The digital nomad/coworking/freelance lifestyle is one that provides freedom of space and time, which means you can choose your own timezone and your own hours. The practice is often one of hit-and-miss, as factors like insufficient wifi, less-than-satisfactory accommodations, and bad weather can ruin your plans for a working vacation. A recent Forbes article about remote work features interviews with industry experts, who gave their thoughts on the best destinations for digital nomads and freelancers alike. Check out the list below.
North America
Mexico
"Maybe I’m biased as a proud Mexican, but Mexico is the next place to be. We have cities like Playa del Carmen where the colorful beach and bright parties are attractive. And in the other side, places like Mexico City (nominated as one of the best cities to see in 2017) gives the chance to eat good food but also live as cosmopolitan." -- Sergio Sala, founder of his own newsletter for digital nomads
South America
Columbia
"More folks go to Medellin, but I prefer Bogota because it has that capital city, international vibe. As a whole, Colombia is easier to deal with than a lot of other places and it’s even easier to get your visa there for the next place on your route." -- Andrew Henderson, founder of Nomad Capitalist
"In previous years, I would say a lot of Asian destinations like Bali in Indonesia and Chiang Mai in Thailand have been the major destinations for this type of work, but Medellin, Colombia can’t be far behind and if anything will eventually take the cake. An eternal spring, amazing food, is highly affordable and best of all has an amazing array of coworking spaces and a bustling digital nomad community and local entrepreneurship scene." -- Dean Leibowitz, Director of Cowork at Selina
"One of the hottest spots right now is the beautiful city of Medellin, where besides its amazing coffee, there’s a great scene of international events, businesses and of course, parties." -- Sergio Sala, founder of his own newsletter for digital nomads
Europe
Bulgaria
"Bulgaria...represents a European country with an easy and welcoming legislative system that allows people to incorporate a business not only very easily but also very affordably, and also offers very low taxation rates. They are very good reasons to establish a base in Bulgaria, especially if your customers are based in similar time zones." -- Uwe Allgäuer, founding partner of Coworking Bansko
Eurasia
Georgia
“The country’s capital, Tbilisi, has so much potential. As a remote working destination, it could be the next Berlin... Tbilisi is so laid back, so calm, and so different. You can try and compare it to any other place and say that it’s kind of like this or that, but it’s like nothing else you’ve ever seen. People are just beginning to go there. Everything is incredibly cheap, the people are so warm, there’s great food, fantastic wine, and you now have an Impact Hub and a local co-working space. There are challenges there; for example, if you’re not used to smoking, everyone smokes there. But there is a good chance that you’ll have the next Berlin in Tbilisi, Georgia.” -- Andrew Henderson, founder of Nomad Capitalist
Asia
Malaysia
"Malaysia is a hidden gem and now they have some co-working spaces, including one in my old building in the city center right next to the Pavilion Mall in the ViPod Suites Residences. Malaysia is finally coming up as an alternative to Bangkok with all the co-working spaces and great infrastructure. Plus, Malaysia is so much more civilized than anywhere in Thailand and it is much easier to get into for long-term stays." -- Andrew Henderson, founder of Nomad Capitalist
India
"Co-working spaces in India are really picking up because they are not just spaces to work without the distractions but hubs to network and seek out potential employers/ collaborators. India recently even got its first co-working space specifically for women, to create an ecosystem of support for women who work as freelancers, consultants, or are foraying into entrepreneurship." -- Sairee Chahal, founder and CEO of SHEROES
