'If you go skiing at the weekend, take your laptop': How to get off the beaten track, but stay on the payroll
A modern world means a mobile office for many. But if you can work from anywhere, why work from the same place as everyone else?
Covid threw many of us into the land of remote work, willingly or unwillingly. Some have since returned to the office, but others certainly haven’t. For a growing number of people, me included, fixed locations are now a distant memory. For the past six years I’ve been roaming around the world, working from my laptop as I go. They call us 'digital nomads'.
The world I’m referring to isn’t one of teenage backpackers in a £3 a night hostel in Laos. An increasing number of working professionals, of all ages, are seeking a different pace and flexibility to life, stepping out of the predictable routines back home and embarking on adventures across the globe.
Some flock to the tried and tested destinations in Western Europe, but increasingly these are expensive and over-saturated with tourists — to the dissatisfaction of locals. Many long-term nomads, such as myself, choose distant terrain to work and enjoy instead. Here are six of my favourite ‘offices’ from around the world.
'If you do decide to stumble into an electronic music event at a nearby ski resort, don’t take the work call (speaking from experience)'
Tbilisi, Georgia (UK Summer GMT +3, Winter GMT +4)
The Georgian capital is the perfect mix of the familiar and the unfamiliar; it’s where east meets west, ringed by mountains and packed with character and history. It’s described as ‘the Berlin of the East’ with a world-famous arts and electronic music scene and a food-and-drink offer that rivals Western European capitals, but for a fraction of the price.
A few hours’ drive from the city, you have ski resorts, excellent hiking terrain and wine country — presenting a bounty of activities for weekends. Meanwhile, Tbilisi has excellent co-working facilities, city-wide fast internet and a booming nomadic community. You can see and experience more in a week in Tbilisi than you do in a year elsewhere.
Top tip: If you go skiing at the weekend, take your laptop. I once got stuck in a mountain resort for four days after the road back to Tbilisi was hit by an avalanche.
Taghazout/Tamraght, Morocco (Winter same as UK, Summer GMT -1)
A place where winter doesn’t really exist and sunshine is guaranteed most days per year. From October to April it’s a world surfing hub, drawing thousands of ‘digital nomads’ with surfboards in tow. Although only small, the laid-back surf villages contain an array of excellent co-working spaces, speciality coffee shops, tasty eateries and yoga/fitness studios. This is mixed in with an authentic Moroccan fishing community, who are renowned for their hospitality.
When not at the beach, the Atlas Mountains are only a stone’s throw away, offering great weekend escapes to waterfalls and pretty mountain vistas. Food and staples are cheap, the internet is good and it’s hard to feel stressed when the sun and surf vibe keep you in check.
Top tip: Avoid the summer months, it can be oppressively hot. Both this blonde Manxman and his laptop have overheated on a mistimed summer visit.
Santa Catarina Island/Floripa, Brazil (Summer GMT -3, Winter GMT -4)
If your working hours are tied to a British office clock, then you need to enjoy an early start to venture west of the UK. If you do, then the island of Santa Catarina, off the Southern Brazilian coast, doesn’t get much better. It offers miles of pristine beaches, backed by rainforest and lush hills, with numerous lakes in its centre. The beautiful nature is criss-crossed by hiking trails, which lead to small coastal towns, where an ice-cold beer, in an extraordinary setting, awaits you. One side of the island also contains the city of Florianopolis and the region is popular for water sports and marine-life spotting.
It’s also well set-up for remote working, with good Wi-Fi and a culinary offer that punches well above an island of its size. The area has all the beauty and Brazilian flair of Rio, but with a much better security landscape and a more relaxed pace to proceedings.
Top tip: Starting work early, means you finish early. Without caution one can get a little over excited at the beach bars in the afternoon, to the detriment of a 6am Teams call the next day.
'Think Croatia, but far cheaper and with more impressive nature'
Almaty, Kazakhstan (Summer GMT +4, Winter GMT +5)
The coolest city in Central Asia, acting as a major hub for not only businesses and creatives in the region, but also for digital nomads. Sitting on the edge of the Tian Shian Mountains, the leafy city has towering peaks to its south, where ski lifts can be reached in less than 40 minutes & wild nature awaits.
Culturally it’s fascinating: Kazakhstan is at a crossroads of cultures, with Almaty sitting on the edge of Central Asia, but only a few hours from China and in a former Soviet nation, with a large ethnic Russian community and a culture of traditional Kazakh nomadism.
Almaty is awash with excellent cafes, restaurants and bars and has the best music scene in Central Asia. Plus, it has the region’s best-connected airport — offering great short-trip potential across the continent and further afield.
Top tip: If you do decide to stumble into an electronic music event at a nearby ski resort, don’t take the work call (speaking from experience).
Montenegro (GMT +1 year-round)
Montenegro has an idyllic Adriatic coastline, which soon climbs up to the country’s mountains and highlands (which make up 85% of the nation’s territory). Think fresh seafood by the azure sea, with rocky mountains acting as your backdrop. It’s a nature lover's paradise and another top tier spot for hiking, near to ancient coastal towns that never seem to be in a rush.
The country has been flooded with investment in recent years, leading to high-speed internet, improved accommodation and better facilities. Think Croatia, but far cheaper and with more impressive nature.
Top tip: Avoid the height of summer, when the place is swarmed by the uncomfortable presence of cruise ships, decimating the peaceful charm along its coastline.
