Home truths for digital nomads

Hong Kong's sprawling vistas of scenic beauty, often possible to enjoy from Wi-Fi-enabled cafes, are a big draw for DNs like Radcliffe. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In Hong Kong, for $200 and above a month, it's possible to get a spacious desk, lightning-fast Wi-Fi speed, and the chance to hang out with fellow DNs. The evenings are often spent attending workshops at networking events or simply socializing. It's a great way to meet people and belong in a community away from home.

The owner of a content marketing agency and blogger of Pale Ale Travel, Big Body prefers to go by his moniker. He is happy to work from The Hive in Sheung Wan. "It is a healthy mix of remote workers and traditional companies who rent full office spaces," he says of the coworking space. Having lived in Taiwan, Vietnam, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Japan, Thailand and the Chinese mainland, he decided that Hong Kong was the place for him, given its "palpable energy" and "extremely low tax rates". Having lived here in 2012-14, he returned in 2020 for another stint.

DNs are often looking for more than just a place to work. More often than not, they are more interested in opportunities to experience a new landscape.

Hikers and lovers of outdoor activities are spoiled for a choice in Hong Kong. Very few metropolitan cities can match the special administrative region's 24 national parks and 130 nature trails. And the best part is that the hikes and green expanses are often just a stone's throw, sometimes a bus ride, away from the urban areas.

"I wake up slightly earlier on Fridays to hike up to the Peak, which looks out over the Hong Kong skyline," says Big Body. "I grab breakfast at one of the eateries, hike back down, and then start my day slightly later than usual."