Just found out 40% of digital nomads in Chiang Mai stay less than a month

I was chatting with a coworking space owner in Chiang Mai last week and he showed me their stats. Turns out almost half the people who show up with their laptops end up bouncing within 3 weeks. I always thought the whole point was to slow travel and actually live somewhere for a few months. But apparently a ton of folks just come for a visa run or a quick trip and treat it like a vacation with wifi. It kinda surprised me since everyone talks about building routines and communities out here. Has anyone else noticed this trend in other popular spots like Medellin or Bali?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma_dixon7021d ago

I get what you're saying about booking 3 months to force yourself to settle in, but I really think most people don't ACTUALLY want to slow travel. They just say they do because it sounds cooler than "I'm taking a working vacation." I know a guy who came to Medellin with big plans about learning Spanish and finding a salsa class, and he was gone in 2 weeks because he missed his dog back in Texas. The whole "slow travel" thing feels like a goal we tell ourselves we SHOULD have, but in reality a lot of digital nomads just want a change of scenery and a cheap place to hang out for a bit. Plus, not everyone has the money or the job flexibility to commit to 3 months somewhere they've never been.

the_max21d ago

Sure, but @the_christopher's right that slow travel works if you brute force it.

the_christopher21d ago

Yeah that "building routines" thing is mostly a fantasy for most people lol. I've been bouncing around Southeast Asia for two years now and I'd say the real trick is to book a room for 3 months minimum right off the bat. Otherwise your brain stays in vacation mode and you'll bounce the second something minor annoys you. I did that in Bali and it forced me to actually unpack my bag and find a proper gym and coffee shop instead of just working from my bed until I got bored. Most people I see leaving early never even found a coworking space or a local spot to get lunch at, they just sat in their Airbnb the whole time.