Four places for digital nomads

four destinations for

DIGITAL NOMADS

Covid-19 has made working from home a more accepted norm but who is to say ‘home’ has to be your regular one? Here are some more exciting places you could work from

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ESTONIA

Estonia’s new Digital Nomad visa allows foreigners to live and work for up to a year for €100 if they have an income of just over £3,000 a month. The ex-Soviet country was the first in the world to declare internet access a human right and is dubbed the most advanced digital society in the world (99% of its public services are online), but it’s still relatively cheap to live. Estonia’s unique culture is influenced by its Baltic neighbours as well as Nordic Finland and its draws include attractive medieval cities, a Baltic coast of sandy beaches and islands covered in pine and juniper forests and untamed national parks home to bears and lynxes.

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BALI, INDONESIA

Hugely popular with digital nomads, compact Bali is affordable, has great weather, good food (local and western), strong wifi and a relaxed atmosphere with leisure options galore, from surfing to yoga retreats. Because it was popular for remote working before remote working was popular, Bali has a huge choice of co-working spaces and coffee shops which welcome freelance foreigners, particularly in Canggu and Ubud. However, visas aren’t straightforward and many workers exist on visitor visas, leaving the country regularly in order to renew them – fine if you’re travel blogger, not so good if you’re a lawyer.

MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA

Infamous for being the home of drug lord Pablo Escobar, Colombia’s ‘city of eternal spring’ has cleaned up its act since the days of the cartel and become a hotspot for remote workers, in particular entrepreneurs and start-ups. A friendly ex-pat scene makes this metropolitan hub feel less daunting while good wifi and cheap living costs are a big draw. Speaking Spanish is an advantage. The city is in a valley but surrounded by nature, including Parque Arví with its pre-Hispanic ruins and eucalyptus forest. Further south of the city is the coffee region.

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BARBADOS

Barbados launched the Welcome Stamp last summer, a 12-month visa allowing remote workers to do their business from a Caribbean beach, or wherever else on the tropical island they fancy. For just over £2,500 per person (or around £2,300 for a family) the destination promises a great work-life balance thanks a solid infrastructure, stable economy, good healthcare facilities and education and reliable and fast internet, as well as beautiful beaches and a culture ‘based around food and partying’.