Every year we would look forward to taking our one or two-week vacation where we can relax and step away from the office for a while. That’s all changing with the idea of slow travel and working remotely!
After most companies switched to working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, people have realized just how beneficial it is to work from home – or anywhere else in the world. Going to the office is becoming a thing of the past.
People are starting to take their laptops with them on vacation so they can travel for more extended periods without using all of their allowed vacation days. Therefore, remote workers are introducing what we call slow travel.
Take a Workation
After the travel industry took a significant impact from the pandemic, it is still working its way back to normal. With the risk of delayed or canceled flights, entry requirements, and other travel-related difficulties, people find that travel is much more stressful and time-consuming.
To combat these issues, travelers are deciding to take “workations.” What is a workation? It’s bringing your home office to another part of the world.
For example, you may be tired of the rainy weather in Seattle and want to soak in some sunshine for a month. So, you book a long-stay Airbnb in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, where you will work remotely and explore the area during your time off.
So many remote workers are being drawn to this type of slow travel. In fact, digital nomad visas are being introduced worldwide, welcoming remote workers to live in a foreign country for six months to a year.
How is Slow Travel Different from Vacationing?
I’m not saying that slow travel is like being on vacation for a month or two. They are two different things, but they do go hand-in-hand.
When we take vacations, we shut ourselves off from our home realities for a week and do things we enjoy all day long for a week or more. We eat more fried food and sip on more cocktails. We sleep in every day and fill our days with exciting activities.
Slow travel is more a lifestyle than a burst of traveling or vacationing. When you choose to slow travel, especially while working remotely, you don’t have to pack all of your activities into a short timeframe. Instead, you can space out your sightseeing for the weekends or after a day of meetings.
Traveling for longer periods allows you to relax and form a new routine or way of life temporarily. You can still hold on to some of your home life while traveling to an unknown destination.
You’ll also have the unique opportunity to truly learn about a destination. Instead of just seeing the major tourist spots, you’ll get to venture down side streets and find your own hidden gems. Eventually, it may feel like a second home, especially if you make connections in the neighborhood.
Best Slow Travel Destinations
Just as there are vacation hotspots, there are certain destinations that are becoming super popular for slow travelers.
Curaçao
Imagine waking up on a tropical island in the Caribbean every day and taking a walk along the beach while sipping your morning coffee before hopping on a Zoom call.
Curaçao is a Dutch island that mixes island life and European culture and architecture. Its unique combination makes it the perfect place to call home for a month or two while working remotely and exploring the island.
It’s also one of the most affordable destinations in the Caribbean so that you could be getting more for your dollar.
For those who fall in love with the lifestyle there, remote workers can apply for the Curaçao digital nomad visa and live there for up to one year.
Florida
Maybe you aren’t so adventurous as to leave the country entirely, but you still want to slow travel. Then Florida is the place to do it!
The Sunshine State is the perfect place to work remotely and explore all of the fun activities around. From world-renowned amusement parks to great nightlife cities like Miami to white sandy beaches, Florida has everything you could ask for while slow traveling.
Croatia
Maybe you’re searching for a more European lifestyle where you can sit by the Mediterranean Sea and sip on cappuccinos for hours while talking with a friend. The Croatia Islands are up-and-coming slow travel hotspots that deserve to be added to your travel list.
Affordable, beautiful, and with impeccably fast wifi speeds, Croatia is the perfect destination for a workation. If you fall in love with the country, you might be interested in Croatia’s digital nomad visa which allows remote workers to live there for one year.