Workation: How to Work Remotely While Traveling the World – Practical Guide 2025

Digital Nomadism in 2025: Numbers and Trends

According to the Nomad List 2024 report, there are currently over 35 million digital nomads worldwide, a number that has tripled since 2019. The pandemic normalized smart working, and thousands of professionals seized the opportunity to move their "office" to Bali, Lisbon, or Medellin. But doing a workation sustainably requires much more than a laptop and a good Wi-Fi connection.

Choosing the Right Destination

Not all destinations are suitable for remote work. Criteria to consider:

• Time zone: if you work with European clients, Southeast Asia can be difficult (6-8 hours difference). Best destinations for working with Europe: Lisbon, Canary Islands, Montenegro, Georgia, Dubai
• Connectivity: check the average internet speed on Speedtest Global Index before choosing
• Cost of living: use Numbeo to compare real costs
• Nomad ecosystem: cities with an active nomad community = coworking spaces, events, networking

Top 10 Workation Destinations for 2025

• Lisbon, Portugal: the capital of European nomads. Great visa, perfect time zone, good internet, vibrant culture
• Tbilisi, Georgia: zero taxes for digital nomads, very low cost of living, surprising cultural scene
• Medellin, Colombia: the rebirth of a city, eternal spring climate, booming tech community
• Chiang Mai, Thailand: absolute low cost, exceptional food, dozens of coworking spaces
• Tallinn, Estonia: home of the European digital nomad visa, digitally advanced, very safe
• Las Palmas de Gran Canaria: Spain, UTC+1 time zone, ideal climate, beach 10 minutes from the coworking space
• Bali (Canggu/Ubud): icon of nomadism, very low cost, unique culture, but crowded
• Barcelona, Spain: more expensive but unbeatable quality of life, great food, efficient metro
• Porto, Portugal: quieter than Lisbon, lower prices, equally charming
• Plovdiv, Bulgaria: the emerging destination of 2025. EU, very low cost, UNESCO heritage

Digital Nomad Visas: The Situation in 2025

Over 50 countries now have specific visas for digital nomads. The most interesting:

• Portugal D8 Visa: minimum income €3,040/month, valid for 1 year, renewable
• Estonia Digital Nomad Visa: the first in the world, 1 year, €3,504/month
• Spain Digital Nomad Visa: introduced in 2023, 15% taxation for the first 4 years
• Indonesia (Bali) Second Home Visa: 5 years, no minimum income requirement
• Georgia Small Business Visa: free entry for 365 days for many EU passports

Productive Setup for Working Anywhere

The essential equipment for an efficient digital nomad:

• Laptop: MacBook Air M3 or ThinkPad X1 – lightweight, long battery life
• Portable 4G/5G Router: Huawei E5788 or GL.iNet Beryl – backup for unreliable connections
• Portable screen: Asus ZenScreen or similar – +40% productivity with dual screens
• Noise-canceling headphones: essential in crowded coworking spaces (Sony WH-1000XM5)
• 20,000 mAh Power bank: for sessions in places without outlets
• Reliable VPN: NordVPN or Mullvad for security and access to home country services

Expert nomad rule: don't work from your accommodation every day. Coworking is not just an internet connection – it's community, structure, and mental separation between work and rest.