Home truths for digital nomads

Can Hong Kong shape up as a digital nomad hub, giving serious competition to Bali and Chiang Mai? Will Hatton examines how the SAR stacks up against its rivals in the business.

Digital nomad and blogger Aaron Radcliffe enjoys the sense of community that Hong Kong's coworking spaces can inspire. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Imagine being able to work from a location where the view just beyond your laptop is more magnificent than any dream-destination screensaver. Imagine creating a life where work, travel, and play blend effortlessly together.

That would be a digital nomad's dream.

A digital nomad (DN) is someone who either works remotely for others or creates their own online careers or businesses. Today's hip and mostly young DNs combine work and travel seamlessly. They usually keep a flexible work schedule while earning enough to fund a life of adventure.

Though not in the same league as the universally favored DN destinations such as Chiang Mai and Bali, Hong Kong has many of the attributes required to shape up as a DN hot spot. Its unrivaled internet speed, community-oriented coworking spaces, bustling, cosmopolitan social life, and the abundance of nature just outside its urban areas make for a winning combination. The "work hard, play hard" balance that many DNs seek seems achievable here.

"DNing in Hong Kong is expensive, but totally awesome if you can afford it," says Aaron Radcliffe, writer of two blogs, Nomads Nation and One Weird Globe. "There are tons of coworking spaces and the startup scene is great."

One way of cutting costs, Radcliffe suggests, is to find accommodations outside of Hong Kong Island. He lives in Kowloon and relies on the fast and affordable Star Ferry to commute to downtown Hong Kong. At 40 US cents and eight minutes per ride, he said, "sailing to and from Victoria Harbour is a highlight of my day. Kowloon has cheaper accommodations compared with Hong Kong Island and is packed with cafes, restaurants, bars, shops, and MTR stations".

Like most DNs, Radcliffe doesn't mind the high costs of renting a desk in a coworking space, especially because of the social life one gets access to in the bargain.