Travel Safety Tips

Picking travel insurance can be a very confusing part of planning your international trip. Is it worth the expense? Which insurance companies offer the best coverage?

Getting some travel insurance is an extremely important part of planning a trip to foreign countries. Many regular health insurance companies don’t cover much (if anything) when you travel. This means you should purchase a dedicated travel insurance plan.

Travel insurance plans can cover a mix of medical emergencies, accidents, theft of personal property, illness, and even trip cancellation or interruptions. It’s just a smart option if you want to travel safely these days.

But the best part is, decent plans can cost only a few dollars a day.

After 10-years of travel, I’ve had quite a few incidents happen on the road (Dengue Fever, a stolen camera, phone, etc.) So I never travel without insurance to protect me from these unexpected situations.

My goal with this travel insurance guide is to help you narrow down the overwhelming choices out there — and pick some good travel insurance whether you’re traveling for 2-weeks or 6-months.

Why listen to me? Experience! I’ve been traveling around the world for ten years as a digital nomad, while visiting over 50 countries.

Matthew KarstenThe Expert Vagabond

Types Of Travel Insurance

There are a few different kinds of travel insurance, and some plans cover more than others.

You’ll have to ask yourself a few questions before picking a plan. Are you a short-term traveler going away for a week or two? Or are you a long-term traveler leaving for 6-months or more?

Do you carry a lot of expensive photo/computer gear, or not?

Will your current health insurance cover you overseas? How much will it cover? Does it include medical evacuation? Do you have any pre-existing conditions?

Are you the type of person who books hotels/flights/activities in advance? Or do you just wing it and pay for these services as you use them? Are you worried your trip might get canceled?

Travel Medical Insurance is coverage for accidents, injuries, illness, or hospital visits while you are away from home.

Medical Evacuation Insurance is coverage for emergency transportation (often via airplane) to a major hospital for better treatment.

Trip Cancellation Insurance is coverage for unexpected interruptions in your travel plans.

Baggage/Property Insurance is coverage for theft or damage to your gear while traveling.

Best Travel Insurance Options In 2023

Short-Term Travel Insurance

SafetyWing

SafetyWing is a fantastic budget travel insurance option for travelers. They offer the flexibility to purchase a plan before or after your trip has already started. Plans start at only $40 per month, and they include theft of personal property too!

Another big perk is that they can also cover you in your home country, or a dependent child who is traveling with you. Which is nice for digital nomads and families traveling with kids.

World Nomads

World Nomads specializes in short-term travel coverage, including theft, and are very popular among travelers. I used them for years before I decided to get long-term expat type insurance instead.

Buying insurance with World Nomads for your next vacation is quick & easy. You can even purchase a plan with little advanced notice. You can extend coverage online from anywhere too.

Health Coverage Worldwide: Yes.
Coverage At Home: No.
Medical Evacuation: Yes.
Trip Cancellation: Yes.
Theft/Damage Insurance: Yes. ($500 per-item limit)

Long-Term Insurance For Digital Nomads & Expats

Because I’m a digital nomad and travel with thousands of dollars of camera equipment for work, I have a more long-term travel insurance mindset. I use an expat dedicated health insurance policy, combined with a gear policy for professional photographers.

This mix is more expensive than a World Nomads Policy, but works best for my long-term travel lifestyle.

IMG Global

This plan specializes in long-term worldwide medical coverage, but does not cover theft or trip cancelation. Coverage inside the United States is included, but to qualify you must spend at least 6 months of the year living abroad. You can choose a deductible from $250-$10,000.

Health Coverage Worldwide: Yes.
Coverage at Home: Yes.
Medical Evacuation: Yes.
Trip Cancellation: No.
Theft/Damage Insurance: No.
Example Quote: Global Gold (1 year policy) = $74/month with $1000 deductible

HTH Worldwide

Full international medical insurance, including the United States. No limits as to how long you are in the US. Deductible waived for regular doctor checkups. Excellent insurance, but pricey. Sherry from OttsWorld.com is a happy customer.

Health Coverage Worldwide: Yes.
Coverage at Home: Yes.
Medical Evacuation: Yes.
Trip Cancellation: No.
Theft/Damage Insurance: No.
Example Quote: Global Citizen (1 year policy) = $269/month with $1000 deductible

More Insurance Options

Your Current Health Insurance

Already have regular health insurance in your home country? Check to see if they provide coverage internationally. If they do, you might not need anything else.

Homeowners Or Renters Insurance

Your homeowners or renters insurance may cover your belongings when you’re traveling in foreign countries too. Call them up to verify the details.

Credit Card Travel Insurance

Many travel credit cards often include some basic travel, theft, and even car insurance (which is great for renting a car overseas). Call your card company up to get details on what is exactly covered (or not).

Do You Need Travel Insurance?

This is the million-dollar question — and ultimately a personal decision. I’ve met plenty of people who travel without travel insurance and I’ve contemplated doing the same.

But after over 10-years of constant travel, hearing horror stories from other travelers, and getting into a few dangerous predicaments myself — if someone asks for my opinion on the subject I answer with:

YES. Everyone should carry some kind of health/property insurance when traveling.

Why? Because stuff happens. Whether you think it will or not. Despite your best-laid plans and preventative measures. Sure, if you sprain your ankle, it might not be a big deal.

But what if your appendix bursts? Or your bus crashes? Or you contract a deadly disease? Or require medical evacuation after breaking your leg?

These things definitely happen to travelers from time to time, and could cost you tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars. Without insurance, you’re screwed!

My recommendation is based on listening to countless first-hand tales of disaster from other travelers, as well as my own personal experiences.

Real-Life Examples

I know a woman traveling in Costa Rica who fell off a ladder, shattering her arm. She did not have health insurance, received horrible treatment at the local hospital, and was basically held hostage there until she was able to pay the HUGE medical bill.

Another person I know lost everything he was traveling with when his locked guesthouse in Ecuador was broken into. Without personal property insurance, he would have needed to spend thousands replacing all his gear.

Another friend contracted a flesh-eating parasite while trekking through the jungles of Peru. He required months worth of treatment from specialized doctors, and a medical evacuation flight back to the United States.

These are all people I know personally.

Making An Insurance Claim

Insurance companies are notorious for trying to avoid paying out claims. Making a claim might take some work on your part, depending on the situation. Here are a few tips for getting paid through travel insurance:

• If you’re having issues filing a claim, always work your way up the corporate ladder. Talk to a supervisor. Then talk to the supervisor’s supervisor. Make your claim issues public using Social Media if needed.
• Record conversations. At the beginning of every phone call, tell the other party you’re recording the conversation to ensure no misunderstandings later.
• When filing a police report of any kind, keep the story simple. The longer and more in-depth the report, the easier it is for insurance companies to find a loophole to deny your claim.

Additional Travel Insurance Tips

• Read the fine print first! Know what you’re covered for. For example, some policies don’t cover extreme sports or theft of unattended items.
• Take photos or a video of all your travel gear with a date stamp.
• Save PDF copies of any travel gear purchases & hospital receipts. Keep originals too.
• Write down serial numbers, policy numbers, and insurance contact information.
• Store this information online in a secure, easy to access place. I use Evernote. Another good option is Dropbox or Google Drive.
• File a police report immediately after any theft or accident while traveling.

No one likes to think about theft or injury when they’re on vacation, but the threat is real, and without good travel insurance, an unexpected incident could ruin the rest of your year. Never travel without it! ★

---

Enjoy This Article? Pin It!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Nomadic Living

Want to live & work from a Caribbean island or a historic European city? Special international freelance visas for digital nomads and remote workers are finally here!

Traveling the world while working online from your laptop has been a dream for millions of self-proclaimed digital nomads — including me.

However working from foreign countries while traveling on a tourist visa is technically illegal in most places.

Tourist visas also usually expire after 30-90 days, and it’s not always easy to renew them. What if you want to stay longer?

That doesn’t stop digital nomads from working while traveling, but it can make things complicated, and with travel restrictions due to COVID-19, it’s much more difficult to work & travel internationally.

Visa laws in most countries are not set up to deal with this new class of modern nomads who are living and working remotely around the world.

But that’s finally starting to change, as some countries have recognized the need for so-called “digital nomad visas”, “remote work visas”, or “freelancer visas” specifically to entice foreigners to come work & contribute to their economies.

Many of these destinations are hoping the remote work visas will generate income to help make-up for lost tourism revenue due to the pandemic.

Hi, I’m Matthew Karsten

I’ve been traveling the world for 10+ years as a professional photographer & writer. I hope you enjoy my nomadic living tips! If you find them useful, using my affiliate links to book something will give me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

About The Author

Digital Nomads vs Freelancers

Digital nomads are basically remote workers who travel to different locations on a regular basis. They use modern technology to work from coffee shops, hotels, co-working spaces, or libraries with a WiFi connected laptop or smartphone from anywhere in the world.

Freelancers are self-employed, working for themselves or other companies as independent contractors. Freelancers can travel while they work, or just work from home while living in one place on a long-term basis.

The two are similar, but not exactly the same. The visas listed below can be obtained by both kinds of workers, digital nomads and freelancers.

Nomad Travel Insurance

Protect yourself from injury, illness, or theft. SafetyWing offers affordable travel insurance that covers COVID-19 too!

Click For Details

Best Countries With Visas For Digital Nomads

1. Antigua & Barbuda

The Caribbean island nation of Antigua & Barbuda has announced a digital nomad visa called the Nomad Digital Residence (NDR). It’s for remote workers who can show the means to support themselves and any family members joining them.

This visa is good for 2-years, and visitors will be required to maintain their own health insurance plan while staying within the country and enjoying its 365 different beaches.

Basic Conditions

• You own a location independent business (and/or)
• You work remotely for a company based outside of Antigua & Barbuda
• You earn at least $50,000 per year
• You have your own travel/health insurance plan

How To Apply

• Fill out the online application form
• Provide proof of employment and a police background check.
• Pay the visa fee: $1,500 for one person, $2,000 for a couple, $3000 for a family of 3 or more.

2. Bali

The beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia has long been a popular location for remote workers to base themselves. And while there are no formal details just yet, Bali has just announced they are looking to implement a brand new digital nomad visa sometime later this year.

The Bali remote work visa would be good for up to 5-years, and holders of the visa would NOT have to pay taxes on any income earned outside Bali.

This is big news! I’ll make sure to post any updates on details of Bali’s digital nomad visa as they become available. I’m sure many nomadic types would love to take advantage of such a visa, and work from Bali legally.

3. Barbados

Barbados has also opened its borders to digital nomads and remote workers who are looking to escape the pandemic while basing themselves in a beautiful island destination.

The “Barbados Welcome Stamp” is a special 12-month visa for remote workers, which can also be renewed for even longer. Why not live next to the beach and work from home in Barbados!

Basic Conditions

• You own a location independent business (and/or)
• You work remotely for a company based outside of Barbados
• You earn at least $50,000 per year
• You must undergo mandatory COVID-19 test and 48-hour quarantine

How To Apply

• Fill out the online application form
• Submit all required paperwork and pay the $2000 visa fee.

4. Bermuda

Bermuda joined the remote work visa club! Their recently released “Work From Bermuda” digital nomad visa is just an expansion of an older residency program, which allows digital nomads and remote workers to stay in the country for up to a year.

Aimed at professionals who normally work from home, they hope the new visa will attract long-term travelers who want to base themselves from an island destination.

Basic Conditions

• You own a location independent business (and/or)
• You work remotely for a company based outside of Bermuda
• No minimum income requirement!
• You must undergo mandatory COVID-19 test
• Show proof of travel insurance

How To Apply

• Fill out the online application form
• Submit any required paperwork and pay the $263 visa fee.

5. Cayman Islands

The Cayman Islands launched a special visa for digital nomads called the Global Citizen Certificate (GCC). It allows travelers to stay in the islands for up to 2 years.

The income requirements are much steeper than other countries in this list though: individuals must provide proof of an annual salary of at least $100,000, or $150,000 for couples.

Basic Conditions

• You must be employed by an entity outside of the Cayman Islands.
• A notarized bank reference letter.
• Applicants are subject to background checks.
• Show proof of health insurance coverage.

How To Apply

• Fill out the online application form
• Submit required paperwork and pay the application fee of $1,469.

6. Costa Rica

There are many digital nomads who choose to base themselves in Costa Rica due to the relaxed lifestyle, great surfing, nice beaches, and diverse landscape of volcanoes, waterfalls, and jungle.

Costa Rica has a freelancer visa called the Rentista, allowing foreigners to stay for up to 2-years, with the ability to extend it. Often used by retirees with a fixed income and some entrepreneurs — because you can’t be an employee for another company on the Rentista.

Basic Conditions

• Show an average income of $3000 USD per month.
• Obtain travel medical insurance that will cover them in Costa Rica.

How To Apply

• The application process for Costa Rica’s new Digital Nomad Visa is still being worked on at this time. Applying for the Rentista Visa can be done on Costa Rica’s Migracion Website, but hiring an immigration lawyer is recommended.
• All your documents must be translated into Spanish, as well as authenticated in your home country.
• Pay the visa fee (unknown yet for the Digital Nomad Visa, and $250 USD for the Rentista Visa).

7. Croatia

As of January 2021, Croatia has started issuing digital nomad visas. The visa is available for different lengths of time, with a maximum of 12-months. From what I’ve read, it seems you need to physically be in Croatia to apply for this long-term residence permit, you can’t apply from overseas.

basic conditions

• Provide proof of self-employment or ability to work remotely (written statement, employment agreement, client contracts, etc)
• Minimum of €2500 EURO per month in income or savings
• Pass a criminal background check from your home country
• Proof of accommodation/rental agreement
• Obtain travel/health insurance valid for length of stay

How To Apply

• Obtain an OIB identification number
• Fill out the application form found here
• (2) Passport photos
• Pay the application fee of 590 kuna plus 35 kuna in tax stamps

8. Czech Republic

Spend your weekends exploring the historical towns and mountains of this Central European country, and work remotely during the week using their fast internet connection! The Czech Republic offers a freelancer visa called the Zivno. It’s valid for one year, and can be extended too. It’s a bit more complicated than other visas in this list, but it’s doable.

Basic Conditions

• You have a trade license for one of the trades listed here
• Proof of accommodation for at least a year
• Proof of at least €5,587 in your bank account (per person)
• Pay about 1,800 Kč ($80 USD) per month in local taxes

How To Apply

• It’s probably wise to hire an agency like this one to help you.
• Gather this list of required documents
• Make appointment at a Czech embassy for the long-stay visa
• Pay the visa fee of €100

9. Dubai (UAE)

The city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates has just launched their own one-year virtual working program in October allowing digital nomads and remote workers to live and work by the beach from their famous desert oasis mega-city. Dubai was awarded a ‘Safe Travels’ stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), recognising their work to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The new remote work visa gives you the freedom to come to Dubai, bring your family, work remotely all while remaining employed in your home country. Dubai does not levy income tax on individuals. You also get access to all required services, including telecoms, utilities, and schooling options.

Basic Conditions

• Proof of Employment from current employer with a one-year contract, or proof of ownership of company.
• Minimum of $5,000 USD per month salary, last months’ payslip and 3 preceding months’ bank statements.
• Health insurance with UAE coverage validity.

How To Apply

• Fill out the request for application section here.
• Pay the visa fee of $287 USD visa fee

10. Estonia

Estonia became the first country to create an e-residency program that allows foreign entrepreneurs to license an EU-based online business. Then, in June 2020, they also opened up a one-year digital nomad and freelancer visa that allows foreigners to live in the country while working remotely.

Basic Conditions

• You own a location independent business (and/or)
• You work remotely for a company based outside of Estonia
• You earn at least €3504 per month for the last 6-months

How To Apply

• Fill out the online application form, sign it, and make an appointment at your nearest Estonian Embassy/Consulate to submit it in person.
• There are two types of digital nomad visas: Type C (short stay) costs €80, and Type D (long stay) costs €100.

11. Georgia

Partly due to the dramatic drop in tourism because of the Coronavirus pandemic, the country of Georgia is one of the latest to offer a digital nomad visa called “Remotely from Georgia” to help stimulate their economy. If you’re a remote worker, why not wait out the pandemic and work from a country known for its low-cost of living, colorful cities, and epic mountain landscapes?

Basic Conditions

• You own a location independent business (and/or)
• You work remotely for a company based outside of Georgia
• You must prove financial ability to pay taxes while staying in Georgia
• You earn at least $2000 per month
• You must undergo mandatory 14-day quarantine
• Obtain travel insurance valid for six months

How To Apply

• Fill out the online application form

12. Germany

Germany has its own special freelance visa called the Aufenthaltserlaubnis für selbständige Tätigkeit (good luck saying that!). It’s a residence permit that allows foreign freelancers and self-employed people live in Germany for 6-months up to 3-years. One downside is that it can take 3-4 months to get approved for this visa. Plus speaking German, or knowing someone who does, will help a lot.

Basic Conditions

• You need an address in Germany.
• Proof of health insurance.
• Proof of financial self-sustainability.
• Work clients based in Germany. They want to see that you are providing services that will help the local economy.

How To Apply

• Gather all documents required here.
• Secure a residence in Germany
• Book a visa appointment at the immigration office here.
• Pay the visa fee of €100

13. Hungary

The nation of Hungary has long been a favorite stop for digital nomads, especially the capital city of Budapest. Well now they’ve made it even easier to stay long-term, with their new “White Card” – a special 1-year long digital nomad residency program.

Basic Conditions

• Not for EU nationals, only 3rd country nationals can apply.
• You can not work for a Hungarian company.
• Financial self-sustainability. Must show income equivalent to at least €2000 per month.
• The white card is valid for one year, with the ability to renew for another year.
• The White Card does not give family members automatic residency.

How To Apply

• As of February 2022, details on how to apply for a White Card haven’t been released by the government yet.

14: Iceland

Yes, you read that right. Iceland has its own long-term visa for remote workers and digital nomads! Iceland is one of my favorite countries in the world, there is sooooo much cool stuff to see there. Landscapes that look like they were crafted from your wildest dreams.

Iceland’s long-term visa is good for only 6-months though, so it’s one of the shortest digital nomad visas available. If you apply while you’re already in the European Schengen Area, then it’s only good for 90-days.

So that means you can’t spend 3-months vacationing in Europe, then try to get this special visa to stay another 6-months on top of that.

Basic Conditions

• You must own your own location independent business or work remotely for a company located outside of Iceland
• Provide proof of your (self)employment
• Show a minimum monthly income of 1,000,000 ISK (about $7,763 USD) or 1,300,000 ISK for a couple
• Proof of travel/health insurance coverage for Iceland

How To Apply

• Complete the application form found here
• Pay the 7800 ISK processing fee

15: Malta

Malta has created its own Digital Nomad Residence Permit specifically targeting remote workers from outside the EU. The Mediterranean island of Malta has been attractive to digital nomads for years now, due to its sunny island lifestyle, widely spoken English, and strong internet infrastructure (including nationwide 5G service).

It’s also located close to mainland Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East — which means there are many opportunities for travel addicts to get out and explore nearby.

To qualify for Malta’s one year long Nomad Residence Permit, applicants must prove they can work remotely via the internet. A permit holder may renew their Nomad Residence in Malta for a maximum of up to 3 years.

Basic Conditions

• You must work for an employer registered in a foreign country, conduct business for a company registered in a foreign country as a shareholder or partner, or offer freelance or consulting services to clients whose permanent establishments are in a foreign country.
• Applicants must reach a gross monthly income threshold of €2,700 EURO.
• Proof of travel/health insurance coverage for your stay in Malta
• Hold a valid property rental or purchase agreement in Malta
• Pass a background verification check

How To Apply

• Complete the Application Form
• Pay the €300 EURO administrative fee

16: Mauritius

Mauritius is another island nation that has just launched their own special visa for remote workers. It’s a stunningly beautiful country, with crystal clear water, thick jungle, and epic mountain peaks to climb.

To qualify for their one year long (and completely FREE) Premium Visa, you need to produce proof of your long stay plans and sufficient travel and health insurance during your stay.

Basic Conditions

• You must own your own location independent business or work remotely for a company located outside of Mauritius
• Proof of plans to stay in Mauritius – they may ask for details about the purpose of your visit and intended accommodation
• Proof of travel/health insurance coverage for your stay in Mauritius

How To Apply

• Complete the application form
• There is no visa fee, it’s free!

17. Mexico

Mexico is a favorite hot-spot for digital nomads, partly due to their long 6-month tourist visa, however they also offer a Temporary Resident Visa that’s good for one year with the ability to renew for another 3 years.

You will need to provide documents proving that you had a monthly income of at least $1,620 USD over the last 6-months or a bank account balance of $27,000. Mexico is open to offering temporary residency to remote workers that are financially self-sufficient.

Basic Conditions

• You own a location independent business (and/or)
• You work remotely for a company based outside of Mexico
• You earn at least $1,620 USD per month or have a bank balance of $27,000.

How To Apply

• Gather required documents and complete the application form.
• Make an appointment at the nearest Mexican consulate.

18. Norway

Norway has been in the news a lot lately, touted as a Scandinavian paradise with its strong social democratic system, wealth, natural beauty, and progressive population.

Lots of foreign digital nomads and remote workers would jump at the chance to move to Norway. And they can, for up to 2-years, with Norway’s Independent Contractor visa.

Basic Conditions

• You must be self-employed with a contract to work on a project for a business in Norway.
• You must have relevant qualifications to work in your profession.
• Proof of accommodation in Norway
• Show an income of at least €35,719 per year before tax

How To Apply

• Gather the required documents listed on Norway’s Directorate of Immigration website.
• Fill out the application, and bring it to the nearest Norwegian Embassy.
• Pay the visa application fee of about €600

19. Portugal

Portugal offers both a temporary resident visa (D7 passive income visa) and residence permit for independent workers and entrepreneurs for one year, with the ability to renew for up to 5 years. After 5 years you can apply for permanent residency.

As a foreign visa holder and resident, you will be given a residence card, the Título de Residência. This is your official ID in Portugal. The beautiful Portuguese island of Madeira in particular has become a remote worker hub, especially with the launch of their Digital Nomads Village.

Basic Conditions

• Proof of income from property, proof of business ownership, or proof of financial means.
• You earn at least €600 EURO per month.
• Proof of private travel/health insurance.
• Submit to a criminal background check.

How To Apply

• Gather the required documents, print out and complete the application form.
• Make an appointment at the nearest Portuguese consulate.
• Pay the €83 EUR visa fee and €72 EUR resident permit fee.

20. Spain

Spain has a Non-Lucrative Visa which allows foreigners to stay in Spain for at least a year, with the ability to renew. With it’s low-cost of living and mix of beaches, mountains, and relaxed lifestyle, it’s a favorite with many location independent people. However technically you are not allowed to “work” on this visa — they’re looking for people who are “retired” and self-sufficient.

Basic Conditions

• Show that you can support yourself financially through investments or retirement income of at least €2151 per month or hold €25,816 in savings.
• Proof of private Spanish health insurance
• Get a police/FBI background check
• Get a Medical Certificate of Good Health

How To Apply

• You need to apply in person at the closest Spanish Consulate or Embassy.
• All your documents must be translated into Spanish, as well as authenticated in your home country.
• Sign a sworn statement before a Notary that you agree not to work while living in Spain.
• Pay the visa application fee of $140 USD

21. Anguilla (UK Territory)

Finally, the British territory of Anguilla has just launched their own special visa for digital nomads who would like to “work from home” on a beautiful Caribbean island destination. With only 3 confirmed COVID cases on the island and no fatalities, Anguilla was designated COVID-19 free by the World Health Organization (WHO) in June 2020.

There is an additional fee to pay, $2000 per individual or $3000 per family which covers two (2) tests per person, surveillance and costs associated with the additional public health presence, the cost of extended immigration time/entry and a digital work permit.

How To Apply

• To apply for the year-long stay, click here.
• Pay the visa fee of $2000 USD per individual, or $3000 per family.

Living A Nomadic Life Overseas

This relatively new phenomenon of countries launching digital nomad visas to attract remote workers was predicted over 20-years ago by Japanese technologist Tsugio Makimoto who wrote that remote working would force nations “to compete for citizens”, and that digital nomad-ism would prompt “declines in materialism and nationalism”.

His prophecy is coming true, and I fully expect to see many more nations opening up their borders to these “citizens of the world” who are able to work remotely from their laptops in the years to come.

The future of remote work is going to be interesting, that’s for sure! ★

---

Enjoy This Article? Pin It!

---

READ MORE DIGITAL NOMAD TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to countries with digital nomad & remote work visas! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• How To Make Extra Money On The Side
• Useful Tips For Digital Nomads
• The Best Jobs That Let You Travel
• How To Work From Home
• Becoming A Freelance Photographer

---

Have any questions about remote work visas? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Nomadic Living

I’m a digital nomad. This means I can work from anywhere in the world. Here are some tips for how to become a digital nomad and travel long-term if you’d like to give it a try.

After 10-years working remotely as a digital nomad, living in foreign countries and traveling around the world while earning income online — I’ve learned a lot about nomadic living.

I’ve based myself in places like Mexico, Thailand, Nicaragua, Italy, Spain, and South Africa over the course of my travels. I’ve also visited over 50 different countries while working from my laptop.

In fact, I’m currently writing this article from a Greek island overlooking the sea. That’s my son above fact-checking my work!

Living as a digital nomad, you’re able to see incredible places, learn from different cultures, and work when or where you want to — true freedom.

As the reality of a worldwide recession sets in, location independence and remote work opportunities have become increasingly sought after. Lately I’ve been getting questions about how to become a digital nomad.

So I thought it was about time I put together a free guide sharing some of my best tips and advice for others who want to give it a shot in 2023!

Why listen to me? Experience! I’ve been traveling around the world for ten years as a digital nomad, while visiting over 50 countries.

Matthew Karsten

Here’s everything we’re going to cover (if you want to skip around).

Nomad Travel Insurance

Protect yourself from injury, illness, or theft while on vacation. SafetyWing offers affordable travel insurance!

Click For Details

What Is A Digital Nomad?

Digital nomads are remote workers who travel to different locations on a regular basis. They use modern technology to work from coffee shops, hotels, co-working spaces, or libraries with a WiFi connected laptop or smartphone from anywhere in the world.

There are many types of digital nomads out there. Some people travel around their own country by campervan or RV. Some live on sailboats, working from different ports of call.

Others stay in backpacker hostels or rent Airbnb apartments while flying from country to country.

Complete freedom of movement while working online is the general idea.

Pros & Cons Of Location Independence

The Benefits

There are many upsides to the location independence that digital nomads enjoy. Who wouldn’t want to check off their ultimate bucket list while working from a laptop anywhere in the world?

• Save money living in a low cost-of-living area
• The flexibility to live where you want
• Ditch the toxic environment of office politics
• Experience new cultures & make new friends
• Learn new skills or languages
• Broaden your mind through travel experiences
• Set your own schedule and take time off when you want to
• Spend winters on the beach, and summers in the mountains!

The Downsides

Working from anywhere is a dream for many people. But like all life choices, there are both pros and cons to a nomadic lifestyle. Here are some of the downsides:

• Moving constantly is exhausting
• Your productivity can suffer
• Digital nomads often battle loneliness
• Finding stability is difficult
• A general lack of private space
• Travel loses its luster & wow factor

After 10-years exploring the world, these downsides finally caught up with me, and I moved back to the United States with my wife and kid and bought a home.

That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my nomadic life for all those years! Just for me, living out of bags for so long eventually lost its charm. I was ready to start a family, settle down, work from home, and travel less.

Yet because I’ve been around the block, I’m happy to share my experiences with those who are just getting started with the digital nomad lifestyle!

Tips For Becoming A Digital Nomad

STEP 1: How Digital Nomads Make Money

So, you’re ready to give nomadic life a shot. Well before you can quit your job and travel as a digital nomad, you need to figure out how to make money online.

Luckily there are many options out there, which continue to grow each year as businesses downsize and hire remote workers to reduce physical costs like office space.

The global pandemic has only accelerated this transformation.

You can work for other companies remotely, or become an entrepreneur and start your own online based business.

Digital Nomad Job Examples

It would be impossible to list all jobs that can be done remotely, but these are some frequent examples I’ve come across during my travels. For an even larger list of jobs that allow you to travel, click here.

Personally, I run a travel blog. It’s just what I’m good at, and what I enjoy. There are many types of blogging options out there — food blogging, DIY blogging, personal finance blogs, gear blogs, hiking blogs, photography blogging, etc.

If you’re interested in starting a blog to make money writing about something you love, I recommend you start here.

Remote Work & Entrepreneurship Resources

Figuring out how you’re going to earn money as a digital nomad is one of the biggest hurdles to location independence.

Unfortunately I can’t tell you exactly what to do — everyone has their own skill set, experience, and preferences. You’ll need to figure it out for yourself.

What I CAN do is point you in the right direction with the following books and websites that I’ve found super helpful over the years!

They helped me get to where I am today, so I’m sure they’ll help you too.

BOOKS

• Remote: No Office Required by Jason Fried aims to help you convince your boss why it makes sense to allow you to work remotely.
• The 100 Dollar Startup by Chris Guillebeau interviews 50 different people who started successful businesses for as little as $100.
• The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss gives tips for working less and earning more by starting a business and hiring others to run it.
• Job Escape Plan by Jyotsna Ramachandran explains the steps of building a location independent business on the side before quitting your job.
• Rework by Jason Fried shows you how succeed with starting a business as quickly and easily as possible in the modern world.

WEBSITES

• Flexjobs has an updated job board for remote work opportunities.
• Remote.co is dedicated to resources for remote workers.
• How To Become A Freelancer shares the basics of a freelance career.
• Power To Fly lists dream jobs around the world.
• We Work Remotely is the largest remote work community online.
• Working Traveller is a place where employers can hire digital nomads.

STEP 2: The Logistics Of Nomadic Life

Ok, so you’ve found a way to earn income remotely. But there’s much more to becoming a digital nomad.

Things you may not have considered like wifi availability, registering your business, banking, communication, physical mail, insurance, health considerations, where to stay, and much more.

So let’s dive in!

Starting A Business

If you’re starting a new business in the United States, it needs to be set up properly. Generally I recommend that people start as a sole-proprietor to make things simple.

Once you begin earning regular income, you can change it over to an LLC for some tax & legal benefits. Legal Zoom is a good site for registering your business in your state. It’s what I used and they make it easy to do online.

Taxes For Digital Nomads

How do you pay taxes as a digital nomad? Basically, Americans need to file taxes even if they are living overseas. This is not true for most countries.

There are some exceptions, for example if you spend most of the year outside the United States, and pay taxes to the foreign country you’re living in, you can claim the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, which allows you to avoid paying US taxes on up to $100,000 worth of income.

Some people set up companies based from digital nomad friendly countries like Singapore to reduce their tax bill.

If you’re serious about becoming a digital nomad, you should eventually hire a good accountant who specializes in working with people who live overseas.

Banking For Digital Nomads

Managing your money while traveling can have its own set of challenges. For example, cards getting canceled when they’re used from foreign countries, and how to get paid while living overseas.

I highly recommend picking up a Wise Account (their fees are cheaper than PayPal, but you should have a PayPal account too).

If you’re not from the US or UK, Payoneer is also a good option.

Having a good travel credit card is also very helpful, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred. It has no foreign transaction fees, includes car rental insurance, boasts a low annual fee, and will ultimately help you score free flights the more you use it through collecting points & miles.

Staying Connected

What’s the first question every digital nomad asks a hotel, coffee shop, or Airbnb owner? How fast is the WiFi!

Digital nomads can only work when they have a fast & reliable internet connection, so good WiFi is incredibly important. Luckily you can find decent internet connections in many places around the world now.

I recommend downloading the SpeedTest App to help you determine connection speeds, and make sure to read my guide on the best international cell phone plans for travelers and nomads.

Virtual phone numbers are also very handy — like from Google Voice, Skype, or MySudo. They allow you to have a US number for things like 2 Factor Authentication (2FA).

Signal is a wonderful secure messaging app that’s far safer than Facebook or WhatsApp.

Picking A VPN To Stay Secure

The internet is censored in many parts of the world, so to ensure you can access the websites you want (plus an extra level of privacy), it’s important to download a good VPN (virtual private network) before you leave.

I personally use Proton VPN, they have an iPhone app too. Love it!

How To Receive Mail & Packages

Receiving mail when you’re moving around all the time used to be a problem, but it’s not anymore. Signing up for a virtual mail service like Earth Class Mail gives you a physical address to send important mail, with the ability to read your mail online and get it forwarded anywhere you want.

Insurance For Digital Nomads

Accidents happen. And without insurance, depending on the country you’re in, you could be screwed. Luckily there are some good health insurance options specifically for digital nomads. The two most popular are SafetyWing and World Nomads. I’ve used them both!

You can learn more about insurance for nomads here.

Getting Around

Once you fly to your destination, there are a few ways to get around. Unlike the United States, many countries have much better public transportation systems in place. Buses, trains, and taxi service are all viable options.

In other countries, its possible (and not too expensive) to rent a motorbike or small car for months at a time. In Thailand and the Philippines I rented scooters, in Mexico, Spain and Italy I used public transportation and simply rented a car when needed.

Finding Accommodation

• Booking.com is the best hotel & hostel search engine I’ve found for locating short-term accommodation. It’s really easy to use.
• Airbnb.com is where most digital nomads go if they want to rent a local apartment for a month or two. More convenient than local classified ads.
• Coliving.com is a site that specializes in sharing long-term accommodation with other digital nomads around the world.

Making Friends

Isn’t it lonely being a digital nomad? Sure, but there are ways to mitigate that feeling. Backpacker hostels are a fun way to meet other travelers, but it can be tough to get work done in a party atmosphere like that.

Working from cafes or co-working spaces is one way to put yourself in a position to meet like-minded people no matter where you are.

There are expat communities in virtually every country, and you’ll be able to find other foreigners who are looking to meet new people. There are also some good digital nomad Facebook Groups like Global Digital Nomad Network and Digital Nomads Around The World.

You can go to local events, festivals, take a language class, search for local meetup groups through MeetUp.com or Couchsurfing.com

Of course, there’s always Tinder too!

Emergency Backup Plans

When you’re traveling by yourself overseas, it’s always wise to have an emergency fund set aside for, well, emergencies. A death in the family, a car accident, getting robbed, running out of money, political unrest, natural disasters, a worldwide pandemic, alien invasion, etc.

You want to be able to fly home quickly, and have enough money for accommodation if needed, and maybe to ride out a few months without any income. You never know! Make sure to read my guide to travel safety too.

I’d recommend setting aside $3000 – $5000 in a separate checking or savings account that you won’t be tempted to touch while you’re traveling.

STEP 3: Where To Go?

Working On Tourist Visas

Most digital nomads travel on tourist visas, which is kind of a legal grey-area. You are not technically supposed to “work” on a tourist visa.

Unfortunately digital nomads are not well understood in many parts of the world, and the laws are not set up kindly for us. While we are technically working, we’re not taking jobs away from locals — which is what work visas try to prevent.

When immigration asks what you’re doing in their country, most digital nomads say “tourist”.

When officials ask what I do for a living, I say I work in marketing, and I’m traveling on vacation. Keep it simple. Complicated explanations will get you pulled aside for more questioning, and possibly denied entry if they don’t like or understand your answer.

Digital Nomad Work Visas

There are a few progressive-thinking governments out there that have been trying to attract digital nomads to come live and work in their countries. They’ve created special remote work visas that you can apply for. Some examples:

• Estonia
• Georgia
• Barbados
• Bermuda
• Croatia

Popular Digital Nomad Destinations

Many digital nomads seem to congregate in certain “hub” countries due to a combination of low-cost living, decent internet access, and the ability to renew tourist visas over and over again.

I’ve lived in a few of these locations over the years, like Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Below are some of the most common ones, but you can do even more research on this website.

• Thailand
• Indonesia
• Mexico
• Portugal
• Hungary
• Spain
• Colombia

But you don’t need to live in a foreign country to be a digital nomad.

There are many remote workers who live in their own country — for example I lived temporarily in Colorado, California, Texas and now Utah over the past few years.

Many digital nomads buy RVs or convert vans into homes too.

The key is location independence — freedom to move without many obstacles.

STEP 4: Making The Digital Nomad Leap

Saving Money

While it’s certainly possible to travel very cheaply, it’s not free, and you’ll need to save some money before starting your adventure around the world.

If you currently have a day job, you’ll need to try and downsize your lifestyle, spend less, maybe find a way to earn some side income, or take on a second part-time job on nights and weekends.

I DO NOT recommend quitting your day job until you either have a very healthy savings account that will pay for your travel, or you’ve already built up a side-hustle that is making regular income.

It’s not fun running out of money in a foreign country!

Build your online business first, or find a job that allows you to work remotely before leaving to travel as a digital nomad. Here are some articles to help:

• How To Save Money Before Traveling
• How To Make Extra Money On The Side

Getting Rid Of Your Things

There was something magical about selling or donating most of my worldly possessions back before I left the country. I swear it was therapeutic.

Embrace minimalism, and start listing your crap on Craigslist, Ebay, and Facebook Marketplace. It will be hard to part with things at first, but it eventually becomes addicting.

You can keep sentimental stuff like photos, important papers, or special heirlooms with family members or rent a small storage unit.

Optimizing your life to fit inside a backpack, you’ll soon realize just how little we really need to survive.

Dealing With Criticism

Trying to explain to family and friends that you want to quit your job and travel around the world is often a difficult task. Many people won’t understand or support your choice.

Choosing to ignore the critics and try anyway can be tough, for myself included.

If everyone you know and love is telling you it sounds like a bad idea, you’ll start second-guessing yourself.

Just know that there are currently millions of digital nomads out there doing this, so you’re not alone.

Tell them you’re taking a Gap Year or Sabbatical, just as an experiment. Send them some books or articles to read — like this one.

If your digital nomad experiment doesn’t work out, you can simply come back and get a “real job” again. It’s not the end of the world!

A Little Dose Of Reality…

In our heavily marketed online world, it seems everyone and their grandmother is trying to sell you a course or workshop touting the miracles of making money online and/or traveling the world.

Unfortunately there’s lots of smoke & mirrors out there, and it can be daunting trying to figure out who is legit, and who’s just full of sh*t.

After 10-years working online, I’ve seen everything. The reality is that people CAN make money online and travel as digital nomads — but not everyone is successful. Some people just aren’t cut out for the lifestyle or running the business side of things.

But the same is true for any new endeavor, whether it’s opening a restaurant or going to medical school. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!

It’s not easy. Becoming a digital nomad takes time, sacrifice, and hard work.

STILL WITH ME? GREAT! I know that was a long post. We’re just scratching the surface too — I’m writing a lot more on this topic soon, so make sure to sign up for my free monthly newsletter to get all my latest updates!

History & Future Of Digital Nomads

Now before I lose your attention to something else on the internet today, I wanted to share some fun digital nomad history with you.

The very first digital nomad was a guy named Steve Roberts who biked across America in 1984 while working from his Radio Shack Model 100 personal computer!

Writing articles from the road, then uploading them to his assistant in Ohio via a pay phone and a CompuServe account.

Then, in 1997, Japanese technologist Tsugio Makimoto predicted the rise of digital nomads in a book. He believed remote working would force nations “to compete for citizens”, and that digital nomad-ism would prompt “declines in materialism and nationalism”.

All of this was revolutionary back then, but look at us now…

These days I can post social media updates from a remote backpacking trip in the mountains of Afghanistan via satellite!

Remote work is only going to get easier in the future, as more companies realize they don’t need a physical office space anymore and new technologies like Elon Musk’s high-speed satellite internet service Starlink go online.

The future is looking bright for digital nomads and remote workers! ★

FAQ: Top Digital Nomad Questions

---

Enjoy This Article? Pin It!

---

READ MORE NOMADIC TRAVEL TIPS

I hope you enjoyed my guide to becoming a digital nomad! Hopefully you found it useful. Here are a few more wanderlust-inducing articles that I recommend you read next:

• What’s In My Travel Backpack?
• Useful Travel Photography Tips
• How To Become A Freelance Photographer
• Travel Scams You Need To Avoid
• This Is How I Get Paid To Travel

---

Have any questions about working as a digital nomad or long-term travel? Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter to share!

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Nomadic Living

How do long-term travelers and online businesses receive mail & packages while traveling? I use a virtual mailbox service that can scan and forward my mail anywhere.

I’ve been working as a digital nomad for the past 10-years, basing myself in multiple countries or simply living out of my backpack while traveling.

I’ve lived as an expat in Italy, France, Thailand, Mexico, and Spain.

Yet I have a virtual mailbox with a physical address in San Antonio, Texas.

Using this mailbox forwarding service, any incoming mail or packages are scanned, which I can then view through a dashboard to read my business or personal mail online.

From there, I can decide to scan the contents (letters), forward the mail/packages from my virtual PO box somewhere else, or have it shredded/recycled. I can even deposit checks from my computer!

My virtual mailbox service is incredibly helpful for running my online business and getting paid to travel around the world!

I use this virtual address to receive payments from clients, for business & personal bills, bank & credit card statements, legal documents, packages, and more.

Hi, I’m Matthew Karsten

I’ve been traveling the world for 10+ years as a professional photographer, writer, and digital nomad.

About The Author

Guide To Virtual Mail Forwarding In 2023

What Is A Virtual Mailbox?

A virtual mailbox is a special service that gives you an actual physical mailing address or virtual PO box that you can use as your permanent address for sending physical mail or packages, even if you’re traveling overseas.

Typical Virtual Mailbox Services Include:

• Online mail notification
• Online viewing of envelopes & packages
• Open and scan contents of your mail
• Mail forwarding service
• Shred, dispose or recycling of mail
• Package storage and shipping
• Check deposit service
• Signature upon delivery

Different online travel mailbox services offer different features. Some are more advanced than others.

There’s usually a base price with additional fees depending on which extra’s you want (like check deposit) or how much mail you receive.

Some virtual mailboxes offer a PO box address, while others offer a real physical street address — which is often required for many banks and official government correspondence.

Best Virtual Mailbox Services For Travel

1. Anytime Mailbox

COST: Starts at $5.99 USD per month

Anytime Mailbox is an international online postal mailbox service that can scan your mail, offers recycling and shredding, and mail forwarding. They have over 1200 address locations available worldwide in the US, Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania.

Plus they have their own iOS and Android apps to access your mail from your smartphone.

Anytime Mailbox is the cheapest virtual mailbox in this list, depending on what level of service you choose and where the address is. They also have physical locations that allow you to pick up your mail in person.

2. Earth Class Mail

COST: $69-$179 USD per month

Earth Class Mail is the virtual mailbox service that I personally use. Their suite of features is the most advanced, especially if you’re running an online business.

They have the largest number of US-based addresses for different states of all the services mentioned here. Their online software, features, speed, and sorting facilities are top-notch, but you’ll also pay a premium for it.

While expensive, I can’t imagine running my travel blog without virtual mailbox forwarding. It’s one business expense that’s totally worth it. I use it to receive client checks, important packages, business & personal banking correspondence, tax documents, everything!

The digital mailbox service integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, Bill.com, Dropbox, Google Drive, and more.

They also offer a fully-automated CheckStream Deposit Service if your business receives a lot of physical checks.

3. Traveling Mailbox

COST: $15-$159 USD per month

Traveling Mailbox is another decent mail forwarding service with 5 plans to choose depending on your needs. Like Earth Class Mail, all accounts include basic envelope scans, junk mail filtering, unlimited cloud storage and free mail shredding.

They have over 30 addresses around the US. Premium features like check deposits cost extra. There are additional fees if you go over your monthly limits. The service integrates with Evernote, Bill.com and Dropbox.

4. US Global Mail

COST: $10-$20 USD per month

US Global Mail has been around since 1998, and they offer individual and family plans for short-term (monthly) or long-term (1-2 year) periods.

They offer free letter storage for 180 days, and free package storage for 30 days. Mail forwarding rates are quite affordable. One major downside is that they only offer one address location in Houston, Texas. This isn’t ideal if you need your address to match your state of residence.

5. Post Scan Mail

COST: $10-$35 USD per month

Post Scan Mail is another virtual mailing service that allows you to open mail virtually, scan it, forward it, store it, or have it destroyed.

They offer unlimited shredding and recycling, so you don’t have to pay extra for getting rid of junk mail sent to your virtual address.

Post Scan Mail gives you free online storage for all your scans, whether they are scans of the documents of the envelopes. Their folders make organizing your mail easier too.

Who Should Consider A Virtual Mailbox?

Long-Term Travelers

You’ve saved money for years, and are now planning your dream trip around the world. Or maybe you snagged one of those new remote work visas. But who will take care of your mail? If you don’t want to burden family or friends with sorting your mail, a virtual mailbox is a perfect option.

Online Businesses

Are you running your online business from a home office? A virtual mailing address can help prevent extra junk mail, and give you a more prestigious address located in a big city. It will also give you an anonymous mailbox to keep your home address safe from prying eyes.

Digital Nomads

Are you one of the 4.8 million Americans who now call themselves digital nomads? Technology has made the digital office and nomadic living a reality for many, and now you don’t have to be tied down by physical mail either.

RVers & Vanlifers

Living out of a vehicle like an RV or campervan poses a challenge to receiving your mail & packages, especially if you’re on the road. Forward your mail to the next RV campground you plan to stop at, no matter what state you’re driving through.

Expats

Are you living overseas in a foreign country with a travel-friendly job, but want to keep a physical mailing address in the US for billing, voting, and tax purposes? Sign up for a virtual mailing address in your former home state.

How To Set Up Mail Forwarding

To officially authorize your virtual mail service to receive mail on your behalf, you need to complete USPS Form 1583 and have it notarized.

Unless you’re signing up for Earth Class Mail, who offers free complimentary notarized online activation, you’ll need to get the form notarized in person.

Or if you’re already outside the United States — through an online notary service like NotaryCam (which only costs $25).

Where To Pick Up Your Mail

So, now that you have your virtual mailbox set up, where do you actually forward your mail if you’re living out of an RV or backpacking overseas?

Hotels

Many nicer hotels will let you forward mail and packages to them if you have a reservation there. The problem is timing your stay with when the mail will arrive. I’ve done this a few times. It’s safer to book a room for a least a few days.

Coworking Spaces

Many co-working spaces allow members to receive mail at the office. Again, you may need to sign up to become a member for a week, a month, etc.

Local Post Offices

Some post offices in foreign countries allow you to forward your mail to them, to be picked up later.

FedEx, UPS, DHL

It’s also possible to send packages to the local office of these popular shipping companies, where you can then pick it up when you arrive. You’ll need to ship it via their particular service though. I’d call ahead to let them know what you want to do, and ask how long they’ll hold your package for you.

Virtual Mailbox Tips & Advice

• Reduce the amount of physical mail you generate by signing up for paperless billing and online statements. Opt out of credit card & insurance offers using https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
• Many financial institutions require a physical mailing address and don’t allow PO boxes. Make sure to choose a plan accordingly.
• When picking a virtual mailbox service, pay attention to the plan limits and figure out how much mail you think you’ll receive.
• You might be able to reduce your state taxes by setting up residency in a state with no income tax. Pick a virtual address in that same state.

---

Enjoy This Article? Pin It!

---

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Travel Blogging Tips

Travel blogging has given me the freedom to travel the world for the past 10 years. This detailed guide will show you how to start a travel blog & eventually make money with it.

Already Have A Blog?

Make sure to read my more advanced post about how to become a successful travel blogger & make money.

Click Here For Free Guide

I’ve been working as a travel blogger & photographer for the past 10-years, and earn six figures annually from professional blogging. So I regularly receive tons of email and questions asking for tips about how to start a travel blog.

I know, I get it. Seeing constant photos from my wild travel adventures on your Facebook or Instagram feeds makes it look like a dream job…

After all, I get paid to travel the world! I admit it’s a pretty sweet gig.

But travel blogging isn’t as easy as it looks from the outside. There’s a lot of work going on in the background that most people don’t see.

So today I wanted to share a useful guide on how to get started travel blogging. Or any type of blogging really. Because it’s the very first step to becoming a successful blogger!

How To Start A Travel Blog In 2022

The Travel Blogging Journey

The act of starting your very first travel blog is actually pretty easy. If you follow my guide, you can have your own blog up and running today.

However, starting your blog is just the tip of the iceberg.

Now keep in mind the following advice is for those who are prepared to take travel blogging seriously, as some of these steps require spending money.

If you just want to blog as a part-time hobby, you can always start a simple travel blog for family & friends on WordPress.com. It’s totally free!

But if you’re interested in making money with travel blogging like I do, keep reading below for the details.

💥 Essential First Step To Start A Blog 💥

In order to get you started down the right path building a brand new travel blog, you’re going to need an (affordable) domain name and hosting — we’ll be using the provider I personally recommend to make it easy.

Get a free domain name and up to 60% off a hosting plan with BlueHost.

1. Pick A Name For Your Travel Blog

My first travel blog was called YearAroundTheWorld.com. Do you see the obvious problem with that domain name? Well, I didn’t, not until later.

I was backpacking through Central America, blogging about my experiences and having a great time — when I suddenly decided I wanted to travel for longer than one year. Whoops!

Make It Short & Memorable

Your travel blog domain name should be relatively short, easy to type, easy to spell, easy to remember, and easy to share. I recommend brainstorming by writing down a bunch of words you think will best describe your blog.

Adventure? Food? Culture? South America? What do you want to write about? Who are you? What is your passion? Write everything down and start playing with different combinations of words.

Try using a thesaurus. Ask your friends for advice & suggestions.

Avoid Hyphens & Numbers

This can be difficult to do these days, but it helps to avoid using hyphens or numbers in your domain name because otherwise you’ll be forced to explain it to someone. For example:

POTENTIAL READER: “You have a travel blog? Cool! Where do I find it?”

YOU: “Oh, it’s called expert hyphen vagabond the number 100 dot com.”

As you can see, this type of domain isn’t the greatest for word-of-mouth marketing, which happens to be a good source of promotion while you’re traveling and meeting people.

Avoid Overused Words & Similar Branding

Avoid trademarked company names or words that may be overused in the industry. Sure, you can pick something like Nomadic Bob, Adventurous Wendy, or Wandering Clarence.

But domain names like that won’t stand out very much in the travel blogging niche because those ideas have already been taken by others who are more established.

You’ll have better luck in the long-run with something more original.

Try To Think Long-Term!

Think good & hard about choosing your travel blog’s domain name, because changing it, later on, isn’t easy (or fun). Be careful not to pigeonhole yourself.

If you call your blog Twenty-Something Travel like my friend Steph (sorry Steph!), what happens when you turn 30? Branding yourself is important in the travel blogging business.

I was thinking long-term when I eventually changed my blog’s name to expertvagabond.com because, let’s face it, at 3 months in I was HARDLY an expert.

Yet I was passionate about becoming a professional travel blogger and knew eventually this would be perfect. I’d just have to grow into my new name!

2. Get Hosting For Your Blog

What the heck is hosting? It’s not as confusing as it sounds. Most websites need to “rent” space on the internet. A place to store all your blog’s data, files, and photos so that people around the world can easily access it when they type in your domain name.

Hosting can actually be pretty cheap. I recommend new travel blogs get hosting with BlueHost. There are many different hosting companies out there, but BlueHost is very affordable & makes setting up a new travel blog crazy easy.

They offer quality shared hosting for a very low price (only $2.95 per month for 12 months through this link).

[Full Disclosure: As an affiliate, I receive compensation if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. But I’d still recommend them even if I wasn’t!]

Eventually, when you have hundreds of thousands of visitors per month on your blog like me, you may want to upgrade your hosting to a dedicated server. But those can be expensive (mine is over $200 a month)…

So if you are just starting out, getting a basic hosting account with BlueHost is much more affordable.

How To Set Up Your Travel Blog

STEP A: Click the green button that says “GET STARTED NOW.”

STEP B: Pick a hosting plan depending on your budget/goals.

STEP C: Check to see if your blog name (domain name) is available.

STEP D: Add extra features if you want to.

The only feature I really recommend is Domain Privacy Protection. Otherwise, anyone can look up who owns your site, giving them access to your contact info. This way they won’t be able to.

➜ Get Your Free Domain & Hosting Now

3. Install WordPress Software

To start a serious travel blog, you want a self-hosted WordPress account. This means the WordPress software resides on your hosting company’s servers, not on a free WordPress.com account. What’s the difference?

• Your website is “MyTravelBlog.com” rather than “MyTravelBlog.WordPress.com”
• You own your data and have full control
• You can sell advertising on your site
• You can install plugins & custom themes
• You can use Google Analytics tracking (important)

Yes, you want to use WordPress too. Not Blogspot, not Blogger, not anything else. WordPress is the king of blogging, and probably always will be.

Most professional websites use the WordPress blogging platform these days, even major brands like the New York Times, BBC, Time, Beyonce, etc. You’re in good company!

BlueHost Makes It Easy!

Installing WordPress with your BlueHost Account is super easy — because it’s done automatically with the click of a button.

Once installed, you’ll be able to log into the WordPress dashboard with your new username and password and start building your site. Welcome to the club! You now have a travel blog.

That wasn’t too hard, was it? But wait, there’s a little more!

4. Learn How To Use WordPress

Feeling intimidated about WordPress? Don’t worry. Because it’s the industry standard when it comes to blogging platforms, and has been for years, there are TONS of useful tutorials online that will teach you about anything you need.

Here is my favorite free WordPress training resources:

• WordPress itself has a huge library of free wordpress lessons that will help you get started.
• If you become a BlueHost customer, ask customer support about Blue Flash, their own series of free tutorials and guides.

Basically, spend a Saturday learning how to use your WordPress dashboard, how to tweak your site’s settings, how to post an article, etc. You’ll get the hang of everything with practice.

5. Download A Professional Theme

Your new WordPress blog comes with a couple of standard “themes”, or designs for your site. While this is ok for playing around in the beginning, if you want to take this seriously and eventually make money with your travel blog, you should buy a premium design.

Professional blog themes start around $50, and they’ll greatly improve the look and functionality of your site.

I’ve changed themes a few times over the years, but the current one I’m using is called Trellis. I’ve also used & enjoyed GeneratePress in the past. Both are fast, responsive blog themes.

Many professional themes provide a support forum where you can ask questions about customization, and someone will help you get the look you’re after using CSS/HTML coding. Or, you can hire a cheap web developer through Upwork to do custom design work on your site.

You may also want to have a cool logo created. I used a site called 99 Designs for mine. A professional logo really makes your brand stand out from the thousands of other travel blogs online.

6. Install Essential Plugins

You can think of WordPress plugins as third-party apps for your travel website. They give your blog additional features. Most plugins are free, some you have to pay for.

You can download new plugins in the “plugin” section of your WordPress Dashboard.

Here’s my recommended list of plugins to install with your travel blog.

• Akismet – Protects your blog from spammers leaving comments on your posts. Not perfect, but probably the best one out there.
• Yoast SEO – Very important plugin for optimizing your articles for Google search, plus integrating Google Sitemaps and Analytics.
• Easy Social Share Buttons – Nice social media sharing buttons for your articles.
• WP Rocket – Caching plugin that speeds up your travel blog
• Imagify – Automaticaly optimizes your media library images for fast loading

There are others of course, but these will get you started.

7. Craft Your Online Persona

Create An About Page

One of the first things you should do on your blog is to create an about page. This is one of the most highly trafficked pages on any travel blog, because it tells people who you are, your background, and explains why they should follow you.

Keep it fun and personable. Let your readers know who you really are!

Embrace Social Media

If you want to build a successful and profitable travel blog, posting regularly to social media is important.

Learning how to master social media is a huge topic, one that I cover more here: Secrets Of Professional Travel Blogging

To begin, sign up for all the most popular platforms, and keep your social media username the same on all of them if possible. Otherwise, people can get confused.

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Pinterest

A note on social media. Sometimes people ask me if they should start their travel blogs on Facebook or Instagram instead of having an actual website.

No, I don’t recommend relying on Facebook or Instagram. You don’t have any control over those platforms, and they could easily disappear in the future.

Use social media to promote and support your blog. Don’t build your business on a platform you have no control over, it’s just too risky.

8. Writing Your First Blog Posts

Now it’s time to begin creating content for your travel blog. When you first start out, I recommend publishing new articles at least 1-2 times per week. But remember, quality is more important than quantity!

Take your time to craft excellent, useful blog posts that have impact. You want your articles to inspire wanderlust, but they should include plenty of actionable tips too.

In the beginning, maybe tell people why you are starting a travel blog. Or share what you’re packing for an upcoming trip.

Share your favorite (or not so favorite) parts of a country. Give tips for fun things to do, share your crazy travel stories, show-off your beautiful images in photo essays, create a short video tour, or give food recommendations.

Whatever the topic is, writing a blog post will help you understand how to publish images, headers, and all the other formatting that comes with publishing on WordPress.

Try writing about different topics to find your voice, and see what kinds of posts actually resonate with readers.

For example, road trip guides do really well on my site. But I didn’t discover that until later. You need to experiment!

Need some ideas? Here are some of my most popular blog posts.

What If You’re Not Traveling Now?

Are you still planning your travels? Well, you can write about that too. Share different ways you are saving money for travel or maybe a bucket list of activities you want to try.

However my favorite strategy is to write about what you know.

As an example, let’s say you live in Richmond, Virginia. Maybe you don’t think it’s an interesting city to write about, yet there are thousands of people looking for travel tips about Richmond every day.

Share what you know with them! Help these people have a great trip, and they will become regular readers.

TripAdvisor recommends 225 things to do in Richmond. That’s easily a year’s worth of blog posts right there!

Network With Other Bloggers

Remember to read other travel blogs for inspiration and ideas, and leave thoughtful comments on their articles. Link to other people’s blog posts from your site when appropriate.

Become an active member of the travel blogging community.

9. Start Making Money With Your Blog!

At first, your only readers will be family and friends. But that’s ok! We all started like that. To begin making money with your travel blog, you need to have a larger audience than just family and friends.

The more traffic your travel blog receives, the more money you can make with it. It takes time to build an audience and grow traffic. Don’t focus on making money right away, focus on building your audience.

However, you can start earning income early with Affiliate Programs.

Basically, affiliate programs let you recommend things like clothing, travel gear, photography equipment, tours, or even hotels you stay at within your blog posts. You then earn a small commission whenever someone clicks on one of these tracking links and buys something.

Some of my favorite affiliate programs to earn good money on my travel blog include Discover Cars, Get Your Guide Tours, Amazon.com, and Booking.com. There are many more too.

Another option is showing display ads with Google Adsense, which lets other companies post banner advertisements on your travel blog.

How Much Money Can You Make From A Travel Blog?

Honestly, the sky (and your imagination) is the limit. In the beginning, you won’t be earning too much money though, and it really depends on how much time you put into it.

Your income and success grow only when your audience grows. So that should be your first priority moving forward!

Attracting new readers to your blog with great travel content.

To give you an example, you might be able to make a few hundred dollars (or a few thousand) per month after a year of blogging. It really depends on all kinds of unknowable factors.

While it took me about four years to start earning over $100,000 a year from blogging, others I know were able to achieve this milestone even earlier!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Really Make Money Blogging?

Yes. To become a successful travel blogger though, you need to provide value to others. Blogging about your day is not the same as writing a helpful destination travel guide. In addition to the fun articles, produce stuff people are actually searching for!

How Much Does It Cost To Start A Travel Blog

The up-front costs for starting a travel blog are pretty cheap. If you sign up for hosting with BlueHost, it’s only $2.95 a month (for the 36 month package).

Plus, you might want to download a profession theme for about $50. Not needed, but it does help you stand out.

On top of those expenses, you may want a nice logo designed too. Using a site like 99 Designs, you can have one made for another $50. So all-in, you’re looking at spending about $150 upfront.

Is Travel Blogging Too Saturated?

While it may seem like everyone and their grandmother has a blog these days, most people don’t take it very seriously. Only the most dedicated make a living with it. So it’s really up to you how much effort you put in.

Do You Need A Laptop & Camera?

Yes, you’ll need both. They don’t have to be top-of-the-line, but you’ll want a computer for writing and sharing blog posts, and a camera for capturing images from your adventures. Here are my favorite travel cameras.

Should I Enroll In A Travel Blogging Course?

Buying an online course isn’t a requirement to building a travel blog. But like anything in life, if you want to get good at something, investing time & money to be trained certainly helps. Once you’ve set up your first blog, if you want some more direction, I highly recommend the Superstar Blogging Course.

Happy Travel Blogging!

Setting up a travel blog is easy, but please be aware that building an audience is much tougher. You shouldn’t expect to see any large reader numbers for at least a year, maybe longer.

That’s one full year of blogging on a regular basis, and putting in at least 10-hours a week (most professional bloggers work 30+ hours a week).

Yes, it’s a dream job, but travel blogging is still a job that requires hard work. Creating a successful travel blog won’t happen overnight either.

But no risk, no reward! Good luck out there, and happy travel blogging. ★

Already Have A Blog?

Make sure to read my more advanced post about how to become a successful travel blogger & make money.

Click Here For Free Guide

---

Enjoy This Article? Pin It!

---

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.

Paid To Travel

After 10-years traveling the world, my most common question is: “how do you make money traveling?” or “how do you get paid to travel?” So here’s my detailed answer.

Working as a professional travel blogger and photographer has been a dream come true after many years of hard work.

But I completely understand your curiosity. How am I getting paid to travel around the world so much?

It always seems like I’m on a perpetual vacation, going on wild adventures to places like Costa Rica, Morocco, Antarctica, Iceland, and Afghanistan — but there’s a lot more to it behind the scenes. Somehow I need to make a living!

How exactly do I make money? How do I fund my travels? Do I have sponsors? Who is paying me to travel the world?

I know it doesn’t seem possible, but it is. And I’m about to show you how.

Getting Paid To Travel In 2023

Want To Get Paid To Travel?

What started as a hobby is now my full-time job. Interested in starting a blog to make money while traveling?

Click Here For Free Guide

How Do I Fund My Adventures?

There are many different ways to get paid to travel the world. For me, I make money from this travel blog you’re reading now, which I started ten years ago.

However, I’ll share other travel-friendly jobs at the end of this article too.

My own income sources can change from year to year, and some are more complicated than others. Attempting to explain how I get paid to travel in casual conversation usually takes a while.

Often times I’ll just throw out “travel writer” or “photographer” to avoid a lengthy discussion. Basically a full-time digital nomad.

But because this is the big question everyone wants an answer to, I’ll finally try to clarify the details for you today.

You’ll learn exactly how I’ve funded my travels for the past 10 years — and how I’m able to use my blog to get paid for traveling around the world.

Paid To Travel The World

It was 2009 when I first began planning to quit my job and travel. I was inspired by two friends. Both were traveling very cheaply, on a backpacker’s budget, living on less than it takes to live in the United States.

I was completely enthralled with their photos and stories from exotic destinations around the world. They had me reading inspiring books and quotes about travel, and I was hooked!

At the time, I didn’t realize you could travel long-term for less than $1000 a month! Budget travel was an entirely new concept for me.

My buddy Ferenc was backpacking through Southeast Asia, making money advertising with Google Adsense on his photography website.

My friend Katie was working on private yachts as a chef, island hopping around the Caribbean and Mediterranean.

I thought if they could make money traveling like this, so could I!

Saving Money To Travel

My family isn’t wealthy (by American standards), and I’ve never had a trust fund. According to US statistics I was lower-middle class, a single dude living in South Florida working 2 jobs earning about $30k per year.

How could I possibly save money to travel the world for a year living on that?

The answer is I downsized my lifestyle to live on even less.

I’d just finished paying off my car, so I decided to sell it. I canceled my car insurance, gym membership, and Netflix subscription. I purchased a used commuter bicycle, a rain poncho, and a bus pass to get around.

I sold off almost everything of any value that I owned. Goodbye DJ turntables, goodbye stereo, goodbye sports equipment.

I stopped going out to bars, restaurants, and nightclubs too. I cooked a lot of pasta & rice at home. Made my own cheap sandwiches for lunch.

I rented a small room for $400 in a small 2 bedroom house I shared with 2 other people in the suburbs.

These simple (but boring) actions allowed me to save about $7000 over the course of a year. It required discipline, and it wasn’t exactly “fun”.

Making Money While Traveling

While I spent a year saving money for (what would initially be) a 12-month journey through Central America, I was also dedicating my free time to developing a side-hustle to make extra money that would help pay the bills as I traveled.

I worked countless coffee-fueled nights and weekends doing hundreds of hours of research to learn about and build a small online business writing and selling digital guides (aka ebooks). My social life kind of fell apart because I wasn’t going out much… only working on my side business.

But chasing my travel dreams was more important to me at the time.

When I finally left for Guatemala in November of 2010, in addition to my savings, I was also earning $1000-$2000 a month selling three different how-to guides on various topics related to the nightlife industry.

After a few years, my ebook side-income business slowed down, as much of my success was from advertising with Google Adwords, a platform that shows ads in your search results. Google made changes that hurt my business a lot.

Luckily by then I’d begun to diversify my income streams, and was earning money from my travel blog. And have continued to ever since.

Current Blog Income Sources

1. Influencer Marketing

Companies pay me to travel by advertising on this blog and my social media accounts. It takes many forms, like sponsored blog posts, Instagram features, brand ambassadorship programs, or newsletter mentions.

I’ve built up a large loyal audience of people who are interested in travel, and these companies want access to that audience.

Examples include deals with respected companies like American Express, Momondo, Citizen Watches, or Backcountry.

I always include a disclaimer if I’m partnering with a brand and only work with companies that I admire and trust.

2. Affiliate Marketing

Whenever I share my favorite travel gear, photography equipment, books, or online courses with you, I include special affiliate tracking links to those products.

This means if you decide to click through and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission. The price remains the same whether you use my special link or not.

Examples include Discover Cars, Get Your Guide Tours, Amazon, Backcountry, Booking, Airbnb, Adorama Photo, and many more.

There are also dedicated affiliate networks like Share A Sale and Commission Junction who represent all kinds of different products.

To see my affiliate links in action, check out my Travel Gear Guide.

While individual commissions might be pretty small, this site receives 500,000+ pageviews per month. Many people are clicking on those links and buying things, which allows me to get paid to travel.

3. Freelance Travel Photography

I earn money licensing my travel photography for use in commercial marketing campaigns, or for editorial use by media outlets. Tour companies, national tourism boards, outdoor brands, magazines, book publishers and others buy my images from time to time.

I’ve even sold travel photography to National Geographic!

Selling travel photography prints is not a huge income source for me. Most photography income comes from working with brands/destinations/media outlets who find me online.

Another source of income is when I go after people using my images without permission, and force them to buy a license. Copyright theft is rampant online, and as the owner of these images, I’m legally entitled to compensation. I’m able to do this through a service called Ryde One.

Best Online Photography Courses

Want to improve your photography? Learning from other photographers is the fastest way.

Click Here For Free Guide

4. Destination Marketing

Occasionally a country’s tourism board will invite me to visit and write about my experiences traveling through their country.

In the past these were unpaid; but flights, accommodation, and activities were covered like a traditional media press trip.

Well, now I’m getting paid to travel on these destination marketing projects. Usually, they reach out to me, but sometimes I’ll pitch a project to them too.

A campaign usually produces a mix of blog posts, social media content, photography, and video footage.

5. Display Advertising

Google has an advertising platform called Adsense. By placing some special code on your blog, they display relevant ads within the content of your site.

You earn income each time a reader clicks on one of these ads. They can also integrate into your YouTube videos, which is how vloggers make money.

If your blog receives enough traffic, premium advertising networks like Mediavine pay more than Adsense. Rates vary between $2 – $40 per 1000 views depending on your topic.

6. Paid Public Speaking

As a blogger, you can also get paid to travel by speaking at conferences and events around the world related to your topic. So in my case, I’ve spoken about travel photography and led some photography workshops.

Teaching others with a practical and inspirational speech is a skill that many companies will pay for. If you can build up your online brand, companies will start to seek you out for these kinds of speaking jobs.

Other Ways To Earn Money Traveling

There are other ways to make money from a travel blog which I currently don’t take advantage of. Here are some additional examples.

Freelance Travel Writing

I used to write travel articles for other websites. They needed content, and I had stories and experiences to share. TravelChannel.com was once one of my clients.

It can be a decent source of income for some people, for me it was sporadic. These days I’m able to earn more working on my own site rather than writing for others, so I generally don’t chase this type of income anymore.

Link Building

In the past, I also engaged in something called text-link advertising. Companies would pay just for a backlink to their website in my older posts, or provide a full pre-written “guest post” full of links for me to publish.

Why? Because it helps those companies increase their search engine results, sending more people to their website and growing their business.

The practice is frowned upon though, because it’s against Google’s guidelines.

If you’re caught by Google, it can backfire, so I don’t recommend it. Yet many bloggers still make money this way — so I thought I’d mention it.

Leading Tours Or Workshops

Some travel bloggers and photographers run their own group tours or photography workshops to exotic destinations around the world.

Some focus on budget travel, others focus on food, writing retreats, or improving photography techniques. Basically, you’re showing strangers around an area you know well, and hopefully teaching them something in the process.

Organizing a tour is a lot of work, but it can pay well too. I’ve run one adventure travel & photography tour to Russia, and while it was fun, I’m not sure I’ll do many of these in the future. I’m not a natural tour-guide! LOL.

Selling Ebooks Or Courses

Selling digital products is another way some travel bloggers earn income traveling. Either travel guides about a particular destination, or books about how to travel on a budget, how to make money from a travel blog, improving your photography, becoming a better travel writer, etc.

I find it kind of funny that I was able to fund my first year of traveling in part by selling ebooks, yet don’t sell any now. That may change in the future, as I have a lot of tips to share after doing this for so long!

How Much Do I Make Overall?

I know, I know. You want details. How much do I get paid to travel?

Asking someone exactly how much money they make is a very personal question, and it’s not something I’m entirely comfortable posting, but I’ll give you an idea.

This travel blog earns a healthy 6-figures of income each year.

I’m not a millionaire, but I’m not living in a cardboard box either.

While I started with humble roots, and still prefer to travel the world on a budget, I’m also able to save money these days. My wife & I recently bought a house in Utah. And we can splurge on expensive experiences from time to time.

Of course, there are also many expenses with running my business. Website hosting, photography equipment, travel expenses, etc.

No one paid me to travel to Greenland or Antarctica for example, but independent travel like this is also part of running my travel blog.

And the reality is that even now, I actually have no idea how much I’ll make each month because it can fluctuate from month to month. It’s one downside to working for yourself. In exchange for freedom, you often lose some security.

But I’ll choose freedom over security any day!

There have been a few occasions over the past ten years, earlier in my travel blogging journey, when my bank account was drained to its last $300…

Embracing uncertainty and risk on a quest to do what you love can be scary sometimes. Really scary!

Hey, I know what it’s like to live in a cave if it ever came down to that. :-)

I love what I do, and continue to learn new skills and work towards making this travel lifestyle sustainable, or at least until I no longer enjoy it.

I strongly believe that anything is possible with hard work, patience, and dedication.

You also can’t be afraid to take some risks or fail along the way.

Resources To Get Paid For Travel

I’m not going to sugar-coat this and tell you that making money while traveling has been easy. Quite the opposite actually. I work a lot more now than I did when I first started.

This income didn’t just appear overnight either, it’s taken me ten long years to get to this point.

I know these big numbers can be shocking for people who don’t understand how to blog for a living. Yes, blogging can be more than a hobby. It can be a viable business if you treat it like one.

Like all businesses though, it takes time to grow.

For the first 2 years, there’s no way I could’ve survived on my travel blog income alone.

However, if you’re determined to get paid to travel, here are some more resources I highly recommend:

• How To Start A Travel Blog: My step-by-step guide to starting your first travel blog. Or any blog for that matter (food, hiking, fashion, etc.)
• The Best Travel Jobs: Blogging not for you? Luckily there are many different ways to earn income while traveling.
• Ways To Make Extra Money: Not ready to quit your day job? Here are some ideas to earn extra money on the side.
• Vagabonding: This book by Rolf Potts convinced me to save money and travel the world as a budget backpacker.
• The 4-Hour Workweek: This book by Tim Ferriss is full of useful tips for building a location independent business.

I hope my article answered your questions about how I can afford to travel so much (it’s because I’m also getting paid to travel!).

It’s been a long and wild journey so far, and I’m thankful every day for the incredible life I’m living. ★

Want To Get Paid To Travel?

What started as a hobby is now my full-time job. Interested in starting a blog to make money while traveling?

Click Here For Free Guide

This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.