board. 

Every week there are lunches at local restaurants (and HP picks up the tab), potluck dinners, skill-share sessions, “deep meaningful conversations” (which sound a bit odd as a formalized thing, but were real highlights!), and social evening events that pave the way for everybody to connect, to grow personally and professionally, and get to know one another on a deeper level. 

Hacker Paradise is more than just a travel agency; it’s an experience. 

During my first week in Tallinn, we sat down as a group and brainstormed what things we wanted to do throughout the month. By the end we had a staggering range of ideas, from exploring local restaurants to planning excursions, day trips, weekend trips, visiting museums, galleries, and even a list of movies we could watch “at home” on impromptu movie nights. This list (along with relevant links) went into our group Slack channel (Slack being where the magic happens on a Hacker Paradise trip). 

Although the facilitators do coordinate some events (such as those on the weekly agenda and a few others as well), ultimately everyone pitches in. Hacker Paradise is best viewed as a collaborative effort, and this is what helps create the strong community spirit. 

For example, shortly before we arrived in Tallinn, one of the participants (Didier) chimed in on the Slack channel, saying how he likes to visit Michelin-starred restaurants wherever he goes, and he asked if anybody would like to join. Because of his initiative, a group of eight of us had a remarkable dinner that will go down as one of the best meals of my life. 

What surprised me was how much these collective experiences shaped my time in Tallinn. I might not have ventured to a Michelin-starred restaurant on my own, nor would I have rented a car to explore a national park in another part of the country. I discovered incredible museums and galleries, that I wouldn’t have explored if not for the fellow participants spearheading these activities. 

This is also where the double-edged sword comes in……

Balancing Work and Life 

In planning for this trip, I made two incorrect assumptions about what my Hacker Paradise experience would be like. 

Here’s the first (I’ll highlight my second mistake in the next section): 

I thought co-working with other remote workers would be a great way to hold myself accountable to getting work done. In fact, a part of me hoped I would be even more productive co-working than I am when left to my own devices. 

Things didn’t quite work out that way (at least, not initially). 

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is a fundamental skill for digital nomads, and it’s something I thought I had down to a science. In fact, I even created a whole video on the topic. But my month with Hacker Paradise taught me that sometimes, even the most seasoned nomads need to relearn some things.

Before you officially join Hacker Paradise, you’ll hop on a call with one of the program’s representatives. They want to ensure that you have a remote career or at least an ongoing project because, let’s be clear, Hacker Paradise is not a vacation. It’s all about living, traveling, and working together. 

Here’s what I didn’t account for: everyone has a different work schedule. Many participants on my program were remote employees working for various companies, and they had specific hours to adhere to. Those working for North American companies often kept hours that ranged from 4 PM to midnight, while those connected to European companies worked during the day. 

And regardless of work schedules, when people weren’t working, they were off doing cool stuff, to which everyone was invited.

I’d frequently see messages pop up on Slack: 

“Hey, gang! At 2 PM, I’m going to check out [this café] or visit [this museum]. If you want to join, let’s meet in the lobby at 1:30.” 

These messages were a constant, an everyday occurrence; a tantalizing reminder that there was always something exciting happening. The challenge for someone like me, who makes their own hours, was that I could pick and choose what I wanted to do – and when, and with whom. And when there was always something cool going on, my work-life equilibrium lost its…equilibrium. 

Not only that, but as an introvert, it’s important for me to schedule down time on my own to recharge. That too, along with many of my work tasks, initially fell by the wayside as I cherry-picked from the buffet of amazing experiences, restaurants, and more to join people and enjoy. 

With the advice of fellow HP participants and also a friend from afar (who I’ll introduce in a minute), I learned to accept FOMO. Even with a whole month (which can seem like a long time at the outset), I wouldn’t be able to do everything I wanted to do, with everybody I wanted to do it with. And that’s okay. 

(It may also be part of the reason many Hacker Paradise participants enjoy reuniting on subsequent trips…to keep the fun alive and further deepen connections). 

My Biggest Challenge with Hacker Paradise (and any Work and Travel Program)

While the work-life balance mistake was a rookie lesson I had to re-learn, this next mistake really took me by surprise: I dramatically underestimated the energetic output a program like Hacker Paradise would require.

Just to clarify – there’s no problem doing a month with Hacker Paradise. Even two or three months, back-to-back: that could work just fine. 

But in the name of my Great 2023 Experiment with co-living and co-working, my month with Hacker Paradise was the third month in a 10-month trip I had orchestrated, with me moving approximately once a month. 

I know better than to travel this quickly. I’ve made this mistake before. 

But I assumed that with the outsourcing of all the logistics of travel planning that Hacker Paradise and similar remote work programs do, I could quicken my pace of travel because I wouldn’t have to worry about finding and booking accommodation etc. 

The problem was, I don’t have a lot of experience living and working with a group of people, and as you already read earlier, my work-life balance got out of whack while I struggled to find a groove. And getting to know 20 or so people while living and working with them is amazing! – but it takes energy, and it wasn’t energy I had budgeted for. 

Thankfully, I learned that this challenge wasn’t mine alone to endure; I spoke to several Hacker Paradise alumni, and many of them mentioned that after a Hacker Paradise trip, they like to take a couple of months to decompress and recharge. They use that time to travel on their own, or in a smaller group, or even to return to their home base (for those who have home bases). 

It’s a sentiment I now fully understand and resonate with. 

The pace of travel/life with a group like Hacker Paradise, while exhilarating, can also be a bit relentless. If you’ve already been on the move for a while, it’s essential to acknowledge your own needs and establish a balance that suits you best. 

After my experience, I chose to restructure my remaining travel plans for the year, creating more time to just live and work in a slower, more intentional manner.

This pace of travel with Hacker Paradise isn’t a downside; it’s simply a characteristic of a program like this, and it’s what makes it unique.

Curious to learn more? Check out Hacker Paradise Powered by NOMA here, and use FAMPROHOBO150 for $150 off. 

The People of Hacker Paradise: Community-Based Travel 

Hacker Paradise is not just about the places you visit; it’s equally about the people you meet and the connections you build. I can’t emphasize enough how amazing it was to spend a month with 22 incredible people from around the world.

Before I joined Hacker Paradise in Estonia, I got some confused looks from friends and acquaintances. They wondered why, after over a decade as a digital nomad, I would choose to participate in a program seemingly tailored for beginners or those new to the digital nomad lifestyle. 

In fact, many of the people on my program were very experienced digital nomads. While I won the prize for tenure in the lifestyle, there were people with up to 10 years of digital nomad lifestyle experience. 

Some were itinerant nomads, and others had home bases and traveled at will for large chunks of the year. There were also remote workers who are very much rooted in their home countries/towns, but who enjoy traveling with Hacker Paradise once or twice a year. 

And yes, there were a few newbies to the lifestyle as well, who were welcomed with open arms and were able to glean all kinds of travel wisdom from more experienced nomads. 

But Hacker Paradise isn’t about teaching you how to be a digital nomad; it’s about who you do it with.

The real value lies in the connections you forge. For me, this is where the Hacker Paradise experience truly shines. 

In 2018, after 12 years of full-time travel and immersing myself in local cultures, I had a pretty significant episode of burnout. It took me years to understand that the root cause was a lack of a social network – a group of like-minded individuals who understood the digital nomad lifestyle and shared the same wanderlust while also balancing a remote career.

Hacker Paradise brings together individuals with not only the same mindset but also a wealth of experience in the digital nomad world. During your time in the program, you’re bound to connect on a deeper level with at least a few of your fellow participants. And the beauty of it is that these connections often endure well after the program ends.

Over time, you can develop your own social network of friends who are also living and traveling around the world. It’s a network of kindred spirits who understand the nuances of remote work and the itch for adventure.

My friend Matt is a multiple Hacker Paradise alumni, and has also done Remote Year and other co-living co-working programs…a few times. He has been a digital nomad for over 10 years, and his most recent co-living co-working program was less than a year ago. So he sure ain’t doing it to learn about the lifestyle. 

In the next section I’ll explain why he still does these programs, and the net result of his efforts. 

Building a Global Social Network of Friends 

Shortly after I met Matt online (he reached out to me to be on his podcast), we circumnavigated the US by train together. This was a crazy stunt that only two experienced nomads like ourselves thought was a good idea at the time – crazy for many reasons, including that we had never even met in person before! 

But we both knew something our naysayers didn’t: as digital nomads, we could navigate living with one another and balancing the thrills of discovering new places with the routine of work. And given that most intrepid travelers are inherently pretty flexible, we figured we would get along fine. 

We did! And along the way, I met a dozen or so other digital nomads who Matt was friends with as well. This blew my mind. 

These were all people he had met over the years of doing Hacker Paradise and other co-living co-working programs. Matt had a massive global network of like-minded friends who he met up with regularly. 

With his experience in these programs, he can now literally put a message out to the ether saying “I’m going to X for two months: who’s in?” And before he knows it he has a group of five people to rent a villa with in the south of France. 

Just have a listen to his podcast The Maverick Show, and you’ll meet a bunch of these amazing people that he is friends with, and who he met through programs like these. 

RESOURCES

Interested in digital nomad communities? Here are the best places to connect with other digital nomads (online and IRL). 

Not sure how much the digital nomad lifestyle costs? Join the club. Here’s a guide to budgeting for long-term travel. 

Hacker Paradise for Couples: Exploring Co-living as a Duo

It’s now time to debunk any ideas you have of Hacker Paradise being only for swinging singles. It’s not. And in fact, I got into some particularly deep chats with one of the couples on my trip, and they said Hacker Paradise is instrumental for their relationship. 

First up let’s look at the cost aspect. Because as a couple you’re sharing one room, the cost per person to participate as a couple is much less than two singles. You each still pay a program fee, but then you share the room cost. 

Beyond the inherent financial advantages of traveling as a couple, Hacker Paradise makes it easy for couples to spend time together and apart, as they wish. 

Life as a digital nomad couple is not always peachy. You are together 24-7; living, working, and traveling together. Even if you’re soulmates, this can wear thin after a while. 

This becomes especially challenging while together in a foreign place, where opportunities to have significant experiences and connections with others outside of your couple-bubble can be difficult manifest. 

Hacker Parardise makes this much easier. Within the group you may each find yourselves befriending different people, and you can foster these friendships over coffee or on excursions that your partner may not be interested in doing. 

Or perhaps one day one of you doesn’t want to go out while the other one does. Whoever wishes to go out and have a travel adventure won’t have any shortage of people to do it with. 

When you reunite at the end of the day, you’ve collected individual experiences and new ideas to bring back to your partnership and incorporate into the fold. Keepin’ it spicy, in a sense. 

On our trip (with 22 people) there were three couples. 

But also, there were many participants who were in serious relationships and were doing Hacker Paradise on their own. This is because coliving and coworking programs are a very easy way to travel solo; the built-in community is nurturing without being overbearing. 

You wanna do couple time on your own? Go on. Take that romantic bike ride.  

You wanna build personal friendships outside of your relationship? Have at ‘er. 

You wanna socialize together as the power-couple that you are? Power to you. 

You wanna divide and conquer? No need to be attached at the hip. 

Anything is possible.
 

Cultural Diversity and Cross-Cultural Exploration: Surprise! 

While a significant portion of participants tend to be North American or European, Hacker Paradise thrives on its cultural mishmash, creating an environment where everyone is collectively out of their element in a new destination. 

I was pleasantly surprised how this cultural diversity played out. When you explore a new place, you’re viewing it through your own cultural lens (often unconsciously so); when you’re alongside others who have their own cultural backgrounds that affect how they see things, interesting conversations happen as people share their perspectives. 

In a sense I was not only discovering Tallinn and Estonian culture and food, but I was also discovering cultural nuances and viewpoints of my fellow participants as we traveled and lived together. It’s a fascinating exploration that adds depth and nuance to the month. 

During my time with Hacker Paradise, there were people from North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. Conversations were a cultural exchange in themselves, an opportunity to learn about different customs, traditions, and worldviews. 

If you watch my video about Hacker Paradise, you’ll hear from multiple participants who share how this held surprises for them as well. 

How Igor realized that alone time isn’t a bad thing, despite his cultural upbringing of constantly being surrounded by family. 

How Renee realized that certain ideas and concepts that she thought were universal, were strictly American. 

How Didier realized that cultural sensitivities vary dramatically. 

With representation from over 10 countries, my month in Estonia with Hacker Paradise allowed me to proverbially travel much further. 

Is Hacker Paradise Worth It?

One of the reasons why I haven’t done any coliving coworking programs over the years, was because I knew that I could do it myself for less money. I could find my own accommodation and activities in the same destination for way less – so why would I do the program? 

There were two things that I wasn’t taking into consideration. 

One, was the value of outsourcing the travel planning and logistics, and to know that I can show up and the accommodation is going to be great, in a good neighbourhood, and there will be good Internet, and a coworking space will be nearby, etc.  

It’s a significant amount of time – and mental energy – saved. And sometimes that’s worth paying for. 

The second and equally important component is the social element. This is the X-factor that can make a significant difference in your digital nomad experience. The burnout I had in 2018 stemmed from the absence of a social network of people who understood my lifestyle, shared the same sense of wanderlust, and balanced a remote career along the way. Hacker Paradise fills this gap beautifully.

And because it’s not a lifestyle that you would do every month of the year, spending a little extra for the month that you DO do an HP trip, is a totally justifiable investment in my opinion.

Although I would advise attending for a full month and booking the accommodation where everybody is staying to get the most from the experience, you can also join a program for just two weeks instead of a month, and in some cases you can get your own accommodation and just pay for the program activities. 

Here’s the cherry on top: once you have done a Hacker Paradise trip, you also get a discount on future experiences. 

Speaking of discounts, FAMPROHOBO150 will get you $150 off Hacker Paradise. 

Visit Hacker Paradise / NOMA Collective here, and use FAMPROHOBO150 for $150 off. Maybe I’ll see you on a trip. 

DON’T JUST TAKE MY WORD. WANT TO HEAR IT DIRECTLY FROM MY FELLOW HACKER PARADISE PEEPS? 

Watch this video I made about the experience, featuring five people from four countries spanning four decades in age. Lots of interesting perspectives!

This post Hacker Paradise (NOMA) Review: Surprises (and Setbacks) I Had With This Work and Travel Program appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

Don’t worry if you’re already wondering what the heck an eSIM is – I got you covered. We’ll start at the beginning, and by the end of this article, you’ll know everything you need to know to harness your phone to travel like a pro. 

RELATED ARTICLES: 

Best International Phone Plans, SIM Cards, and More

Things To Do Before Traveling Abroad: A Simple Guide to Visas, Documents, and Other Important Things

Best Virtual Mailbox Service: How to Get Mail When You Travel

Understanding eSIMs 

A SIM card is what enables your phone to connect to cellular networks, so you can have a phone number, send and receive SMS text messages, and have a data connection. SIM cards don’t necessarily provide all three however; some are just for data, others are just for a phone number and texts. 

The predecessor to eSIMs were/are pSIMs (which stands for “physical SIM”); these were actual physical chips that go into your phone. 

What is an eSIM?

Most cell phones these days are eSIM compatible. ESIM stands for “embedded SIM”. It’s a digital SIM card that is built directly into your device. 

Unlike traditional physical SIM cards, eSIMs eliminate the need for swapping cards when changing networks/phone numbers/countries. This technology is especially beneficial for travelers, as it allows you to switch between local carriers seamlessly.

How does an eSIM work?

Like magic. 

You can activate your new eSIM online with a QR code, and/or a link that gets sent to your email after you buy a package, or even manually through your phone’s settings. The setup takes just a few minutes, and you can do it from the comfort of wherever you are, without going into a cell phone store and handing over your phone to somebody to install a card and mess with your settings. 

The Benefits of Using eSIMs for International Travel

Choosing the best eSIM for your international travels comes with a plethora of benefits that will significantly enhance your experience abroad. Here’s what you stand to gain:

Cost Savings

Traditional roaming charges can add up quickly, but eSIMs often offer more competitive rates for international data and calls. This can result in significant cost savings during your travels.

And because you can shop online for eSIMs, the market is considerably more competitive with better pricing, especially when compared to “regular” cell phone plans with exorbitant international roaming charges. You can choose plans that align with your data and calling needs, potentially saving you a significant amount.

Convenience

Swapping SIM cards can be cumbersome, and finding a local SIM in a foreign country might not always be straightforward. 

When I was in India in 2017, I landed at the airport at an awkward time of day, so the airport kiosk selling SIM cards wasn’t open. This was unfortunate, because the local cell phone stores were not equipped to help foreigners get phone plans nearly as easily as I could have gotten one from the airport. 

Since switching to eSIMs, I haven’t had to endure those kinds of hassles at all. I usually set up my eSIMs in advance, so that as soon as I land in a new place, I have a connection. 

Flexibility

eSIMs give you the flexibility to choose from various carriers and plans based on your needs. Only staying for a week? Get a week-long plan. Staying for a month? Get the month-long plan. Need to extend? Go for it. 

Also, with the ability to switch between carriers without physically changing SIM cards, eSIMs provide unmatched flexibility. This is particularly handy if you’re visiting multiple countries during your journey.

I often have multiple eSIMs from different companies on the go, to take advantage of the best rates in whatever regions/countries I’m visiting, since each eSIM company has its own sweet spot (as you’ll discover in my breakdown below).

Multi-Number Support

Some eSIM-enabled devices allow you to have multiple phone numbers on a single device. This feature is is handy if you want to keep your home number active while you’re abroad while also getting a local number for your destination. It’s also great if you want to keep personal and business contacts separate while using the same device.

Seamless Activation

Activating an eSIM is a straightforward process that can usually be done through an app. No more complicated manual setups or dealing with language barriers at local stores.

Multi-Device Connectivity (Hotspot Use)

If I don’t have a solid WiFi connection, I can turn my phone into a hotspot that my laptop and other devices can connect to. This was a lifesaver while I was traveling up, down, and all around the United States by train. Because I had a robust data plan on my eSIM, I used it as a hotspot for my laptop to have a connection so I could get work done while chugging my way around the country, since many train routes had no WiFi on board. 

Eco-Friendly 

The advent of eSIM technology is eliminating the manufacturing – and disposal – of plastic SIM cards. While I’m sure one could argue that cell phones aren’t in and of themselves the most environmentally friendly things on the planet, baby steps. The lack of plastic SIM cards is progress. I don’t see anybody giving up their phones in the name of being environmentally friendly any time soon. 

See also: Eco-Friendly Travel Products That Help the Environment 

Loss-Proof 

There’s nothing worse than changing physical SIM cards for a trip, then losing your original SIM card. With eSIMs, there’s nothing to lose! 

Top eSIM Options for International Travel

In some countries, eSIMs are still a new concept, and infrastructure isn’t always quite set up if you want a local phone plan with a phone number and data via eSIM. But this is changing quickly, since the latest models of some phones don’t allow for physical SIM cards at all! 

In general, most of the time the thing we need the most when we travel is data; not so much a local phone number since apps like WhatsApp make messaging, voice calls, and video calls possible with just a data or WiFi connection. In fact, in some countries it’s the preferred method of communicating, including for locals! 

So most of the eSIMs for international travel that I profile below are data eSIMs; while some offer phone numbers, I consider that information largely incidental. It’s the data that’s gold. 

(That said, a common question I get from readers is “what if I need to make a phone call at my destination, for example to call a hotel?” Never fear: there are a couple of eSIMs below that will help you if that’s your concern).

Some of the links to eSIM providers listed below are affiliate links; this means if you click through and make a purchase I get a wee commission. This is one of the primary ways I make my living, and it allows me to continue to create and update mammoth resources like these, so you can travel smart, in style. It doesn’t cost you anything extra; but that simple click-through on your part means a lot to me. Thank you in advance for your support. 

Roamless

Use NORA5 for a $5 credit!

Roamless turns the entire eSIM industry on its head, and I love them for it. Instead of making you buy specific data packages with set amounts of data and limited geographic coverage, they work solely on a pay-as-you go basis. This eliminates the problem of unused data going to waste. Your data will never expire, since you only ever pay for what you use!

It also eliminates the need for multiple eSIMs; one installation and you’re set up to use any amount of data, anywhere in the world. All you need to do is put money in your in-app wallet, and you’ll have fast data wherever you go.

MY STRATEGY: I always have credit sitting in my Roamless wallet. When I’m about to travel, I check the per/GB rates for the country I’m about to visit. If it’s competitive, I use Roamless. If it’s not, or if I know in advance that I’ll need a boatload of data, I start researching the other eSIMs in this article to find a competitive rate.

2025 UPDATE: Roamless originally launched with only the pay-as-you-go credit model above. This is now referred to on Roamless as their Flex plan. They also have Fix plans that behave like traditional eSIM plans, offering fixed amounts of data with 30-day expiry dates. The Fix plans are competitively priced and might be ideal if you know in advance you’ll use a lot of data.

If all that wasn’t enough, they also offer in-app phone calls. Using the money in your Roamless wallet, you can call any number around the world (rates vary by destination/carrier, but start as low as $0.01/minute). This is great if you need to make a call at your destination (eg: to a hotel) and don’t have a phone plan. While they don’t currently have the ability for you to receive incoming numbers, this is a feature they’re developing.
Note: you don’t even need to be using their eSIM to use the in-app phone call feature! All you need is to load some money in the app and you can make calls over any WiFi or data plan, including your home carrier.

Pro Tip: Turn on your notifications for the app, because they offer special deals that give you up to a 100% bonus credit! For example, they had a 1-day sale on Valentine’s Day; top up any amount over $14 and get a $14 credit! Needless to say I jumped on that one. With deals like that, your actual cost per GB of data – even for the Flex plans – will be among the most competitive on the market.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Flex Plans: 100% Pay-as-you-go, works in 200+ countries
• Fix Plans: Fixed data amounts and locations with 30-day expiry

PRICING INFO

• Pricing varies depending on the country and whether you choose Flex or Fix.
• For example: France = $2.45/GB Flex, and as low as $1.24/GB on Fix; Canada = $4.45/GB Flex, as low as $2.20/GB on Fix

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• Funds in wallet never expire
• Supports device tethering
• Easy-to-follow steps & instructions when installing
• Turn it on or off whenever you need to
• Works on Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops
• 4G/5G connections, no throttling
• Make in-app voice calls to 200+ destinations

Click here to check out Roamless and use NORA5 for a $5 credit!  

Saily

Use NORA10 for 10% off!

Saily covers 200+ destinations and offers high network speeds like 4G, LTE, and 5G. They are associated with my fav VPN company that I’ve been a paying customer for years (and one of the top-rated VPNs around): Nord VPN. This immediately bodes well for my confidence in Saily being a good eSIM provider.

As soon as Saily launched I checked out their rates and I was very impressed: some of the most competitive rates I’ve seen yet, especially for 30-day plans.

Even better: they also have some of the only long-term global data plans on the market! I almost always have a 20GB global plan with a 365-day expiry date on my phone – either with Saily or Airalo (below).

This is noteworthy for a couple of reasons; a big one being that most eSIM data plans have very short expiry dates (usually between seven and 30 days). The 365-day plans help to set Saily apart.

I use this global plan either as my main eSIM (especially in places where the cost of data is normally expensive), and/or somewhere where I know I’ll have WiFi most of the time and won’t need much data, and/or as a backup for places I’m transiting or traveling quickly through and don’t want to bother getting a dedicated data eSIM for.

I also used one of their Regional plans for Europe, and again I used them when I visited Tanzania. In all cases I was super pleased. The process of buying and installing was very easy.

With only one tap, you can install your eSIM plan and start using it right away. If you ever need to top up your active plan, you can do that smoothly without buying and installing another one. This includes when hopping from one country/region to another; you never have to reinstall a new eSIM profile. All you need to do is to get a new deal, and you can swap your plans conveniently through the app.

2025 UPDATE: Saily just launched yet another new type of plan that is rocking the eSIM industry for long-term travelers and remote workers: Saily Ultra – an unlimited global eSIM monthly plan. Here are the features:

• 30GB high speed data per month (if you use more than 30GB it switches to 1mbps speed)
• Coverage in 113 countries
• Access to Nord’s full suite, including NordVPN, NordPass (password manager), NordLocker (secure cloud storage) and Incogni (personal data removal service) – all this would normally cost you $8/month, for free
• 8% cashback in Saily credits
• Ad blockers
• Virtual location (masks your IP address) – this helps accessing sites you can only access from your home country
• Web protection
• Priority 24/7 support
• More to come

Depending on how much data you need per month, rates start at $29.99/month.

I have recently started testing out eSIM monthly subscription plans (there are a few available, including Saily, Holafly, Pangia Pass, and GigSky – all featured below), and I am surprised at how refreshing it is to know I have unlimited data, everywhere I go.
And with the entire Nord suite of services as well (including a VPN which is critical to have), Saily Ultra is a good option.

TYPES OF SAILY PLANS

• Variety of local plans for 200+ destinations and regions
• Multiple data packages, starting from 1 GB up to 20 GB
• Flexible validity periods, starting from 1 day up to 30 days (plus the 365-day global plan)
• Saily Ultra global monthly subscription plan

PRICING INFO

• Pricing varies depending on the country, the duration of the plan, and the amount of data you want to get.
• For example: Turkey: 1 GB data for 7 days = $3.99; Spain: 3 GB data for 30 days = $6.99; Thailand: 1 GB data for 7 days = $2.99; Europe 5 GB for 30 days = $19.49; Global 20 GB for 365 days = $67.
• Saily Unlimited, for $29.99/month

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• 24/7 customer support
• Supports tethering
• Easy-to-follow steps & instructions when installing
• Supports 5G connection
• Multi-use eSIM profile
• Many plans offer 3% cashback which can be used towards your next eSIM

Click here to check out Saily and use NORA10 for 10% off!  

Pangia Pass

Get 10% off (discount embedded my links below)

There are now a few eSIM providers that offer global monthly renewable data plans. Saily Ultra (described above), and Holafly and GigSky (coming below).

However unlike these others who offer these types of plans as a supplement to their core offering, Pangia Pass eSIM does one and one thing only: global unlimited renewable data.

I’m in the process of testing out these plans across all these providers. Here are some general observations.

Why Monthly Renewable Global Data Works

In the “old days”, landing in a new country was hard work: find Wi-Fi, find a SIM shop, compare plans, choose/buy/install, and hope it all works. If I landed at an awkward time of day or night, the airport kiosks wouldn’t be open and I’d have to dedicate half a day to finding a cell phone shop that could help me as a non-resident traveler. 

Then eSIMs came along; big improvement. Still, I would spend hours before each trip researching the best eSIM, downloading and installing it, and hoping it would connect when I landed at my destination. 

Now, the plane lands, I turn on my phone, and I’m already connected. This is monthly renewable global data at its best. 

Here’s why it’s magic

• Pangia Pass in particular has the best rates in the global monthly data market (save for Gigsky’s current sale promo which is a bit cheaper).
• Because the data is unlimited, I don’t worry about trying to connect to public WiFi wherever possible, like airports, hotels, and cafes – where the WiFi is notoriously insecure. 
• I no longer spend hours researching and comparing eSIM plans every time I’m about to travel. My phone simply works, everywhere I go, all the time. 
• I don’t have to monitor my data usage meticulously, to make sure I bought enough for my trip length.
• I just never think about data any more, and it’s way more of a relief than I ever thought it would be.
  

Who it’s for

Digital nomads and long-term travelers are the obvious choice for Pangia Pass, but I would also say anybody who travels frequently (even on shorter trips) can benefit from having this perfect option that works every time you go abroad. 

Some specifics / drawbacks

• While the data is unlimited, the coverage isn’t quite global. Pangia Pass covers 105 countries (and counting). Regions with limited coverage include a huge chuck of Africa, the Stans, a bit of SouthEast Asia (including Laos and Cambodia), and a bit of Central/South America (including Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Venezuela). So check the coverage map before you travel to make sure you’ll have data. If not, you can supplement with another eSIM for the time you’re in those countries. 
• No phone number is included (which is standard for most eSIMs). 
• In order to keep data unlimited and global for all customers, Pangia Pass asks everybody to adhere to a fair usage policy. This means don’t do things like stream video 24/7 (literally), or hotspot to devices that consume ridiculous amounts of GiGs daily. The good news is if you’re using up too much bandwidth you’ll get a warning first (they won’t just boot you off).
  

Payment options

Panga Pass has 3 plans to choose from (in $USD):

• $27/month, paid annually ($324/year)
• $35/month, paid monthly, cancel any time
• Lifetime Unlimited plan: $5,000 one time payment

The monthly and annual plans auto-renew. You can cancel any time through the dashboard, but you don’t get a refund for unused time if you cancel mid-cycle. 

Curious? Try out Pangia Pass eSIM here, and this link has a 10% discount embedded! 

Holafly eSIM 

Use promo code THEPROFESSIONALHOBO for 5-10% off!

Over the years I haven’t been super excited to promote Holafly because I haven’t found their rates particularly competitive. But they revamped their program and now have a couple of standout features that just might be up your alley.

FOR SHORT-TERM TRIPS AND BIG DATA NEEDS: Holafly offers unlimited data at a fixed cost per day at your destination. The longer the plan you select, the lower the cost per day will be. This makes your vacation super stress-free, because you don’t need to worry about running out of data.

FOR LONG-TERM TRAVELERS and DIGITAL NOMADS: Holafly Plans gives you monthly global data plans. You can choose from three beefy plans, depending on your needs. You can use your phone as a hotspot, and you can cancel whenever you like.

I tested out the Holafly Plans feature and the process was seamless. And I must admit, with large-to-unlimited data amounts and global accessibility, I don’t have to think about my data needs (geographically) nor consumption. I just know it works….everywhere.

If you want to try out Holafly Plans, use THEPROFESSIONALHOBO to get 10% off every month for 12 months.

TYPES OF PLANS

• “Regular” Holafly – Prepaid Local, Regional, or Global data that is unlimited and charged on a per-day basis
• Holafly Plans – Monthly data plans for long-term global data users

PRICING INFO 

• “Regular Holafly pricing varies depending on the country or region and the duration of the plan
• For example: Europe – as low as $1.58/day for 60+ day plans, $6.90/day for less than 30 days
• Holafly Plans is currently offering launch pricing starting at $68/month. (Use THEPROFESSIONALHOBO to lock in the launch price plus 10% off). Note: this is far from the most competitive of the subscription plans. Check out the other subscription plans featured in this article to find the one with the best coverage and prices for your needs.

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• Extremely positive feedback from users in testimonials/reviews
• 24/7 Customer Support
• 200+ destinations
• Hotspot enabled
• Flexible refund policy (you can request a refund up to 6 months after purchase if your travel plans change)
  

Click here for “Regular” Holafly, and click here for Holafly Plans. Use THEPROFESSIONALHOBO for 5% off regular Holafly, and 10% off Holafly Plans!

GigSky

GigSky offers a variety of plans for 190-plus countries and regions. For those preparing to go on a cruise, their new Cruise + Land plans make staying connected while at sea, in port and on land seamless – a standout quality among eSIM providers. . 

Plans start as low as $2.99 for 1GB of data. When combined with their Rewards Program (earn 5% credit on every purchase you make) and their Refer-a-Friend offer (earn $3 every time a new referee buys a data plan), it’s easy to get addicted to being a repeat customer.  

Additionally, they offer all new customers a 100MB Free Trial – the perfect way to “try before you buy.” The best part about this is there’s no credit card required to take advantage of this offer.

GigSky also has a series of Unlimited plans, available in certain regions/countries (check their website for details). These plans range from 1-day to 30-days and is priced based on location. This is a great solution for heavy-data users. 

My partner has used GigSky in a few countries now. The purchase and installation is easy and the connection has been smooth and unlimited. The only downside is that each new plan (eg: for different countries or regions) requires a separate installation.

2026 UPDATE: GigSky One is their latest creation – a monthly subscription model that offers global data, similar to what I’ve described above with Holafly, Pangia Pass, and Saily. You can choose how much data you wish to have per month (25GB, 50GB, or 75GB), and at the time of this update they are running a 50% off special which makes their 25GB plan the most competitive of all the eSIM subscription plans on the market! This plan offers coverage in 120+ countries.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Country
• Regional
• Global
• Cruise + Land
• Off-Shore/North Sea
• Monthly Global Subscriptions

PRICING INFO

• Free 100MB data (for new customers)
• Pricing depends on destination, duration and data allowance. Take, for example, a United Kingdom Plan:
  • 100MB – Free – 7 days
  • 1GB – $5.99 – 7 days
  • 3GB – $9.34 – 15 days
  • 5GB – $15.29 – 30 days
  • 10GB – $23.37 – 30 days
  • Unlimited – $20.29 – 7 days
  • Unlimited – $30.79 – 14 days 

ADDITIONAL INFO / FEATURES

• 100MB Free Trial
• Plans in 190+ countries/regions
• Operates on 5G (when available)
• Automatically connects to the fastest networks
• 24/7/365 Live Support: chat, email, phone call & through their website
• Easy top-ups
• Data sharing (hotspot) allowed with other devices

Check out GigSky’s many offerings here!

Airalo eSIM 

Airalo has long been the darling of my fellow digital nomads and international travelers, much to my chagrin. When I first looked at them a few years ago, their rates were horrible. But they were easy to use, which apparently was worth its weight in gold. Or maybe it was that they had a robust loyalty/referral program; many eSIM providers now do, but Airalo was one of the first, and I think it served them well. 

The I looked at them again a couple of years ago and their rates were more competitive.

Also, something caught my eye: they also have a 20GB global plan with a 365-day expiry (similar to Saily) that is almost exactly the same price! It’s a fabulous back-up plan in case you need coverage in transit countries or for short spurts. If you’re in the market for a global eSIM check the current rates for both, as one or the other might have a sale on.

I have since used (and topped up) Airalo’s 20 GB global plan, and in 2024 I also found a great rate on a 30-day plan for a country I was visiting (Bosnia & Herzegovina for the record).

Sadly with Airalo, unless you’re topping up an existing eSIM, getting new plans requires you to go through the installation process again. While I’ve never struggled with the installation, I have heard from readers who have; if you’re not tech-savvy, you stand warned.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional data
• Local data
• Global data

PRICING INFO 

• Pricing depends on the destination, duration, and data allowance 
• For example: Canada: 1GB for 7 days = $6; Australia: 2GB for 15 days = $8; Latin America: 3GB for 30 days = $39; Global (130 countries): 20GB for 365 days = $69

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• 24/7 support
• Airalo Loyalty Program – earn additional credit for every purchase (cashback)

Click here to check out Airalo!

Simbye

Use HOBO10 for a 10% discount!
The links below have the discount embedded

Simbye stands out by going beyond the typical “data-only” eSIM model, offering real mobile numbers, calling capabilities, and highly customizable plans alongside global data coverage. This makes it particularly appealing for travelers who need a more complete mobile solution—not just internet access.

One of its most distinctive features is the inclusion of real phone numbers (not VoIP), which means you can receive OTP codes, register apps, and make calls just like you would with a traditional SIM. Combined with flexible plan-building options and coverage in 190+ countries, Simbye positions itself as a more fully featured alternative to standard travel eSIM providers.

Prices vary, but are generally a bit more premium as compared to most data-only eSIM providers. This is because of the inclusion of additional features like real phone numbers, calls, and texts. It’s more like a full phone plan that you can use on the road, and in that realm they are competitive.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Global and regional prepaid data plans covering 190+ countries
• Europe plan with a real European mobile number, including unlimited calls & SMS within Europe and international minutes
• US number option that functions like a real mobile line (supports OTP verification and app registrations)
• Build-your-own eSIM: choose up to 10 countries and set validity up to 365 days

PRICING INFO

• Europe plans (with unlimited data, phone number with calls/SMS): starting at $30 for one month
• Custom plans: price varies by countries + duration (up to 365 days)

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

• Beware of purchasing a long plan (eg: 365 days) then changing phones; the eSIM does not transfer over to a new phone and you’ll need to buy a new plan
• Supports hotspot tethering
• App-based setup and management (including the call/SMS management)
• Don’t need to install a new eSIM if you get a new plan for a different region/country

Click here to check out Simbye and enjoy an automatic 10% discount!

Nomad eSIM 

Nomad eSIM was the first eSIM I ever used. Keep an eye out for their sales; I started using them because they had a great deal on a European plan, and I got hooked on the ease of setup and the solid connectivity. 

I will admit, the sale package offered more data than I would normally consume, and once I got a taste of having obscene amounts of data at my fingertips, it turned me into a wee bit of a data-pig. It’s a tough habit to break once Pandora’s box has been opened. 

Caution: if installing new eSIMs gives you the heebie-jeebies, Nomad eSIM requires you to install a new eSIM for every country/region/plan you purchase. It’s not difficult, but you’ll need to keep track of which eSIM is which and potentially clean up old ones.
Many newer eSIMS to the market (including all the eSIMs listed above) only require you to install their eSIM once, and you can use any of their plans with the one eSIM, saving you the hassle of switching. This is important if your phone limits the number of eSIMs you can have.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional data
• Local data
• Global data

PRICING INFO 

• Europe: Starting from $1.25/GB
• US: Starting from $2.00/GB
• UK: Starting from $1.50/GB
• APAC: Starting from $2.40/GB

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• 24/7 Message support is built into the app
• Data sharing (hotspot) allowed with other devices
• Loyalty program plus referral bonuses available
  

Firsty

Firsty is totally unique and has a great value proposition: as in, it’s free! The idea is, if you land at a new destination and you haven’t yet installed a local SIM card, or perhaps whatever plan you are using is on the fritz, Firsty is there to save the day with free global data.

Their free plan offers a basic connection with a low bandwidth, but fast enough to get the essentials done; check emails, order an Uber, etc. Every 60 minutes you will be asked to watch a 30-second advertisement to keep the free juice flowing.

They also have Firsty Fast, which is their premium product and divided into two different tiers depending on your data needs. For those looking to roam like at home, they have Firsty Fast Ultra for around 2.50EUR/day. Those looking to get by with 500MB of fast data per day is Firsty Fast Lyte, starting at 1EUR/day. Being the only provider where you can buy days instead of bundles, you’ll never worry about running out of data. You can easily top up in the app or you can fall back on Firsty Free to message, check your email, online call, use navigation and other low-bandwidth apps like ordering an Uber.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Global
• Per country. List of countries and plans here.
• Pay per day

PRICING INFO 

• Free plan, low bandwidth, you get shown a 30-second ad every 60 minutes
• Firsty Fasty Lyte, approximately 1 EUR/day for 500 MB
• Firsty Fast Ultra, approximately 2 EUR/day for 2GB

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• You can pause your data and save it for your next trip. In this way, your data never expires!
• 24/7 customer support built into the app
• Free mobile data for apps like messaging, navigation, ordering an uber and facetime
• Buy days instead of bundles (2GB a day)
• One eSIM for the globe, automatically connecting you to best available network
  
  

aloSIM

Use NORA for 15% off!

aloSIM is a Canada-based eSIM provider. They’ve got great reach (175+ countries) and relatively competitive rates. Where aloSIM shines is in their alliance with Hushed, which offers online phone numbers. When you get an aloSIM eSIM, you will also get a FREE online phone number (your choice of a US or Canadian phone number) that can make and receive calls and texts over WiFi and data – for free – for the duration of your plan!

I recently found some great rates for a 30-day Europe/UK eSIM with aloSIM and so I tried them out. While this particular 30-day plan didn’t come with an online phone number, I will say that installing and activating aloSIM through their app was incredibly easy and seamless.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional plans
• Country plans

PRICING INFO

• Europe: Starting from $5.00/week
• US: Starting from $4.50/week
• Asia: Starting from $5.00/week
• Canada: Starting from $6/week

ADDITIONAL INFO / FEATURES

• Offers 24/7 live chat 
• 5G speeds available
• Quick and simple activation process
• Data sharing (hotspot) allowed with other devices
• Most data packages come with a free international phone number from Hushed (their sister app) that can call or text anywhere in the world
• Comprehensive FAQ – They’ve meticulously compiled answers to every imaginable question, ensuring you don’t need to resort to searching on Google or YouTube for solutions
  
  

Orbit Mobile eSIM

Use HOBO10 for 10% off!

Orbit Mobile e-SIM offers some very competitive prices. After discounts, their plans start at just $1.40/GB. 

Their plans are quite flexible. Most country plans allow you to buy from 1-20GB with a 30-day expiry. Some regional plans also include 50GB for 60 days, and 100GB for 365 days.

And at $120 for 100GB of global data over 365 days, this puts Orbit Mobile in top spot for value per GB on the 365-day global plans, as compared to Saily and Airalo’s global 365-day plans! However, Orbit Mobile’s Global plan currently only includes 64 countries, so make sure you’ll have coverage where you want to be. For example, I was surprised to see Canada is not on the list of countries covered in the Global plan.

Orbit Mobile e-SIM supports 4G+ to 5G. It lets you make in-app voice calls to 190+ countries. The network stays strong across urban areas and decent in most rural areas. 2025 Update: Orbit Mobile now works in 190+ countries (up from 170). And you don’t need to buy a new e-SIM every trip. One profile handles regional and global top-ups.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Local data 
• Regional data 
• Global data

PRICING INFO 

• Prices vary by country, duration, and data size
• Europe: Starting from $5.50/GB for 30 days
• US: Starting from $3/GB for 30 days
• Australia: Starting from $3/GB for 30 days
• Asia: Starting from $9/GB for 30 days
• Global Pass: Starting from $1/GB for 1 day or $120/100 for 365 days

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

• Supports 4G+/5G for fast connections.
• Multi-use eSIM profile- one eSIM, many top-ups.
• Works on phones, tablets, and laptops.
• In-app voice calls to 190+ destinations.
• 24/7 customer support.
• Quick QR-code and app-based activation.
• Hotspot support for tethering.

Click here to check out Orbit Mobile eSIMs, and use HOBO10 for 10% off!

Airhub App

Airhub provides comprehensive voice and data eSIMs in 80+ countries. A significant advantage is the inclusion of local numbers for receiving calls and texts, making it easy to receive OTPs for taxis, book hotels, and more. The Europe eSIM even includes a voice plan that supports international calls, facilitating communication with family and friends while abroad.

When you type in a destination, you’ll get a range of eSIM options including data only, data + voice, and different data amounts/expiry dates. The rates are very competitive. 

A word of advice/caution:

Read the additional information before buying, as there may be restrictions. When I searched Bulgaria’s voice + data plan, the phone number attached to the plan is a UK number. While it included roaming support so I could make local calls, a local Bulgarian wouldn’t likely want to call a UK number to reach me down the street. 

Also, I noticed some plans restrict hotspot tethering. If you plan to use your phone as a data hotspot, you’ll want to confirm the plan you get allows for it. 

Airhub ensures connectivity across popular travel destinations with a user-friendly activation process through QR codes or an app, ensuring you’re connected as soon as you land. Additionally, Airhub offers a range of plans tailored to different travel needs, such as family plans and cruise plans; whether data, voice, or both. This flexibility surpasses many competitors who often focus primarily on data-only plans.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional plans
• Local plans
• Global plans
• Voice plans (available in specific regions)

PRICING INFO

• Thailand: 2GB for 7 days – $3.2
• Europe: 65GB for 30 days – $32
• Australia: 20GB for 30 days – $12
• Latin America: 5GB for 30 days – $19.5
• Global: 25GB for 30 days – $39.9 (More plans available quarterly and annually)

ADDITIONAL INFO / FEATURES

• 24/7 Support: Available via in-app messaging.
• Airhub Loyalty Program: Earn additional credit for every purchase (cashback).
• Airhub’s Free eSIM: Avail up to 100 MB of free data covering over 80 countries. If you end up exhausting the data, you can always go for affordable top-up plans.
• Exciting offers like Family and Cruise Plans are tailored specifically for various needs.
  
  

Jetpac

Jetpac is a Telco company based out of Singapore. As a telecommunications company, they have direct relationships with other telcos globally, which in turn allows them to offer extremely competitive rates. As of May 2024, they claim to have the lowest rates for Japan, Europe, and the US. Most data packs have a 7-day or 30-day expiry, and you have up to a year to activate a pack after purchasing it.

In addition to data roaming services, Jetpac provides exclusive travel convenience perks such as free lounge access, meal and drink vouchers for delayed flights at over 1,000 airports worldwide, and one-click access to emergency hotlines in foreign countries.

I bought a 7-day plan with Jetpac and installation/use was fairly easy.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Global plan
• Regional plans
• Country plans

PRICING INFO 

• 1-day, 4-day, 7-day, and 30-day plans, up to 40GB
• Europe (28 countries) GB for 4 days = $1! 3GB for 7 days = $8.50
• USA 0.5GB for 1 day = $0.60! 1GB for 4 days = $1; 3GB for 7 days = $5

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• Data sharing (creating a hotspot with your phone) is allowed with other devices
• Rates are great if you just need data for a few days
• They’re coming out with additional travel-friendly features and add-ons, so check their Perks page for the latest!
  
  
  

Truely

Use NORA10 for 10% off!

Truely offers 4G, LTE, and 5G connectivity in over 200 locations worldwide. Its Switchless technology eliminates the need to reinstall or switch eSIM profiles when moving between countries, allowing for a smooth and hassle-free travel experience.

Truely offers a single lifetime eSIM solution — you don’t have to juggle multiple SIM cards or profiles. Their pricing model is straightforward: choose either a total amount of data for a specific number of days or a set amount of data per day for up to 60 days.

While the single eSIM solution isn’t super unique any more, Truely may have competitive rates depending on where you’re going.

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional data
• Global data
• Day passes

PRICING INFO

• Pricing depends on the destination, duration, and data allowance 
• For example: US: 1GB for 7 days = $4.49; Europe: 1GB for 7 days = $4.99; UK: 1GB for 7 days = $4.99

ADDITIONAL INFO

• 24/7 support via live chat or WhatsApp
• Only one eSIM required for all destinations
• 5G speeds available
• Wireless hotspot is allowed
  
  

Kite.Mobi

Kite.Mobi is fairly new to the scene, and when I checked out their site I was impressed with their global reach (160+ countries), their relationship with multiple cell networks in each country, and competitive rates.

What’s unique about Kite.Mobi is that they don’t have individual country plans; rather, they work with bundles. So, type in the country you plan to visit, and you’ll likely find that it’s also good in a few dozen other countries as well! The idea with multi-country access is that you can activate the eSIM before you leave home to make sure it works, and it will then work as soon as you land at your destination – and likely any layovers you have in between!

This sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole searching individual countries, then seeing which countries were included in that bundle, then searching other countries in that bundle to see if the rates were the same. In most cases they were; in some, they weren’t. For example, I searched New Zealand and found a bundle of 44 countries, including Bulgaria. So then I searched Bulgaria and got a different bundle with 37 countries (not including New Zealand) that cost a bit less!

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional data (up to 72 countries per bundle)

PRICING INFO 

• 7-day and 30-day plans, up to 20GB
• 37-country bundle (including most of Europe) costs up to $25 for 20GB; a 73-country bundle (including Canada/USA and countries around the world) costs up to $68 for 20GB

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• Data sharing (creating a hotspot with your phone) is allowed with other devices
• eSIMs are reusable up to 12 months after your last trip
• Customer service is only online, with a cautionary note that with timezone differences it may take a while for the team to get back to you
  

KeepGo eSIM 

Use PROFESSIONALHOBO for 10% off!

KeepGo has both eSIMs as well as physical SIMs and also mobile WiFi hotspots. I’ve had their mobile WiFi hotspot for a few years and whenever I’ve traveled with other people and needed to tether multiple devices, it has been great. Their rates aren’t the most competitive, but the data is valid forever (as long as you top up once per year, even with a tiny amount). 

I find the eSIM plans to be overwhelming; I searched for eSIM plans in Canada, and there are five different “eSIM bundles” that include Canada coverage. Each one has different coverage in terms of the number of carriers they have access to and/or the number of countries they offer coverage in. 5GB of data ranges from $40-$120!

So it’s a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack, but the prices CAN be very reasonable. Eg: if you’re going to Europe and you get the EU+ eSIM, 5GB costs $14 and never expires! 

But if you’re looking for a fast and easy one-click choice, you won’t find it here. 

If you click the link above and find a plan that works for you, use PROFESSIONALHOBO for 10% off! 

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional data
• Global data
• They also have physical sim card bundles, and mobile WiFi hotspots

PRICING INFO 

• Each package has different countries and networks that it supports, and different pricing.
• For example: Perseus: 9 main Asian destinations and Saudi Arabia | 5GB = $30; Phoenix: Global data | 10GB = $112; Orion: Europe and the USA | 50GB = $400

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• Data is valid forever if topped up at least once a year
• Data sharing allowed with other devices 
• You can switch between different mobile networks with the best coverage in your area. You can also manually select your preferred network via the Keepgo app
• Cannot purchase individual country eSim plans
  

TravelSim eSIM 

I have no experience with TravelSim, but they seem to be a popular choice and their rates are pretty good for Europe. It’s a Europe-centric service, with customer service hours limited to European time zones. I will update this post as I test them out or get more information. 

TYPES OF PLANS

• Regional data
• Global data
• Physical SIM cards also available

PRICING INFO 

• You can manually add a data plan and credit for calls & SMS to your eSIM
• eSIM Embedded Sim Card = $6
• Credit for calls and texts starts at $10
• Data plans differ per region. For example: Europe: 5GB for 30 days = $18; Zone A: 3GB for 30 days = $87; Zone B: 5GB for 30 days = $175

ADDITIONAL INFO/FEATURES

• TravelSim airtime/credit lasts one year (12 months) from your last recharge/top-up
• Your eSIM card will stay “live” as long as you recharge/top up once a year
• Customer service hours are limited to Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 18:00 Eastern European Time Zone
  
  
  

Making the Most of Your eSIM

Here’s some super important info to make sure your eSIM adventures go smoothly. 

Check compatibility

Before traveling, ensure that your device is eSIM-enabled and unlocked. Some devices might require carrier-specific eSIMs. If you have a phone plan that includes payments for your phone (ie: you didn’t buy your phone outright for a whack of dough), then your phone could be locked and thus you won’t be able to change SIMs. You can find out by contacting your current phone carrier. 

Consider regional or global plans 

If you’re bopping around countries, it may be easier to just get a regional or even a global plan. Recently I was in Europe for a summer, and (including layovers) I set foot in seven countries in three months. I got a regional plan that covered me throughout Europe, so I had a seamless connection everywhere without having to do anything. 

Consider expiry dates and your usage needs

While some data plans looks like a steal at under $2 per gigabyte of data, if that data expires in just a few days and there’s no way to roll it over, dollar for dollar it might be a crappy deal. Think about how much data you’re likely to use during the plan period. 

For example when I’m at my home base in Canada I have a solid WiFi connection most of the time, so I don’t use a lot of data. So it doesn’t make sense to pay $30 (for example) for a 30-day plan that gives me 20GB of data if I won’t use it. It might make more sense to pay the same $30 for 7GB of data that is good for 180 days. The cost per GB is greater, but overall it’s way cheaper if I’m around for a while. 

Know your plan’s expiry and rollover rules 

The thing people almost never seem to consider when choosing an eSIM provider, is their rollover rules. And it’s so important, especially for long-term travelers, or people like me who use data eSIMs 365 days a year – at home and abroad. (My phone number in Canada is through an app called Fongo, so I don’t have a “regular” phone plan). 

So when you’re evaluating plans, consider: What happens to the data you buy when it expires? Do you lose it? Or can you roll it over by topping up? I never really know how much data I will use in a given period of time, so I appreciate plans that allow me to preserve unused data on expiry. 

Do you need a phone number with calls and texts? 

Some eSIMs come with a phone number that gives you a certain number of SMS texts and calling minutes. But before you take the bait, where is the phone number? 

I was considering a global data plan with one of these providers above; they had packages with just data, and packages with data/calls/texts. But the phone number they give you is for a random country that I have no plans to visit! So the phone number would be useless to me. That said, if one of these eSIMs gives you a number for a country you actually plan to visit, this could be very useful. 

Activate beforehand

I appreciate having a connection as soon as I land, so I can leave the airport and hop right into an Uber or use Google Maps to get public transportation directions. And you usually need some kind of WiFi connection to initially set up your eSIM. By setting up and activating your eSIM before you travel, you’ll be connected on arrival. 

Look at the carriers an eSIM uses

Some eSIMs only have arrangements with one carrier in a country, and that carrier might not have the best coverage for the area you want to visit. Other eSIM providers have the ability to switch carriers to whichever one is strongest in that area. 

If you’re doing a road trip through remote areas of a country, certain phone carriers may be better than others to have. Make sure that the eSIM you choose uses carriers with strong coverage in the areas you plan to visit. 

Check for customer support 

If something goes wrong or you need assistance with your plan, you want to know that a robust 24/7 customer support can get you out of your bind. By reading reviews, you’ll find out pretty quickly what a company’s state of affairs is regarding customer support. 

Getting a New Phone? Beware

Most eSIMs don’t automatically transfer over to a new phone. You’ll need to go through an installation process again, and in some cases it requires a call to customer service because it’s not a standard installation.

Moreover, some eSIM companies don’t allow for an installation on a new phone at all. They make you buy a new plan. So if have your eye on an eSIM plan with a far-off expiry date and you also plan to get a new phone, make sure it will transfer over.

FAQs about the Best eSIM for International Travel

Staying connected while traveling internationally is more important than ever, but no longer needs to be difficult or stressful With the convenience, cost savings, and flexibility offered by eSIM technology, you can enjoy your trip without worrying about roaming charges. 

With the top eSIM options mentioned in this article, you can make an informed decision and stay connected wherever your wanderlust takes you. 

This post Finding the Best eSIM for International Travel: Your Ultimate Guide appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

Here’s why Madeira is such an attractive place to visit (despite the fact that many people can’t even find it on a map), how it became one of the top digital nomad hubs in the world, and how you can visit Madeira as a digital nomad and get the most from the experience. 

Madeira Island Travel Guide: Where is Madeira? 

Madeira is an island that belongs to Portugal, but is geographically closer to Morocco than Portugal. And depending on who you talk to, some will tell you that Madeira is culturally more like Africa than Europe. 

Despite being part of Portugal, Madeira has its own elected government with some degree of autonomy. 

Because of its location, it is the warmest place in Europe during winter, and has generally delightful weather year-round; rarely too hot nor too cold. 

Goldilocks would be pleased. 

This, of course, depends on where in Madeira we are talking about, since it may be a small island but it’s also a relatively tall one, with many microclimates. Its beauty is in part due to the near vertical terrain, with houses and towns built (sometimes precariously) into the hillsides. 

Although you can drive around the whole island in a few hours (thanks to the incredible system of over 150 tunnels that were built shortly after Portugal joined the EU), the highest peaks are almost 2,000 metres above sea level. And of course the higher you go, the cooler it gets.

Madeira Hiking Trails

2,000 metres elicits pictures of rugged untouched wilderness, and while that’s not inaccurate, you can also quite literally drive to it. One of the most popular hikes on the island is called Pico do Pico, and starts with a drive to the top of Pico do Arieiro to watch the sun rise, before hiking down into the valley and up to the neighbouring Pico Ruivo, which is the tallest mountain on the island. 

The hike is challenging; anything with an elevation loss and subsequent gain of about 500 metres is not to be sniffed at. On the day I did it, two people had to be air lifted off the mountain due to heat exhaustion. That said, the hike is also practically paved. There are literally stairs with handrails at the steep bits. 

Up and down aren’t your only options for hiking in Madeira; hiking is one of the top pastimes for visitors and locals alike, and with over 3,000 kilometres of hiking trails, it’s a hiker’s paradise. 

The network of tunnels I referred to earlier are one of a few engineering marvels in Madeira; the island is also rife with “levadas”; a form of irrigation initially developed hundreds of years ago to transport water to all parts of the island. And beside many levadas are hiking trails. 

In my two cumulative months on Madeira, I did about eight proper hikes, the longest one about 20kms. Each offered vastly different terrain and views, and I know I still have only scratched the surface. 

I discovered these hikes and found carpools to and from the start and end points, thanks to another marvel of Madeira: the amazing system that has been built to help islanders and long-term visitors alike connect and enjoy all that Madeira has to offer. 

The Rise of Digital Nomads in Madeira

Madeira depends heavily on tourism, and like many tourism-dependent locations, it suffered profoundly when the pandemic hit. But some would argue Madeira’s problems pre-dated the pandemic; as a small island with limited options and industries, young people with career ambitions bigger than Madeira could support had to move away to earn their livings, and few ever return. 

Gonçalo Hall, a Portuguese man hailing from Lisbon, saw an opportunity to contribute to Madeira’s economy, revive the dwindling population, and to create a paradise for digital nomads – a triple win. He created a project that has since taken on a life of its own: Digital Nomads Madeira Islands.  

Gonçalo initially zeroed in on Ponta do Sol, a small village on the south coast of Madiera that, despite the epic sunsets, was suffering. Generations of young people were all moving away due to lack of opportunities, leaving empty houses and closed businesses in their wake. 

What Gonçalo saw in Ponta do Sol was an ocean of opportunity. He wanted to create a digital nomad village that would have an impact not just for nomads, but also for Madeira (present, and future). 

First he created an infrastructure for nomads to arrive. With the help of the regional government, he reached out to local businesses to discuss the pending influx of nomads: hotels, restaurants, local accommodation, consultants, lawyers, car rental agencies, creatives, and entrepreneurs from different areas. The idea was to help them understand what digital nomads need so they could be prepared (top of the list: ergonomic workspace, fast WiFi, and good coffee. We are simple creatures).

Then a coworking space was built, but not just for nomads coming from afar; it was built to be a place where locals and visitors alike could connect and share skills, ideas, cultures, and more. These kinds of collaborations and connections are not only valuable from a social standpoint, but they also create lasting effects like new businesses, tech initiatives, volunteer projects, knowledge transfer in schools, and more. 

The social infrastructure was next. Slack channels and WhatsApp groups were created to keep everybody apprised of the local schedules and activities (which are many!) available throughout the week. 

Since its inception in 2021, the Madeira digital nomad community has grown well beyond Ponta do Sol. There is now a presence in most major towns around the island. For example, Madeira Friends is a non-profit that hosts regular events, workshops and more, mostly in Funchal. 

There are now Slack channels, WhatsApp super communities, and themed groups for whatever you want to do, from hiking to salsa dancing and beyond. 

There are weekly lunches, cocktail parties, and cross-fit sessions. There are dance lessons, coding workshops, and mastermind sessions. 

All of these events are designed for all to attend; locals, visitors, expats, and of course, digital nomads. 

Gonçalo’s ultimate vision for this project has been not only to create a space for nomads to connect and collaborate, but also to provide sustainable income for local businesses, and also, a sharing of skills and perspectives with local Madeirans – to expose them to remote work opportunities and give them a chance to choose to stay in Madeira and build their lives and careers locally, rather than to feel their only chances to earn a decent living exist offshore. 

He is also developing similar communities in other parts of Portugal, as well as Brazil, Cabo Verde, and other places. You can see what he’s up to at NomadX. 

Digital Nomad Communities in Madeira: How to Find Events

Start off by signing up on the Digital Nomads Madeira Islands website (it’s free), which will give you access to the Slack Community and more. This will tap you into the pulse of what’s happening around the island, how to find accommodation, social activities and workshops, and much more. 

You can get by with just the Slack group, but once you dig in a bit you’ll also discover dedicated WhatsApp groups for a variety of interests, like hiking, dancing, tech, vegans, social events, and much more. Be warned: it’s a time suck and a black hole! Join groups at your own peril. 

Madeira Accommodation Options for Digital Nomads 

For my first visit, I stayed in a coliving space that I found on the Digital Nomads Madeira site – which offers a variety of options for finding accommodation; options that I would later come to learn were comprehensive but far from complete. 

When I returned to the island later in the year, as much as I liked the coliving experience, I wanted a place of my own so I could host a visiting friend, and I found it by scouring the #accommodation channel in the Slack group for Digital Nomads Madeira. 

Coliving in Madeira

Here are the coliving spaces I’m aware of in Madeira. 

See also: Local Coliving Spaces Around the World 

FUNCHAL 

• A Ver o Mar 

PONTA DO SOL

• Outsite  (Use this link for a $50 discount on membership)
• Banana House 

SANTA CRUZ

• Homeoffice Madeira

JARDIM DO MAR 

• Nomadico 
  

Nomad-Friendly Monthly Rentals

The first time I went to Madeira, I had visions of getting a monthly rental, but I struggled to find digital nomad accommodation websites. So I created this page as a worldwide monthly rental resource for digital nomads. Quite a few of the sites in that article now have places in Madeira too. 

Please bookmark and enjoy! 

For medium to long-term rentals in Madeira, the best place to look is on the #accommodation slack channel for the island (which you can sign up for using this form from the Digital Nomads Madeira website). It is full of listings by local owners, some of whom have properties that they rent out all the time to a mix of long-term or short-term tenants, others who are subletting their apartments while they’re off the island. Marelin of Madeira Friends is also tirelessly dedicated to helping people find the perfect rental, and she maintains a notion page with listings (which you’ll also find in the Slack channel). 

Here are some additional websites that have a good number of listings on Madiera island.

• FlatIO (use code theprofessionalhobo for 10% off the service fee!) 

You’ll also find some hotels and vacation rentals offering specials for digital nomads on this page. 

Choosing Your Base: Funchal vs. Ponta do Sol

When I was planning my first visit to Madeira, I couldn’t figure out from afar where I should stay: Ponta do Sol or Funchal? 

Luckily a friend who had been to both places advised me from her experience. 

Ponta do Sol is a small town with limited options (for example only a handful of restaurants), but a very strong digital nomad community and is surrounded by beautiful nature. It is not far from Funchal (a 30 minute drive), however there is no public transportation between towns and Bolt is unreliable. 

So if you plan to visit Ponta do Sol, to get the most out of the experience you may want to arrange for a car. Alternately if you want a quieter life but with the ability to connect with other nomads, Ponta do Sol might be your speed. 

Funchal is the island’s capital, with a population of 105,000 and lots of infrastructure to support it. It’s also where the cruise ship port is, and depending on the time of year, multiple ships can be in port daily. 

Funchal has a well-developed public transportation bus system, a fair bit to see and do as a visitor, and even more stuff to do as a digital nomad. 

I chose Funchal primarily because I wanted access to latin dance socials and classes, and I also wanted things to do and an opportunity to experience more local culture than I anticipated I could find in Ponta do Sol. 

I made the right choice for me (both times). But I wouldn’t discount staying in Ponta do Sol on a future visit. The Outsite space in particular (linked to earlier) looks like a beautiful place for a retreat and/or to get some concentrated work done. 

Choosing the Best Time to Visit Madeira 

My first month in Madeira was January. It wasn’t cold per se, but it sure wasn’t hot (daily highs were around 15-20 degrees Celsius). There was some rain but never so much that I felt inundated or socked in. 

I was a bit surprised by the temperatures during my visit; I had expected 20 degrees, not so much 15 degrees (with lows in the single digits). I was glad I had my down jacket for the chilly evenings, and given that most homes are not particularly insulated nor heated, I was downright cold in bed most nights. 

Arriving on January 2^nd was regarded by the locals as a planning oversight; Funchal is known for its fireworks display on New Year’s Eve, and I missed it by a hair. I wasn’t too late however, for the incredible display of lights in Funchal; the city centre is adorned with lights everywhere, and lights are even strung up along the roadsides way up into the hills above town. It’s a monumental undertaking each year, and a sight to behold. 

This makes Madeira a prime place to visit over the Christmas Holiday season. 

But I was cold and wanted to see summer in Madeira by contrast. So I returned for the month of August. 

I got more than I bargained for. If January of this year was unseasonably cold, summer was…you got it – unseasonably hot. And like the absence of heating, as a (usually!) temperate island, most homes also don’t have air conditioning. My apartment happened to be the kind that offers no circulation either; it was a sauna inside and out, from which I had no escape. 

Actually that’s not quite true; there was an escape from the heat, and that was to go to higher climes and/or breezier places. Ponta do Sol, for example, was reportedly not as stuffy.

So, having experienced both extremes of Madeira, I would like to suggest that the best time of year to visit Madeira from a weather perspective is in the spring or autumn seasons. 

Coliving vs Solo Living: Personal Reflections 

My respective experiences in Madeira not only differed in terms of weather; they also differed dramatically from a social perspective. 

My first trip to Madeira was also my first experience with coliving, which was an amazing experience overall. While people came and went from the large two-story six-bedroom apartment in Funchal, there was a core group of us who were there for most of the month. 

There were workspaces, fast internet, and comfortable spacious common areas for us to work, cook, and live together. 

At one point, during an impromptu household dinner and games night I counted eight nationalities represented at our table; all of us sharing our respective cultures and ideas, and collectively experiencing and reflecting on Madeira through our unique cultural lenses – which made for some fascinating conversations and interactions. 

It was also nice to work alongside other people. It wasn’t until my second trip to Madeira when I had a place of my own that I started to realize that as much as I consider myself a lone wolf, I am more productive when my schedule is a bit more accountable due to the presence of others. 

In fact, it was my coliving experience in January that inspired me to level up the experiment and spend a month in Estonia with Hacker Paradise in September. 

That is not to say that having my own studio apartment in Funchal wasn’t delightful for its own reasons. It offered considerably more privacy than the coliving space, and allowed me to have overnight guests (a friend from Toronto came to visit me). It was also cheaper than the coliving space. 

Each of these options had pros and cons. For myself, with Madeira as the the “control” factor in my initial experiment with coliving, I feel like coliving is a fantastic option for digital nomads who are traveling solo. And if you’re an introvert (as I am), you may find that the presence of others at a coliving space gives you that wee bit of extra motivation to get out the door and experience your destination during those times when it just feels easier to stay home and eat potato chips. I will quietly admit that during my second tour of duty in Madeira while staying on my own, I wasn’t as productive with work and I ate more potato chips than I should have. 

Regardless, I still got out on a bunch of hikes, attended some lunches, a handful of dance classes and social nights, and further reinforced my love of Madeira. 

I’ll be back. 

Interested in the Island Life? Here are a few other islands you might find “sticky”: 

All Life is Suffering: A Month in Koh Phangan, Thailand

I spent TWO YEARS on the Caribbean island of Grenada…

This post Digital Nomad Madeira: A Comprehensive Guide to Living and Working in Paradise appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

With an increased propensity to move around, many companies have heeded the call for sustainable, inclusive, and responsible travel. While these organizations include both non-profit and for-profit companies, all are focused on providing positive social and environmental impact through various initiatives. 

This article discusses what social impact is, how it applies to digital nomads, and lists some of the best social impact travel companies to use this year.

See also: 

18 Eco Travel Companies and Booking Tools to Use

Eco Friendly Travel Products

Is the Digital Nomad Lifestyle Environmentally Friendly? 

What is Social Impact Travel?

Social impact travel is a response to growing awareness of the impact travel has on local cultures and environments around the world. While there is no single definition, the general idea of this travel style is that we can make conscious choices in our behaviors to provide a more positive social impact.

As this type of travel grows in popularity, social impact companies like G Adventures are partnering with nonprofit organizations to support local communities through impact trips and goodwill initiatives.

Social Impact Travel for Digital Nomads

A big concern that arose from the digital nomad revolution is flight carbon emissions. This negative environmental impact is inherent to global travel. 

Similar conversations are being had about gentrification, though I must admit digital nomads are becoming the scapegoat (see here, and here) for a much larger problem that involves expat and tourists just as much if not more than digital nomads. (Articles like this one are now being written in response to the above articles). 

In response, nomads are seeking more sustainable ways to give back and support systemic social benefits.

Digital nomads are uniquely positioned to create a worldwide positive social impact, from minimizing carbon footprints to engaging with local community members. 

Many governments have jumped on board encouraging digital nomads to stay in one place longer through the emergence of digital nomad visas which can allow “slowmads” to stay in a country for up to 2 years.

Types of Social Impact Travel

Social impact travel takes on many forms empowering local cultures through ethical, respectful, and sustainable behavior. Here are a few examples:

Sustainable Travel

Broadly encompassing most forms of social impact travel, sustainable travel emphasizes responsible and conscious action where travelers minimize negative impacts on host destinations.

Locally-Conscious Travel

Supporting local communities is one of the easiest ways to give back. From shopping in local markets to staying in locally-owned accommodations to engaging in local projects, deliberate decision-making is all it takes to make your trip locally-conscious.

Eco Travel

Also termed “green travel,” this style aims for low- or zero-ecological impact. Many “eco lodges” are designed specifically to minimize their impact on the environment and educate their guests.

Volunteer Travel

Digital nomads can make a difference by volunteering their time to various organizations in host communities. The options for volunteer work vary widely, as do the time requirements. It is important to look for locally-sourced opportunities to ensure you are supporting the needs of the community.

Conservation Travel

Some organizations offer opportunities to work directly toward the conservation of local flora and fauna, while others contribute proceeds to these causes. Typically, conservation travel can be found in wildlife-rich areas. Think Costa Rica, Indonesia, or Thailand.

The Impact You Could Make

The digital nomad life brings us up close and personal with many different cultures and environments. As a result, we make a social impact wherever we go whether or not we realize it. Whether the impact is positive or negative is up to you. 

Companies with social impact could enable you to do the following: 

• Offset carbon emissions
• Boost local economies
• Support small business owners
• Help with animal conservation and rehabilitation
• Create jobs for local residents
• Support local projects
• Foster education
• Revitalize culture and art
• Preserve of heritage
• Strengthen communities
  
  

The Best Social Impact Organizations for Digital Nomads

If you’ve made it this far, you’re likely ready to take the next step in making a positive social impact while traveling. There are tons of social impact organizations specifically designed to fit the digital nomad lifestyle. Take a look at the list below for some social impact travel possibilities.

1. Nomads Giving Back

The name says it all with this social impact organization. Nomads Giving Back offers digital nomads the chance to give back to the local communities they call home through their volunteer matching program.

Organizations list their needs on the website, creating a worldwide database. After you fill out a simple form, you are matched with an organization in your area so that you can have the greatest impact based on your particular skills and circumstances. 

From social impact-themed trips to advocacy events to impact workshops, this is the place to start making a difference.

2. Nomads Skillshare

An offshoot project by Nomads Giving Back, Nomads Skillshare is a growing community in the nomad space that brings together philanthropic-minded global citizens. Inside the community, you can join conversations about giving back, meet with like-minded nomads, and learn about exclusive service opportunities.

Through the Skillshare with Impact! program, you can participate in virtual or in-person workshops focused on social impact. This same program offers a scholarship to local Indonesians so they can learn digital skills online.

Use discount code THEPROFESS10 for 10% off their online courses to help you level up your skills to live and work effectively as a digital nomad!

3. Ventures with Impact

Ventures with Impact is a 4-week coworking retreat where digital nomads will participate in a skills-based volunteer opportunity. Choose between four amazing locations—Medellin, Chiang Mai, San Miguel de Allende, Lisbon—and enjoy 2-3 bedroom apartments with private rooms and access to co-working spaces.

While on a trip, each volunteer opportunity is personalized based on your skills and interests and the needs of local organizations. You will be placed at an organization where your professional skills fill a resource gap. In a sense providing ‘pro bono’ work to help develop the local infrastructure.

See also: Digital Nomad Retreats to Level Up Your Lifestyle  

4. Voluntouring

Voluntouring helps you find volunteer opportunities all over the world. This social impact organization provides a listing platform for organizations to advertise their projects and get the help they need.

Using the site is as simple as inputting keywords in the search bar at the top, and then scrolling through the results to find the perfect match. There are both paid and free programs.

5. Re:Build

Re:Build is a community of people passionate about building regenerative villages. This organization is answering the call for more sustainable communities that operate in tandem with nature and local cultures. The goal is to bring together “re:builders,” landowners, and investors to create places that embody regenerative values and principles.

Projects are distributed across the world, predominantly located in popular digital nomad destinations. You can participate by joining as a community member or attending one of the live or virtual gatherings. This is a great way to ensure you’re taking less than you’re giving and help build a more sustainable global environment.

6. Thriving Nomads

Thriving Nomads is a network of digital nomads empowering individuals and businesses to create positive impact projects and jobs. This social impact organization is specifically created by and for digital nomads with an emphasis on location independence.

Virtual events and in-person conferences bring together like-minded social impact makers. Thriving Nomads also hosts smaller workations for deep-dive experiences and organizes local meetups. This organization is in the growing stages, but is driven by socially-conscious, passionate people.

I interviewed the founders of Thriving Nomads in my Remote Work & Travel series! They have a to of interesting insights and projects happening. Check it out here. 

7. Economadia

While giving us the freedom to venture into the unknown, location independence has also heightened our awareness of the importance of community. From local residents at our destinations to other digital nomads, the digital nomad life is anything but a solo endeavor. Economadia harnesses this concept with a vision of building “global villages” with international communities as their inhabitants.

Economadia organizes workations/retreats and event crews to explore various impact projects around the world and to raise awareness. The goal is to connect digital nomads with rural coliving and coworking places, promoting the connection between technology and sustainability.

8. Social Nomads

A great way to give back in a less-visited place is to join a social impact workation with Social Nomads. These workations are designed for digital nomads, location independent entrepreneurs, and freelancers. During the workations, you can participate in masterminds focused on your work and making a social impact, and you will enjoy scheduled “laptop hours” for your personal work time.

Social Nomads is run by the founders of the 22STARS Foundation, which strives to combat poverty and empower Ugandan families. During the workations, meals are prepared by the women of the 22STARS Foundation which supports their businesses.

Final Words

As avid travelers, digital nomads are uniquely positioned to make a difference in the world. With a lifestyle that is centered around global mobility, it puts us in contact with numerous cultures and environments apart from our own. 

It is our responsibility to ensure that the difference we make is a positive one, and neither apathy nor ignorance are excuses. It’s up to us to ensure we are respecting the wonderful communities who welcome us.

Even the smallest effort can result in a meaningful and sustainable positive social impact. That is why it is vital that we embrace social impact travel. Take the next step and consider supporting one of the social impact organizations in this article. 

This post The Best Social Impact Travel Organizations for Digital Nomads to Consider appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

Coliving houses are communal living spaces designed to fulfill the needs of working professionals who want flexibility, amenities, and the company of like-minded individuals. They’re often converted boutique hotels or large houses that are renovated or even purpose built for digital nomads to live and work in (relatively) close proximity. The structure and amenities of each coliving space can vary, but they tend to be geared towards professional travelers who want comfort and amenities, and they’re willing to pay for the curation thereof. 

There are a ton of digital nomad housing upstarts to choose from, so I created this list to help you find some of the best coliving spaces in the world.

Even since I started writing this article, the list of locally managed coliving spaces has grown, so this article will be continuously updated as new co-living options come available. Be sure to bookmark this page and check back every time you’re choosing a new place to hang your hat.

SEE ALSO:
How to Book Monthly Digital Nomad Accommodation (alternatives to AirBnB) 
Top Digital Nomad Conferences to Attend
3 Ways Aspiring Digital Nomads Can Earn Money and Save Tax 
Best Coliving Coworking Programs for Remote Workers and Digital Nomads 

How to Find the Best Coliving Space in the World that Suits Your Needs

Digital nomads have unique lifestyle needs, and accommodation options need to have certain qualities to enable a productive and fulfilling experience. Still, priorities vary depending on who you are, so you will have to weigh which amenities are more important. Here are some core criteria to consider when comparing co living apartments.

Location

Generally, you can find a co living space anywhere in the world, but typically you will find them centrally located in big cities and urban areas. That said, there are more and more shared living options popping up in more rural locations. 

WiFi and Co-Working Facilities

Most co-living spaces are equipped with high-speed internet and some kind of work-friendly space. However, ‘high-speed’ is subjective, so be sure to compare the numbers if you’re torn between options. 

Sharing an office space with like-minded nomads is a huge benefit of coliving. While coworking spaces differ, they typically optimize the space with sleek designs, private and communal work areas, and sometimes even private video conferencing rooms.

Cleaning Services

Many coliving operators offer cleaning services as a part of your monthly fee. This is one of many “done for you” elements that elevate the communal living experience from the stereotypical “dorm life” options associated with the backpacking travel scene. 

Communal Living Space and Community Events

That said, some have likened coliving to dorms for adults—communal kitchens, shared common areas, community gyms, and more provide an environment for likeminded travelers to socialize, network, and plan travel adventures together. 

Some coliving houses have dedicated hosts or coordinators to help with everything from local logistics to organizing coliving community events, informal hangouts, and more.

See also: Digital Nomad Communities that can help you plan your travels, meet digital nomads, and more.

Shared or Private Rooms

Coliving gives you the chance to have the best of both worlds. Enjoy a bit of socializing and then retreat to the privacy of your own room for rest, relaxation, or uninterrupted work. 

While many coliving spaces feature private bedrooms (some with private ensuite bathrooms), some coliving locations are designed more like hostels with multiple beds in a single room. These alternatives are typically cheaper as you will be sharing your quarters with your new housemates.

(I like my personal space, so one of my top criteria when searching for a coliving home is that I have my own bedroom with a private ensuite washroom). 

Best Coliving Spaces and Websites to Discover Your Next Adventure

My experience as a digital nomad has taught me the value of community. Coliving spaces help you find your type of people anywhere in the world, giving you that sense of belonging wherever you are. The following list includes some of the best coliving websites organized by region.

Coliving Europe

Coliving Europe is a great way to save money, live in picturesque cities, and meet people like you. Check out some of the best coliving spaces in Europe to find your next home.

AOMA (Portugal)

Discover AOMA, where the Japanese concept of “Ma” comes to life – celebrating the beauty of the space in-between.

Crafted as a coliving and coworking space for digital nomads and remote workers, AOMA offers 7 En-Suite private bedrooms, each with workspaces and some with private terraces. The communal areas include a spacious kitchen, a heated pool, meditation greenhouse, and lush gardens. Embrace flexible workspaces, individual call booths, and creator studios across two light-filled floors.

When not working you can engage with your house-mates through communal meals, art workshops, and the Visiting Visionary program. Fridays bring yoga, pool time, and cultural events.

Elevate your work-life balance at AOMA and ignite your creative energy.

Coliving.frilingue (Switzerland & Montenegro)

Coliving Frilingue is the outdoor lover’s dream accommodation with four coliving areas in the Swiss Alps and Montenegrin Coasts. Each area is surrounded by outstanding natural landscapes which give nomads plenty of opportunities for excursions, or beautiful backdrops during those working hours. 

While some there are some private rooms available, most of the coliving areas are shared rooms with multiple beds in each.

The coworking space is designed with productivity in mind and high-speed WiFi, while your community manager helps solve problems and organize events. You can even by work to earn your stay.

Learn more about these coworking co living hostels.

Zoku (Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Paris, Vienna)

Zoku revamps the hotel concept to create a space more suitable for coworking and social connection. Private lofts are designed to maximize work and social space. Each of the three locations (Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Paris, and Vienna) also provides shared workspaces, communal areas, and restaurants or bars.

The price point is closer to your standard hotel, but the vast array of options gives you the flexibility to find the perfect fit.

Find the perfect nomad loft.

Happy Pigeons (Germany)

Whether you want furnished flats with shared bathrooms or fully unfurnished private apartments, Happy Pigeons hits the mark for digital nomad coliving. Both locations are in vibrant Berlin neighborhoods with easy access to public transportation.

Each location has access to open design coworking and community spaces and high-speed WiFi. With several scheduled activities and an application process to vet residents, you are sure to find a community of like-minded nomads. 24/7 coworking access and no-term leasing (6 month minimum) gives you tons of flexibility.

Apply for a Berlin ‘Nest’ today.

Nine Coliving (Tenerife)

Imagine opening your shutters and taking in a historical village on a Spanish Island or working on a project in an 80 square meter workspace with a sea view. Nine coliving offers a variety of rooms—shared dorms, single, and double rooms, all with shared bathrooms.

Become a part of a tight-knit community of no more than 14, while enjoying free Sunday BBQs, daily yoga, and other social events. While staying in an 1852 Canarian house, you’ll enjoy high-speed internet from every room. Ergonomic chairs, standing desks, private call rooms, and an active Slack channel are waiting for you.

Join the community in Tenerife.

Repeople (Canary Islands)

Repeople offers a unique coliving experience for remote workers, digital nomads, and other knowledge workers who want to live and work in a community of like-minded individuals. Their colivings are community-driven homes that provide a comfortable and productive environment for remote workers to live and work together.

At Repeople’s colivings, residents enjoy a range of amenities and services that are designed to make their stay as comfortable and convenient as possible. These amenities include weekly cleaning services, fresh linens and towels, complimentary access to washer and dryer, in-house workspaces with high-speed internet, and free 24/7 access to coworking spaces. Additionally, residents can participate in bi-monthly events and meetups, such as barbecues, movie nights, hikes, yoga lessons, and surf sessions, that are organized by the community.

Visit Repeople’s website to explore their coliving properties, and find the perfect space that suits your needs.

Live It (Spain)

Live It offers five digital nomad living options with premium locations in Barcelona and Madrid. All rooms are fully furnished including a private desk. Both private and shared bathrooms are available depending on the location.

With weekly cleaning, linen service, and on-call maintenance, you’ll be well taken care of. All common areas and rooms have high-speed WiFi, and each location has either a rooftop or indoor lounge.

Live It up in Spain.

BednDesk (Mallorca, Spain)

BednDesk’s coliving space is just a block away from the beach of Mallorca’s lively s’Arenal neighborhood. Enjoy a mix of local culture, energetic nightlife, and a beautiful beach with one of the best sunsets on the island, all while having a cozy and relaxing home base. 

Ideal for digital nomads and remote workers, BednDesk offers shared and private rooms with access to a fully equipped kitchen, living and dining rooms, and inspiring coworking spaces. Benefit from high-speed internet, ergonomic workstations, and a community-focused environment that balances productivity and relaxation. 

Check out BednDesk here.

Casa Basilico Popup Foodie Coliving (Spain)

A Pop-up coliving experience is similar to traditional coliving but is hosted in a temporary space. The concept of Casa Basilico is to create a Location Independent Community traveling in different locations and sharing the same values – in this case, travel adventures with a culinary slant.

Their last few popups have been in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria in Spain. The Canary Islands are the perfect European destination for a Digital Nomad, with a great community and lots of activities to do during weekends, from surfing to hiking and island hopping.

Learn about their next foodie coliving popup here!

Coliving in North America

The digital nomad housing craze is also picking up steam across the Atlantic. Here’s some of the best coliving spaces from Canada to Mexico.

Nomad Coliving (Canada)

Canada’s first coliving space is located in downtown Montreal offering affordable and flexible accommodations for one to six months. The 16-bedroom building is filled through an application process to carefully curate a sustainable community of diverse digital nomads.

Enjoy private rooms with shared bathrooms, a fully equipped coworking space, multifunctional room, decked out shared kitchen, and a cleaning service.

Reserve your spot in Canada’s first coliving space.

Outpost Club (USA)

Think property management with cost transparency, flexible contracts, and stellar locations. Combining great locations, cleaning and maintenance, furnishing, and nomad must-haves (reliable WiFi), Outpost Club has 26 coliving spaces in New York City and Philadelphia.

Enjoy private rooms, most of which have private bathrooms, or rent out the entire apartment. Each house is equipped with a shared kitchen, living area for coworking (varies in size), and laundry room. Most even include a backyard or patio.

Unlike some of the others on the list, there are additional fees with these spaces such as for bedding and utilities (set fee).

Colive in The Big Apple.

U-Co (Mexico)

U-Co helps you find a home in Mexico without the hassle of contracts or additional fees. Digital nomads and remote workers can enjoy flexible stays at any of five storied Mexican cities spanning the country coast to coast.

Each location is equipped with modern coworking facilities with everything you’ll need to stay productive. Shared kitchens are equipped with the necessities, as are shared bathrooms. No matter where you go, you’ll be centrally-located near it all with high-speed WiFi.

See which U-Co coliving space is best for you.

Coliving in Asia

Asia is known for fascinating cultures, majestic sites, and interesting cuisine. Some of the best coliving spaces can be found in Asia, with many more popping up every year.

Outpost (Bali and Sri Lanka)

Soak in island life with a community of curious and adventurous nomads. Whether you prefer the tranquility of Ubud or the vibrant atmosphere of Canggu, your new home will have furnished private rooms with ensuite bathrooms, high-speed WiFi, 24/7 onsite support, and cozy communal areas.

Coworking facilities are state-of-the-art with ergonomic chairs, phone booths, private offices, meeting rooms, and more. Enjoy 24/7 access to all coworking spaces, plus the chance to let loose in local experiences and weekly social events.

Don’t forget, if you’re not feeling Bali, Outpost offers a similar coliving experience in Sri Lanka.

Experience island life with like-minded adventurers.

Rework (Thailand and Indonesia)

Rework is a booking site for digital nomads to find a place to Rest, Work and Play in some of the top destinations across SE Asia.

They have curated a selection of nomad-friendly accommodations with weekly and monthly discounts bundled with a coworking space and events to stay active and connected with the community.

You can customize your booking to your liking depending on your budget, goals and duration of stay. They also offer on the ground support for any questions on visa or travel insurance. Rework is currently live in Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan and Bangkok with more destinations in Thailand and Indonesia to come. 

Check out Rework here! 

Coliving in Africa

Digital nomad coliving in Africa is on the rise. From Morocco to Cape Town, take a peek at some of these great options to suit your coliving and coworking needs.

Wild WiFi (Nambia)

Wild WiFi is a coworking co living space located in Windhoek. This is a great option for digital nomads who want to network and learn from other like-minded individuals. Apart from the shared or private rooms, you’ll have the chance to participate in skill-sharing nights, masterminds, local meetups, sauna nights, and more.

The coworking space is huge, divided into multiple separate spaces and a board room, all with reliable WiFi. The communal kitchen is also large and full of all the necessities. Bicycles are available to explore the town, and a gym is on-site for your fitness needs.

Learn more about Wild WiFi here.

Neighbourgood (South Africa)

Neighbourgood’s all-inclusive living and working spaces are thoughtfully designed to bring digital nomads together socially and professionally. Stay in one of five furnished apartments in Cape Town for 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month terms. All rooms are private with ensuite bathrooms.

The coworking spaces are divided into private offices, meeting rooms, hot desks (first come, first serve), lounge areas, and high-speed WiFi. You can also stay connected with a member app.

See what Neighbourgood has for you.

Sundesk (Morocco)

Who wouldn’t want to share a communal daily breakfast, chow down on Moroccan home-made lunches, and participate in an Arabic workshop? At Sundesk, you can do all that and much more in the quaint surf town of Taghazout.

With various options of private or shared rooms, you can pick the perfect price point for you. The two-story coworking space includes high-speed WiFi, indoor and outdoor work areas, and private call rooms.

Get started booking your Moroccan home.

Africa Nomads (Kenya)

Located in Lamu Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to the best preserved Swahili culture, Africa Nomads is the first coliving & digital nomad community based in Kenya, East Africa. It’s great for those that seek an off-the-beaten path route and love slow and sustainable travel and intercultural exchange. 

They are mainly focused on coliving retreats on Lamu Island, although they are also expanding their pop-up retreats and coliving sites to other places in Africa.

Africa Nomads offers several coliving homes & mansionettes that are all within close proximity to historical sites and points of interest, as well as restaurants and social amenities. Most of their houses follow traditional Swahili architecture featuring high ceilings, open spaces and rooftops finished with their distinctive carved wooden doors. They also offer accommodation on private apartments and houses for those preferring so.

Included with your retreat they have a program that changes weekly with wellness, networking and activities. Imagine wandering in the Old town of Lamu through the maze like streets and ending the day on a traditional wooden dhow sailing through the mangrove channels of this incredible archipelago. Oh! And there is no cars in the island, they move with small motor boats used as taxis. It will feel like stepping back in time in this laid-back coastal town great for inspiration and self-discovery.  

Check out Africa Nomads here.

Coliving in Central and South America

Central and South America are full of fantastic co living apartments that will give you some of the best rates in the market.

Unity (Costa Rica)

The Unity experience is about expanding your mind and co-creating a better community. With only around 15 people staying at a time, you’ll forge deep bonds through skillshares, resident-led courses and events, and adventures around San Jose.

You can opt for a studio room with ensuite bathrooms and kitchenettes or private rooms with shared bathrooms. Either way, you’ll have access to communal areas and the community garden where you can learn about permaculture and pick your own fruit, veggies, and spices. High-speed WiFi and urban conscious spaces will serve your coworking needs.

Learn more about Unity.

Oka Coliving (Brazil)

Get ready to experience the best neighborhoods around Porto Alegre. All six “Okas” have modern furnished homes with both private and shared rooms, communal areas, and terraces.

While only three Okas have dedicated coworking areas, all houses have high-speed WiFi and living rooms where you can set up shop. Don’t miss Oka’s extra love provided to guests in the form of special dinners, movie nights, varied gifts, local experiences, and special courses to help your personal and professional development. 

Join the Oka community.

Opta Coliving (Uruguay)

Opta strives to simplify access to all the things you do well by providing a coliving space focused on community, comfort, and controlled costs. Located in Punta Carretas, one of the best locations in Montevideo, you won’t need to worry about a car or even public transportation. Everything is no more than a 15-minute walk from your furnished accommodations.

You’ll have access to tons of amenities including a gym and sauna and the chance to develop yourself personally and professionally through yoga sessions, cooking classes, and more.  Fully-equipped coworking spaces are just a short walk away.

Learn more about Opta.

Coliving in Australia, New Zealand, and Nearby Islands

We were only able to find a couple options in this region. However, coliving in Australia and the surrounding area is taking flight in a hurry. Check back for updates.

Comunita (New Zealand)

Optimizing micro apartments, Comunita is building a coliving space where nomads have private rooms and bathrooms while sharing a kitchen, living spaces, and lounge spaces.

Unlike other digitial nomad apartments, the goal is to build a holistic community that also gives back to the broader Auckland community through service. Further integration is possible in the coworking space which will be open to both residents and the general public.

Together Coliving (Australia)

Together Coliving combines furnished private rooms and bathrooms with stylish communal areas and shared facilities. Offering some of the most flexible terms in the market, you could stay for a little as a couple days or make Melbourne your extended home.

Coworking spaces are divided into private meeting rooms and spacious work areas, all of which have high-speed WiFi. Other amenities include a gym, pool, lounges, sports courts, and a restaurant.

Find your place in Melbourne with Together.

Find Coliving Globally With Mapmelon Coliving App

Mapmelon is a free user-friendly app designed for nomads and colivers in search of coliving spaces worldwide. It’s a one-stop solution, consolidating all the essential information related to the coliving community into a single platform.

One of Mapmelon’s standout features is its ability to facilitate location sharing. Users can tag their friends, coliving spaces, and even add pictures to create a dynamic representation of their nomadic experiences. This fosters a sense of community and keeps users connected as they explore different coliving spaces across the globe.

With a curated list of trusted nomad colivings and the option to filter based on reviews, amenities, and key information, Mapmelon empowers users to discover and explore spaces that perfectly align with their preferences.

I’ve been playing around with the app, and I’m particularly impressed with the selection of coliving spaces – some that don’t even show up in some of the coliving search engines that I list in this article! And if you know of a coliving space that’s not on the app, you can email them, and they’ll research and vet the space to make sure it’s a perfect fit for Mapmelon users. 

Search a country or city (or browse the map), and you’ll find coliving spaces. Click on the coliving space and you’ll learn more about it, see what other Mapmelon users have stayed there, read reviews, ask questions, stalk their social pages, and if you want to book, you’ll be taken directly to the coliving website – no middleman. 

Download Mapmelon today!

colive values: Search for Coliving Spaces by Interest

For a unique take on searching for the perfect coliving experience, instead of searching by destination, what if you could search by interest? Imagine being able to see at a glance the top coliving spaces that cater to surfers. With colive values, you can do just that.

colive values is a platform where remote workers can find communities to work and stay in which share their values and interests.

Their mission is to help remote workers thrive by connecting with like-minded people, incredible new locations, and a supportive, inspiring environment that boosts productivity and accountability.

Coliving vs. Do-It-Yourself

If you clicked through to check the prices of some of these places, you may either think “wow, this is a great deal!” or “wow, I could find a place on my own for way less!”. 

In both cases, you would be right. 

As compared to renting in New York City or San Francisco, most coliving spaces represent affordable housing. But, if you’re like me and you also know some secret tricks to finding cheap short term accommodation, you might think it’s way overpriced given that you don’t even have the full place to yourself. 

But not having the full place to yourself is also the point of the coliving experience. After my first 12 years on the road, I crashed and burned with a legendary case of burnout, for two reasons: 

1. I hadn’t connected with other remote workers and digital nomads at all, and I had lost my sense of belonging in the world.
2. Finding places to stay and booking them privately was a lot of work and it didn’t always work out well (maybe because it was in a bad location, or had poor WiFi, etc). 

Coliving solves both of these issues. When I want to check out a new city, all I need to do is find a coliving space, and I can be pretty sure it will be in a great area for digital nomads, it will have ergonomically-friendly workspaces and strong WiFi, and I’ll be in the company of fellow remote workers and adventurous travel souls. 

This post Local Coliving Spaces and Websites for Digital Nomads appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

And let’s face it: AirBnB is just not fantastic. You don’t know if the area is going to be good. You don’t know if the host is going to cancel on you (as happened to a friend of mine – twice in short succession, leaving him at the mercy of last-minute peak season prices at his destination). And you just don’t know if it’s going to work out, until you get there…at which point it’s pretty much too late to change tack. You’ve literally made your bed, and now you have to sleep in it. 

A number of years ago when I was looking for a place to stay in Chiang Mai, I looked on AirBnB and I was confused by the lack of selection and the very high prices. But there were no other booking sites for me to use at the time to compare options and prices. Lucky for me I went with my gut and didn’t book anything on AirBnB. Instead I got a hotel for the first few nights and found a place to stay by pounding the pavement and searching locally in person. I ended up getting a fantastic condo for less than 1/3 of the prices on AirBnB. (Read more about my specific strategy to find an apartment in Chiang Mai). 

This strategy works in some places, but not in others. In other places you really need to book in advance. And when you’re booking digital nomad accommodation and want a place to stay for up to a few months, you’d better choose wisely. It’s too long a time for a hotel, and too short a time to sign a traditional lease. Digital nomads are like the Goldilocks of apartment hunters. 

Luckily due to the surge in digital nomads hitting the road, there are plenty of alternatives to AirBnB. Bookmark this article and use it in all your future searches! 

Other Digital Nomad Resources to Check Out:
Top Digital Nomad Retreats to Level Up Your Lifestyle 
Top Digital Nomad Conferences to Attend
3 Ways Aspiring Digital Nomads Can Earn Money and Save Tax  
Best Coliving Coworking Programs for Remote Workers and Digital Nomads 
Best Travel Insurance for Long-Term Stay or Trip  
The Best Coliving Spaces on (Almost) Every Continent

Types of Digital Nomad Accommodation

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to digital nomad accommodation. While many of the key attributes remain the same, an entire industry has developed to meet the hospitality needs of digital nomads. 

Here’s a quick look at some types of nomad-friendly housing.

• Short-term Apartments: Typically range from 7 days to several weeks and are primarily private accommodations.
• Coliving Spaces: Often converted boutique hotels or larger houses offering private bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, and shared kitchen and common areas, coworking space, and more. Here are some coliving programs to check out, as well as some locally-managed coliving spots to explore.  
• Extended Stay Hotels: Private hotel rooms that offer nomads their own space for less than nightly hotel rates.
• Local Furnished Apartments: Mid- to long-term accommodations that  may or may not include utilities, WiFi, and other nomad necessities.
• Hostels: Affordable, basic accommodations that emphasize meeting people and enjoying enriching experiences (not typically designed for digital nomads, however some hostels like Selina have started catering more to the digital nomad scene).
• House Sitting and Home Exchange: Get the comforts of home – just somebody else’s home! These are two of five great ways to find free accommodation around the world.
  
  

How to Find the Best Digital Nomad Accommodation for a One-Month Rental (or Longer)

Using the list of websites in the next section is going to be your easiest way to search for digital nomad accommodation. But it’s not the only way to do it. Here’s how people like me did it before these sites existed. 

Find Them on the Spot

Even in the digital age, nothing beats seeing a place with your own eyes. Try out a city by booking a short-term hotel, and then use your first few days to scout out various rental vacancies just by walking in or finding local listings. 

This is a technique I used in Chiang Mai. Find out how it worked for me.

Ask in Facebook and Other Digital Nomad Groups

A great way to find advice about your intended destination is by leveraging social media. Chances are many digital nomads have been there before you. Join groups and scour old posts, listings, and reach out to fellow nomads.

Use a Real Estate Broker

Local real estate brokers aren’t just for buying houses or signing long-term leases. Some real estate agents will help you find a place for shorter stays. It’s a crap shoot though; in some cases you’ll get local rates (as opposed to inflated online rates that are geared toward travelers); but some brokers charge fees that could end up costing you more in the end.

Research and Book Online 

As you’ll see below, there is an ever-growing list of online booking platforms and resources. With the growing industry, many are offering greater transparency in listings, fraud protection, and booking guarantees to streamline the process.

Best Digital Nomad Accommodation Options for Private Accommodation

Rental sites for digital nomads are becoming more and more commonplace. To make your life a bit easier, I compiled a list of booking platforms. In alphabetical order, the list below includes some of the top digital nomad sites for private accommodation. (Below that is a list of coliving accommodation options).
In a few cases below, I am using a referral link that pays me a fee if you book through them.

Anyplace

Anyplace is a booking platform for nomads, remote professionals, travelers, and anyone who needs a place suitable for remote work. What sets apart Anyplace is that all accommodation includes a fully equipped office space.

These private rentals can be rented month-to-month without long-term leases, are move-in ready, and include everything in one transparent price. All properties are professionally managed, ensuring quality control.

Behere

Behere is a global booking platform that connects digital nomads with local hosts to ensure both support and security. All 1,200+ nomad accommodations are vetted by Behere, fully furnished, and require a 30-day minimum stay.

Behere celebrates the flexibility of the nomad lifestyle by removing contracts and leases. One service fee covers all booking costs, or you can forego any service fees by signing up for a membership.

Listings are ideally located near workspaces and fitness studios. However, most options here are not pet friendly.

Flataway

Flataway is a subscription living platform created for digital nomads, remote workers and travel enthusiasts. Subscription living allows you to switch destinations while paying the same monthly rent. And doing all of this with one single booking. It is available in more than 80 destinations across Europe, Mexico and Latin America.  

You can explore subscription living with Flataway via their bundles or plans. 

The bundles are perfect if you prefer predefined itineraries, where all the planning has been done for you. Bundles comprise a list of locations, duration of stay at each location, as well as the sequence of the visit: just like an itinerary. You can stay anywhere from two to eight weeks in each location, with the minimum bundle duration being four weeks. If you prefer to build your own itinerary, you can also do so with a custom bundle. 

If you are a full time traveler and are constantly on the road, the subscription plan will be more suitable for you. You can subscribe for a minimum of 6 months of travel. You have to select your starting destination and once your subscription has begun, you can change destinations every month. Depending on the destinations you’re interested in, there are different levels of the plan to choose from.

Although I haven’t tried Flataway (yet), I love the concept, which outsources the time-consuming task of finding appropriate cost-effective accommodation in every place you wish to visit. This gives you more time to just show up and enjoy your destination (and work, and whatever else you wish to do along the way).

Flatio

Flatio is an easy-to-use booking platform for rentals worldwide. It’s the biggest marketplace for mid-term rentals, offering hand-picked accommodations that check all the boxes for a digital nomad.

Their legally binding lease agreement protects both tenant and landlord and ensures a transparent and professional lease. The lease agreement can be used as proof of address and for visa purposes, which can be very handy for digital nomad visa applications.

There are no additional charges for utilities. All bills, including electricity, water, and internet, are included in the rental price. Most listings on Flatio are also deposit-free.

In addition to the virtual tours available for some listings, it’s possible to view most properties in person by arrangement with landlords, giving tenants the opportunity to inspect the space before making a decision. And, Flatio understands that plans can change, and they have flexible termination terms.

Flatio uses a reciprocal review system where both tenants and renters are rated. The emphasis on trustworthiness gives you a guarantee that an apartment will look exactly as presented online. If not, you get a full refund and seven days of free hotel rooms.

For the moment, Flatio is currently active mainly in Europe, so if you’re looking outside of Europe you might not find much. 

Search for accommodation on Flatio here, and use the code theprofessionalhobo for 10% off the service fee!

Housing Anywhere

Housing Anywhere is an award-winning rental platform operating in 30+ countries. Find some of the best mid- to long-term rental solutions on this dynamic platform which allows you to save searches and create alerts for free. Enjoy speedy support from a 24/7 customer service team and secure messaging with verified advertisers (potential landlords).

A one-time service fee accompanying first month’s rent ensures fraud protection and customer satisfaction. Landlords won’t receive first month’s rent until you arrive at your place and verify that it is as advertised.

Nomad Pass

Nomad Pass connects digital nomads with specially curated places to stay and a global community of entrepreneurs and remote workers. You will find startup retreats, boutique hotels, villas, and coliving options across 21 countries.

Nomad Pass does the legwork for you, making it easy for you to work remotely and book accommodations equipped for nomads, independent professionals, startup entrepreneurs, and freelancers. Beyond booking, Nomad Pass offers a plethora of resources to help you on your nomad journey.

Nomad Rest

Nomad Rest is an online directory and advertising platform where you can find almost every type of accommodation for digital nomads. Hotels, hostels, and private hosts are featured in short-term, long-term, retreat, and coliving categories. The platform is easy to use and connects you directly to official websites and booking sites.

Nomad Rest curates its listings so that nomads’ hotels have everything they will need. They do the research for you to ensure you’re getting turn-key options. You can book with confidence and take advantage of some great deals in over 27 countries.

Nomad Stays

Nomad Stays offers fully furnished, WiFi ready digital nomad housing in over 221 locations around the world. Except for a few more expensive cities, most options are under €1,500 per month, and all are either co-located or in near proximity to coworking spaces. 100% instant bookings reduce confusion and wait times for locking in deals. 

Nomad Stays are commission-free bookings with one booking price charged to cover everything. Amenities vary depending on where you stay, but all accommodations are vetted specifically for nomad needs. Nomad Stays requires a minimum 7-day reservation.

RemoteBase

While this article is about alternatives to AirBnB, sometimes AirBnB has some killer deals, and RemoteBase is how you’ll find out about them. Great deals for digital nomad accommodations are delivered straight to your inbox each month. RemoteBase does all the research for you and compiles a list of largely discounted accommodation options in their monthly newsletter.

When you sign up for the free newsletter, you’ll get a comprehensive list of options available in three months’ time which you can peruse through at your leisure. The list is general and could include coliving with specially negotiated rates or private housing. If you upgrade to a Premium Membership, you can select preferences (like budget, location, and number of bedrooms), get last minute deals, and tailor the experience to you.

Get 10% off a Premium membership with RemoteBase by using the discount code PROHOBO! 

RentRemote

RentRemote is a booking platform for remote professionals seeking furnished apartments for stays of 30 days or longer. The platform operates over 10,000 properties across Barcelona, Dubai, Paris, Medellín, Mexico City, and 13 additional cities in Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.

What sets RentRemote apart is the ability to order professional workstation installation for any property, guaranteeing dual 4K monitors, Herman Miller ergonomic chairs, and dedicated workspace infrastructure will be set up before arrival. This eliminates the uncertainty remote workers face on traditional rental platforms, where workspace quality is unpredictable and professional equipment unavailable.

All rentals are available on flexible monthly terms, with furnished, move-in-ready apartments and hosts vetted for mid-term stays. RentRemote serves individual remote workers and corporate clients managing employee relocations or extended business travel. The platform is built for people who work remotely while traveling and need the certainty their housing will function as a real office from day one, whether they bring the existing setup or add professional equipment through the platform.

Spotahome

Spotahome is an online booking platform for mid- to long-term rentals with a minimum stay of 30 days. Unlike others in this list, Spotahome is not specifically targeted at digital nomads, rather it provides suitable accommodations for travelers and remote professionals.

What you may lack in dedicated office space or proximity to coworking facilities, you gain in easy booking, trustworthy properties, and guaranteed satisfaction. Every listing is verified by Homechecker and covered by fraud protection and last minute cancellation protection. 

This means that Spotahome will move you at no cost if your accommodation isn’t as listed and will cover your hotel costs in extreme circumstances where replacements aren’t immediately available.

The Homelike

The Homelike is a versatile booking platform that offers plenty of filters to help you find the best fit for your stay. Whether you’re looking for pet-friendly, family-friendly, instantly bookable, or no-deposit required, digital nomads and remote workers will find their ideal apartments worldwide.

While Homelike imposes a minimum 30-day rental period, you can start your booking any day of the month and it can be extended any number of days beyond 30. Digital nomads’ accommodations are priced with all bills, utilities, and internet included, meaning no extra costs after booking.

Another benefit is that most landlords provide certificate of residence so you can register at the citizen’s office.

Best Digital Nomad Accommodation Options for Coliving Spaces

Some of the best housing for digital nomads can include unique opportunities where you are sharing your living space with like-minded individuals. Coliving is a great way to cut costs, share ideas, and make friends along the way. Check out this list to find your next digital nomad house.

Coliving.com

Coliving.com is a leading discovery and booking platform for finding accommodation options that will connect you with other nomads. There are listings in over 300 cities across 60 countries. These fully-furnished accommodations come with a host of amenities.

The booking process is simple; it takes about five minutes to apply and get approved once you find your ideal destination. With an emphasis on community, Coliving is ideal for those who like working and living alongside others. Offering monthly terms, the free cancelation, payment protection, and online rental agreements make it easy to book short term stays.

See also: Digital Nomad Communities to help you meet people, plan travels, network, and collaborate.

Coliving Compass

Dedicated coworking spaces, fast WiFi, community events, and great reviews from previous community members round out some of the key attributes of coliving spaces featured in this global directory.

Coliving Compass features coliving spaces that are created just for digital nomads, freelancers, and remote entrepreneurs. With great locations and a host of amenities, you’ll find multiple options around the world to help you achieve work/life balance.

Cowork Surf

Cowork Surf is as laid back as the name implies. This is a group of digital nomads and remote workers who embrace the world as a borderless, global community through coliving, coworking, and adventure.

From Argentina to South Africa, France to Indonesia, and many places in between, Cowork Surf is a directory and booking platform that connects you with coliving spaces that offer great digital nomad accommodations, high speed WiFi, vibrant locations, and optimal coworking spaces. Every destination offers different tiers of rooms which give you a range from private to communal living.

Outsite

I have referenced Outsite in a few other articles about digital nomad coliving/coworking programs. Now that I have some personal experience with Outsite properties, I can say with confidence that it is first and foremost a coliving operation.

With a couple of dozen locations on three continents (and always expanding into new territory), Outsite is one of the first places I now search when I’m looking for accommodation that will give me privacy, amenities like a kitchen and fast internet, and also the social framework that coliving is known for.

There is an annual/lifetime membership fee in order to book a place with Outsite, and that membership gives you access to a pretty active forum with opportunities to connect with other remote workers through events and more.

Learn more about Outsite and get a $50 discount here.

SC Cowork

SC Cowork provides a place for dedicated nomads to collaborate and achieve work-life balance. The coliving and coworking spaces are designed to optimize space and access to necessities, and cut down on superfluous distractions like commute times.

Each creative campus combines open workspaces, conference rooms, recreational amenities, and apartments for digital nomads. SC Coworking offers tons of flexibility with day passes to workspaces and rental terms as short as a week.

Depending on your location, you can choose between single and double rooms, no-, half-, or full-board, and different tiers of room options to find the perfect fit for your budget. You can enjoy up to 20% off for booking month-long terms.

How to Get the Best Price on a Monthly Rental for the Ultimate Digital Nomad Lifestyle

Affordability matters. Furnished short term rentals and month-to-month apartments come at a premium as compared to signing a lease or getting an unfurnished apartment (which tends to be unrealistic for digital nomads from a lifestyle perspective). Then again, short-term rentals are way cheaper than hotels. 

Here are some additional tips to find those month to month apartments on a budget.

• Comparison Shop: Compare sites and deals across the options above.
• Look for Help: Ask questions in various nomad and expat groups on social media. A great first question to ask in these groups is how much is a reasonable amount to pay for monthly accommodation. 
• Last-Minute and Off-Season Deals: Cancellations and low season travel can open options at lower rates if you’re flexible.  
• Consider Alternative Accommodation Styles: Shared accommodations, swaps, and alternative living options can offer major savings. I saved a boatload of money getting my accommodation for free for many years. 
• Negotiate: Negotiation is an integral part of doing business in some cultures. When you’re at your destination, try your hand at negotiating down the price. You can also approach hotels in advance and ask if they can offer you a discount to stay with them for a month. 
  
  

Visas for Digital Nomads

Before you book that long-term stay in the country of your dreams, make sure you’re actually allowed to stay there for that long. This means checking the visa situation. Many countries are now offering the digital nomad visa and remote work visas. As the world embraces digital nomads and countries recognize the value of attracting this cohort of remote workers, we can expect continual growth of this trend. These types of visas give people the legal right to work remotely while residing away from their country of permanent residence.

With a huge variety of application requirements, some visas for digital nomads are better than others. This situation is constantly evolving, but a simple search of ‘[country] + digital nomad visa” can shed some light on the situation. 

I hope you’ve found this list of digital nomad accommodation resources to be useful. To be honest, I wrote it because I wanted an easy-to-use list of places where I can search for digital nomad-friendly accommodation each time I’m researching a destination for myself – and I hope you bookmark this page and come back to it often for the same reasons. I will be keeping it updated regularly. If you have any suggestions for sites to add to this list, please reach out. 

This post How to Book Monthly Digital Nomad Accommodation (alternatives to AirBnB) appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

If you’re looking for an eco-friendly way to travel or finding a way to travel more sustainably or in a socially responsible way, there are now a lot of eco-travel companies and booking tools. The benefits of eco-travel and responsible travel are extensive, including a reduction in the negative effects of over-tourism, helping destinations and local cultures retain their authenticity, and and having less impact on the environment so that future generations can continue to enjoy this amazing world we live in as well. 

See also:
Eco Friendly Travel Products
My Zero-Waste Kit for Travel (and Home)
Is the Digital Nomad Lifestyle Environmentally Friendly? 

Benefits of Using an Eco-Friendly Booking Platform

Instead of using your usual go-to websites to research and book your next trip, you can actually start traveling more sustainably by using one of the special booking platforms or tour companies featured in this article. In one case simply doing your normal web browsing and searches will plant trees!

Not convinced? Here are four reasons to change how you book your vacation so your next trip can have a more positive impact:

Protecting the Environment

There are a few different ways you can help protect the environment by using an eco-friendly booking platform.

First off, it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway: when using an eco-friendly booking platform, you are generally using a company that is committed to improving and sustaining the world around us. 

Secondly, some companies donate a portion of their profits to charities and initiatives that help the environment like conservation projects, planting trees, carbon offsets, minimizing the impact of tourism on local cultures, and more.  

Eco-Friendly Properties

Using an eco-friendly booking platform inherently means you are much more likely to find eco-friendly accommodation that will in turn help you travel sustainably, than if you just used a regular platform.

This could be reflected in a few ways; for example the property may use renewable energy like solar panels or wind power, they may have power-saving or water-saving measures and practices, and they may also be involved in environmental projects.

Wildlife Protection

Obviously nobody would knowingly work with companies that are involved in neglecting or mistreating animals. But sadly there are a lot of grey areas when it comes to wildlife and what is considered responsible. 

For example, any experience that involves human interaction with wild (or “rescued” animals) is not good. This includes elephant rides, dolphin encounters, tiger petting, sloth hugging, and more. 

Hey. I wanna hug a sloth as much as the next person – I mean, they look like they’re smiling and they’re built for hugging! But did you know that handling sloths actually causes them so much stress and anxiety that it shortens their lifespan? Did you also know that because of the number of people who post pictures of themselves hugging sloths on social media, there are people who will take sloths from the wild and start tourism businesses so travelers can pay to hug sloths, all the while calling them “rescues” and feeding them misinformation? 

By using a sustainable booking platform, chances are that any activities you choose to do will be with companies dedicated to wildlife protection rather than exploitation.

Fewer Emissions

Some eco-friendly booking platforms will promote airlines and travel options that produce less harmful environmental emissions.

How to Find Eco-Friendly Travel Companies and Accommodation: Clues to Look For

An eco-friendly hotel or accommodation will be built and operated in a way that will have minimal environmental effects. However, it can be challenging to find a truly eco-friendly hotel. Here are some tips:

Eco-Credentials – There are a lot of different credentials and awards available to hotels that claim to be eco-friendly, some more prestigious than others. So, if you are looking for an eco-friendly hotel, it is best to look into the different credentials a hotel can have and which ones to hold in higher regard, then choose a hotel based on those. Looking for a globally recognized sustainable certification program is especially important.

Here is some more information on green hotel certifications and what they mean. 

Policies – If a hotel is committed to maintaining the environment, they will undoubtedly have a sustainability policy. These will detail their efforts and whether any larger environment protection agencies support them. When you are researching a hotel, if they have a sustainability policy they’ll probably feature it prominently on their website.

Read Reviews – Reading reviews before booking accommodation helps ensure you’ll have an experience that meets your expectations. Reviews can also give you an accurate idea of how eco-friendly the hotel is. Some sites may even have an option for you to filter the reviews for key words relating to the hotel’s sustainability.

Look at Their Menu – If the hotel you are looking at has a restaurant and is truly committed to helping the environment, their menu will probably feature fresh produce from locally sourced farms. They may even have their own gardens. Again, these practices tend to be something a hotel will emphasize, so you’ll read about it on their menu or website. 

Best Socially Responsible and Eco-Friendly Travel Search Engines 

Booking a sustainable trip (and ensuring you choose the right companies) starts here. These websites will help you search for and book various elements of your trip, from accommodation to activities to the best local businesses at your destination. 

Here are some of the best socially responsible and eco-friendly travel search engines (in no particular order).

BEALOCAL.TRAVEL (Homestays, Home Restaurants, Private Tours)

BEALOCAL.TRAVEL is a fast-growing community of over 10,000 members dedicated to the ethical travel revolution. It is the only platform offering homestays, home restaurants, and private tours with a unique 0% commission model. By ensuring that 100% of what a traveler spends goes directly to the local host rather than a corporation or an algorithm, they foster genuine human connections while supporting local economies. It’s a powerful tool for travelers who want to skip the “staged authenticity” and ensure their travel footprint is both socially and economically responsible.

GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERING (Find Local Social Enterprises)

Grassroots volunteering is a great booking tool for sustainable travel. You can search for volunteer opportunities, but that’s not what I love about it specifically. What I love is that it has the world’s largest social enterprise database, featuring restaurants, tour operators, homestays, coffee shops, and more; all of whom use use your tourism dollars to make positive changes in the local community.

GURUWALK (Free Walking Tours)

When I arrive in a new destination, the first thing I like to do is go on a walking tour. It familiarizes me with the place and allows me to chat with the tour guide (usually a local) about the best things to see and do. And by its very nature, walking tours are eco-friendly! And Guruwalk is the site I like to use to find said free walking tour. 

ECOSIA (Plant Trees While You Surf the Web)

Ecosia actually doesn’t have anything to do with travel, but I use it every single day, all day, on all my devices, so it’s worth mentioning here. Ecosia is a browser and search engine that uses its profits to plant trees. Simply doing website searches contributes to trees planted, and on the home page you can see over time how many trees you are responsible for planting with your own web searches, as well as how many Ecosia has planted overall (currently almost 157 million).

RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL (Eco-Travel Agent)

Responsible Travel is an eco-travel agent that offers rigorously-screened and monitored holidays and tours that have passed their social, environmental, and economic standards. Their values build on the pillars of climate, nature, and inclusivity, and each holiday offered through the site has a description of how it meets their responsible travel criteria. 

You can search for holidays by type, destination, or accommodation, or you can have them create a bespoke holiday just for you. Their Trip for a Trip program sends disadvantaged children on day trips to have life-changing experiences, and so far over 4,000 children’s lives have been impacted. 

EARTH CHANGERS (Curated Sustainable Trips)

Earth Changers curates a variety of trips and organizations that are deeply committed to sustainable regenerative tourism. Every experience has an extensive description of how it meets these parameters. Earth Changers is not a tour operator or agent; rather they are deeply committed to their manifesto. 

KIND TRAVELER (Donate to Get Hotel Deals)

Kind Traveler has vetted over 140 hotels across 22 countries for their positive impact. You can unlock exclusive deals to these hotels by making a donation (minimum $10) to one of their 100+ vetted charities. Kind Traveler is a veteran-and-women-owned public benefit corporation that has pioneered this “Give and Get” hotel booking concept. 100% of the donations go to the charities in question, and you even get a report of how your donation has created a positive impact. 

FAIRBNB (Responsible Home Sharing)

According to this article, AirBnB does not score well in the ethical travel department, especially when it comes to local community impact (or rather, lack thereof). This opens the door for companies like FairBnB, which focuses on responsible home sharing. 

Structured as a cooperative rather than a vacation rental platform, they invest 50% of the platform fees and commissions into local community projects. They work closely with local authorities to ensure the legality of holiday homes in each community, and they exclude large real estate investors and other non-local hosts from exploiting communities for vacation rentals. 

Best Socially Responsible and Eco Tour Companies

If you want tours or activities an eco-travel company leads, you will be happy with the following examples. All the names below are sustainable tourism companies that will allow you to explore while looking after the environment and the people at your destinations.

NATURAL HABITAT ADVENTURES (Sustainable Adventure Travel Outfitter)

Natural Habitat Adventures boasts the title of #1 Adventure Travel Outfitter as designated by Outside magazine. In their 35+ years of operation they’ve racked up an impressive collection of sustainable travel awards. They are solely focused on nature adventures, and do so through their alliance with the WWF and mission of Conservation Through Exploration. They offer small group trips facilitated by scientists and naturalist expedition leaders. 

BYWAY TRAVEL (Eco-Luxury Holidays and Tours by Land)

ByWay Travel is a unique travel experience, offering eco-luxury holidays and tours requiring no air travel. It is solely a rail exploration company offering holidays in the UK and Europe. Byway Travel has also won the 2022 Marie Claire Sustainability Awards, solidifying its commitment to eco travel.

ByWay Travel also became a Certified B Corporation in 2022, which is a pretty big deal and demonstrates they meet the highest standards of positive social and environmental impacts across their entire operation. 

G ADVENTURES (Worldwide Trips With a Focus on Community Impact)

G Adventures works with local communities to provide you with an adventure travel experience you will never forget. They offer trips around the world that are centered around meaningful relationships with communities so that locals benefit from the groups that come through. Tour leaders are also all locally-based rather an “imported”. 

They are also partnered with the non-profit Planeterra, which is the world’s leading NGO dedicated to creating positive impact on communities by connecting tour companies (like G Adventures) with community tourism initiatives. 

INTREPID TRAVEL (Carbon Neutral B-Corp)

Intrepid Travel walks the talk; they’ve been carbon-neutral since 2010, they’re B Corp Certified, and they created a non-profit foundation called The Intrepid Foundation. They offer a huge variety of travel experiences around the world, catering to different travel styles and budgets. 

GONDWANA ECO-TOURS (Small Group Eco-Friendly Adventures)

Gondwana Eco Tours caters to small groups and private clients, leading eco-friendly adventures in Alaska, Argentina, Costa Rica, Norway, Rwanda, and Tanzania. All their tours are carbon neutral (as of 2021), and they pay special attention to supporting local programs and initiatives. 

FOOD STORIES TRAVEL (Walking/Hiking/Cycling Tours in Europe)

Food Stories Travel offers small group walking/hiking and cycling tours, mostly in Italy, but with a selection of cycling tours in other European destinations. They help travelers immerse in local culture through food and supporting local farmers and artisans. 

They’re carbon-neutral, a Certified B Corporation, and a member of 1% For the Planet. 

Final Words

No matter what we do and where, we are a part of climate change, for better or worse. Flying to your destination may involve carbon dioxide emissions, but I believe that’s not the whole picture. If you patronize local accommodation and businesses, and use socially responsible tour operators, you can create a net-positive impact for yourself and the world around you. 

With the help of the companies and search tools listed in this article – which are some of the best online travel booking tools, rest assured you’ll be booking a more sustainable and eco-friendly vacation and you’ll finding the perfect destinations for your travel style and preferences.

This post 14 Eco Travel Companies and Booking Tools to Use appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

Digital nomad retreats give location independent professionals the opportunity to unplug, meet like-minded individuals, and experience bucket-list destinations. Typically, retreats are short-term trips ranging from one to three weeks.

The list below includes some of the best digital nomad retreats available. From exclusive business owner retreats to adventure-packed excursions to rejuvenating escapes, there is something for everyone.

See also:
How to Book Monthly Digital Nomad Accommodation (Alternatives to AirBnB)
3 Ways Aspiring Digital Nomads Can Earn Money and Save Tax
Best Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads 
The Ultimate Packing List for Full-Time Travel 

Digital Nomad Retreats vs. Conferences

I recently published an article featuring the top digital nomad conferences to attend. There is a lot of crossover between retreats and conferences, so I recommend you check out that article as well to get a fuller picture of the various ways you can learn, grow, collaborate, and socialize as a digital nomad. 

While you’re at it, check out the Best Co-Living and Co-Working Programs for Digital Nomads, which also has some crossover with this article (for example, Hacker Paradise could easily have been profiled in either article). 

Business Development Retreats for Digital Nomads

These retreats are geared toward remote business growth. They emphasize collaboration and development.

MINOMA

Minoma has two main offerings: co-living/coworking retreats, and festivals. Both focus on their core values of mindfulness, remote work, community, personal development, movement, and travel. Retreats are mainly held in various locations around Portugal, but also include Spain, Morocco, and Europe.

What do you get?

Mornings tend to start with yoga, then after breakfast there may be a workshop or co-working time. After lunch it’s back to work (with 6-8 hours of structured work time per day), and after dinner the evenings are for unwinding, connecting, and personal/business development with a combination of masterminds, ecstatic dance, movie nights, and more.

• Accommodation (shared or private rooms)
• Co-living and Co-working space + local SIM card
• Group activities and workshops
• 3 meals a day, vegan, prepared
• Unlimited coffee, tea, spring water
• Access to exclusive branded community app

How do you attend?

There are lots of retreats and locations to choose from. Your application form will be reviewed within 24 hours, then you’ll have a video call with the team to ensure a good fit. Once selected, you pay the deposit (50%) and pack your bags.

Example 1-week retreat prices start at around 1,250 Euros.

Integrate conscious living into remote work with Minoma and learn more here. GET 10% off with PROHOBO10!

Minoma Festivals: Burning Man for Digital Nomads!

Compared to Minoma Retreats, Minoma Festivals are much more concentrated events (around three days), with many more people (around 100 attendees).

They are held in the Agafay Desert of Morocco, 40 minutes from Marrakech, in the beautifully appointed Selina Nomad Camp (think glamping bedouin tents, swimming pools, coworking spaces, bars, restaurants, and more).

What do you get?

• Curation of the group and personalized onboarding prior to the experience. 
• 3-nights stay at the venue, surrounded by the breathtaking landscapes of Agafay
• Full programming – variety of daily workshops, and sessions, igniting your mind and inspiring growth
• Full access to the venue’s exceptional facilities (pools, coworking space, bar, kitchen, restaurant etc) 
• Daily healthy breakfast buffet with traditional Moroccan cuisine options 
• 1-year access to MINOMA Membership – 2 months free Premium Membership and 10 months access to Free Membership.
• The company and energy of 100 mindful nomads coming together to unlock your journey of Meaningful Work and Aligned Freedom

This is not your run-of-the-mill digital nomad conference; there are no business workshops, no FOMO. It’s an experiential journey, reminiscent of Burning Man – with a Conscious Unconference including transformative workshops like breathwork, human design, 1:1 transformation sessions. And you’ll have the freedom to dance your heart out to electrifying DJ sets, Electronic Music Meditation, and Desert Ecstatic Dance, and more.

The cost to attend starts at 537 Euros (early bird price, shared accommodation. Private suites also available).

Curious? Click here to sign up for a Minoma Festival and use PROHOBO10 for a discount!

NOMAD CRUISE

Nomad Cruise is an all-inclusive (floating) conference for digital nomads, entrepreneurs, and global freedom seekers. They are designed to help like-minded people unplug (from devices) and connect (with people) while enjoying a balance of personal and professional development with fun and relaxation. I have many (many!) friends who are repeat customers of Nomad Cruise, and they plan their annual travels around these jam-packed events!

Nomad Cruise is suitable for experienced and newbie nomads alike.

What do you get?

The Nomad Cruise contingent of people are a small(ish) part of a larger cruise ship. Typical of most cruises, the fee is all-inclusive, but you will spend extra on drinks packages, certain special restaurant meals, excursions at ports of call, and tips.

Benefits to voyaging as part of the Nomad Cruise tribe include:

• Networking sessions
• Full-scale conference with speaker sessions
• Workshops
• Talent Shows
• Mastermind Dinners
• Start-up Nights

How do you attend?

Nomad Cruises happen one to two times per year. The next one is scheduled to leave September 2024 and will travel from Canada to Japan.

Learn more about Nomad Cruise Here!

NOMAD BASE

Nomad Base (which is associated with Nomad Cruise) is a business and travel club for digital nomads. While not exactly a retreat per se, Nomad Base combines the best parts of a working conference and networking retreat into one reunion meetup.

What do you get?

Whether you join the community, attend the live event, or take part in the retreat-like side event (eg: a 10-day safari), you will connect with like-minded individuals from across the globe with online networking, classes, and skill-share programs.

Here’s what they offered in their 2022 Cape Town Live Event as an example:

• Interactive workshops
• Special talks
• Mastermind events
• Social activities
• Excursions

How do you attend?

Nomad Base holds events a few times per year, and they also have a membership component with an active year-round online community. 

Check out Nomad Base and join their thriving community with upcoming events and cruises here. 

Nomad Base is also featured in this article full of Digital Nomad Communities – both online and offline – that you can join to plan your travels, meet digital nomads, and more.

THE NOMAD ESCAPE

The Nomad Escape is an informal business club and network for location independent entrepreneurs and remote workers. Unlike other retreats that are geared toward disconnecting, these Escapes are curated to encourage professional and personal growth. Another unique feature is that you can opt to attend only the events and arrange your own accommodation and transportation, if desired.

What do you get?

The Nomad Escape offers Individual, Company, or Virtual Escapes. Company and Individual Escapes are similar, with the former being designed to fit your remote team needs. Virtual Escapes are 3-hour long team-building opportunities to liven up your remote workspace. 

Here’s what their Level Up Club Business Retreat includes as an example:

• 7-day Immersive Growth Accelerator retreat in Madeira
• Two daily meals with drinks
• Welcome drink and package
• Coworking space, WiFi, and daily cleaning
• Access to private network
• Interactive workshops
• Expert talks
• Physical training
• Access to online community and weekly events

How do you attend?

Every participant will go through an application process that includes a discovery call where you will be interviewed and assessed. Once approved, just pay the deposit and you’re all set.

Check out The Nomad Escape’s retreats here. 

COWORK PARADISE

Cowork Paradise is a mastermind retreat for entrepreneurs who want to grow their business. Specifically tailored for business owners, these retreats prioritize networking, collaboration, and skill-share.

What do you get?

At a Cowork Paradise retreat, you will be surrounded by experienced business owners, enjoy high-end co-working locations, and reliable WiFi.

• Private accommodations
• Unique surroundings
• Local food experience
• Peer-to-peer training support
• Community access
• 24/7 access to co-working center
• Workshops
• Personal sessions with business coach
• Transportation

How do you attend?

Cowork Paradise is highly selective with an 8-person cap on attendance. Selection criteria includes minimum income requirements. If you qualify, you will be interviewed and matched based on expertise and personality.

Example prices: 

• Croatia 8-Days Business Mastermind Retreat: €2,885
• Bali Business Mastermind Retreat: average retreat price is from €3,985 to €5,495

Apply to Cowork Paradise here.

Small Selective Retreats

Each of these options highlight a small, carefully selected group so that participants can better support and get to know each other.

NOMAD EXPERIENCE (for Aspiring Digital Nomad curious about Japan)

Nomad Experience is a one-month residential program in Shimoda, Japan that lets participants live like locals while taste-testing 10 remote jobs through hands-on workshops. The program targets Japan-curious aspiring digital nomads and provides end-to-end support—from housing to skill-building sessions—so they can confidently trial both living and working before committing to a long-term nomadic lifestyle.

What do you get?

•  “Trial Working”

Over the course of one month, participants will  “taste-test” 10 remote-work-friendly jobs, helping them discover what truly excites them and where their passions lie.

Example roles include: Video editing, virtual assistance, social media management, graphic design, web development, and more.

• “Trial Living”

For a month, participants live like a neighbor—not a tourist—they can ‘taste test’ daily life in Japan. They’ll join community events, share meals with locals, and keep your work routine steady with reliable Wi-Fi, a welcoming coworking space, and support from a dedicated program coordinator. 

How do you attend?

Nomad Experience is a recurring event, so check when the next program is happening. Register for the waiting list first, then get a guidebook and join the invitation for a webinar.

Curious? Click here to explore more about Nomad Experience!

UNSETTLED

Unsettled offers retreats that emphasize flexibility. With up to nine destinations available, you can opt for a 1-week, 2-week, or 1-month retreat. Best of all, the group takes the reins in determining the itinerary.

What do you get?

Each retreat differs slightly, since the group chooses to shape the experience. You can bank on top-notch accommodations, reliable WiFi, socializing, and some amazing destinations.

• Some meals
• Curated community
• Dedicated team of leaders and local experts to support your experience
• Peer-to-peer and facilitated workshops
• Calendar of events
• Local SIM card
• Airport transportation
• Turn-key logistics

How do you attend?

Choose a date and destination that works for you, submit your application, and get ready for an incredible trip. Unsettled will review all applicants to ensure everyone is the right fit. Costs range depending on length of trip and destination. 

Example prices for Destination Retreats: $2,000-$3,600

Break from your routine and get Unsettled.

WORK WANDERERS

Join Work Wanderers for a 3-week experience of learning, sharing skills, and exploring the world. These coliving/coworking retreats are specifically designed for location independent individuals who aspire to become digital nomads.

What do you get?

This turn-key option has everything sorted for you when you arrive, from masterminds and skill-shares to great accommodations and reliable WiFi.

• Villa accommodation
• Suitable workspace
• Curated community
• Calendar of events
• Various destination options
• Excursions
• Dedicated retreat coordinator
• Some meals included

How do you attend?

Work Wanderers limits the number of participants. The application process starts when you sign up for the waitlist. Locations include epic places like Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, Thailand, and South Africa.

Learn more and join the waitlist here.

PROJECT GETAWAY

Project Getaway is a unique retreat in Southeast Asia where participants are specifically chosen from a pool of applicants to optimize the experience. Running for over 10 years, Project Getaway is an all-in-one experience combining the social and recovery aspects of a working holiday and the networking and development components of a co-working gathering.

What do you get?

Think mastermind, accelerator, network gathering, and working holiday, then add in the ambiance of Bali, Thailand, or Mauritius. If your application is selected, you will join a hand-picked group of entrepreneurs in an experience unlike any other.

• Unlimited co-living
• Unlimited snacks, coffee, and tea
• Accommodation
• Meals
• Airport Pick-Up
• Access to community and sport events
• Transportation for group events
• Adventure activities
• Laundry service
• Fast WiFi
• Skype rooms
• Security

How do you attend?

Since this event is exclusive, all attendees must navigate the application process. If you are selected, trip costs depend on the type of accommodation you choose. They also offer bespoke events for existing remote teams. 

Example cost: $2,975 – $3,950

Learn more about Project Getaway here. 

CLOUD CONNECTIONS

Cloud Connections celebrates the world’s festivals and invites 8-14 adventurous remote peers to immerse themselves in vibrant cultural experiences. Their retreats are designed to foster a close-knit community of like-minded digital nomads who share a passion for cultural immersion, personal growth, and collaboration.

What do you get?

Each retreat offers a different theme corresponding to the festival event. For example, Carnival in Brazil would have a focus on dance [samba] and the upcoming lantern festival has a theme of wellness. You will have ample opportunities to connect with link-minded individuals through skillshares, workshops and collaborative events throughout the retreat.

Here’s what the lineup was for their Nov 2023 Chiang Mai lantern (Yi Peng) & river boat (Loy Krathong) festival:

• 10 days / 9 nights accommodation (choose from shared, single, or double occupancy)
• Daily yoga
• Daily activities
• Some meals included
• Tickets to the Chiang Mai festivals
• Fast wifi
• Massage session
• Meditation session with Thai monks
• Cultural immersion
• Workshops/Skillshares/Mastermind sessions
• Dedicated retreat leader

How do you attend?

Choose a festival celebration that works for you, submit your application, and get ready for an incredible trip. Cloud Connections will review all applicants to ensure everyone is the right fit. Costs range depending on length of trip and destination.

Example retreat prices: the Upcoming Chiang Mai festival starts at $1399.

Check out Cloud Connections retreats here!

Book and Go Retreats

Skip the selection process of other retreats. These are great options to get away from it all with a simple booking process.

OUTSITE

Outsite Trips are designed for remote workers and digital nomads, giving you the opportunity to escape your everyday routine. Each option comes with access to the café and one welcome drink. Limited to 8-12 remote workers, these retreats offer an intimate setting in a few amazing locations—from San Juan to Marrakech and beyond. Booking is simple and everything you need is included.

Outsite also has co-living spaces you can rent for longer periods of time. Learn more about that here. 

What do you get?

Whether you’re enjoying Basque Country at a French Chateau or taking in the beach on the Caribbean Coast, your 7-night retreat will cover the gamut—from social gatherings and adventures to reliable WiFi and dedicated workspaces. 

• Accommodation and workspace
• Welcome and closing dinners
• Weekly events
• Community manager support
• Airport transportation (sometimes)
• Additional events (sometimes)
  

How do you attend?

Outsite membership (the link here by the way is for a $50 discount) is required to sign up for one of these retreats. Annual and lifetime options are available, and you receive several benefits from membership including access to Member-Only Outsite Spaces, monthly deals, and rewards.only one

Example retreats and prices: 

• One month in Marrakech – from $2100
  

Learn more about Outsite’s upcoming trips here, and get $50 off your membership by clicking here!

Active Retreats

These retreats are the perfect mix of fun and work, intentionally designed to feed your adventurous soul.

FLAKS

If you’re a digital nomad who loves adventures and outdoor activities, Flaks is for you. The Kite and Yoga Retreat is held in Tarifa, Spain and features an interesting combination of business and fun. Join an active community of adventurers who also happen to be skillful entrepreneurs.

What do you get?

Get ready for some beautiful views from the luxurious villa where you will be staying. Flaks champions flexibility, so the schedule can vary depending on the group. Kite surfing is a local staple, so bank on that.

• Coworking space
• WiFi
• Breakfast
• Coffee/tea/lemonade
• 3 dinners
• 3 business meetups
• Masterminds
• Active community

How do you attend?

There is a brief application process to attend the Flaks retreat. This ensures you are the right fit for the group. The retreat is limited to 8-14 participants.

Example Cost: €797-€1,500

Learn more about Flaks retreats here.

Change up your routine with a Digital Nomad Retreat

We all need a break now and again. Why not enjoy a beautiful destination and network with other entrepreneurs while you do it? Digital nomad retreats are fantastic ways to share skills, grow personally and professionally, and take a breather. Most retreats are set up so you can continue to be productive whenever the mood strikes, making them a perfect way to mix things up.

This post Top Digital Nomad Retreats to Level Up Your Lifestyle appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

I’m lucky. Because I’ve been living the long-term / full-time travel lifestyle since 2006 and writing about it, I have a ton of content on this website. And because of that, readers come into my ecosphere in many different ways. 

Some stumble on my travel narratives and honest accounts of what life on the road is really like (which sadly don’t pay the bills, but they feed my soul), and those people often become my most committed followers because I am extremely vulnerable in my writing and people connect with that. 

Others are searching for luggage or travel gear; a topic I love geeking out on and I consistently get a ton of traffic on these articles (so I must be doing something right). 

And others yet find me through my Travel Lifestyle Guides which are pretty much the cornerstone content of my site as it relates to how to travel long-term in a financially sustainable way. 

There’s another contingent that find me through my e-book How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World, currently in its 3^rd edition, available on my site and through Amazon. 

In all cases, people who end up in my inner circle (which you can access here) discover my inbox is open to readers to reach out, connect with me, and ask questions. This is another thing I’m not compensated for and I’m sometimes overwhelmed with the amount of communication, but it has its merits; it’s much more fun for this whole blogging thing to be a two-way street rather than me shouting into the void. (And sometimes they Buy Me A Coffee for my time, which I’m eternally grateful for). 

One such person bought my book last August, and we’ve been in communication ever since. Michael’s story was inspiring enough that I wanted to share it with you. 

This article has special links to WorldPackers – they give you an automatic discount on membership! And they also earn me a referral fee. Win-Win for everybody! Please bookmark this article and share it with others so they can enjoy these tips & tricks & discounts too. 

It Started With How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World 

Michael bought my book, and a few days later I sent him an email asking how he was getting on with the book and if he had any questions. 

I read your whole book already! I’m very grateful to have come across your book, and grateful to you for writing it!  

We were off to a great start, so we started discussing his travel plans. With a flight credit burning a hole in his wallet, he had set his sights on Europe, and was open to deciding the specific location based on opportunities available. 

I’m thinking right now I’ll probably have a better experience volunteering somewhere, rather than just touring around, so I’m seeing what appeals to me on WorldPackers. I love exploring new places, and I love volunteering, especially if it’s meaningful for helping others and the world. 

I’m an online violin teacher, but I’m thinking for my first trip, I will put a pause on that for about a month so I can be more present with my travel experience (and not worry about my expensive violin too). I might eventually see what I can do traveling and keeping up with my online teaching too, but perhaps I should start more simple and go one step at a time. 

I applauded Michael for this stepped approach to the travel lifestyle, which would allow him to get his feet wet in the world of travel before trying to work remotely and travel at the same time, which, although possible, is also a tricky balancing act – especially when combined with work-exchange (I’ve been there, done that, and frankly I don’t recommend it). 

Doing Work-Exchange with WorldPackers 

WorldPackers is a work-exchange website that features opportunities to volunteer in exchange for free accommodation (and sometimes meals as well). In my first 10 years of traveling the world full-time, I saved over $100,000 getting my accommodation for free (in five different ways – which I cover in my book), and for a few of those years work-exchange was my method of choice. 

I did everything from designing marketing plans to painting murals to running hostels and retreat centres, to chopping firewood, leading eco-treks on llamas, and even milking goats. All in exchange for  a place to stay. 

And while accommodation is the most expensive part of travel and the money saved can be substantial, anybody who has done something like this can also tell you, it’s about much more than a free place to stay. There is no better way to dive in to a local culture and meet people you’d never otherwise meet than with volunteering. 

There are a few reasons why I’ve become a big fan of WorldPackers as my work-exchange website of choice. Specifically two things that make them stand out above the other similar websites: 

1. Their search filters are incredible (and incredibly necessary given the number of gigs they have on the site). You can even filter for social impact and eco-friendly gigs.  

2. Things happen. If you show up and discover the gig is not what you agreed to and/or you feel unsafe, WorldPackers will rescue you from the situation, put you up for a few nights, and help you find another placement. Learn more about WP Insurance here. 

Michael’s Work-Exchange in Italy (and Beyond)

A few months later, I got another note from Michael. 

I have my volunteer job in Italy confirmed! I’ll be working on a farm in Tuscany, Italy for 2 weeks, helping with the olive harvest. Surrounding this volunteer job, I plan to see Rome, Florence, the Dolomites (Alps), and Venice. I’ve never toured around like this, or done a work exchange job, so I’m really excited! 

Thank you so much for inspiring me to do this, and giving me the resources I needed! Out of everything in my Italy trip, I am the most excited about this farm job!

With his excitement practically dripping off this email, I asked him to touch base when his trip was done to let me know how it went. 

I had a great experience in Italy. It was really good for me to do something totally different from what I’m used to, and meet new interesting people in a really beautiful place. I learned a lot about myself during my two week work exchange. It is a really nice feeling to do a labor job, work hard half the day, and then relax in peace. It’s a peaceful simple life. I like working out, being outside, and spending time with friends, and so it was a great experience for me.

I also spent a couple of weeks seeing wonderful sites in Italy. This was the first time since I started playing the violin at the age of 7 that I took a full month off, and it was really refreshing. I learned I’m also very happy without my violin, and so the experience makes me look at life in a more liberating way. Although I’m still a violinist and violin teacher, the experience helped me remove my feeling of identity as a violinist, and as a result I feel happier and more peaceful. 

Thank you Nora for inspiring me to do the work exchange and connecting me with WorldPackers!

I mean, he’s selling it for me, no? Here’s a discount on membership to sweeten the pot. 

Travel in general is an expanding mind-opening experience. I love how Michael realized he has a separate identity to that of his career; something not a lot of people can honestly say these days, where “what do you do” is the first question people ask when getting to know you. 

I also remember this; my work-exchange experiences allowed me to live in the present moment more than pretty much anything else I’ve done. The combination of being abroad plus performing relatively simple tasks with new friends is valuable in ways that, until I started corresponding with Michael, I hadn’t quite realized. 

Michael is planning his next trip, to South America. This time he’ll take his violin and teach remotely while traveling for at least a few months. He doesn’t plan to volunteer, because, as I advise in my book, work-exchange plus full-time remote work isn’t a great combination. He will, however take time off work here and there to do more concentrated exploring. 

This South American trip wasn’t originally on the cards for Michael; rather, it was inspired by his work-exchange in Italy. 

In my work exchange in Italy, Spanish was the main language everyone spoke. I understood nothing, so I was really wishing I could speak Spanish. After my Italy trip, someone from Peru asked me how my farm job experience was through WorldPackers, we talked, and then we decided to have a language exchange. She’s helping me with Spanish, and I’m helping her with English. 

This language exchange has been so fun and is a big reason I’ve stayed motivated to learn Spanish. It’s also one of the reasons I’m headed to South America next. Life can be fun how it takes us to unexpected places.

Thank you again for inspiring me to travel! I think coming across your book last summer is influencing my life in a very nice way.

Love that last little bit about my book influencing his life and travels. WOW! 

See also: How to Learn Spanish (and other languages) 

Misconceptions about Work-Exchange 

Some correspondence on my Facebook page highlighted a few misconceptions about volunteering in trade for accommodation. I’ll let the conversation speak for itself. 

Misconception #1: It’s a Full-Time Job for a Dorm Bed 

Sure, you’ll find a lot of positions that involve shared accommodation. But there’s way more out there than that. 

COMMENTER #1

Strange, I don’t picture you putting 30 hrs a week in social media promotion work for a dorm bed and a meal per day… I know I would not. 

MY RESPONSE

I saved over $100k in accommodation expenses in my first 10 years of full-time travel, and one of the ways I did it was by volunteering in exchange for accommodation. And in all the gigs I did, never once did I work 30 hours a week for a dorm bed and one meal per day!

The gigs varied as widely as the hosts and countries did. I worked anywhere from 6 to 25 hours per week, and almost always had a private room. In some cases I took care of my own meals, and in others I was provided 3 meals a day.

In every case I had an amazing culturally immersive experience that I could not possibly have found any other way.

And then another reader to my defence:

I’m with you! Volunteering for me was never about what I got in exchange — I never saw it as transactional. It was about giving, and deeply connecting with the local culture. The experiences I had volunteering in my travels were absolutely unforgettable, and I wouldn’t trade those memories for anything.

I also never stayed in a dorm — but I would have!

Misconception #2: It’s all Grunt Work 

Sure, you’ll find positions in gardening/farming, cleaning, and other chores. Frankly, what do you expect? You’re some chump off the street who is volunteering. They’re not going to parachute you into upper-level management. 

But even so, that needn’t mean all the work is grunt work. I think it’s also a matter of perspective. Some people like chopping carrots. Others like picking them. For those people perhaps a gardening or cooking job is fun. 

COMMENTER #2

I’d rather wait longer to travel so I can save more money. I would be happy to volunteer at a place where it feels like part of the vacation (like at some animal sanctuary) but cleaning or cooking at some random place just to have a bed to sleep in would suck the joy out of traveling for me.

Great! If shovelling poop at an animal sanctuary floats your boat, then have at ‘er. There are work exchange gigs for that too. (Frankly, better you than me). 

But also, this commenter used the word “vacation”. I think work-exchange is great for somebody who is traveling for longer than our idea of what a “vacation” is. If I had two weeks to travel as a respite from a demanding job/life, I probably wouldn’t consider work-trade either.

The beauty of work-trade gigs is that you can choose the opportunities – and locations – that speak to you the most. It’s not all grunt work…or at least it doesn’t always feel like it is.

The place where I cooked and cleaned was a retreat centre tucked away in naturalistic New Zealand that would have cost thousands of dollars (per week) to stay at. I had free accommodation, meals, and access to the retreats. That’s just an example.

But also, it depends on why you’re traveling, for how long, and what the cost of living is in the country. I wouldn’t do work-trade in a country with a low cost of living, where I could easily pay for a place to stay out of pocket and immerse in the culture other ways. I did my volunteer gigs mostly in Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand, where the cost of accommodation would have precluded me from staying for the cumulative years that I spent in that part of the world, while I was still building my writing career and not earning much. 

The Facebook conversation then ensued with a bunch of comments about the sorts of volunteer gigs people were initially seeing on the WorldPackers site, which seemed to be 25-30 hours a week of social media promotion or cleaning in exchange for a dorm bed. 

My take on it? Don’t sign up for those gigs if that’s not your jam. It wouldn’t be my jam, but I’m sure there are some people out there who wouldn’t mind. 

But those gigs are also not the entirety of what’s out there. You just have to know how to find the ones best for you. (Keep reading.)

Tips for Using WorldPackers Effectively

Here are some ways to ensure you find – and enjoy – the right work-exchange gig, while staying safe: 

Become a Verified Member 

This allows you apply for gigs securely on the WorldPackers platform, and access their support team who can help you before, during, and after your trip. (Especially handy if things go sideways part-way through.) 

Consider the Cost of Living at Your Destination 

I mentioned this earlier, but it bears repeating. If you’re in a country that is very inexpensive to begin with, then perhaps committing to some kind of back-breaking work in exchange for a room you could easily afford isn’t worthwhile. Instead, you could simply pay for your own room and volunteer in a different way. 

Use the Search Filters

The search filters on the left-hand side make WorldPackers one of the most navigable platforms of its kind. There are more than a dozen ways to narrow down your search according to your preference! Here are just a few ways you can filter your search: 

• Destination 
• Program types
• Languages spoken
• Gigs that accept couples
• Purpose of your trip (eg: connect with nature, or other travelers, or locals)
• When you’re available
• Things you like to do (eg: marketing, handy-work, community work, teaching, eco-projects)
• Top Hosts
• Verified Hosts (highly recommended)
• Social Impact & Eco Friendly
• Skills 
• Hours per week you’re willing to work 
• Type of accommodation you’re willing to accept (eg: dorm, private room)

The trick? You need an account to make full use of the search filters. Don’t worry – you can create an account and browse opportunities for free. You can upgrade to full membership when you’re ready to apply. 

Read the Reviews

While there’s an approval process to become a WorldPackers host, that doesn’t mean they’re verified. (That’s a separate search filter, which I highly recommend using). 

Just as you would read reviews for accommodation you’re paying for with money, it’s important to read reviews left by other volunteers to ensure it’s a good fit for you. 

Familiarize Yourself With WorldPackers Insurance

This is something I haven’t seen with other work-exchange websites, and puts WorldPackers ahead of the pack in my opinion. Learn more about how WorldPackers will save your skin if you end up in hot water, here. 

Consider Your Social Impact

As always: use your judgement. When I was playing with the site while writing this article, I found some gigs that involved working in orphanages and teaching English in impoverished countries. 

It is now becoming increasingly understood by the world that more often than not, these are not beneficial activities and in fact can do more harm than good to the local economy and the people you might think you’re helping. Here’s an eye-opening article I wrote a few years ago that gives you an overview of responsible travel and the pitfalls therein. 

Bonus Tip: Work-Exchange is Not Great if You Work Remotely as Well 

The reason for this boils down to time management, pure and simple. 

In one particularly gorgeous setting in New Zealand, I found myself volunteering for 25 hours a week (for a free room and all meals), and building my online business for another 30 hours a week. I eventually wondered why I was traveling at all, because I was consistently too exhausted to actually do anything at my destination. I felt like I’d effectively traded one rat race for another, and I needed to get off the bus. 

There are, however some other forms of free accommodation that are a much better fit for remote work and long-term travel. I discuss this at length in my book How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World. 

Examples of WorldPackers Opportunities

While researching for this article, I had a lot of fun poking around the WorldPackers site and the huge variety of gigs. Things like: 

ANIMAL LOVER? 

You’ll get a private room and three meals a day in Ecuador in exchange for helping an NGO take care of rescued dogs. 

ARE YOU HANDY? 

A guest house in Sweden will give you a private room, all meals, and free tours in exchange for various kinds of help from handyman tasks to gardening to caring for their animals. 

LIKE CASTLES?

If you don’t mind staying in a dorm, you’ll get a unique experience while living in a Scottish castle and having all your meals provided in exchange for helping out in their organic garden or even the kitchen. 

LIKE TO MEDITATE?

Volunteer at one of many buddhist retreat centres. (I spent many months volunteering at a delightful retreat centre in New Zealand that would have cost a small fortune to pay to stay at). 

Check out WorldPackers opportunities for yourself, and enjoy a special discount by using this link! 

This post Free Accommodation Isn’t Just About Free: How to Use WorldPackers appeared first on The Professional Hobo. Please click through to read it in full!

Thing is, it’s a job unto itself to figure it all out. From visa rules, to passport requirements, to finding employers willing to hire travelers, you can waste a lot of your time abroad on logistics. Don’t forget about language barriers, the lengthy interview process, finding accommodations, and the dreaded tax situation.

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone did all the leg work for you? Global Work & Travel is the place to find travel jobs that fit your unique lifestyle, offering 24/5 support that saves you time and money, and stress.

See Also:
Co-living and Co-working Programs for Remote Workers 
3 Ways Aspiring Digital Nomads can Earn Money and Save Tax 
How to Make Money While Traveling  
Travel Planning Musts, and How to Prepare for Smart Travel

This post has affiliate links. If you click through and end up working with Global Work & Travel, I will get a small referral fee. Thank you in advance for helping to support The Professional Hobo!

Use discount code THEPROFESSIONALHOBO to get an instant $50 off your trip!

What is Global Work & Travel?

Global Work & Travel is a fully accredited travel agency that has helped over110,000 travelers achieve their travel dreams in the past two decades. With an emphasis on work and travel, they provide a simple answer to the question plaguing travelers worldwide: How do I afford travel?

Global Work & Travel is a one-stop shop for overseas travel jobs in 30 countries. Their support team spans four offices around the world. From payment plans to a Lifetime Deposit Guarantee, your peace of mind is a top priority.

You will be paired with an exclusive opportunity of unmatched quality from over 1,200 business partners around the world. Maintaining high screening standards of both employers and travelers ensures your safety and security.

Easy Working Holiday Visas

Working Holiday Visas are a great way spend more time in a country than the average tourist without breaking the bank. These visas typically allow you to stay in another country for up to 12 months while working.

How Global Work & Travel Helps

Global Work & Travel uses its broad network of local business partners to link you with employers who want travelers. This is invaluable as Working Holiday Visas are limited in time and capped by age. Instead of wasting visa time and money looking for a job, step off the airplane with everything ready to go.

Travel Jobs with Global Work & Travel

The world is your oyster when you sign up for a working holiday. From working in English castles, to resorts at the great barrier reef or world famous ski resorts in the Canadian mountains, your travel jobs vary depending on where you choose to live. Global Work & Travel eliminates the hassle by providing a guaranteed job match before you leave home!

Spots are limited and often book out up to 12 months in advance. Use the discount code THEPROFESSIONALHOBO and get an instant $50 off your trip! 

Since both employees and employers are vetted in advance, the interview is mostly a formality.

Other inclusions:

• Unlimited Local job access
• Visa guidance
• Personal travel concierge
• Private airport transfer
• 3 nights Hostel accommodation upon arrival
• Local sim, bank account and tax IDs.
• Free tours
• Global market place
• Global social
• 24/5 support

Learn more about Global Work & Travel’s Working Holiday Trips here! 

Teaching English Abroad – Training and Placements

One of the most popular travel jobs is teaching English abroad. Global Work & Travel offers teach and travel trips in tonnes of destinations/countries. From Vietnam to Italy, or Costa Rica to Japan travelers will discover new cultures and connect with the local community in a unique overseas experience… All while gaining an internationally accredited certificate!

Global Work & Travel TEFL / TESOL Training and Placements

Since teaching English abroad requires specific certifications, Global Work & Travel partners with local organizations to provide a 3-4 week TEFL or TESOL course. This is a huge value, and you will be provided accommodation, transfers, and cultural activities throughout the course.

Land a Teaching Job or Take Your Certification with You

At the end of your course, you’ll be awarded an internationally-recognized accreditation and could be offered a paid local teaching placement. Or you can apply elsewhere with the training on your resume. The combination of providing training and helping you get teaching gigs is unlike other offerings, saving you tons of time and heartache.

Other inclusions:

• Optional job matches
• Dedicated trip coordinator
• Trip visa guidance
• Bank account and tax assistance
• Comfortable accommodations during course
• Interview preparation
• Global Academy
• Global market place
• Global social
• Cultural experiences
• 24/7 support

Learn to teach English abroad and get a job with Global Work & Travel here! 

Use discount code THEPROFESSIONALHOBO to get an instant $50 off your trip!

Volunteer Travel Opportunities

There are many volunteer opportunities for travelers nowadays. With so many options out there, it’s hard to choose the right (and legitimate) option. Global Work & Travel sends volunteers to vetted organizations who actively contribute to needs on the ground. 

A great thing about this option is the expanded age range. Most of the trips are perfect for travelers ages 18-85.

Global Work & Travel Makes Volunteering Easy

Volunteering with Global Work & Travel is an all-inclusive voluntourism experience. When you sign up, you are guaranteed project placement, saving you time and stress. 

There are currently 19 Volunteer Trips available, from Africa to Asia, Central and South America to Europe and the South Pacific. Local excursions are available on your days off to enhance your immersive experience.

Doing Work that Matters

Volunteers support humanitarian projects, local communities, and animal rehabilitation and rescue centers. Global Work & Travel is a vegan company, passionate about animal care and support. As a result, many of the Volunteer Trips support preservation and conservation efforts.

Other inclusions:

• Volunteer project placement
• Dedicated trip coordinator
• Trip visa guidance
• Comfortable accommodation
• Project supplies
• Meals
• Certificate of completion
• Global Social
• Global Market place
• Global Academy
• Local cultural experiences
• 24/7 support

Browse Volunteer gigs with Global Work & Travel here! 

Other Global Work & Travel Programs

Work, Teach, and Volunteer Trips are just three of the many travel jobs offered through Global Work & Travel. Most of the options are oriented toward adults ages 18-35. 

Au Pair

Find a new home with your welcoming host family as you provide live-in care to children while earning a weekly stipend, accommodation in the family home, and two to three meals per day. You may even have the chance to go on vacation with the family.

Families are vetted and partners for many years, so you know it’s going to be a fun and safe experience.

Intern

Gain hands-on experience while exploring a foreign country, building your resume/CV, and accelerating your career. You’ll leave with an international reference and memories for a lifetime.

Camp

Did you ever go to summer camp as a kid? Now, you can give back as a counsellor overseas where you will run fun activities for school-age kids, typically live on-site, and earn a generous stipend.

Summer camps are available in the USA, UK, Canada and France.

Tutor

Enjoy this true cultural exchange where you will provide live-in mentoring to children of your host family. With only 15-30 hours of tutoring per week and a weekly stipend, you’ll have plenty of time and money to explore a new culture.

Remote

Save those vacation days and take your work on the road with all the logistics taken care of for you so you can simply work and explore. Enjoy comfortable accommodation, local experiences, strong wi-fi, and dedicated workspaces for digital nomads and remote workers.

Study

Studying abroad is a perfect opportunity to learn invaluable skills from the experts, gain an authentic life experience, and become a part of another culture.

Tour

Take some time off with these fully organized adventures that give you a unique travel experience without the hassle of planning. No work required in these jam-packed excursions that can span from days to months.

Check out everything Global Work & Travel offers here! 

Use discount code THEPROFESSIONALHOBO to get an instant $50 off your trip!

Why use Global Work & Travel

Global Work & Travel does it all with a global support network, done-for-you planning, and a streamlined job-finding process. Each trip is packed with inclusions that add immense value. 

The biggest advantage is the money saved in having everything done right the first time, and being able to walk into a job, volunteer opportunity, or tour that is waiting for you.

Global Work & Travel is the place to find travel jobs, and they have the numbers to back it up:

• 24/5 worldwide support
• 2 decades of industry experience
• 100 passionate experts to guide you and plan your travel
• 1,200+ worldwide partners offering exclusive travel, work, and volunteer opportunities
• 10,000+ four and five-star reviews
• ~110k travellers and growing

If the numbers aren’t convincing enough, the flexibility and affordability built into the program is a traveler’s dream. Global Work & Travel allows you to use payment plans where you choose your installments to pay off your trip over time. 

Their Lifetime Deposit Guarantee gives you peace of mind if plans change. This allows you to swap your trip, gift it to a friend, or save it for later without any fees.

Animal Welfare: Another reason to love Global Work & Travel

Global Work & Travel is a company with a heart, as well. Animal welfare is at the core of everything they do. 

The Global Animal Welfare Fund (GAWF) was created to provide much needed funds to animal projects in Australia, with the goal of broadening work overseas. A feather in the GAWF’s cap is that it is completely funded by Global Work & Travel.

Global Work & Travel also founded Rescue PAWS, a rescue group in Thailand that supports rehoming the street dogs of Hua Hin. 

GAWF is also oriented on providing further assistance to underfunded organizations.

Final Thoughts

There are many options you can choose from when looking for the top travel jobs, the most unique volunteer opportunities, or the best laid plans. While you can try to cut costs by doing it yourself, you’ll probably get overwhelmed and may end up spending even more money while trying to figure it all out. 

Global Work & Travel is more than a travel company. It is a global community of good-hearted experts who want to help you succeed.

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