Whether you’re already a digital nomad or just itching to make your living room view a little more scenic, I’ve got you covered. I’ve visited most of the places on this list, working as I traveled the globe in many of them.

Ever thought about typing away in a cozy café in Merida, Mexico, or brainstorming your next big project on the beaches of Huatulco? How about trading your usual office for the historic streets of Seville, Spain, or finding inspiration among the colonial buildings of Penang, Malaysia?

Exploring Less Traveled Digital Nomad Destinations

Yeah, I thought that might grab your attention. These off-the-beaten-path places aren’t just beautiful backdrops for your Zoom calls; they’re where high-speed internet and low living costs meet incredible culture and a buzzing community.

From the charm of Porto, Portugal, to the tranquil vibes of Siem Reap, Cambodia, every spot on my list has something unique to offer. So, why stick to the usual when you can work (and play) in some of the world’s most inspiring locales?

Let’s find your next great adventure.

My top unusual spots for digital nomads:

• Merida, Mexico
• Porto, Portugal
• Seville, Spain
• Huatulco, Mexico
• Siem Reap, Cambodia
• Penang, Malaysia
• Malaga, Spain

Read on to learn more about why these destinations made the cut, and discover eight more bonus places. Where will you log in from next?

What makes a destination good for digital nomads?

The ideal place for a digital nomad starts with reliable high-speed internet, affordable living costs, and coworking spaces. A strong community of like-minded individuals is vital for networking and socializing as well. Generally, that means a community of other expats.

Safety, good weather, and access to healthcare are also crucial, as is a great VPN with a browser extension, like those listed by Techopedia, as this will help you access webpages from anywhere in the world so you can continue working as normal, and even access streaming and gaming services in your downtime.

Top that off with a vibrant local culture, leisure activities, and easy visa processes (or ideally, no visa requirements) and you’ll get a place that’s attractive for long-term workers.

My Favorite Lesser Known Spots for Digital Nomads

Here are a few of my favorite lesser-known spots for remote workers. If you’re just starting out in remote work, they’ll be hidden gems, but if you’ve traveled a bit, you may recognize a few of the names.

Merida, Mexico

I’ve spent a week or two in Merida over the years, and it’s absolutely somewhere I’ll go back to as a digital nomad.

The city’s reliable internet, affordable living costs, and plenty of cozy cafes and coworking spaces (like Conexión60 and Enter_Work) make it an easy place to get work done. There’s even an international airport (MID), and good bus service with ADO buses.

It’s also a fun place to live, with lively markets, bustling plazas, and an ever-growing digital nomad community. Merida is the capital of the Yucatan Peninsula, with plenty of Mayan heritage and colonial history.

Cons of Merida as a digital nomad

If you’re a beach bum, one of the downsides of living here is that Merida isn’t right on the ocean. The closest beach is at the busy, and often windy, seaside town of Progreso, which is about a 45 minute drive. If you go to Progreso, be sure to check out the flamingos and pink salt flats nearby.

Seville, Spain

Ah, Seville! My last stay there was in April, so I missed the iconic sight of trees covered in orange blossoms (blossoms usually end in March). Even so, there was plenty to see in sunny Seville, between taking in enchanting flamenco dancers, the impressive architecture of the Plaza de Espana, and the little things about Seville that you won’t find in your guidebook.

Seville’s growing digital nomad scene includes coworking spaces and a fast internet infrastructure, making it an ideal spot for productivity. After hours, the lively tapas bars and flamenco dance halls invite you to immerse yourself in Andalusian tradition. Make sure to check this Andalusian capital’s many historic landmarks, including the Alcázar palace, the Giralda tower, and the Plaza de España.

Cons of Seville as a digital nomad

Seville isn’t the place for you if you don’t like hot weather. It’s a dry climate here, and can easily hit 40º C (104º F) in the summer (though it is temperate in the winter). Seville can also be pricey, especially for attractions and housing.

Malaga, Spain

I spent over a month with my family in the small town of Nerja, Spain, and while I loved our stay there, Nerja is just a bit too small to make the cut for this list, as it lacks some coworking spaces and easy access to an international airport.

Instead, my pick for the digital nomad is nearby Malaga. Malaga’s a proper city of over half a million people. It’s nestled along Spain’s Costa del Sol, with the allure of Mediterranean beaches, a rich cultural heritage (it’s Picasso’s birthplace!), and wonderful weather.

With high-speed internet, a supportive international community, and plenty of coworking spaces, it’s easy to get work done here. Check out El Centro Coworking and Grow Working, but there are plenty of other great coworking spots and cafes in Malaga.

Cons of Malaga for remote workers

Like any larger city, Malaga can be busy, so it may not be a fit if you’re looking for a quiet vibe. There’s also a bit of litter outside of the main tourist areas, and accommodation can be pricey.

Huatulco, Mexico

Huatulco (pronounced wah-TOOL-coh) is a bit of an outlier on this list. While the town of Huatulco is off the beach itself, nearby La Crucecita, Puerto Escondido or Mazunte is where it’s at. Though there is an international airport halfway between the beach towns and the city proper, it doesn’t offer tons of international flights.

Charles’ nephew made Huatulco his winter digital nomad hub the past few years, inspiring us to check it out ourselves. Charles spent ten days in Huatulco this year, and we’re planning to go back as a family.

What it lacks in coworking spaces, the Huatulco area (Bahías de Huatulco) definitely makes up for it with great beaches and charm. There is decent high-speed internet here (plus Starlink use is popular in the area), and modern amenities.

Huatulco is on Mexico’s Pacific coast, offering a tranquil escape with pristine beaches and untouched natural landscapes. Unlike more frequented tourist destinations, Huatulco prides itself on its sustainable development and relaxed atmosphere.

La Crucecita’s charming center, with its local markets and friendly community, gives a glimpse into authentic Mexican culture. Mazunte gives off chill, hippie vibes with plenty of yoga studios and smoothie stations to give anything in South East Asia a run for it’s money. Puerto Escondido is where the party happens and there’s plenty of things to do when the sun sets and it’s time to put the laptop away.

Cons of Huatulco for digital nomads

Housing in Huatulco is definitely on the pricey side, so be prepared to shell out. It can also be brutally hot, even in the winter, as it’s in Oaxaca state, close to Guatemala and it seems the sun shines all winter long.

Porto, Portugal

I adore gritty Porto. It’s a bit rougher around the edges than beautiful Lisbon, but that’s part of its charm. There’s a vibrant, creative energy here, and a growing digital nomad scene.

There are plenty of great coworking spaces in Porto (to start, try Land Porto Coworking or WOW – Coworking Porto). The internet’s fast, and there are great cafes everywhere.

One of the advantages of being a remote worker in Porto is that it’s more affordable than most other European cities, including Lisbon. You’ll find affordable housing, wonderful bakeries, and you won’t need to spend a fortune on eating out or attractions.

Be sure to visit the Livraria Lello – often called the most beautiful bookstore in the world. Even with the lineups and cost to enter, I think it’s worth it.

Cons of Porto for digital nomads

Porto’s a smaller city than Lisbon, so there aren’t as many networking opportunities here. The center of Porto is busy and gorgeous, but the outskirts are industrial and many sections feel abandoned. The weather can also be unpredictable.

Penang Island, Malaysia

Penang’s capital, George Town, was my base when Charles and I visited Malaysia. I have great memories of exploring colonial buildings, and enjoying affordable freshly squeezed fruit and delicious meals from street vendors.

You can even get local strawberries and apples in Penang, which is unusual for a tropical area. They’re grown in the nearby Cameron Highlands.

The city is a tech hub with reliable internet, plenty of coworking spaces (start with Settlements Penang or Common Ground), and a supportive expat community.

George Town, Penang’s capital, is a UNESCO World Heritage site with an interesting blend of colonial buildings, modern street art, and vibrant food scene.

Cons of Penang for digital nomads

Penang is a small island, and it can feel a bit claustrophobic after a week or two. On top of that, the weather’s generally hot and humid, meaning you’ll need to do most of your work indoors in air conditioning.

Siem Reap, Cambodia

I spent a bit of time in Siem Reap as we visited the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. One of the things I noticed right away was that the internet was fast, and the air conditioning was robust.

For remote workers, Siem Reap has an affordable cost of living, a warm climate, and a laid-back lifestyle. There’s also a surprisingly robust internet infrastructure.

The town has developed a cozy café culture and coworking environment (start at the oddly named 1961 Coworking and Art Space), catering to the global community of digital nomads drawn to its charm. Beyond work, Siem Reap’s vibrant night markets, local artisan shops, and serene rice fields are wonderful for exploration and relaxation.

Cons of Siem Reap for digital nomads

There are real downsides to Siem Reap. Public transport is definitely lacking, and there’s an issue with petty crime and burglary. On top of that, it’s a small place, and may not have the opportunities for networking of larger cities. It’s also busy and touristy, and you’ll spend a lot of time dealing with people trying to sell you things, some legal, and some not so legal.

Runner-ups for Lesser Known Digital Nomad Locations

I haven’t visited all of the following areas, but I’ve included them in this article, as they’re mentioned consistently among our traveling friends, and the digital nomad community.

Cuenca, Ecuador

Nestled in the highlands of Ecuador, Cuenca is a colonial city known for its stunning architecture, cultural festivals, and friendly locals.

Remote workers are drawn to Cuenca for its affordable cost of living, temperate climate, and reliable internet, making it an ideal place for creativity and concentration.

The city’s historic center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, offers peaceful plazas, museums, and cafes where you can work while soaking in the local culture. There’s plenty to do on weekends spent exploring nature, from hiking in the Cajas National Park to relaxing in nearby hot springs.

Chiang Dao, Thailand

Most digital nomads don’t think beyond Thailand’s cities of Bangkok or Chiang Mai, or the crowded island of Phuket. While I visited all three of these, and plenty others, in my three months in Thailand, I didn’t quite manage to make it to smaller Chiang Dao, which is getting a reputation as a solid digital nomad hub.

Quiet Chiang Dao is a town embraced by mountains and forests, with only around 15,000 people. The internet connectivity is unexpectedly good, and it’s easy to access from Chiang Mai. There are waterfalls, hot springs, artist’s workshops, and good food. Just make sure you get the right visa before setting up as a digital nomad in Thailand, no matter which region you choose.

Sibiu, Romania

In the midst of Transylvania, Sibiu offers a medieval old town, but there’s plenty of modern infrastructure beyond the cobblestone streets and the majestic Brukenthal Palace.

Sibiu is known as a tranquil yet inspiring setting for digital nomads, with its excellent internet and charming cafes.

Lesser Known Digital Nomad Locations in the USA and Canada

When I think of digital nomad locations, I always default to Asia, Europe, or even Mexico, but there are plenty of great places to do remote work in Canada and the US.

Astoria, Oregon

I may show my age here, but I first saw Astoria in Arnold Schwarzenegger’s comedy, Kindergarten Cop.

I’ve since visited Astoria a few times, and the family and I always stop off on any trek down the Oregon Coast.

Astoria, Oregon, USA is a charming and off-the-beaten-path destination on the Oregon Coast, ideal for remote workers seeking scenic beauty, a rich cultural history, and a peaceful environment for productivity. If you want something a bit more beachy, you can also head south a bit to Cannon Beach or even further south towards Lincoln or Newport. You’re also only an hour and a half from Portland.

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

I visited Portsmouth with the family a couple of years ago, and was instantly drawn to its chill charm and gorgeous coastal scenery.

Portsmouth is a picturesque and historic seaport city on the East Coast of the USA. It offers remote workers a unique blend of coastal beauty, vibrant cultural scene, and rich American history.

There’s a compact downtown area filled with charming shops, galleries, restaurants, and coworking spaces.

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

To my undying embarrassment as a Canadian, I haven’t visited Charlottetown personally. It’s at the absolute top of my list of destinations to visit in the Maritimes.

Charlottetown is the charming capital of Prince Edward Island, with a small-town vibe, friendly community, historic buildings, and scenic waterfront. And don’t forget festivals and the renowned local seafood! Charlottetown is an inviting place for remote workers, with reliable internet, quaint cafes, and a burgeoning arts and culture scene.

The city’s relaxed pace of life and natural beauty, from rolling hills to sandy beaches, offer a serene setting if you want to work away from the hustle and bustle and it’s also a fairly affordable area to live in.

Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada

I’ve lived in Kelowna as our family’s home base for almost 10 years.

Kelowna is in the heart of British Columbia’s wine country, and based around the gorgeous, deep blue Okanagan Lake. Kelowna’s a picturesque setting for remote workers, with stunning lake views, mountain backdrops, and vineyards.

You’ll enjoy Kelowna if you appreciate the outdoors, with kayaking, hiking, paddle boarding, boating and skiing easily accessible (at Big White or Silver Star).

There’s also a robust and growing tech scene here, supported by fast internet, innovative coworking spaces (I like Okanagan coLab, but I generally work from home), and a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and digital nomads. The city’s mild climate, combined with a rich cultural life and farm-to-table dining, provides a quality of life that’s hard to beat. But I may be a little biased, since I live here and love it.

Kelowna’s not for you if you’re all about exciting nightlife, and designer brands though. There are nightclubs here, but they’re definitely not at the scale of a larger city, and lots of restaurants generally close by 10 (or well before). That said, in the summer there are more festivals here than anywhere we’ve ever lived, a thriving micro brewery scene and literally hundreds of vineyards within an hour of the city.

And there you have it, my sneak peek into the world’s lesser known destinations for digital nomads. Whether you’re craving sun-drenched beaches or bustling city streets, these spots have the perfect mix of work, culture, and adventure.

Who knows? Your next favorite coffee shop office could be waiting in one of these incredible destinations.

But what if you could combine your passion for travel with your dream job? Yes, it’s possible!

From freelance writing to international diplomacy, there are plenty of jobs out there that not only include a bit of travel but that require you to travel to keep it.

The Best Jobs That Require You To Travel

So, sit back as we list some of the best jobs that require you to travel and let your future career take root today.

Travel Blogger

It’s no surprise that a travel blogger travels, but what may surprise you is the revenue potential. With sponsorships, affiliate marketing, and paid advertisements, you can make a decent income. However, this isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Building a successful blog takes time, effort, and both business and networking skills.

Flight Attendant

The life of a flight attendant is not all glamor and glitz, but it does offer the chance to travel frequently. Usually, flight attendants receive benefits like discounted flights for themselves and their families. It’s a demanding job with irregular hours, but if you love flying and customer service, it’s perfect for you.

Pilot

The career of a pilot is synonymous with travel, offering the chance to fly to various destinations, sometimes crossing multiple time zones in a single day.

Whether you’re a commercial pilot for a major airline or a charter pilot for private flights, the job inherently involves seeing different parts of the world. Benefits often include free or discounted flights for you and your family, allowing for personal travel as well.

The training and certification process is rigorous and costly, but the payoff is a fulfilling career with a bird’s-eye view of the world. The job can also be demanding, requiring meticulous attention to safety protocols and a commitment to continuous learning.

International Sales

Companies with a global market often require their sales team to travel internationally to meet potential clients and close deals. This career usually involves attending trade shows, client meetings, and networking events around the world. It’s a job that rewards those with strong communication and negotiation skills plus it doesn’t hurt to know an extra language or two.

ESL Teacher

Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) offers a golden opportunity to live and work in different countries. Many schools offer accommodation and a reasonable salary, allowing you to explore the local area in your free time. Countries like South Korea, China, and Japan have high demand for ESL teachers.

There’s also a growing demand for a business English tutor as companies realize that global demand is pushing their products into more and more markets. With English as the de facto language for business, there’s a need to be understood right across the world and companies are hiring English tutors to get their employees playing on the global scale.

Travel Nurse

Nurses with a sense of adventure can opt for short-term contracts in various locations. These roles are often in high demand, especially in remote or crisis-hit areas, offering competitive salaries and benefits. A background in nursing and the necessary certifications are a must.

Scuba diving instructor

Fancy diving in Tahiti for a living? Yeah, me too!

While becoming a diving instructor isn’t the easiest thing in the world, it is achievable, especially if you’re already an experienced diver. Expect an absolute minimum of six months time once you’ve become a PADI DIvemaster, before you can even enroll in the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC). You’ll also need to complete a minimum number of dives, and a medical statement signed by a physician within the last 12 months.

Cruise Ship Employee

From entertainment coordinators to chefs, jobs on a cruise ship are numerous and varied. It’s hard work, often requiring long hours, but your “office” travels to multiple countries. Accommodation and meals are usually included, and you get to enjoy some off-time exploring ports of call. If you love the sea and constantly being on the move, this might be a great fit for you.

Digital Nomad Roles

In our connected world, many jobs can be done from anywhere with a good internet connection. Web developers, graphic designers, and even accountants are adopting a location-independent lifestyle, thanks to remote work arrangements.

While these jobs are more geared to stay at home workers, there are some companies that like to have their employees on site occasionally. What this means is that you might need to “travel to work” once in a while. If this is in a different country, all the better to tag in some sight seeing time while you’re there!

Field Service Engineer

In sectors like telecom, energy, and machinery, field service engineers are often required to travel to client sites to troubleshoot and resolve issues. The role not only offers the opportunity to travel but also challenges your problem-solving skills.

These types of jobs could entail everything from working in a remote jungle surveilling new pipeline expansions to setting up some high tech plant in a large metropolis so the options are as diverse as you can imagine and the pay can be astronomical depending on your specialty.

Translator

For those fluent in multiple languages, a career as a translator can offer extensive travel opportunities. Translators are often required on-site for international business meetings, legal proceedings, and diplomatic conversations. Some jobs involve traveling with a delegation to provide real-time translation, while others might require you to relocate temporarily for a project.

Specialized translators, such as those in medical or legal fields, are in particularly high demand. This job not only lets you explore different corners of the world but also allows you to immerse yourself in diverse cultures, providing a deeper understanding that goes beyond mere tourism.

Photojournalist

For those skilled in photography and storytelling, a career as a photojournalist can be both fulfilling and globe-trotting. Often hired by media agencies or as freelancers, photojournalists travel to cover stories, events, and crises worldwide. The best part is that the locations can be just as varied as the stories you’re covering.

Adventure Tour Guide

If you have a love for the outdoors and enjoy sharing your enthusiasm with others, becoming an adventure tour guide could be your calling. These guides lead groups on various activities like hiking, kayaking, and even diving in some of the world’s most breathtaking locations.

Whether it’s guiding tourists through the Amazon rainforest or leading a scuba diving excursion in the Maldives, this job allows you to travel extensively while also being physically active. Certification and safety training are generally required, but the rewards include a dynamic work environment and the chance to meet people from all over the globe.

Diplomat

Representing your country abroad as a diplomat is a job role that inherently requires international travel. It involves a range of responsibilities including negotiations, trade relationships, and cultural exchange programs. It’s a prestigious role but comes with its set of challenges, including language barriers and cultural differences.

Jobs That Let You See the World: Your Ticket to a Life on the Move

Having a job that requires you to travel can be fulfilling on several levels. Apart from seeing new places and experiencing new things, the best jobs not only require you to travel but can also be quite lucrative if you have both the skillset to go with it as well as the proper mindset to make it work for you and your situation.

While having a job that requires travel can sound appealing, it comes with challenges like work-life balance and potential burnout. Being away from loved ones, handling jet lag, and adapting to different cultures can take a toll. Therefore, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons before diving in.

While we realize that having a job that lets you travel isn’t for everyone, if the idea of staying in one place bores you to death, know that you have options. Whether it’s capturing the world through a lens, teaching English to students in foreign lands, or selling products on a global scale, there’s a job out there that will let you combine your career with your love for travel.

So, go ahead, update that resume, and embark on a journey like no other!

Looking for more fantastic travel job articles? Check out these:

• 45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them
• How to Quit Your Job to Travel the World

Sounds enticing, doesn’t it?

If you’re here, it’s likely because the spirit of adventure tugs at your soul, but the strain on your wallet holds you back.

Fear not! This guide is your key to a world where free accommodation isn’t a dream, but your nightly reality, where transportation costs are a thing of the past, and where the global smorgasbord of food doesn’t come with a check.

Sounds like a fairy tale? Believe me, it’s not. Join us on this journey. After all, the joy of travel isn’t just in the destinations, but in the freedom of knowing that the essentials like food and a place to sleep are entirely taken care of, without costing you a dime.

Before we start, a word of to the wise – you know that old saying “there’s no such thing as a free lunch“? Well, for the most part, we have to agree that it’s true. While we give you plenty of hacks to get free travel here, there’s almost always a different price to pay, whether it’s time invested in research and preparation, hours spent working on an organic farm in exchange for a place to stay, or time spent working a job on the road.

Now that we’ve sparked your imagination, let’s delve into the nitty-gritty of making this free travel dream a reality.

How to Travel the World for Free

We’re going to explore the magic of credit card and rewards points, the potential of working on the road, and the rich experiences offered by volunteering.

We’ll outline ways to score free accommodation, transportation, entertainment, and food as you traverse the globe.

So buckle up, adventurers! It’s time to turn how to travel the world for free from a fanciful notion into your everyday life.

First up, let’s do a quick look at a few quick ways to get free flights, accommodation, meals, and entertainment on your travels: using points, volunteering, getting a job as you travel, and even an unusual tip we haven’t seen anywhere else.

Once that’s done, we’ll get into some real, practical tips for landing free meals, accommodation, flights and entertainment as you vacation around the globe.

Use your points

Let’s start with a tried and true technique of many travelers: redeeming points for travel.

There are two main ways to do this, by using either:

• credit card points, or
• rewards program points, like AIRMILES

Using points for travel works well if you have points that you’ve already earned, or if you’re traveling six or more months in the future, and can earn points by spending in the meantime. It doesn’t work especially well if you don’t have much money to spend, or if you’re traveling right away (and don’t have any points saved up).

Volunteer

I think one of the biggest myths in travel is that you can travel for almost free if you’re willing to volunteer. Unfortunately, it’s pretty darn hard to get a volunteer gig for free. Most volunteer placements require you to pay for your own airfare, and many require a fee for a volunteer placement. Some even require you to pay for your accommodation.

That said, there are a few ways to volunteer on a budget, including this one.

Do you belong to a local church or community association? Churches sometimes send volunteers abroad. You may get your expenses paid, but you’ll definitely need to spend a lot of time and effort to raise money and volunteer once you’re abroad.

That said, volunteering can be a very rewarding way to travel and give you an extended amount of time working closely with locals and learning what real day to day life can be like in some countries. It can also be a great way to learn a language since a lot of placements are far away from the tourist trail.

Learn more in our article Can You Volunteer Abroad Cheap or Free? The Real Cost of Volunteering Overseas.

Work Abroad

While working is often considered the opposite of free, the reality is that not every aspect of travel will always be paid for. So, get a job as you travel so you can pay for items that you can’t get for free.

While there are plenty of jobs, these are our top picks.

Working Holiday Visa

If you’re under 35 years of age, see if your destination country offers a youth working holiday visa.

Many countries (including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand) have agreements that allow young people to work on a working holiday visa for up to one year. Check out Wikipedia’s list of working holiday visa programs.

Au Pair

An au pair or traveling nanny position is a well known way to get free accommodation as you travel, plus a wage. It’s only a great gig if you like kids, though, and if you manage to get a good host family.

Teach English overseas

Teaching English abroad is a great way to get spending cash, and many positions offer free accommodation as well.

It’s also a great way to meet locals (and fellow travelers). China, South Korea, and Middle Eastern countries are often the highest paying countries. Some schools even pay for your flight. You’ll likely need a TEFL certification, and you’ll want to research the differences in TEFL vs TESL vs TESOL.

Check out our article on the Best Countries to Teach English Abroad.

Looking for more great ideas for getting a job as you travel? Check out these articles for helpful tips:

• 45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them
• How to Get a Job Abroad Without Experience
• The Highest Paying Travel Jobs You Can Get Now

Enter contests

I don’t often hear anyone mention entering contests as a way to get free travel. While your chances of winning a major lottery are almost zero, you may actually have a chance to win a smaller contest on a brand’s social media page.

Years ago I won a short haul flight with Flair Airlines (then called New Leaf Airlines) on a contest through their email list.

To find contests with travel prizes, check out Instagram and Facebook, or you can look into contest promoting websites. While bigger companies often have bigger contests, the odds of winning are often much lower so look for smaller run contests with less people signing up to increase your odds.

How to get free accommodation when you travel

Ready to turn your dreams of free accommodation into reality?

As an experienced traveler, I can tell you it’s not as elusive as it might seem. In this section, we share practical tips and tricks to help you secure the coziest corners of the world without loosening your purse strings.

From swapping homes to surfing couches, and from volunteering at local communities to working in exchange for a bed, we’ve got you covered.

Stay with us, as we navigate the exciting landscape of free accommodation, making how to travel the world for free your new normal. It’s not just about the journey or the destination – it’s also about finding a home wherever you go, without it costing you a dime.

Here arr our top ideas for getting a free place to stay as you travel.

Housesitting

Sites like Trusted Housesitters let you swap housesitting for free accommodation. Most housesits involve taking care of pets and plants, in addition to maintaining the house and property so make sure you factor that into your timeline when agreeing to any stay.

House swap

Home Exchange and Love Home Swap are great choices if you happen to have a home already. These sites let you swap a stay at your home with someone else in a different area. If your home is in a desirable area, you’ll have better luck finding a house you find equally appealing.

Couchsurfing

This is something we’ve never done, because we like to be more … comfortable as a family.

As a female traveler, crashing at a stranger’s house just makes me uneasy, however there are thousands of people who swear by couchsurfing. We’ve also stayed at friends and have friends and family stay with us so we imagine it’s something like that.

Free accommodation in exchange for work

Worldpackers, Workaway, or WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) all offer time-tested ways to get free accommodation in exchange for time helping your host. Food is often included as well and, since you’re often working with produce daily, you know it will be freshly picked.

Use your personal connections

Looking for someplace free to stay? Go old school, and crash on a relative or friend’s (or friend of a friend’s) couch. Have extended family you barely know? Maybe it’s time to reach out. We’ve heard great stories of people meeting family from generations back that were welcomed in with open arms.

Exchange work for accommodation

Sometimes, you can luck in on a way to make money as you travel, by doing an odd job for a hostel or small hotel. We helped clean a hostel for a couple of weeks in exchange for a free double room in Adelaide, Australia and it was only a few hours a day of work. Saved us a few dollars and gave us a reason to get up earlier than we would have so helped keep our nightly expenses down too.

Camp for free

Camping on Crown land in Canada is free, and camping on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in the USA is free, but there are limits on how long you can stay in one spot. There are similar laws you can find around the globe. You can also use apps like iOverlander to find free spots outside of free public land.

Take advantage of free nights while flying or driving

Take advantage of overnight ferries, night buses and red-eye flights to get a free night’s accommodation. While you might not get the best nights sleep, it’s a good way to save versus having to pay for 1 more nights stay.

Press trips or free nights at a hotel through blogging or influencing

This one’s not for everyone. To get free accommodation as a YouTuber, blogger or influencer, you’ll need a sizeable number of followers, or a great organic engagement in a specific niche, to qualify for press trips or free nights accommodation. Just be warned that press trips involve a lot of work writing and posting on social media, and you’ll need to stick to the organizers (often exhausting) schedule.

The Best Travel Vloggers on YouTube in 2022

Always be polite here, and make sure you truly offer a benefit to the company you’re reaching out to, as a lot of companies are (rightfully) tired of being hit up for free stuff.

University or high school student exchange programs

University, college, and high school student exchange programs can let you visit another country, live with a local family, and get your education at the same time.

Language Exchanges

Look into sites like Lingoo, that offer language exchange holidays and homestays or stay with a teacher.

How to get free food when you travel

It’s time to embark on the tastiest part of our journey – the quest for free food.

As an experienced traveler, I can assure you that dining out doesn’t always mean digging into your savings.

In this section, we feed your wanderlust with a buffet of strategies (see what I did there, lol) to eat for free.

From hunting down free samples in bustling local markets to celebrating your birthday with a feast on the house, we’ve got your plate full. We’ll delve into the world of zero-waste apps and supermarkets where you can fill your bag without emptying your wallet, and explore discount food apps that make dining out a delight rather than a drain on your budget.

Tip: Most of these ideas work better in the USA and Canada, but your mileage may vary in Europe or other parts of the world.

Free samples

Supermarkets often offer free samples in the supermarket aisles, and Costco still offers samples (even after slowing down a bit after the pandemic). You can find free samples in local coffee shops, bakeries, delis and more. While you won’t get full, they do make a great free snack.

Free food on your birthday

Many restaurants still offer free food on your birthday (you usually have to show ID here, but it’ll help for 1 out of 365 days). Some chains and restaurants also offer a discount that can work for the week or even the month of your birthday so it’s not a bad way to save.

Sign up for a delivery app

Sign up for a food delivery app to get the introductory coupon. If you’re careful, you can get a $15 coupon, and order $15 of food, making your meal free. Just don’t be an a$$hole, and spend a couple of bucks to tip the hard-working driver.

Free food for downloading a restaurant’s app or rewards programs

Look for apps that offer a free food bonus just for downloading the app. This is actually pretty common to get a small food item like a free donut (thanks Krispy Kreme) or free Blizzard (thanks Dairy Queen) if you download the app or sign up for their rewards program.

Forage

Another option is to forage for food on public land, or politely ask homeowners or farmers if you can harvest extra fruit or veggies from their property. Offering to just grab the fallen fruit or the too overripe to sell produce is your best bet. Just don’t steal and always ask for permission first.

Become a mystery diner

These are competitive gigs, and you’ll often need to pay out of pocket for your meal, write the review, and get reimbursed later.

Look for zero-waste supermarkets and apps

Many of these work with pay-what-you-feel distribution centers, which often let you volunteer to work in the warehouse as payment instead of cash.

You can also look for zero-waste apps to find free food. Apps like Olio connect you to see who has excess food items.

Pancake breakfasts

Looking for a free breakfast? Depending on the time of year, and where you’re located, pancake breakfasts at churches and during some events (like the Calgary Stampede) may be a good option. Look for festivals and upcoming events at the place where you’re heading to see what’s on the menu.

Dumpster diving

This is a pretty extreme option, to be sure, but better than going without food. I haven’t tried this myself, but I’m guessing the best time to do this would be at closing time. Some bakeries and produce centers even offer them out free to closing customers.

Free hotel breakfasts

If you have to pay for a hostel or hotel, look for one that offers free food. Some only offer free cookies and coffee, but others offer a full breakfast, and still others offer manager’s happy hours with plenty of great food to be had.

Check your receipts

Check your receipts for surveys that offer a free food bonus for taking a customer satisfaction survey.

Discounted food apps

Download a discounted food app like Flashfood.

Food isn’t free on these apps, but it is heavily discounted. Flashfood is free to download – check out this helpful Flashfood review here.

Exchange work for food

Not having much luck? Consider exchanging work for food, by working in a restaurant or supermarket that gives you some meals for free as a perk of your employment.

How to get free transportation when you travel

This is a tough one. Transportation might just be the hardest travel cost to get for free.

In this section, we’ll rev up your travel game with a few ways to hit the road, sail the seven seas, or fly the skies for free.

Whether you’re a student looking for the best discounts, an airline employee ready to take advantage of those well-deserved perks, or a social butterfly who loves the idea of carpooling, we’ve got the tickets to your next adventure.

After all, the joy of travel isn’t just in the destination, but also in the thrill of getting there without breaking the bank.

Get a job with an airline

We have a friend who used to work with Air Canada well over a decade ago. He still has several friends and family passes that let him and a guest travel anywhere in the world Air Canada flies for free. I’m not sure if all airlines offer this perk to employees, or even if it’s still available at Air Canada, but it’s one of the best ways to get free flights I’ve ever heard of.

Get free transit passes as a child, student, senior, or if you have a low income

Depending on where you’re visiting, and for how long, you may be able to get discounted or free public transportation. You may also be eligible if you have a disability.

Bicycle (or e-bike)

While you’ll need to pay the upfront cost for a bike (or e-bike), you’ll get plenty of exercise, and never have to pay for gas if you travel by bike.

Working as a yacht crew

We volunteered as yacht crew for evening cruises at the yacht club in Brisbane and found the club and captains to be friendly and open to our help.

Depending on where you volunteer, you may be able to get a ride around the harbor for an afternoon, or embark on a sailing trip around the world.

Carpool

Have a friend who’s traveling? Ask them if you can exchange some driving time for a ride. Make sure you clarify who’s paying for gas here – many people will expect carpoolers to split the cost of gas (or at least pitch in).

Share your ride sharing refer-a-friend code

Several ride sharing apps (Uber and Lyft) offer a refer-a-friend bonus if you refer someone who creates an account, and uses the service, with your refer-a-friend code.

Transport a vehicle to its final destination

There are sites where you can sign up as a driver and get a gig delivering a car to its destination. Car and RV dealerships or car rental companies sometimes hire people to drive cars to a different destination.

There are no guarantees with these, but you just may luck out with sites like Canada DriveAway, Cars to Florida, or HitTheRoad.ca.

Work on a cruise ship

There are plenty of jobs available on cruise ships, from entertainers, to cooks, to housekeepers, to almost anything you can imagine.

These jobs are better suited to single people, as you’ll be on the road a bit.

You’ll also travel to exotic ports of call, but you’ll likely only stay for less than a day, and return to the same port. The one exception here are repositioning cruises, where you’ll crew a ship on a one way trip to a new destination port.

Work on a cargo or container ship

While not as glamorous as working on a luxury cruise liner, working on a container ship can be a more leisurely way to see the world. Workers often act as lookouts and perform maintenance like painting and maintaining containers. You’ll need a high school diploma and many deckhands have training through industry or labor union schools.

How to get free entertainment when you travel

Let’s set the stage for the most fun part of your journey – scoring free entertainment.

Whether you’re a student in search of cultural enrichment, an airline employee seizing those extra perks, or a savvy traveler ready to tap into the local scene, we have the keys to unlock a world of entertainment. After all, travel isn’t merely about moving—it’s about creating memories, and they are every bit as precious when they come without a price tag.

Volunteer at Events

I’m surprised how rarely I see this tip, but most festivals and events offer their volunteers free tickets (and sometimes extra perks) in exchange for volunteering. Sure, you have to do some work to get the free tickets, but it’s still a pretty sweet deal. You’ll have better luck with smaller local events, and less luck with huge festivals like Coachella or Burning Man but even those positions need to get filled somehow.

Attend free events

Most cities have plenty of free events, which are just an internet search away. Some are surprisingly high quality, ranging from free yoga classes, to theater and late night movies on the lawn events, to festivals, to free sporting matches!

Take advantage of free nights

Many museums and art galleries offer free nights for admission. They’re usually evenings or weekends (though not always). We’ve visited museums around the world on their free entry days. Most weren’t that expensive but when traveling with 4 of us those costs can quickly add up.

Do free things

Luckily, there are plenty of free things to do for fun when you travel. You could wander through the city center (or take a free walking tour), visit local parks or the beach, go to the library, hike, take in the architecture, or people watch.

How to travel the world for free

Are you ready to transform your adventures into priceless moments, all while on a tight budget?

Remember, the world is your oyster and it’s full of treasures that are there for the taking.

The next step? Take the plunge, let go of those financial reins, and embark on your journey to travel the world for free. After all, the greatest adventures you ever take might just be those that cost you nothing, but enrich you in ways beyond measure.

So, here’s to free travel and the endless memories it will bring! Safe journeys fellow nomads​.

This may be the article you’ve been waiting for.

Quitting your job to travel the world might seem like a far-fetched dream, but with the right plan and a dash of courage, it’s more within reach than you think. Yes, there are bills to pay and mouths to feed, but what if you could do that while satisfying your wanderlust?

Intrigued? Read on, as I spill the beans on how to make this audacious dream a reality.

Let me share a little bit about my own journey.

It all began at a crossroads for me, when I was fresh out of a grueling Master’s program, transitioning into the world of technical writing in the tech industry, and just after I met Charles.

As much as earning money was a wonderful change from life as a starving grad student, the corporate life was just as soulless, and life-sucking as I’d heard. And while I didn’t exactly hate my job as a technical writer, writing standard operating procedures and software wikis didn’t exactly feel like fulfilling a life’s dream.

To be honest, I was less than six months into my new career and I was sick of it already.

One day after a particularly frustrating day, and a crowded evening commute home on Calgary’s Light Rail Transit, Charles and I got talking.

We’d dated less than four months at this point, but we hatched a plan to travel the world together during that conversation. I wanted to visit Southeast Asia, and he wanted to see Australia, so we decided to combine our trips and travel to the southern hemisphere for a year.

It would make a more romantic story to say that we quit our jobs on the spot, bought round the world tickets, and took off the next morning, but the reality is that it took us about eight months more to get on that plane.

Money was a huge part of that. No-one was going to pay our way. We saved money for flights, accommodation, and living expenses, and I also had to set enough money aside to pay off my student loans for the year I planned to be gone.

There was also a lot to consider – I had an eight year old kitty, Cosmo, who couldn’t go with us, and we each had apartment leases, plus so, so much more.

20 years later, we have a lot more dialed in. Today, we make our living fully online, but it was a long process, with a good amount of risk, to get here.

Back then, on our first trip together, we had to figure everything out from scratch. All we knew was that we wanted to quit our jobs and travel the world, so we got to work figuring out how to make that happen.

This is our story, including the hard-earned, insanely helpful, lessons we learned about making traveling the world together a reality.

How to Quit Your Job to Travel the World

Determined to ditch your workplace chains for a nomadic lifestyle?

You might be wondering how to keep the cash flowing while on the go. Worry not, we’ve got your back with practical tips, a tried-and-true roadmap designed to keep your travel dreams afloat while also taking care of those essential needs.

Let’s delve into some of the best strategies for sustaining your travels, showing you not just how to survive, but thrive as you explore the world.

Why do you want to travel?

Honestly, quitting your job for an uncertain future isn’t for everyone.

Is your motivation to travel enough to get you through the challenge of planning a trip, announcing your plans to friends and family, quitting your job, and actually getting on that plane to parts unknown?

Asking yourself why you want to travel is a great start. There are probably hundreds of reasons to travel including:

• experiencing new cultures and people
• learning more about yourself, and the world around you
• a desire for excitement and adventure
• yearning to break free from a boring or unfulfilling life
• a desire to volunteer and make the world a better place

Honestly, my desire to travel was probably a combination of most of those.

Not quite ready to take off for a year? It is possible to travel with a full-time job by taking strategic advantage of paid time off, statutory holidays, vacation days, work transfers, sabbaticals, and the like.

Where do you want to go, and for how long?

Luckily, Charles and I had a pretty good idea of where we wanted to go (Southeast Asia and Australia), and how long (a year).

That said, you may just have a general feeling that you want to travel, and no real idea where to. Don’t worry, that’s fine!

This is the fun part! If you’ve traveled before, think a little bit about what you enjoyed, and didn’t enjoy, on your previous vacations.

Spend some time reading travel blogs, browsing social media (pay attention if you’re more attracted to the beach shots or the city shots) and reading the travel section of websites to see what destinations strike your fancy.

Even feel free to take a trip to your local library and peruse through the travel section to see what catches your eye.

If money’s an issue, I’d suggest doing some research into the most affordable destinations (both in terms of how to find the cheapest flights and where your hard earned money will last the longest.

Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Turkey, India, Portugal, Morocco, Greece, and Ecuador are great places to start.

While we traveled independently (it helped there were two of us, so we could lean on each other), I think I would have taken my first big trip abroad with a tour group if I was a solo traveler. There are so many wonderful tours out there!

How much will this all cost?

Once you figure out where you want to go, and how long, budget is most people’s next concern.

There’s a lot to budget for, including flights, accommodation, food and drink, travel insurance, entertainment and activities, medical and personal needs, and paying off existing debts.

Want to do a financial deep dive? Read our post on how to figure out how much money you need to travel here.

Get your finances in order

Once you have a budget for your trip, the next step is to figure out how, exactly, you’re going to pay for it all.

Every situation is different, but there are two main steps for most people:

1. Save money to travel the world, and/or
2. Earn money as you travel.

Saving money to travel the world

In its simplest form, most advice about saving money to travel boils down to two tips: cut back on expenses (like those infamous lattes), and make extra money.

You need to take action to save money, and it’s not usually easy.

It’s hard to balance your desire to travel against the pain of financial changes, and decide if the juice is worth the squeeze, as the old saying goes.

Saving money may mean moving back in with parents or relatives, getting roommates, finding renters for that extra bedroom or taking on a side hustle, or two. For me, the biggest boost to my savings was getting a new, higher paying job for the six months before we traveled.

Read our article on how to save money to travel the world.

How to earn money as you travel

While I worked hard to save money, I also needed to figure out a source of income on the road to make my budget work. Because of my technical writing and academic background, I got a gig editing articles as I travelled.

Charles chose to take out a Working Holiday visa for Australia. He worked dismantling a greenhouse to earn money, which gave him extra cash, plus some disturbing stories about wolf spiders to share.

There are plenty of options to earn money as you travel. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• get a Working Holiday Visa (available in countries like Canada and Australia, and generally to younger applicants, age 18 to 30, with some exceptions).
• teach English overseas
• convert your existing job to a remote position
• sign up with a site for people to buy college essays
• learn a skill like giving haircuts or massages for other travelers
• check out online gig jobs on sites like Virtual Vocations or Upwork

It’s tricky, but if you’re lucky you may even be able to volunteer abroad for cheap or free.

Want to learn more? Check out these articles:

• 45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them
• How to Get a Job Abroad Without Experience
• The Highest Paying Travel Jobs You Can Get Now
• 17 In-Demand Digital Nomad Jobs – Earn Money From Anywhere in the World
• The Best Online Jobs for Travelers and How to Get Them
• What Are The Best Countries to Teach English Abroad?

Set your departure date

Once you get your destination and savings sorted, you should have a good idea of when you can leave on your big trip.

Now’s the time to set your destination date, mark it on your calendar, and figure out final details like (finally!!!) quitting your job, buying your ticket, and final preparations.

Decide when you’ll quit

After all that, you should be ready to decide when to quit your job. Finally!

There’s a lot to consider here. To start, find out if there are legal requirements for how much notice to give before you quit your job. Two weeks notice is pretty standard in Canada and the USA, but your situation may be different.

Do you want to use your employer as a reference? Maybe consider giving more than two weeks notice to keep on their good side.

If you just want to take a sabbatical, and go back to your existing job when you’re done traveling, it’s probably worth investing some extra time in making your exit as seamless as possible.

If that’s something you want to do, definitely look into it ahead of time. Lots of companies have undocumented extended absence rules. While you won’t be getting paid while you travel, it could mean heading home is easier for you knowing there’s a steady paycheque waiting for you if you need the money or even just a temporary break in travel.

Prepare for your trip

Unfortunately, there are still plenty of things to be done now that you’ve figured out your budget, when you’ll quit, and where and when you’re traveling to.

Here are a few of the major things you’ll need to do to prepare:

• Store or sell your belongings. Maybe have a garage sale or sell your stuff on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace. We even have a post on what to do with your vehicle when you travel.
• Do you have a pet? You’ll either need to take them with you (which usually involves red tape and vaccinations), or decide how to take care of your pets when you travel.
• Give notice to your landlord, or rent or sell your house.
• Get a passport.
• Get travel insurance. You can even get travel insurance if you’re already abroad.

Buy the ticket. Take the ride.

After all that, it’s time to dive in and make it happen.

As Hunter S. Thompson said, “Buy the ticket. Take the ride.“

The last things I did before we took off on our first major trip were, in this order:

• buy our airline tickets
• book our first week’s accommodation, and
• quit my job.

It would make a better story if my boss was upset I quit, but he was pretty undisturbed by the whole thing. I think he mumbled “good for you” at one point, but that was pretty much the extent of his reaction.

On the last day of work, I handed in my ID, said a round of goodbyes, and walked out the door.

As I walked to my car, I realized something.

No-one at my job really, truly cared about my plans. I got along well with all of them, but we weren’t good friends out of the office. My trip might make the office gossip for a week or two, but after that they’d forget all about me.

And that alone was enough reason that I’ve never regretted quitting my job to travel the world.

However, one of the hardest steps can be actually deciding what job you want to do as you travel the world. We created this list of digital nomad work ideas to get you started on your journey.

While we have a home base right now, we’ve done our stint of working as a digital nomad in Chaing Mai, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.

We’ve worked as writers, editors, created our own travel blog (the one you’re reading right now), made money as photographers and videographers, and we’ve even done some hard physical work at a garden center in Australia.

Digital Nomad Jobs

This list is designed to be as practical as possible, with jobs that:

• are achievable for many people
• pay enough to support you during your travels

You’ll find traditional digital nomad jobs here, plus a few that you may not have considered.

Virtual assistant

A virtual assistant (VA) is an online assistant who works remotely on administrative, technical, or creative tasks for a client.

We’ve hired different online VAs to do research, social media scheduling, marketing, and create graphics for us. Other VAs help clients with tasks like accounting, managing email, personal errands, scheduling, research, and even planning travel.

Website developer or designer

Many digital nomads make their living as website developers or website designers.

A web designer is someone who creates the design of a website. A website designer often designs the user interface and user experience of browsing the websites. The designer creates the visual components of the site, which include the layout, color, and typography.

In contrast, a website developer creates the code behind the website, including HTML, CSS, and often JavaScript.

Computer Programmer

A computer programmer uses coding languages to build apps, websites, software and more.

Even beginning programmers need a basic understanding of their programming language. To earn decent money, you’ll need some experience in coding, plus certifications.

House sitter

Most house sitters get a place to stay in exchange for taking care of the house, and often pets, but there usually isn’t any extra payment. That said, accommodation is usually one of the biggest expenses of travel, so house sitting can go a long way to covering your bills. Even better, taking care of the house and pets usually doesn’t take a long time.

SEO specialist

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the skill and art of optimizing website text and images to make them rank higher in Google, and other search engines.

It’s a constantly evolving field, so you’ll need to commit to constant on-the-job training and testing. Every year, Google alone rolls out hundreds of changes.

Many SEO specialists research the best keywords to get a web page ranked higher in search engine results, and then write content with the best keywords, or manage a team of writers.

You’ll also need solid skills in data analytics, and relationship building to get backlinks to your client’s websites.

Many digital nomad SEO specialists started their career working with a big SEO agency, and then branched out to remote or freelance work.

Graphic artist

A graphic artist  assembles and creates images, typography, or motion graphics in a piece of design. 

Graphic artists can work in many fields, from designing website components, to designing product packages, or motion pictures, and so much more. They can work on physical designs, like book covers, or electronic designs, or both.

Many graphic artists have a university degree, but others have an associate degree.

Katie from Project Untethered talks about her journey to becoming a digital nomad graphic artist here.

Writer or editor

I’ve worked as a freelance writer and editor while traveling.

Other writers and editors have staff positions as they live their lives as digital nomads.

Writing and editing are jobs that have a wide range of income. You can earn well below minimum wage if you’re writing generic articles and content. However, if you find a specialization that’s in demand, you can earn much better money. I worked for years as a digital nomad technical writer, working with different companies on a contract basis.

Copywriter

A copywriter writes text for advertising and marketing. If you have a flair for words, and a solid understanding of marketing, copywriting may be your gig.

Most copywriters have a university degree or certification in copywriting. To work remotely, and earn a good living, you’ll likely need copywriting experience.

Blogger, vlogger, podcaster or social media influencer

There are a wide range of content creators who work as digital nomads. A content creator can mean you’re an old school blogger, one of the best travel vloggers on YouTube, a podcaster, or a social media influencer.

Wages range from one extreme to another. New content creators can work for months or years without earning money, and without any guarantee of earning money in the future. Still other creatives in this field earn millions of dollars per year.

Video editor or producer

Video editors and producers work either as freelancers or remotely as staff.

A video editor manages video footage, sound, special effects, and so on to edit a final, finished product.

Video editors don’t necessarily need formal training, as many learn on the job. However, you’ll need a computer capable of rendering graphics and video editing software.

A video producer coordinates and manages the video production process from beginning to end. Producers do tasks like creative direction, setting a budget, organizing filming logistics and deadlines, and communicating. Producers may hire on screen talent and videographers.

Teaching English (or another language)

Teaching languages online is one of the mainstays of digital nomad jobs. There’s generally a larger demand for teaching English online, but there is demand for teaching other languages as well. Check out our review of the online language platform Lingoda for a look at language learning from the student’s end.

Salaries vary, but many pay between $8 and $15 USD/year.

Online teacher

While most digital nomad teachers teach English, there is work for other types of remote teachers.

Some remote teachers work for online schools, teaching everything from art to science to management.

Voice over work

Voice over acting can be notoriously hard to get into, and it’s definitely one of the most unique travel jobs. You can take training to improve your skills. Beyond that, finding voice over work is a lot like finding acting jobs. You’ll need to audition, and many voice over actors have agents.

Voice over actors can work in TV, movies, for commercials, and even do work for corporate video and training.

Customer service representative

An online customer service representative is one of the best travel jobs that don’t require experience.

Online customer service reps talk to customers on behalf of a company. They answer questions about products and services, respond to customer comments, and process returns.

To get a customer service job, you don’t necessarily need experience, but a clear speaking voice is a great asset, and you’ll be able to speak the client’s language fluently.

Social media manager

Social media managers create online content, schedule social media posts, and engage with followers online.

To earn good money as a social media manager, you’ll need to demonstrate a skillset in a specific social media platform like Instagram or Facebook.

Business or lifestyle coach

Online coaching is a perfect fit for the digital nomad life. Online business or lifestyle coaches provide mentorship and encouragement to their clients.

Business coaches mentor, support, and educate their clients on business matters. Lifestyle coaches mentor, support, and educate their clients on personal matters like career selection and lifestyle.

Virtual fitness trainer or nutritionist

Virtual fitness trainers and nutritionists work remotely to improve their client’s health and well being. Fitness trainers design exercise programs for their clients, monitor progress, and demonstrate proper form and technique.

The job you have right now

If you’re fortunate, you may have an online job that could be done remotely, so you can travel with a full time job. If you’re even more fortunate, your current jobs might be one of your best options for the highest paying travel jobs.

Digital nomads can have jobs in accounting, management, human resources, telemedicine, public relations and so much more.

Do you have any other digital nomad jobs ideas? Let us know!

Working as you travel the world is one of the best ways to solve this problem. Not only do you get to explore the globe, but you can also get paid as you go plus you get to experience a different side to a country than just what the tourists typically experience.

The best travel jobs that don’t require experience can still let you earn a good income while you travel the world. Some of these are even jobs abroad with accommodation with no experience required.

How to Get a Job Abroad Without Experience

Not having any experience does make finding a travel job a bit more challenging however, the good news is that there really are plenty of overseas jobs that don’t require experience and also travel jobs that don’t require a college degree.

Whether you’re looking for a chance to work in exchange for accommodation, searching for a job that lets you travel to different countries, seeking work as a digital nomad online, or wanting to become a long-term expat overseas, there are options for you.

What are the easiest jobs to get with no experience?

Here’s a gentle reminder: while these jobs don’t necessarily require experience, that doesn’t mean all of them are easy to get. For some, you may need to be in the right place at the right time, and for others you may need training or natural talent (but no direct experience).

Even for jobs that don’t require experience, you may have an easier time getting the job if you’ve actually had some prior experience, even in a non direct sort of way. That doesn’t mean they’re impossible to get without previous experience, but you may be fighting a bit of an uphill battle, especially if you’re competing with people who’ve worked in that field a time or two.

How can I start working abroad?

There are plenty of different paths to working overseas and earning a living.

Some people buy a ticket, take the flight, and hope for the best. Others don’t want to budget on an irregular income, so they take a more structured approach. These travelers typically line up a job, get an apartment, and organize visas and tickets before they leave.

Your approach to finding a job overseas jobs with no experience really depends on your risk tolerance, the amount of money currently in your bank account, and your ability to deal with uncertainty.

Getting a Visa

While finding a job with no experience is possible, you also need to consider visa requirements when working overseas.

In many countries, you can work illegally (under the table), but there are risks. Working illegally can make you vulnerable to exploitation by your employer, and you also run the risk of immediate deportation if you’re caught.

Some countries are also incredibly strict with their labor laws, meaning that receiving lodging or a stipend for volunteering may fall within the category of working under the table. Definitely find out before you accept any new job overseas if a work visa is necessary and plan your next steps accordingly.

Working Holiday Visa

Many working holiday visa jobs don’t require work experience, or a degree. The working holiday visas are best known for jobs like waiting tables or fruit picking.

If you’re under 35 years of age, your destination country may offer a youth working holiday visa. The working holiday visa is an arrangement between countries that lets youth work on a working holiday visa for up to one year. Check out Wikipedia’s list of working holiday visa programs.

The Best Jobs that Allow You to Work Overseas with No Experience

Do you wish you could travel more, but you’re worried that you won’t be able to work overseas with no experience?

Many of these are jobs that you can get on your own, meaning you can work abroad without experience and no placement fee from a recruiter.

Wait Staff, Bartender, or Cook

In many countries, there’s a huge vacuum in the service industry, as restaurants and hotels struggle to find staff.

Here in Canada, there are help wanted signs in almost every restaurant and shop window. Most of these jobs are at minimum wage, but the lack of staff is forcing some companies to pay higher wages. The bonus with any service job is the chance to make good tips depending on which country you’re working in. It can often help offset the lower per hour wage they tend to offer and if it’s a cash economy, you’re not having a few weeks to wait until payday to have some extra spending money in your pocket.

Housecleaner

Like waiting tables, working as a housekeeper generally pays close to minimum wage. However, housekeepers get minimal tips, while wait staff and bartenders can often substantially increase their take home pay.

The bonus is that housekeeping hours are pretty consistent and if you like your evenings free, housekeepers typically work days.

Field Worker or Fruit and Vegetable Picker

Numerous countries around the world need seasonal field workers and often they hire these people from other countries. From grape picking to coconut harvesting, the available jobs depend on both the country and the season in which you’re travelling. These jobs can be anything from fully sponsored (the hiring company sets up the working visa and provides full room and board plus wage) to daily jobs paid under the table.

Even if it’s not harvest season, plenty of farms and orchards have year round work from pulling weeds to mending fences to planting, transporting and selling their products. No previous experience is often needed however you definitely can’t be afraid of getting your hands dirty. If you’re lucky, there will also be bonuses on top of wage for minimum quantities you process. This is especially true when tree planting where the faster you work, the more you often take home.

Volunteering

The large majority of volunteer jobs, by definition, don’t offer any form of payment, but some do offer basic accommodation and/or meals.

However, the danger here is that many volunteer placements actually charge you, the volunteer, a significant amount of money to volunteer. In fact, some volunteer placements are shockingly expensive.

While even the best volunteer jobs by nature don’t pay, some will provide (often very basic) accommodation or meals, or both. 

Peace Corps

The Peace Corps is one option that covers all expenses. However, you’ll most likely need to be a recent university or college graduate, and be willing to sign up for a two year time commitment, though there are limited six month or one year commitments.

While there can be a bit of danger involved, most often they are sent where work needs to be done. Whether that’s helping out in disaster areas or just helping out those in need, it can be a very rewarding experience for some people and will definitely give you a chance to see another country from a different angle.

WWOOF (Volunteering on Organic Farms)

A more realistic option for volunteering abroad is with WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Volunteers with WWOOF get room and board covered, in exchange for a set number of hours working on an organic farm. No previous farming experience is required.

The bonus with WWOOF is that once your set work hours are done, you can often enjoy your time as you see fit hanging with like minded people.

Food Delivery or Ride Share Driver

Getting a job with food delivery (like SkipTheDishes) or ride share services like Uber or Lyft may be an option as a travel job, if you have a driver’s license. You don’t need experience to work as a driver, but you will need insurance, a vehicle, a driver’s license, and proof of ability to work in a country. Your vehicle will likely also need to meet certain criteria, like being under a certain age, and having four doors.

Get $7 off your first SkipTheDishes order!

Caregiver / Personal Care Aide

Working as a caregiver overseas can mean taking care of children as an Au Pair, or caring for elderly or disabled clients. Many countries, including Canada and Australia, offer specialized work visas for caregivers. You may not need previous experience, but you’ll likely need a criminal records check, and letters of reference.

If you get lucky with your placement, you might even get in with a family or group that also enjoys travel thereby giving even more chances to see another country.

Mover

If you’re willing to take on some challenging physical labor, getting a job as a mover may suit you. Generally, little to no experience is required for movers, but a strong back is a solid requirement.

Busking

You don’t necessarily need experience to work as a busker, but talent (or at least an entertaining skill) and a comfort putting yourself out there is definitely a prerequisite for success.

Interpreter or Translator

You don’t necessarily need experience to work as a translator (written language) or interpreter (spoken language). However, you do need to be fluent in two or more languages, and be prepared to prove your skills through a test or on-the-spot assessment.

Many employers want a university degree in linguistics, but some part time and casual gigs don’t require this. Many of these jobs can be a predetermined set of time (for example, until a certain project, book or site is completed) and many can even turn into remote jobs letting you continue your travels in a country while still working.

Tour Guide

If you’re capable of talking about the sights and managing groups of people, working as a tour guide may work for you. Tour guides don’t necessarily require experience, but speaking more than one language is an asset. Tour guides work everywhere from tourist attractions, to wilderness tours, to museums. If you’re an outgoing people person with great communication skills and a flair for spectacle, you might make a great tour guide.

International Resort Worker

International resorts like Club Med offer many jobs, many of which don’t require experience. While many resort workers are locals, resorts often hire overseas workers as well. Speaking several languages can be a huge bonus as well and often food and accommodation can be included.

Transport a Car or RV

Transporting a car or RV may not pay the bills, but it’s a good way to cover transportation across regions. It may also cover accommodation if you luck out and get to transport an RV.

Car rental companies, car dealerships, RV and trailer rental companies and occasionally movers hire people to drive cars to different locations. You likely won’t need experience, but you will need a drivers license.

The bonus with this job is that fuel and often a small stipend for food are included. Occasionally they will also let you take a passenger for free. The bad part is that you often don’t get a huge selection of locations they’ll send you to and sometimes those aren’t the places you’re hoping to see.

Jobs Abroad with Accommodation, No Experience Required

Jobs that offer accommodation range from cruise ship work, to work camping, to yacht crew, to housesitting, and beyond.

Cruise Ship Work

Cruise ship jobs generally top the lists of jobs abroad with accommodation that require no experience.

Cruise ships hire massive numbers of people, with jobs from cooks, to housekeepers, to entertainers and many of these don’t need previous experience to get. Cruise ship work is best for single people without kids however there have been numerous couples who managed to get posted to the same ship.

Earl from Wandering Earl has used cruise ship work to fund a large part of his many years on the road, and wrote a great book called How to Get a Job on a Cruise Ship.

Click here check out his book on getting a job on a cruise line.

Sailing Assistant / Yacht Crew

Getting a job as a yachtie can be surprisingly easy, as long as you’re persistent, and have a little luck. Many jobs working on a yacht don’t require any experience; just a great attitude and a willingness to work.

We volunteered as yacht crew for evening cruises at the yacht club in Brisbane, where the captains and club were friendly and easy to work with.

You can find jobs through Find a Crew or Crew Seekers online, or ask directly at a local yacht club. Darwin, Phuket, San Diego and Panama are great places to start.

Work for Your Accommodation

When we were staying at a hostel in Adelaide, we exchanged a few hours of cleaning each day for a cozy, clean double room.

Many hostels may let you stay in exchange for light work, ranging from housekeeping, to small repairs to grounds work. Ask at the front desk if they need any help.

House Sitter or Caretaker

While house sitting may not pay all of your bills, having accommodation for free goes a long way to making travel affordable.

Check Trusted Housesitters job listings here.

If you’re looking for a longer stay, look into caretaking jobs, which often last longer, and have more responsibility. Caretaking jobs often pay a salary in addition to free accommodation. 

Work camping is also an option in Canada or the USA, in private campgrounds and some national parks. Some work camping jobs aren’t paid, but offer only a place to stay, and some offer both a stipend and a place to stay.

Home Swap

You may be able to get accommodation costs covered overseas if you own an apartment or house. All you’ll need to do is swap a stay at your home in exchange for a place at your destination. While you need to be comfortable with someone staying in your home when you’re gone, the bonus is that your new accommodation isn’t costing you anything more that staying at home would.

Best Online Jobs for Travel that Don’t Require Experience

The best online jobs for travelers pay well, don’t require experience, and are flexible. Not all of these jobs hit all of those criteria, but there are some interesting choices below.

Online Customer Service Representative

Online customer service representatives talk with customers on behalf of a company. They answer questions about products and services, respond to customer comments, and process returns.

You won’t necessarily need experience, but you will need a clear speaking voice, and be able to speak the client’s language fluently.

Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant (VA) is essentially an online assistant who helps clients with tasks like accounting, managing email, personal errands, scheduling, research, and even planning travel.

In the past we’ve hired different online VAs to do research, social media scheduling, marketing, and create graphics for us.

Website or App Testing

While many website or app testing jobs require special skills like CSS or database management, others require no experience at all.

Website or app testing is generally best for earning extra money on the side, rather than as a full time job, but it may fit the bill if you need to supplement your income, or if you’re without work for a short time.

You can find jobs with companies like User Testing or TryMyUI.

Digital Nomad / Online Freelancer

Digital nomads essentially bring their job with them wherever they go. Some digital nomads work a regular 9-to-5 job, but remotely, while others work as freelancers, and still others own their own business.

What’s interesting is that many countries now offer digital nomad visas. Many require that you show proof of income, but others, like Bermuda, don’t require any minimum income.

While there are plenty of jobs around the world for people with zero experience, it’s always easier to show the person hiring you that you did something similar enough that you know their job would be a good fit for you.

If you’re planning to travel in the future and work as you go, now is not a bad time to look into a similar job at home. While no one wants to work 2 jobs, taking an occasional shift doing something you like or think you would be a good fit for isn’t a terrible idea. At the minimum it will give you an idea of what working abroad could entail and maybe help you figure out that maybe you need to look elsewhere in the future.

Work Abroad Articles You Might Like

• The Highest Paying Travel Jobs You Can Get Now
• Can You Volunteer Abroad Cheap or Free? The Real Cost of Volunteering Overseas
• How to Travel with a Full-Time Job

Maybe earn enough to recoup your costs and even a little extra to put away for the next leg of your trip? This post lists some of the highest paying travel jobs you’re likely to find while you travel the world.

While many jobs still require you to be in the host country, remote work is at an all time high. From keeping your existing job, to working for other online friendly companies, the ability to work from your living room or from a beach in Tahiti has never looked so promising.

Also, as borders open and close, COVID-19 guidelines change, and the cost of goods increases, much traditional migratory positions, from fruit pickers to farmhands are in short supply. That means you may have an opportunity to work with your hands for higher than traditional pay, especially when you factor in that many of these jobs include room and board.

The Highest Paying Travel Jobs

So enough chitchat, let’s get to work and take a look at some of the highest paying travel jobs you can have as you travel the world.

English as a Second Language

While travel has been down the past few years, the need for English speaking workers, especially in overseas businesses, has never been higher. With remote work continually gaining traction, the need for global communication has also increased.

What this means for you is that teaching English abroad is as hot as ever. While teaching ESL (English as a Second Language) might involve a bit more online work, that might not be a bad thing and might give you even more opportunities to travel while you work.

The same applies for other educators as well. As people find themselves with more hours in a day (less time spent commuting and traveling less for holidays), there has never been such a huge opportunity to learn another language or skillset.

The result is that there are various teaching jobs available around the world for all skillsets. With many going to an online format, the ability to teach from anywhere is constantly growing. What’s really nice is that many ESL schools also offer accommodation, which means choosing a place to live is no longer a problem.

Remote Work

While ever changing travel rules and border closures have definitely played havoc for some travelers, it has also increased some opportunities.

Namely, one of the best things to come out of the pandemic is that remote work has hit an all time high. The amount of opportunities for work from home employees has skyrocketed and people that had to beg to work from home a day or two here or there only a few short years ago have often been working from home continually for the past two years with no intention of going back into the office once the world returns to its new normal.

Jobs fill your pocket. Adventures fill your soul.

Anonymous

What this means to fellow travel lovers is that since you’re already not going into an office, there’s no reason you can’t do it from another country. While it will often mean you need to alter your work hours to better match your home business hours (especially if you deal with a lot of clients or fellow workers), a lot of companies allow you to work at your own schedule and give you some flexibility in start and end times.

While some travel jobs can be hugely satisfying, the reality is that your current position, the one you’ve worked for, have been promoted to and maybe went to university to obtain, is quite likely one of the highest paying travel jobs you’re likely to find. If you can make it happen, or make a lateral change to a company that’s more lenient in your work schedule, you can have your cake (rewarding higher paying job) and the icing too (travel).

Just be smart and make sure to use a personal VPN to both protect yourself and your company’s information while on the go. The one thing you don’t want to do is be a security risk with other people’s information.

Thus, a Virtual Private Network should be a great help during your next adventure. After all, a VPN encrypts traffic and hides your IP, meaning that you can safeguard your activities from snooping. A VPN’s IP masking also lets you access services or websites back at home.

Seasonal Fruit or Vegetable Picker

While there are hundreds of remote jobs you can do, nothing says will work for food quite like actually working for food.

One of the reason food prices have increased over the past few years is that migratory pickers haven’t been able to get to harvest at the opportune time. With no cheap pickers, that means that farms and orchards are forced to raise their pay to attract more local workers. That works well in your favor, since many of these opportunities include room and board as well.

While the work can be tough, some places pay bonuses for higher quotas so the harder you work, the higher you can often earn and the quicker you can get back to your travels.

Fitness Guru

Have a penchant for working out? These days most of us find life a little bit harder, and while some have decided to increase their dietary intake, others have taken this opportunity to get into shape. While lots of gyms have closed intermittently due to the pandemic, the need for personal trainers has actually increased.

Rather than working from a gym, many trainers have opted for a more natural setting. We’ve seen outdoor training areas pop up in several parks lately, with a healthy number of people doing stairs or CrossFit along the walking paths. If you love the outdoors and healthy living, then this might be worth perusing.

Food Delivery Driver

These days, places like Uber Eats, DoorDash, SkipTheDishes, GrubHub and your local equivalent have made food delivery universal. With hundreds of restaurants in many cities and food deliveries around the globe at an all time high, all it often takes is a good driving record, a license and a vehicle and you have a job you can work as much at or as little at as you want.

When working abroad you work pretty hard, but with time off, this is the greatest job in the world. You drive. You explore Memphis, or wherever you’ve landed, or go and see Dr John, or the Californian landscape. And yes, I’ve had a few good meals.

Toby Jones

Since you get to set your hours, you can work whenever the mood strikes. Of course this requires you to own a vehicle (or rent one, but make sure to verify you’re insured for it). That said, food delivery is a unique opportunity that didn’t exist up until a few years ago.

While the money can be decent, depending on the options you have to work with ($20 to $25 USD per hour), just make sure you’re factoring in wear and tear on the vehicle and the cost of gas in your earnings.

Food not your thing? Consider making some money with one of the many ride-hailing apps, or a shopping service like Instacart.

Real Estate Agent

Real estate prices have increased ridiculously in many areas around the world the past few years.

Working from home, many have decided they don’t need to live so close to work anymore, while others see this time as an opportunity to get into the big cities so that when the time comes to swap jobs they’ll have more opportunities. Others have decided that having a second home somewhere they feel safe in another country is the way to go forward.

If you really want to learn about a country, work there.

Charles Kuralt

Regardless of the reason, most real estate agents are paid a commission based on the value of the sale or rent, so as real estate prices move upwards, so do the commissions. While some countries require licenses, others don’t. If you know the area, speak the language or have the inside track on people looking for property, becoming an agent could be profitable.

Trades or Handyperson

If you have a skill in a trade, you can likely pick up a job anywhere that pays its tradespeople well.

It seems the more people work from home, the more they want to fix up their living spaces. What this leaves is a glut of tradespeople to get the job done. From plumbing to construction and electrical, there is always a need for a professional tradesperson.

Even if you don’t have a learned trade, contractors are continually looking for reliable people to give an extra hand. If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty and are willing to put in a solid day’s work, the options for building laborers in many countries is staggering.

Day Trader

While not for the faint of heart, we’ve met a few moderately successful day traders during our travels. The bonus here is that you aren’t dependent on anyone besides for yourself and can pretty much set your own schedule. From cryptos to the stock markets, there have been some pretty crazy trends these past few years. If you have a solid understanding of the risks and feel you can safely stay ahead of the curve then being a day trader can potentially be profitable.

Personal Shopper

Have great taste, love to shop, but don’t have any money?

Well, how about if I told you that you could shop to your hearts content on someone else’s dime. The only catch is that they get to keep your great finds!

With many people opting to stay out of the stores, those of you with no such qualms have half of what it takes to becoming a personal shopper. From picking out fashionable clothes to picking up the groceries, people are spending big bucks to send others in their stay and according to a recent poll from LinkedIn, Personal Shopper has made the top ten list of the most in demand jobs recently.

Chef, Waiter or Bartender

While many restaurants have had to shut down or reduce hours due the pandemic, many in the service industry decided it was time to find a more stable paycheque. What this has done is left a huge vacuum in the service industry and restaurants and hotels scrabbling to find staff as everything reopens.

This means that people staying in the industry have seen 8 to 20% wage increases over the past two years, which makes it the pay lucrative if you find the right setting. With a help wanted sign in nearly every store window, picking up a few extra hours probably isn’t that hard if you’re willing to work a little longer to help get you back on the road again sooner.

More of The Highest Paying Travel Jobs

While the majority of the above jobs are for the casual travel worker, if you want to make the most money while you travel these days you’re probably better off working online.

From data analyst, to customer service, to blogger, to technical writer there are many online jobs available to those with the proper skills. Whatever you decide to do, from high level academic editing, to scientific writing, make sure that you do your research on the company you work for.

Not only are they some of the highest paying travel jobs, they can also allow you to jump over borders and stay wherever you want as long as you have good Wi-Fi and accommodating work hours.

Need more inspiration?

Feel free to check out our popular post of 45 travel jobs that includes a bunch of handy links to sites where you can find more information on applying to some of these positions, plus tips on some of the best countries to find these jobs.

Good luck in your job search and safe travels!

If you found any great travel jobs we’ve missed we’d love to hear about them below.

Impossible you say? Well, we know from first hand experience that not only is it possible but it can also be rewarding and even profitable!

It’s a common trope – a would be traveler quits their job, travels the world, and finds love, fame, and/or fortune. I’m sure you’ve all seen a movie or read a book about it but the reality is that in real life that doesn’t usually happen.

While as tempting as quitting your job and taking a long vacation is, it’s just not realistic for a lot of people, who are (understandably) too practical to take that enormous leap, or who have commitments that simply won’t let them quit their job and sail the seven seas.

While being able to work remotely is undoubtedly the easiest way to work while traveling (have laptop, will travel), there are some jobs that you just can’t phone in while on the road and times when just flat out quitting might not be the best answer.

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to quit your full-time job to see the world. It definitely takes a can-do attitude, some creative problem solving, and even some occasional slight of hand, but for many people it’s possible to both work full time and also scratch that travel itch.

How to travel while working

When we first started traveling together almost 20 years ago, my husband Charles and I had full time jobs. We started out taking weekends off to travel, then two week vacations, working remotely while spending months in Mexico, and eventually a year long trip through Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Not all of these tips will work for everyone, but with some creative thinking, hopefully at least one of these will apply to your situation!

I know that many people believe that travel and work are an impossible mix! Whether you are part of a working couple, a single would be traveler, or even a traveling family, there are so many ways you can travel while still keeping your full-time job.

Here are our top tips for how to travel with a full-time job.

We start with what should be the easiest solutions for most people, getting more creative as we go down the list.

Use your weekends and time off

Everyone gets time off at some point, and how you use that time is yours!

If you have vacation days and weekends off, take those days to travel around the world. You can make a bunch of four-day weekends for more extended travel, or you can take a short weekend trip somewhere. If you are really pressed for time, look into flights instead of long drives to maximize your time at the destination rather than in the car.

Be flexible with your dates

If you want to travel while you have a full time job, sometimes you need to be flexible with your dates.

Taking off in the middle of summer might not work if your busy season at work is during the summer or, for instance, in the middle of tax season if you’re an accountant. Instead, consider taking a few extra days off before a big holiday break or a four day weekend to maximize your vacation days and allow more travel time. Get creative and be flexible if you want to see and do more.

Travel in the off season

While this ties into the previous segment, if you can schedule time off during the shoulder season like late Spring/early Fall, you can better maximize your time away from home. While most people love to travel in the summer, the reality is that’s often peak times so going in Fall or Spring can not only save you hour long lineups but also allow you to travel for much cheaper.

Work extra hours

Does your employer let you bank time? Some employers let you take time off in lieu of overtime pay.

If you can bank time, try working extra hours during busy periods, and then taking those days off to add to your vacation time. Just make sure that your employer is accurately recording any extra time that you work and you’re being paid fully when you’re not there.

Take advantage of travel opportunities at work

Ask your boss if there are any travel opportunities at your work. You may be shocked to find that they offer travel to warehouses, conferences, and other work opportunities if you just ask. While you won’t be able to do them all, you may be able to snag one or two extra trips!

Since most of the work stuff happens during the day, this often means you can enjoy entire nights off in a new city and if you can plan those dates around a weekend, it can often give you a few extra days to enjoy wherever you happen to be.

Work during your vacation

While this seems the opposite of what we’re trying to do here, many employers won’t even consider allowing employees to work remotely. Yet, these same employers will be happy to let you work right through your vacation time.

Sure, it sucks to have to do work while you’re on vacation. However, if you absolutely can’t afford to take time off and you have a backlog of work that keeps piling up, working during a vacation may be an option that doesn’t break the bank.

To make this work, you’ll either need to convince your boss to let you work remotely as you travel, or you’ll need to make the slog into work, and have a staycation. If you can afford it, get a hotel or somewhere nice to stay for part of your vacay, or stay at home and splurge on fun activities during your off hours. While it might not seem like travel, if you do some local activities outside your norm, that can go a long way to making your vacation at least memorable.

Take unpaid time off

For a lot of readers, I’m sure that I lost you at the word unpaid, but hear me out. If you can manage to save enough for a vacation, taking unpaid time off can be a way to free up some time for a trip, while still keeping your job.

I’ve used the technique of asking for unpaid time off a few times, when I was in a situation where I could afford to travel, but just didn’t have the time or vacation hours available to me.

While it’s true that companies love having you on premise, if they’re not having to pay you, they often don’t mind you taking a few weeks or, sometimes even a few months off for a mini sabbatical. If work is quiet at your company, your employer may actually appreciate having to spend less on payroll for a while.

Unfortunately, if your job is especially busy, or your expertise is essential to your employer, this strategy might not work but it never hurts to ask. Most people never even think to ask but their response might surprise you, especially if the company can gain something in the process such as a new skill or language learned or even just having better mental health when you return.

Ask your current employer if you can work remotely

This one’s a little risky: If you have a really uptight or vindictive boss, you risk showing them your hand that you want to travel.

However, you may be surprised. Many employers don’t want to lose a good employee, so if you’re trusted and your work is valued, and you can successfully do your job at home, being able to work remotely may be as simple as just asking.

I’ve successfully used this technique in the past. I started out with a technical writing job that was full time, and on site. Over my first few months, I worked hard to get my immediate supervisors to trust my work ethic, and to value my work.

About three months in, I asked if I could work remotely a day a week. They said yes, and I made sure to show them that I was productive, and working hard at home.

A couple of months later, I asked if I could work two days remotely a week. They said yes, and I kept up the hard work.

After another couple of months, I asked if I could work remotely full time, and made a case that working remotely would save them money by freeing up my office space, and they wouldn’t lose any productive time at all. They said yes, and I was off to Mexico in a few weeks’ time.

If you have a job that could be done from anywhere, consider asking your boss if you can work some of your time from home. This will give you more flexibility to travel as you can work from anywhere at that point.

Find a job that lets you work remotely

This one might seem impossible, but there are a lot of jobs that allow you to work from home from the start.

This is one good thing we can thank the pandemic for. The amount of remote workers has increased right around the world and so many companies have discovered that having remote workers is a viable proposition moving forward. It’s opened the door to so many more possibilities.

Editing and writing jobs are probably the most familiar of remote jobs. You don’t even need to take a cheap custom writings job – there are writing jobs that pay well, especially if you have a skill like technical or medical writing, academic editing, or copywriting.

Check out our list of 45 best travel jobs for some more great ideas for jobs that let you work as you travel.

Take contract work instead of a permanent 9 to 5

We spent years using the downtime from our contract IT jobs to travel. We’d work for six months or a year at a contract job, and then travel in between contracts.

The major downside of this approach is that you need to earn enough doing contract work to afford to take time off. You also need to be able to save money and budget well however the good news is that contract workers are often paid more. You can also often save on income taxes since you’d be working for yourself. Between tax breaks and company write-offs, doing contract work can be quite lucrative in the right market and is worth looking into.

Take a sabbatical

Not everyone can take a sabbatical leave; we get that.

However, if you’re lucky enough to be in a profession that commonly allow sabbaticals, like academics, definitely look into it.

It may not be common knowledge, but many companies allow sabbaticals, including Patagonia and even McDonalds. You may have to discreetly ask your HR department, or browse around your company website to find out if you qualify for a sabbatical but they can be a great way to keep your job but allow you the free time to follow your passions.

The crazy part is that some companies even pay for your sabbatical time off! This really depends on your company, their philosophy about work and life as well as the country you live in.

Regardless, even if your sabbatical may not offer paid time off, the beauty of a sabbatical is that you’ll have a job to return to after you travel. Just make sure you start saving up.

Be your own boss

If you run your own business, you have a lot more say in the days you work and the hours. We started working for ourselves about 10 years ago, and it gave us a lot more flexibility to travel.

Working for yourself means that you may be able to take more time to travel and even give yourself the flexibility to work from different time zones.

Being your own boss can mean starting your own business by blogging, selling on Etsy, or even becoming a virtual assistant! There are so many different options that offer flexibility, which will help you get some more travel time while still working full-time for yourself.

Working for yourself also means that you’ll need to become better at budgeting for time off, and allowing for unexpected expenses. It may also mean that you end up working more hours in total than you ever did when working for someone else but while it’s not always easy, it can be quite rewarding and allow you to see the world on your schedule, rather that someone elses.

You don’t have to quit your job to see the world.

While taking time off to travel is nice, it’s also nice to not worry about how you’re going to pay the bills when you return from your long trip.

No matter how you do it, don’t be fooled into thinking it will be easy or just work out. If you want to keep your job but still step out and see the world you’ll have to work twice as hard to make sure you keep the work/travel balance in check.

While it won’t be simple, it can be even more rewarding by not only keeping your bank account in the black and your career moving forward but also allowing you to see all the amazing things this world can offer.

There are even a lot of jobs that you can do while you’re on the road. There are plenty of students searching for editors, so jobs in academic editing and writing can be relatively easy to pick up.

Have a tip about work and travel? We’d love to hear about it.

Accepting a long-term job in another country is a huge commitment, so many travelers test the waters by visiting on a tourist visa first. This allows you to check out your destination in advance, make a more accurate budget, and see if you really like the culture and climate, and even scout places to live.

Spending time in a country on a tourist visa can also let you research potential employers, and network job connections. If done right, this research can net you a better job, and help weed out bad employers and companies.

Check out the expert visa information on Byevisa.com to find out more about visa requirements.

The Easiest Countries to Get a Work Visa

If you want to work long term in a country, you’ll likely need an extended visa or work visa. These types of visas allow you to spend more time in the country than you would with a tourist visa.

Interested in shorter term jobs: Check out our 45 best jobs for travelers.

Tip: If you’re under 35, be sure to check out the working holiday visas section below. Working holiday visas are offered in Australia, and other countries, and most allow you to stay six months to a year.

Mexico

Mexico is one of the easiest countries in the world to get a long term visa.

Permanent residents of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, and any country of the Schengen Space don’t require a visa to enter as a tourist for up to 180 days. Residents of other countries need to apply for a visa that will let you stay up to 180 days if carrying out any unpaid activities.

If you want to work in Mexico, you’ll need to get a temporary resident visa or a permanent resident visa. A temporary resident visa with approval to work gives you a Mexico work permit for 180 days. You can extend the temporary resident visa to work in Mexico for up to four years.

For a permanent resident visa (Visa de Residencia Permanente), you’ll need family connections in Mexico, a sufficient monthly income, and four years as a temporary resident.

Lithuania: Easiest Schengen area long term visa

While getting a visa in Lithuania isn’t as easy as some countries, we’ve included it in this list because it’s one of the easiest countries to get a visa in the Schengen area.

The 26 Schengen countries include: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Lithuania is a Schengen area country, so tourists can stay a maximum of 90 days.

If you want to stay as a tourist for over 90 days, you’ll need to apply for a temporary residency. It can take over 90 days to process a residency permit so make sure you allow yourself lots of time to apply.

The most straightforward way to get a work visa for Lithuania is to first get a work permit or similar document issued by the Lithuanian labor exchange. You need to get the work permit before arrival in Lithuania then, you can apply for a visa or a residence permit.

A multiple-entry national (D) visa will let you stay for a year initially, with a possibility of extension. A residence permit is issued for jobs that are scarce or more well paid than the Lithuanian average.

The huge advantage of a Lithuanian multiple-entry national (D) visa is that it also lets you travel freely within the Schengen area.

Cambodia

To legally work in Cambodia, you’ll need to get an E-class visa (the most common is an EB visa). The E-class visa is valid for 30 days, and can be extended up to a year.

To be legally allowed to work after you’re issued the work visa, you’ll need to apply for a work permit. There are temporary work permits, and others that are permanent. You’ll also need to apply for an employment card.

China

For tourist visits, China requires a visa before entry. You’ll need to include your travel dates, itinerary, and proof of onward travel on your application.

Historically, the easiest job to get in China is likely teaching English, though other jobs are available.

To get a work visa in China you’ll need to have a Foreigner’s Work permit notice, and apply for a Z-Class Visa. Once in China, you’ll need a medical verification, register with police, and then acquire the work and resident permit.

While many foreigners still teach English or have other work within China, geopolitical tensions between China and countries like Australia, Canada, the United States (and others) have been increasing throughout 2020. At this moment, it may be wise to monitor the political situation before accepting a position in China.

The UAE

If you want to visit the UAE as a tourist, many passport holders can get a 30 day visa on arrival. This can include passport holders from Canada, Australia, Japan, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand.

While getting a work visa in the UAE isn’t necessarily difficult, it does require rule following and some paperwork.

You’ll need a work permit (called a Labour Card) to work in the UAE. To start your employer will need to submit a visa quota approval. Then you’ll need to submit a job offer contract with signature and a work permit application, which will give you a Employment Entry visa (valid for 30 days, but extendable).

Next, you apply for a formal work permit and residence visa, which includes medical screening and getting an Emirates ID application with biometrics, and medical health insurance, among other things. This all must be done in 60 days.

Working Holiday Visas for those under 35

A working holiday visa is a temporary residence permit (usually of 12 months) that lets you work while visiting the country. Working holiday visas are issued by countries that typically have reciprocal agreements, and are usually available to people under the age of 35.

The working holiday visa program is open to residents of Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden, among others.

If you’re from one of these countries, are under 35 and seeking a work visa in one of the above list, you have a good chance of being approved for a working holiday visa, often regardless of education or past work experiences. The only other qualification most countries ask for is a recent bank account statement showing a set amount of money in your account (so you can afford a ticket home). Charles and I did a working holiday in Australia back when we still qualified and found the experience quite satisfactory.

Digital nomad visas

In recent years, several countries have begun to offer specific visas for digital nomads. If you happen to work at one of these great online jobs for travelers, you can save yourself a lot of headache, time, and possibly money, by checking out these digital nomad visas.

• Estonia short stay or long stay digital nomad visa
• Barbados digital nomad visa
• Bermuda digital nomad visa
• Croatia digital nomad visa (expected in late 2020)
• German Freelance “Freiberufler” visa
• Bermuda digital nomad visa
• Year long Czech Republic Long Term visas

Many countries will let you work within their borders without a work permit on the condition that your income comes from outside the country. For example, you can stay in Panama on a tourist visa, and work within Panama, as long as your income comes from outside the country.

No matter where you’re from or where you’re planning to go, if you want to work while abroad there are plenty of countries that might be a good fit for you. While some countries are harder to get into, we’re sure that there is a country with a work visa program that should work for you.

If you’re looking for a job that you can do on the road, make sure you do your due diligence.

Looking for online jobs for travelers? These remote jobs for travelers let you travel the world and get paid at the same time.

A lot of traditional jobs you can do while traveling, like being a flight attendant or pilot, can take you around the world, however you can only go to specific places at specific times. They can be great options, but a job you can take with you as you travel anywhere in the world is more ideal for travelers like us.

What you’ll need to work on the go.

For most of these jobs, you’ll need a solid, reliable internet connection. Other than that, you should be able to do any of these jobs anywhere in the world as you travel.

Online Jobs for Travelers

How do you find the perfect online job just for you? Here’s our helpful list of common remote jobs you may want to try, with information on where to find them, and how much they pay. There’s so much in this list, like working with an easy essay writing service, freelance writing, online teaching and tutoring, and working as a virtual assistance. We’ve personally done quite a few of these jobs over the years!

Tip! To get a head start, check out Virtual Vocations job listings here.

Tip! Even before you start traveling, grab a good travel rewards credit card and charge all of your expenses to that card. Be sure to budget and pay off the card in full every month, and then use those travel rewards towards your future trips.

Freelance Writing

Freelance writers are hired to do all kinds of writing tasks. This is one of the most flexible telecommuting travel jobs out there, but unfortunately the pay can be quite variable. Sometimes the work involves writing articles for online or print publications. Sometimes, it’s copywriting or ghost writing.

How much does Freelance Writing pay?

Writers can make anywhere from 10 cents a word to two dollars a word depending on the project and the niche. Generally, if you can find a solid niche, and establish yourself as an expert and get repeat clients, you’ll get paid more. On the flip side, a new writer with no experience, and no subject expertise may struggle to get clients and get paid.

I occasionally pick up some freelance travel writing, but I’ve found that it’s difficult (even with experience) to get higher paying travel writing jobs (as in 50 cents a word or more).

Where can I find Freelance Writing opportunities?

If you’re interested in freelance travel writing, there’s a helpful article from travel bloggers Goats on the Road post on travel publications and how much they pay here.

FlexJobs is a bit unique in that it screens employers for you. FlexJobs comes with a small, flat monthly fee, but they also vet all of the job opportunities, meaning that there’s a lot less spam to wade through.

FlexJobs is one of the top job boards for remote work, but there is a monthly fee (about $14.95 USD a month).

Check out FlexJobs here.

I’ve gotten jobs from Upwork (formerly Elance) before, but I find that there’s so much competition that buyers tend to go with the cheapest quote, so I stopped using it.

Freelance Writing Jobs is a marketplace for freelance writers. ProBlogger Job Board also has jobs listed for legitimate blogging opportunities.

You can also get jobs in the academic arena, with essay services, paper writing services and the like. Many of these services offer academic editing jobs as well. Writers and editors are needed at many academic levels, from PhD and masters level, to college level.

Technical or Medical Writer

I’ve included technical and medical writing as separate from regular freelance writing because the pay is much better, and different skills are needed.

I worked as a technical writer for over 10 years before transitioning into blogging. For the last three years of that time, I worked mostly online as a technical writer as our family traveled around the world.

Technical writers create user guides, manuals and training materials (among other things) on technical or scientific subjects.

Most technical writers have a university degree, but it’s not required, especially if have either a certificate in technical writing or if you have education or experience in technology, science, or a medical field. To do well, you’ll need the rare combination of medical, scientific, or technical knowledge, and the ability to communicate technical information clearly and concisely. A certificate or some training in technical communication, or experience as a technical writer, is almost always required.

Technical writers can work for IT companies, pharmaceutical companies, scientific journals, and really any company that requires professional technical training material or standard operating procedure documentation.

How much does it pay?

Most technical writers earn $30 to $50 an hour, but if you have a specialized skill you can earn more. As a senior technical writer, I was earning over $70 an hour when I quit around six years ago.

Where can I find opportunities?

For technical writers, the Society of Technical Communication (STC) has a job bank, but you’ll need a membership to get access. I was a member of the STC for about 10 years before I moved into blogging. You can get a student membership for $75. Local branches of the STC also post local job opportunities.

Travel Blogging

Travel blogging often sounds like the ideal online job to travel and work at the same time. In some ways, it is one of the best jobs you can travel with. There’s a lot of freedom to travel while you’re building a blog.

The main issue is that it takes most people quite a while to make a living wage from their blog. We’d estimate it takes most people about a year of hard work and blogging before you make any real income (and by real, we mean around $1,000 USD per month). We also know a lot of bloggers that have quit blogging since their expenses eventually outweighed their earnings.

Travel blogging is a lot harder than it looks on the surface. You need to have skills in writing and editing, website maintenance and design, building a brand, sales, marketing, social media, networking, photography, video, affiliate marketing, and a solid business acumen.

To get started, check out the free resources on blogger Sharon Gournay’s website, Digital Nomad Wannabe and her Facebook page. She also sells a course called Build Blog Freedom that gets great reviews, but you can learn a lot from her free content.

How much does it pay?

This is a tough one. A brand new travel blog can actually cost you money in website hosting and website domain purchase fees. On the flip side, many successful bloggers clear six figures a year. This study by Two Monkey’s Travel Group has a lot more information. Nomadic Matt also offers a Superstar Blogging course. I’ve taken the photography course through him, and really loved it.

Virtual Assistant

A Virtual Assistant (VA) is essentially an online assistant. VAs do a variety of tasks like bookkeeping, online research, email management, travel planning, scheduling, lead generation, and general research. Honestly, the tasks a VA can do are endless. Some work specifically on a skillset, like Shopify VAs and others are more generalized.

I’ve hired a VA to do research, social media scheduling, and creating graphics.

How much does a Virtual Assistant make?

Typically $12-$30 an hour depending on your skills. VAs can work on an independent freelance basis or they can be hired as a salaried employee.

Where can I find Virtual Assistant opportunities?

Capital Typing is an outsourcing company that provides virtual office services, but we’ve read reviews that pay is on the low side. There are also plenty of VA jobs listed on Upwork.

Social Media Manager

Social media managers create online content, schedule posts on social networks and engage with people online.

How much does a Social Media Manager pay?

Usually $16-$40 per hour. If you have solid references, experience, and a skillset in a specific social media platform like Instagram or Pinterest you can earn on the higher side of that range.

Where can I find Social Media Manager opportunities?

FlexJobs, Virtual Vocations, and Working Nomads are all great resources to find freelance jobs for travellers and salaried social media management positions.

Online ESL Teacher

Teaching English to students in other countries is in high demand. Many schools prefer native English speakers and choose to hire people to teach via video calls to ensure English is their mother language. Online ESL teachers need to work in the same time zone as their students.

Generally, you’ll need to be a native English speaker, and most require a bachelor’s degree. Being fluent in another language isn’t often required but it will help with dealing with students whose primary language isn’t English.

How much do Online ESL Teachers make?

Typically $14-$34 an hour.

Where can I find online ESL opportunities?

VIPKids is probably the most popular online ESL company. Teach Away is another option.

Online Tutor

Similar to online ESL teaching opportunities, online tutors can work via Skype or other messaging apps with students in a variety of subjects. Test prep tutors or GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, SAT, and ACT tests are in high demand but often require a bachelor’s degree and high scores on the test you’re tutoring.

To be considered for the role, you’ll generally need to be a university graduate or be enrolled in a four-year degree program.

How much does being an online tutor pay?

Hourly wages can run anywhere from $15-$100 per hour.

Where can I find online tutor opportunities?

Chegg Tutors and Tutor.com hire tutors to do online tutoring sessions. Magoosh hires tutors for GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, SAT, and ACT tests.

Editor

An editor improves writing quality for writers and media companies. Editors can do everything from proofreading for minor grammar and spelling mistakes to substantive editing that essentially rearranges blocks of text and changes meaning.

How much do Editors make?

The amount fluctuates but editors salaries typically range from $17-$43 per hour. Editors in a niche like science, technical, or medical writing tend to earn more since they typically require a similar background.

Where can I find Editor opportunities?

HigherEdJobs offers positions in resume writing, technical writing, and text editing. American Journal Experts hires remote editors as well. Scribe Media also hires online editors.

Data Entry

Data entry is entering or updating information into a computer program. Often this takes the form of filling out spreadsheets or filling out forms. It is one of the easiest remote jobs to find online, and doesn’t require a lot of experience or education. The downside is that it doesn’t pay all that well either.

How much does Data Entry pay?

Pay varies widely based on the scope of the project, but typically you can expect to make anywhere from $11-$16 per hour doing Data Entry.

Where can I find opportunities?

Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a marketplace for work that requires human intelligence. For example, you may be asked to go through a spreadsheet and delete duplicate information. Pay can be low, but there’s a lot of work here.

You can also find opportunities through SigTrack, which offers opportunities to process voter registrations and petition signatures.

Search Evaluator

A Search Evaluator is usually given a list of different phrases and words and is asked to enter them in a search engine to determine if the results match what is expected. For example, if your search for The Big Apple gets results for Ambrosia Apples, and not New York, then there’s a problem with the search results. Other projects may involve looking at advertisements, images, and text and then writing a detailed description.

How much does a Search Evaluator make?

Search Evaluators usually make around $13-$18 per hour.

Where can I find Search Evaluator opportunities?

Appen Butler Hill is an international company that contracts social media evaluators to test various social networks.

Day Trading or Investing in Stocks

If you know what you’re doing, you can make an income traveling the world and investing in stocks.

I’ve dabbled in this myself, doing some day trading, and buying and selling options. The problem I found is that trading is a complex skill that needs to be developed and practiced. You’ll need to spend a fair bit of time learning (as in, thousands of hours). Even so, there are computer algorithms that are lightning fast that you can’t even begin to compete with, especially in options trading.

There’s no get quick rich easy pill here, and beware of anyone who says so.

Transcriptionist

Transcription involves listening to an audio or video recording and typing the contents up into a document.

However, as computers become more capable of transcription, these types of general transcription jobs are starting to die out, but legal and medical transcriptionists are facing less competition.

The bottom line is this: If you’re a general transcriptionist, without specialized skills, you’ll likely have trouble making a good income online.

How much does a Transcriptionist earn?

$11-$22 an hour with legal and medical transcriptionists making more.

Where can I find Transcriptionists opportunities?

Birch Creek Communications hires legal and general transcriptionists. You can also find work at Net Transcripts.

Online Customer Service Representative

Online customer service representatives interact with customers on behalf of companies. Essentially they behave just like customer service employees do when they’re in a store except this is done online. They answer questions about products and services, respond to customer comments, and process returns.

How much do online customer service representatives make?

Anywhere from $12-$20 per hour.

Where can I find online customer service opportunities?

Online customer service jobs are some of the most common jobs to find for remote workers. Sykes.com is a virtual call center provider that hires remote workers. Working Solutions also offers a variety of jobs including telemarketing, remote agents, and tech support.

Website or App Testing

Companies pay website design teams to ensure that their sites are running smoothly. If the company loses visitors due to complicated designs, poor navigation, or bad content, then they’re losing customers. Website and app testers create objective reviews of the website to ensure everything makes sense from the customer’s point of view.

How much do website of app testers make?

Test are generally paid via PayPal per test, so pay varies a lot. Like online surveys, this may be better for occasional cash rather than a full time job.

Where can I find opportunities?

User Testing hires remote workers to tests various websites. UserZoom conducts website usability tests for desktop and on phones. The actual user-testing panel aspect of Userzoom is actually called Intellizoom.

Do you have any great ideas for online only jobs outside of these or our 45 jobs you can do around the world post? We’d love to hear from you below.