My first ‘digital nomad’ experience was as a volunteer in 1999 at Glengarry — a spectacular outdoor school in the heart of New South Wales. Dad mentioned something called Hotmail he’d read about in the Telegraph. I picked up my first mails up amongst the kangaroos.
Since then, on a blackberry from the mangroves of a Fijian Island, an iPhone on the beaches of Sierra Leone, and a MacBook Air here in Ubud, Bali — I’ve grown-up with the idea of being location independent.
We now know quite a lot about being a digital nomad: airbnb, couchsurfing, home swapping and house sitting have enabled this growth as much as wifi and cheaper travel has. But there is now a new digitally-driven niche around building collections of physical communities where people are co-working, co-learning, co-living — collaborating, and it feels like a wave of ideas whose time may have come.
Is 2015 the year we see global citizenry start to find its permanent home(s)?
Here are 9 digital nomad destination ideas that I’ve come across that have the potential to ride this wave. Please add yours.
1. Nomad List
From The Next Web:
Nomadlist.io is developed by Pieter Levels and is back tackling an issue that aligns with his interest of working from anywhere. The site itself is simple enough. It uses an up-voting system to rank cities based on votes from visitors to the site.The list view shows basic details about each location — temperature, internet speed and estimated cost of living — and there’s more information if you click on a particular city.
Why it made my list: Lonely Planet for the digital gapper. This is the first attempt to gather data based on digital nomads key needs: living costs, climate wifi, safety, cultural experience etc.. and rank.
2. Turnpoint
TurnPoint is a destination education startup that provides intensive learning opportunities for entrepreneurs, career shifters and global citizens who are looking for a more meaningful way of working and living.
Based out of Bali’s first co-working space Hubud, TurnPoint programs help people take control of their lives and careers by building the practical skills and the mindset they need to succeed.
Why it made my list: The Hubud team have recognised something really important — that a space (even a bamboo one) isn’t enough. People need guidance, support and accountability. It’s potentially a great business model too.
3. Escape the City
When we wanted to change jobs we looked for a service to help us find genuinely exciting new career opportunities. There wasn’t one…So we built our own. Since escaping our corporate jobs 5 years ago, 195,571 people have joined us to find exciting jobs or start their own ventures.
Why it made my list: This is a fast growing, smart, influential, and now tooled-up tribe (from their London based ‘Escape School’ who are heading out of the city to build their dreams. I’d be surprised if some of the most exciting ideas of the next decade aren’t built by ‘Escapees’.
4. Coworking Visa
This is in concept stage off the back of the first Co-working Asia conference in Bali last month. The idea is that it will help digital nomads and teams cross boarders. This is clearly a big challenge.
- Individuals are more and more emancipated from traditional institutions such as families (rise of single households everywhere on the planet), unions, states or companies.
- Migrations are on the rise, with 232 million migrants officially assessed by the UN in 2013 (+30% vs 2000), with states experimenting new visa policies to get talent all over the world.
- Only 7% of the generation Y (born between 1980 and 2000) wish to work for a Fortune 500 company. They will account for 75% of the workforce by 2025. Coworking are where people can redefine themselves through collaboration.
Why this idea made my list: It’s one of the biggest barriers to this movement. If it can be overcome it will be a huge jump forward.
5. Impact Hub
We believe a better world evolves through the combined accomplishments of creative, committed, and compassionate individuals focused on a common purpose.
An innovation lab. A business Incubator. A social enterprise community center. Impact Hub offers you a unique ecosystem of resources, inspiration, and collaboration opportunities to grow the positive impact of your work. Joining our diverse community of members and collaborators will inspire, connect, and enable you to develop your best work every step of the way.
Why it made my list: The most established co-working network in the world today (60+ spaces) and a focus on impact. This is not just about building the next productivity app, but make a difference in the places people are working.
6. Nomad House
A network of houses around the world for digital nomads to live and work together beginning in Bali, London & Bangkok.
No more leases. No more coffeeshops. No more hostels. Nomad House is here, offering a housing solution for the Nomadic Revolution. Find a home/office in the best nomad destinations. Live and create with other digital nomads, and fuel your freedom! Now, home is where the Nomad House is.
Why it made my list: New kid on the block, big idea…let’s see!
7. The Caravanserai
We’re starting the first global co-living provider. Sign a single lease, and you can roam among magical properties across 3 continents. Professionals who seek a great work life balance and don’t want to waste time piecing it together themselves. The early thirties designer living in east London, the experienced Silicon Valley developer, the financial journalist from NY.
Why it made my list: Ambitious. This is a well-pitched opportunity to mix a timeshare and global citizenship. Will be watching closely.
8. Hacker Paradise
Travel the world with other awesome developers and designers. People come from all over the world to get away from the hustle and bustle of their daily lives to learn new things, work on side projects, and find some work/life balance. When traveling with our community, you don’t have to worry about housing, workspace, or meeting amazing people — we take care of all that for you.
Why it made my list: Love the name. They’ve clearly identified their tribe. Light and lean business model. Potentially scalable.
9. Tribewanted
Building a collection of the very best off-grid, eco-community destinations for curious travellers, intrepid families, escapees, & digital nomads.
Bringing people together for magical experiences. We mix the best of the old (preserving cultural heritage, conserving valuable resources, and mindfulness) with the new (design thinking, co-working, renewable energy, permaculture, and social networks).
Currently in Umbria, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Bali & piloting Myanmar.
Why it made my list: For those looking for more than you typical co-working space. We’ve been piloting a project here in Bali. I’ve spent almost 10 years working on it, it makes all my lists ☺
10. Workfrom
Insider’s guide of the best places to do remote work, take meetings, study and stay productive while you roam.
Workfrom has helped thousands of nomadic professionals, freelancers, web developers and remote workers discover reliable places to get work done outside of the home or office. See beautiful listings, neighborhood searches, maps of work-friendly places, reviews and pro tips.
Why is made my list: Beyond established coworking spaces ‘free range humans’ want to know where they’re welcome and where they’re not. Workfrom can potentially fix this.
