Work, Play, and Surf: 5 Beach Getaways for Digital Nomads from Okinawa to Koh Lanta
Over the past year, Raph and I worked remotely from Digital Nomad places in Asia and Europe.
Sometimes illusionary in a corporate environment, work-life balance can also be tricky on the move. We tested different coworking spaces, but sometimes adapted a work-from-home style when options were limited.
Time off while travelling can be incredibly rewarding. We wanted to bring out unique activities each place offers to make your choice easier if you have no family obligations, are in a flexible job like Tech or Digital Marketing and are keen to embark on a new adventure.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- We selected destinations on four islands – Koh Lanta (Thailand), Naha (Okinawa, Japan), Madeira (Portugal), Catania (Sicily, Italy) and one coastal city – Da nang (Vietnam)
- Most of our destinations are great in Spring and Autumn. Madeira has spring-like weather all year round.
- Accommodation prices per day, for two people, range from $18 in Koh Lanta, $50 in Okinawa, to $100 in Catania, where coworking offices were limited.
- They all have delicious food, stunning landscapes, great internet access, and vibrant communities.
- But your lifestyle choice will make some of them preferable to others. Koh Lanta and Okinawa are a paradise for Scuba Divers. Da nang is known for its beaches and Cafés. If you’re a hiker, Madeira is the top spot and for cultural discoveries, head to Sicily.
- Don’t skip the links in our descriptions to some of our recommended spots and accommodations before booking.
Here is the full analysis
#1 Koh Lanta, Thailand
Stunning NATURE
Best time to go
We stayed throughout January and February but the season extends from November to April. Temperatures range from 25 to 33°C. While other periods are possible, the National Marine Park will be closed for diving and the weather more humid.
Cost
Lifestyle
- Cultural Openness – South of Thailand is an interesting mix of lovely people with Thai and Muslim cultures.
- Self-selecting Community – Remote by Thai standards, Koh Lanta is not easily reachable for classic tourists. The best places to meet the community are co-working events, beach volley or the area around a Western Bakery, where the nightlife starts after some of the best sunsets we’ve seen.
- Unbeatable Coworking Space – Kohub is one of the most modern coworking spaces we’ve been to. It includes a tropical garden and an on-site restaurant serving Thai and Western food.
- World-class Diving – We completed the SSI Open Ocean Diving Course in one of the best spots in Thailand, the nearby Koh Haa Lagoon. It’s close to some Dicaprio diving spots from the Beach film.
- Beach Sports and Mindfulness – Relaxed days include Yoga and Beach Volley. Roads are much more cycling-friendly than in Vietnam, with dedicated motorbike lanes.
Nearby Destinations
We took a small boat to Koh Jum, an island with more monkeys than inhabitants. We stayed in a cheap and modern bungalow in the middle of the jungle with a private beach. Langkawi Island in nearby Malaysia can serve as a spot for a visa run if your stay exceeds 45 days.
Biggest issue? No easy access to western-type pharmacies, hospitals or foods like cheese !
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- Get Rich, Slowly but Surely – We designed Equity ETF selection frameworks and then picked the best funds in each category, so you don’t have to.
- Become a Passive Investing Ninja – Have no mercy for Financial Institutions. Cut TERs, Taxes, FX Fees and Invisible Costs.
- Licence to Yield – Which Bond ETFs for your goals? How do prices change? Should you hedge currencies?
- Don’t get fooled by Wall Street – ESG Ratings are not designed to protect the planet. Adjusted for risk, ESG ETFs will also inevitably underperform. So how can you invest Sustainably?
#2 Da Nang, Vietnam
VIETNAMESE traditioNS in Hoi An
Best time to go
This one is tricky. Officially, the rainy season ends in December, but we were there between December and January, and it was pretty wet. A better bet is going between February and May. From June, it can get quite hot.
Cost
We rented a modern studio, with a kitchen and balcony, including breakfast, weekly cleaning, and laundry service, located in My An. It is one of the two areas where the majority of the expat live and is close to magnificent beaches. We spent $20 USD per night for accommodation, which was on the high side as it was during Christmas and Chinese New Year period. One month of coworking costs $100 USD. Food is as cheap as $1.5 for lunch set with Chicken, Rice and a local Soup.
Lifestyle
- Experiencing Emerging Asia – Da nang is a middle-sized city in a country that today is like China on Steroids. The Song Han River divides the city into a quasi-peninsula with chilled lifestyle near beaches and the city centre with nightclubs.
- Growing Expat & Digital Nomad Communities – Present year-round, except December and January. Expats usually live in My An and Son Tran areas that are quieter and have a great number of Vietnamese renowned Cafés.
- Cheap and Exotic Coworking – We tested Coffee Beans. The price includes a drink served directly to your desk.
- Scuba Diving & Surf – With great spots to learn how to surf. Winter can be and if you go when the sun is shining again, you can swim and scuba diving in the small islands in front (otherwise there are dangerous currents and swimming maybe forbidden).
- Hiking – There are a few hiking opportunities reachable within a short taxi ride. Monkey’s mountain, if you like our little ancestors, would be a great starting point. Strongly recommended are also the Marble Mountains, with a beautiful city view and ancient Vietnamese heritage. The Temple inside the main cave is a must-see.
And at the end of your day, it is easy to relax with a cheap and professional massage. Far better than the ones in Thailand!
Nearby Destinations
We often visited Hội An, one of the best-preserved historic cities in Vietnam. It is about half an hour by taxi from Hoi An. The drive costs $10. It offers fantastic beaches, and cycling paths in the city and nearby and is a starting point for diving in the local Cham Cham islands. You can also take a train to the old capital city of Hue. The train has outstanding views.
Biggest issue? Traffic, no easy to walk around without scooter.
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We are proud to say that our coaching service has empowered a number of clients to reconsider their financial advisers’ offerings. From our clients’ feedback, in a number of cases, clients were overcharged, and offered unsuitable products, often due to conflicts of interest. However, this is not a rule. The best choice between a financial coach and adviser depends on an individual’s unique circumstances, including their financial literacy, time availability, comfort with managing their finances, and complexity of their financial situation.
Beginners often ask us:
- How do I reach my goals – What investments do I need to take into consideration for e.g. Taking a Sabbatical, buying a House or saving for Early Retirement?
- When should I invest – I fear that investing a lump sum in this market may have a negative impact on my returns. How can timing of buying ETFs affect my performance?
- How do I Invest – What are the pro and cons of investing with a Bank? Why should I diversify brokers?
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- Avoiding Extra Costs – I have shortlisted a few ETFs, can you help me to compare them before I decide which one to buy?
- Benchmarking – What are educated investors doing in a similar situation to mine?
We are flexible. For example, answering some of these questions could help you avoid very costly mistakes:
- Challenging My Portfolio – Here is my portfolio – what am I missing? What could derail my strategy?
- Accelerating My Understanding – What are inflation linked Bonds? How are they different to Nominal Bond ETFs? What makes them outperform? Why do some investors add small cap value stocks to their portfolios? I want to exclude Tobacco companies from my portfolio – what are my options? What is Factor Investing?
- Simplifying Portfolio Maintenance – How can I diversify my investments? What is historically highly correlated so that I can consider removing it to keep my portfolio simple? How do I perform rebalancing? Does frequency matter?
- Reducing Risks – I want to understand the risks of investments – what are the different measures and how does it impact me? What are the risks of different types of brokerage accounts?
- Understanding the Impact of Recent Events – How do recent events impact my portfolio? What can I do to protect my savings from shocks?
- Investing Goals – I am investing for a specific goal e.g. Early Retirement, what is the research saying about e.g. the amount I need to have accumulated, how much can I withdraw annually? What are some calculators available and how to run them? What are the assumptions/shortcomings of these models?
- Comparing Equivalent ETFs – I have certain constraints in my tax-wrapper and can only select certain funds (e.g. I live in France and limited to specific synthetic ETFs). Which ETF characteristics should I pay attention to?
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Sometimes individual sessions are very helpful to get past your investing concerns. Our readers asked us to create coaching sessions. And we’re proud to say, that some of them even ditched their Financial Advisors, after experiencing the value we provide.
Most coaching participants come from the EU or the UK.
But we have consistent demand from all around the world. We provided coaching sessions to individual investors stretching from Argentina to New Zealand, or Guatemala to Japan.
A significant part of our clients are professionals in the Tech sector, Lawyers or Doctors that want to avoid costly mistakes when investing.
We also coach 25-30 year old young professionals that want to maximise assets for early retirement. We also have a large group of entrepreneurs that e.g. receive large lump sums after selling their company and want to invest it in financial markets. We speak to Crypto millionaires that want to reduce their risks.
Finally, some of our coaching clients are in their 40s or 50s and want to set up customised, income-producing portfolios or create Bond ladders for their retirement.
Most of the coached investors are in the 25–60 year old range.
Yes, some of our coaching clients have shared reviews on Google.
Some considerations are included below. For more details, consult your regulator’s website.
A financial coach is:
- Trained but not regulated
- Skilled at reviewing your overall financial situation and goals
- Able to help you develop a financial plan to achieve those goals
- Happy to discuss the pros and cons of various financial products but can’t recommend a specific one for you
- Comfortable working with anyone, whatever their situation
- Going to charge for their time
A financial adviser is:
- Regulated and authorised by the regulator to recommend specific products to clients or is independent and able to offer ‘whole of market’ solutions
- Often, going to charge an annual management fee, typically 1-2% of their client’s assets with initial fees on top.
We are proud to say that our coaching service has empowered a number of clients to reconsider their financial advisers’ offerings. From our clients’ feedback, in a number of cases, clients were overcharged, and offered unsuitable products, often due to conflicts of interest. However, this is not a rule. The best choice between a financial coach and adviser depends on an individual’s unique circumstances, including their financial literacy, time availability, comfort with managing their finances, and complexity of their financial situation.
Beginners often ask us:
- How do I reach my goals – What investments do I need to take into consideration for e.g. Taking a Sabbatical, buying a House or saving for Early Retirement?
- When should I invest – I fear that investing a lump sum in this market may have a negative impact on my returns. How can timing of buying ETFs affect my performance?
- How do I Invest – What are the pro and cons of investing with a Bank? Why should I diversify brokers?
- What should I consider investing in – What are some risks of portfolio diversifiers like Gold or Crypto?
- Avoiding Extra Costs – I have shortlisted a few ETFs, can you help me to compare them before I decide which one to buy?
- Benchmarking – What are educated investors doing in a similar situation to mine?
We are flexible. For example, answering some of these questions could help you avoid very costly mistakes:
- Challenging My Portfolio – Here is my portfolio – what am I missing? What could derail my strategy?
- Accelerating My Understanding – What are inflation linked Bonds? How are they different to Nominal Bond ETFs? What makes them outperform? Why do some investors add small cap value stocks to their portfolios? I want to exclude Tobacco companies from my portfolio – what are my options? What is Factor Investing?
- Simplifying Portfolio Maintenance – How can I diversify my investments? What is historically highly correlated so that I can consider removing it to keep my portfolio simple? How do I perform rebalancing? Does frequency matter?
- Reducing Risks – I want to understand the risks of investments – what are the different measures and how does it impact me? What are the risks of different types of brokerage accounts?
- Understanding the Impact of Recent Events – How do recent events impact my portfolio? What can I do to protect my savings from shocks?
- Investing Goals – I am investing for a specific goal e.g. Early Retirement, what is the research saying about e.g. the amount I need to have accumulated, how much can I withdraw annually? What are some calculators available and how to run them? What are the assumptions/shortcomings of these models?
- Comparing Equivalent ETFs – I have certain constraints in my tax-wrapper and can only select certain funds (e.g. I live in France and limited to specific synthetic ETFs). Which ETF characteristics should I pay attention to?
#3 Catania, Italy
After-work Dolce VIta
Best time to go
Spring or Autumn are the best periods to visit, temperatures are not excessively hot, and the days are long. We were brave, and we stayed in summer. With good air conditioning, you can survive!
Cost
We paid 100 EUR per day for a 2-floor house with a fully equipped modern kitchen. It was high season, and outside summer, prices were lower.
Lifestyle
- Limited co-working – Catania does not have a very organised international community. Still, it is perfect for experiencing the real southern Italian lifestyle, coupled with the best example of Sicilian baroque architecture. Coworking options are limited, that’s why I chose a larger and more expensive house.
- Culinary delights – We enjoyed walking in the morning to the Fera o lumi market, buying fresh veggies, fruits and meat. In Italian, of course! Or, and having aqua with seltz. You must try street food, including granita (Gelsi and Almond flavour are the best) or Cudduruni. And, of course, the evergreen Arancini.
- Dolce Vita – During the lunch break, we walked to the nearby beach for a quick swim. You can also rent two beds and an umbrella for 20 EUR in Aci Trezza.
- Fashion / Shopping – plenty of opportunities to shop around in smaller Italian boutiques or raking a bus to a famous Sicilian Outlet.
Nearby Destinations
It is Sicily, so there are plenty of opportunities to explore, especially by car. Our favourite destinations are Taormina, Caltagirone, with its never-ending stairs and Etna, where you may see a small eruption from time to time.
#4 Okinawa, Japan
Brushing up Japanese on Exotic Islands
Best time to go
February to May is the best period. Starting from June, the temperatures are warmer and typhoon season.
Cost
A small flat in Naha costs around 50 EUR per day in April. Food is a bit more expensive than in other destinations, but there are ways to reduce costs.
Lifestyle
- Cultural Gem – Okinawa has an interesting culture that mixes traditional Japanese elements with Chinese dragon statues, UNESCO heritage from the Ryukyu Kingdom, way before the Chinese and Japanese came here, and a Western touch brought by the people living in the American Military (Spam ham!).
- Cheap and solid co-working – Coworking is similar to European cities. We tested the modern Mangrove space that costs $10 per day but is limited to 9-6 work.
- Scuba Diving and Surf – Diving, snorkelling and surfing are main water sports. Humpback whale watching is popular in winter.
- Bike & Relax – Cycling includes a stunning natural park in the North of the main Island. Before heading out to smaller Islands, stop at the best Sento in Naha to experience five different baths, honey, tea salt Hammam therapy and a Sauna for $10.
- Local Food – Try local purple sweet potatoes that are unique to the archipelago. They are eaten boiled, but other delicious variations are ice cream and the doughnuts available in Kombinis, See Grapes, bitter Goya or Peanut Tofu. Local meat is excellent, including the famous Anu pork, not to mention sashimis from local fish at some local Izakayas.
Nearby Destinations
Kerama islands are a great option and connected through a short ferry ride and with plenty of activities. However, book in advance because the accommodation is limited. We were not able to get one! Instead, we went instead to Miyakojima, 45 minutes by plane. We stayed at Pine Hill Hotel, for $80 a night, in an extremely nice flat. The island is small, so a bike is all you will need. Book a car in advance if you need it for scuba diving with a local school.
Biggest issue? No digital nomad community (which is good sometimes!)
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#5 Madeira, Portugal
Year-Round Hiker's Paradise
Best time to go
Madeira is all year round destination, but it is better to avoid the winter months from December to February that are quite wet.
Cost
We stayed in Funchal for 30 EUR per night in modern accommodation. Outside Funchal, accommodation gets cheaper.
Lifestyle
- Prime Digital Nomad Destination – Madeira has implemented the unique concept in Europe of Digital Nomad Village located in Ponta Do Sol. However, Funchal is a better bet if you want to experience more than just the activities organised in the village. If what you are looking for is nature and quiet space, go to Machico, there is a small but very united community. The coworking space there is free!
- Adventure Hiking – Our favourite activity was hiking, we have done it across the island and the landscapes are stunning. One of the easiest is PR8 (suitable for children) and with amazing view over the coast. It’s also one of the few that can be reached with public transportation. For a proper mountain experience, you can try Porto da Cruz – Penha de Águia – Penha de Água but a car may be needed to reach the trail.
- Excellent Food Scenery – We recommend Lume Pizza, Hoyo Hoyo for Mozambique cuisine or Rei da Poncha for un Bolo de Caco and Una Poncha.
- Yoga – Weekly Yoga class is organised in the Savoy hotel with a great view on the city.
- Cycling, sailing, padel – and whale and dolphin watching (summer)are other activities to experience.
Nearby Destinations
The only option is Porto Santo, which is part of the same archipelago. It is perfect if you are looking for long sand beaches as Madeira’s ones have black sand due to the Volcanic nature of the island.
