How Do You Travel as a Digital Nomad?

Solo, with a Partner, or with a Group? How do you like to travel as a digital nomad?

Starting life as a digital nomad can be a heady mix of excitement, possibility, and…questions, lots of questions. “Where should I go next?” “Which accommodation should I choose?” and the classic “Where should I eat tonight?” As you begin to get a handle on how this new lifestyle works, another question eventually arises: “How do I like to travel as a digital nomad: solo, with a partner, or with a group?” Let’s take a look at each method of travel and consider their advantages and disadvantages.

Solo Travel

Do anything you want, wherever you want, whenever you want. Doesn’t this sound like a dream? When you travel solo, the world is truly your oyster. Set your own work hours and enjoy the ability to focus with no distractions. Not loving your current location? As a solo traveler, you can change your mind at the drop of a hat and be on the next plane with no conversation required. Solo travelers also soon discover that they are magnets for other solo adventurers and couples looking for new friends on the road. You may not even spend much of your time solo if you are a social butterfly who can easily make friends. 

The obvious disadvantage of solo travel is, of course, loneliness. Talking to yourself can get tiring and just plain boring. Unfortunately, it is also much more expensive to travel solo in terms of accommodation. Safety is also a real concern, especially, in the evening if you are walking alone vs. with a partner or a group. And who is going to watch your luggage when you go to the bathroom at the airport? When you travel alone, all of the travel planning is up to you and there is no one to double-check the timing of your bookings or help you hail a cab. For independent travelers, this can be a non-issue, but traveling solo does have the potential to become overwhelming.

Traveling with a Partner

Traveling with a partner, whether they are a life partner, childhood friend, or a family member, can be great company on the road. You will have a teammate on the road who can not only help keep you safe but can also help you save on accommodation, taxis, and even some tour bookings. When you travel with someone by your side, you can avoid certain awkward moments that some solo travelers avoid such as fine dining, going to the movies, and going to clubs at night. You can also learn new things from a travel partner and borrow things from them that you may have forgotten on your trip.  

The drawbacks to traveling with a partner begin with the communication challenges that can occur. Not everyone is compatible on the road and different sleeping schedules, travel preferences, and budgets can cause a lot of friction. If you are both digital nomads, challenges can arise around work habits. For example, if one partner needs to be on calls all day, requiring the other partner to be quiet or leave the accommodation, or both people need to be on calls, this will require a lot of compromise. Planning ahead and honest conversations about each partner’s responsibilities on the trip are essential for successful travel with a partner.

Group Travel

Traveling with a group is actually becoming increasingly popular among digital nomads looking for community and networking opportunities without sacrificing the freedom of nomadic life. Several companies now cater to this need including Wifi Tribe, Hacker Paradise, and Noma Collective. When you travel with a group, there is always a chance to learn something new and even make a new potential love or business connection. Traveling with a group also alleviates the stress of being alone and needing to compromise with one other travel partner. If you want to hang out with a different person in the group, you can talk with them and not leave another person in the group alone. You can also get an even greater sense of security in a group vs. traveling only with one partner.