The Digital Nomad Handbook

by Lonely Planet

Create a flexible lifestyle or remote work and travel.

Learn how to live and work on the road with the latest addition to Lonely Planet’s Handbook series, a practical guide inspiring and motivating people to achieve their goal of travelling more, starting a whole new way of living and creating a flexible work/life balance.

Divided into two sections, this informative book firstly explains the practicalities of working on the road, such as income generation, career changes, family and relationships, what to do with your ‘stuff’, overcoming common pre-departure fears, keeping healthy on the road and much more.

The second showcases a number of ideal destinations for digital nomads, offering invaluable travel insights and information about the location in question, pros and cons, as well as inspirational tales from digital nomads out on the road. From the palm-fringed beaches of blissful Bali to the bright, neon-lights of dynamic Seoul, wannabe nomads will be inspired to make the move and start a whole new way of living.

Written by some of Lonely Planet’s very own nomadic experts, this book is packed with top tips, insights and real life tales on what it’s really like to be working on the road.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Self Help, Reference

184 pages, Paperback

Published April 10, 2020

About the author

OUR STORY
A beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their first travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies and Lonely Planet was born. One hundred million guidebooks later, Lonely Planet is the world’s leading travel guide publisher with content to almost every destination on the planet.

Reviews

[Barack Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

578-The Digital Nomad Handbook-Lonely Planet

Barack
July 19th, 2025


The Digital Nomad Handbook, first published in 2020. This practical guide is designed to inspire people to achieve their goals of traveling more, start a new lifestyle, and achieve a flexible work-life balance. This informative guide is divided into two parts. The first part explains the practicalities of working on the road, such as generating income, career transitions, family and relationships, how to deal with "stuff", "overcoming common fears before departure", "staying healthy on the road", etc. The second part showcases some ideal destinations for digital nomads, provides valuable travel insights and information about the destinations, lists the pros and cons of these destinations, and inspiring stories of digital nomads on the road.

Lonely Planet was founded in Australia in 1973. It is a travel guide publisher. Lonely Planet was founded by Maureen and Tony Wheeler. In 1972, they set out on an overland journey across Europe, Asia and Australia, following the route of the Oxford and Cambridge Far East Expedition. The company name comes from the misheard "lovely planet" in a song by Matthew Moore. Lonely Planet's first book, "Asia on the Cheap", has 94 pages and was written by the couple at home. The first printing in 1973 consisted of a bound booklet with a light blue cardboard cover.

Wheeler returned to Asia and wrote Traveling Asia on the Cheap: The Complete Overland Guide, published in 1975. The Lonely Planet series of guides initially expanded to other countries in Asia, with India published in 1981, and later to other parts of the world.

Jeff Crowther was known for frequently adding his own opinions to the guidebook texts. His work was crucial to the rise of Lonely Planet, which had sold 30 million guidebooks by 1999. The company's authors benefited from a share of the profits and hosted expensive events at the Melbourne office, with Lonely Planet authors arriving in limousines. In 2007, the Wheeler family and John Singleton sold 75% of the company to BBC Worldwide for an estimated £63 million.

Table of Content
1. MAKING THE LEAP
Are You A Digital Nomad?
What's Stopping You?
Ten Perks Of Being A Digital Nomad
2. How to be a digital nomad
Top Trades For Digital Nomads
Using Your Existing Skills
What Jobs Do Digital Nomads Do?
Become A Travel Blogger
Top 5 Blogging Platforms
Making Your Blog Stand Out
Promoting Your Blog
Making Money From Your Blog
Other Kinds Of Writing
Become An Influencer
Code Your Way Around The World
Working The Web
Being Virtually There
Online Creativity
Distance Learning Made Easy
3.WHERE TO GO
Choosing A Destination
Five Vital Attributes For A Digital Destination
Types Of Digital Hubs
Getting There
Alternative Travel Tips For Environmentalists
4. BEFORE YOU GO
Pre-Departure Health Essentials
Money & Budgeting
Managing Your Money Overseas
Getting Paid
Tax Tips
Visas & Paperwork
Work-Friendly Visas
The Visa Run
Travel Insurance
Fifteen Items Every Digital Nomad Should Carry
Tech Tips for Digital Nomads
Tech-Safe Travel
Setting Out Your Stall
5.ON THE ROAD
Arriving In Your Destination
Accommodation
Eating & Drinking
Choosing Your Workspace
Tips For Finding Wi-Fi
Connecting With Other Digital Nomads
Getting Around
Work-Life Balance
Being A Stranger In A Strange Land
Staying Connected
Learning The Lingo
Ten Ways To Overcome Loneliness
Keeping Healthy On The Road
Healthy Eating
Exercise Your Way Healthy
Personal Safety
Six Apps For Staying Safe
Planning For Your Return


Simply put, digital nomads are people who do not rely on a fixed salary for income. Their way of working reminds me of "bounty hunters" in games or "contract workers" in real life - such as workers who repair water and electricity on site. However, the biggest difference between the two is the way to complete tasks: bounty hunters or water and electricity workers in games rely on offline labor, while the essence of digital nomads lies in the word "digital" - their work is completely completed through the Internet. In fact, the occupational form of "contract workers" itself is not new and has long existed in the real world. But the uniqueness of digital nomads is that they complete almost all their work through online means. This model has become more and more common with the development of the IT industry and the popularization of the Internet. I myself am a computer major and work in IT-related jobs. In fact, many times, our tasks can also be completed remotely. The only difference is that most people choose to complete these "online" jobs in the office. After 2020, affected by force majeure, the wave of remote work has risen rapidly. Whether the company takes the initiative or is passive, more and more organizations are beginning to allow employees to work from home. Although some companies have resumed the traditional five-day offline working model as the situation improves, many companies continue to promote hybrid working or even completely remote working. This has also created soil for the development of digital nomads. However, remote working is not the same as digital nomads. I think there is another core difference: digital nomads usually do not serve a specific employer. They do not live on a fixed salary, but are paid through project tasks. This also means that their "career development path" is not the traditional "promotion and salary increase" - not climbing up the company's promotion ladder through years of service or performance standards. On the contrary, the career growth path of digital nomads is more capability-driven. Take programmers as an example. If you make a living by writing programs online, then your growth path is to continuously improve your code quality and delivery efficiency. At the beginning, you may only be able to take on some $ 100 tasks, and later, as your ability improves, you can take on more complex and higher-paying $ 1,000 projects. Your own ability boundary is the ceiling of your income. The reason why I began to seriously think about "digital nomads" as a lifestyle is also because I have recently experienced some changes in my career. With the advent of the AI era, the reconstruction of work by technology is becoming more and more obvious, which makes me realize that the traditional career path is no longer the only option. Digital nomads may be one of the feasible career choices in the future.

The author also mentioned some common concerns that people may have about becoming a digital nomad in the book and explained them. For example, there is a common anxiety: "What if I regret my decision after making it?" I often have this thought myself. Indeed, many things in the world are not decided by "thinking clearly". Often, only after doing it can we truly understand what it means. "I'm worried about burning bridges." It takes courage to destroy the retreat and make a major change in life. One of the most realistic difficulties I think is: "self-loss of control" caused by the lack of external supervision. Compared with the punch-in system and boss supervision in traditional companies, digital nomads need to set goals and make schedules for themselves. However, the problem is that if these goals are not completed, there will be no immediate consequences; therefore, it is very easy to "slack off" and fall into a seemingly free but actually loose life state. Self-management is actually much more difficult than obeying others. Many digital nomads described by the author in the book are the "ideal type" who work and travel around the world at the same time. But I want to say that for me, this kind of life of traveling alone is not particularly attractive. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends more. Even if I become a digital nomad, I prefer to choose a city closer to my family and friends as my "station". However, in the final analysis, even if you don't become a digital nomad, you can't be truly "stable". Working in a company, you may be laid off at any time. And your past resume may not necessarily have an advantage when looking for the next job. Stability is actually an illusion. Another point that worries me is: "What if I have no money?" In the final analysis, the economic base determines the superstructure. If you don't have a stable income, you will be extremely anxious if you can't make ends meet. And this kind of anxiety is essentially another "self-control" problem - you must work hard to make money and try not to be swallowed by anxiety. Another key question is: "What if I can't find enough work?" This actually made me realize again recently: If you want to live as a "digital nomad", it is not enough to have skills. You are not only a "producer", but also a "seller" - you must be able to package your skills so that others are willing to pay for you. This is actually much more difficult than I thought before. I'm learning guitar recently, and many students in the class are children. Every time I see them, I have to overcome the thought in my mind - "Am I too old?" I began to realize that this self-limitation and identity anxiety are actually the real obstacles that prevent me from doing many things.

The first and biggest difficulty in becoming a digital nomad is to choose a career that can make money continuously. You have to find something that others are willing to pay for. This sounds simple, but it is actually very difficult. In my opinion, the ideal state is to find an intersection that meets the following three conditions at the same time:
1. You are genuinely interested;
2. You are relatively good at it, at least above average among the people around you;
3. There is a clear demand for this skill in the market.
As for where to live, how to apply for a visa, and which collaboration tool to use, these are all "later issues". The core question is always - how do you support yourself? This made me start to rethink: What is the purpose of going to college?
Of course, some answers are valid, such as "broaden your horizons" and "meet excellent people". But in the final analysis, after graduating from college, you have to face the reality of society, survival, and making a living. How do you make money and support yourself? This is a basic question that cannot be circumvented. Many people on campus think: "As long as I pass the exam, complete the credits, and get the diploma, everything will go smoothly." But the fact is that if you don't find the "fulcrum" that you can make a living from in advance, graduation may just be the beginning of anxiety. Even if you come from a prestigious school and study a popular major, your initial entry into the workplace may be relatively smooth, but who can guarantee that you will not be laid off? Who can guarantee that the job you find happens to be the "intersection" that you like, are good at, and that society needs? Going further, even if you find a job, can what you do every day really settle down and become part of your professional assets? Is it possible that what you do is only meaningful in this company, and once you leave, it is worthless? This is actually a very dangerous signal. It means that you may not dare to change jobs out of fear, or you may fall into complete confusion and powerlessness after being laid off by the company. To put it another way, even if you are lucky enough, the company is stable, the position is clear, and your job can be included in your resume, providing you with a livelihood for decades to come. But I still want to ask: When you are old and dying, will you feel satisfied? Has the job you do really ignited your passion and desire? Has it made you eager to do it to the extreme? If not - if you just make a living for the sake of making a living, is life too thin? Is it too regrettable? I think this is a question that each of us should think about.

Previously, I went to an alumni association event and happened to walk into a teahouse. The venue for the event was set up in this teahouse. During the casual chat with the staff, I became interested in this teahouse. On a whim, I immediately signed up for their elementary course and learned some basic knowledge about the six major types of tea. What's more, I also met the eldest son of the teahouse owner, a boy of about seventeen years old. Because of further contact with him, I had more intersections with his mother, the owner of the teahouse, and gradually learned about her story in the tea art industry. She told me that when she was in high school, she went to Guangzhou for a trip and accidentally attended a tea ceremony class. That class inspired her interest in tea art. After graduating from high school, with the support of her family, she opened a small tea shop and started her entrepreneurial journey. Today, more than 20 years have passed, and that small starting point has become her lifelong career. She also told me that she has never worked in a company in her life, and has always been doing business on her own and groping all the way. It turns out that the beginning of a career may not be the result of careful planning, but a spark ignited at a certain accidental moment. Looking back at my own life, isn't it the same? Many important people and important choices actually appear at a "seemingly unprepared" moment. Just like her accidental tea ceremony class, just like I accidentally walked into this tea house today. This book mentions "openness to uncertainty". I studied computer science when I was studying, and relatives and friends often came to me for help, asking if I could do some projects. But I always felt that those were just "small fights" and not worth investing time. So, I either refused directly or referred them to others. But now looking back, I began to ask myself: I obviously have the ability, why don't I spend some time to try? At that time, I thought: "It's not worth it to make this little money." Now my thoughts have changed - it has become: You never know which door is the door to your destiny. You think your destiny belongs to a clear direction, but life is often not like that. It will quietly send you a fork in the road on your way. It doesn't look gorgeous, and it may even be a bit absurd, but it may not be your "right fate". So now, I have learned to keep an open mind about life. When someone asks you to do something you have never done before, if you don't hate it, just give it a try; when someone asks you if you are willing to take on a project, if you are capable, just take it boldly; don't always think that there is only one "right way" in life, and don't live in the illusion of "the only solution". If you are willing to open up to life a little more, it may quietly give you some surprises in return.

The author lists 10 occupations suitable for digital nomads. The first one mentioned is software engineer - accepting development tasks through the Internet, receiving compensation, and writing programs for customers. For me, this one is very familiar. The rest of the occupations include:
1. Web Designer: Web designer ;
2. Travel Blogger: Travel blogger ;
3. Language Teacher: Of course, this is not necessarily limited to language teaching, in fact, it can also be STEM courses, as long as it is suitable for online teaching ;
4. SEO Specialist: Search engine optimization expert ;
5. Social Media Expert: Social media manager ;
6. Tech Support: Technical Support - I did similar work when I was at Microsoft, but it was on-site support for visual debugging; now most of this work can be done remotely;
7. Freelance Writer: A freelance writer, such as writing novels on Qidian Chinese website;
8. Graphic Designer: Graphic designer.
Of course, this list in the book is inevitably a bit outdated. Especially in recent years, with the rapid development of AI, some "non-blue-collar" positions have been partially replaced, or their entry barriers and competitive landscape have changed dramatically. At the same time, there are also some tasks that were difficult to complete independently in the past, but now they are easy to use because of tools and suitable for individuals to do alone. However, leaving aside the name of the profession, we can observe the common points of this type of work: their essence is to exchange "intellectual assets" as the core. Unlike "physical labor" such as repairing water pipes, which must be completed on site, most of the work of digital nomads can be delivered online. They have the characteristics of "remote completion and repeatable provision", which allows you to earn income through the Internet anywhere in the world. In addition to these common points, I think there is another particularly important factor: Is the work you do "replicable" or "scalable"? For example, if you help someone develop a custom software, this service is completed once. But if you develop a tool that can be widely used, put it on GitHub or publish it on the platform, many people can use, learn from it, or even pay for it. This "reusability" significantly increases the value of your output. For example, if you record a teaching video and put it on the Internet platform, it can be produced once and spread infinitely, theoretically countless people can benefit from it; but for one-on-one teaching, you have to invest time and energy every time, and the marginal cost cannot be reduced. So I think that for those who want to go the digital nomad route, they can indeed rely on one-on-one services to solve their food and clothing problems in the first stage, but as time goes on, they should gradually transition to content or products that can be consumed by multiple people at the same time. It's like cooking - you cook a dish that can only be eaten by one person; but if you record a teaching video to teach others how to cook this dish, this video can be spread infinitely. Not only do you help more people, but you also make your time more "leveraged". This is also my biggest thought after reading this chapter: freelancers will eventually move from "trading time to trading influence". The real "freedom" of digital nomads may not be geographical mobility, but to allow their abilities to be seen and used by more people in a "replicable" way across time and space.

[Rebecca M · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I had this book 20 years ago, I’d have a very different life now. Although I suppose there’s no reason why someone in their 40’s couldn’t travel and find digital gig-based work. Or even for those at home looking at self employment in a digital/communications based world - look how much the world has changed with a global pandemic.

This book has actually been invaluable for someone (me) studying a professional writing major with a digital communications minor degree - it’s like the next step in how to gain self employment… or give direction on what skills you may want to learn/brush up on, to find work in a digital skilled environment.

This book gives advice on what kinds of jobs you can get, what skills you need, tips and advice on how/what/where, links to websites/apps and international agencies are suitable for various digital roles from virtual assistants to writers to photographers to web designers to language tutors, etc - no matter where you are based. Plus for those lucky enough to travel, hubs for digital nomads to work online (hint: it’s no where near as glamorous as Instagram would have you believe), and survival tips.

I should give a copy of this to my oldest son, with dreams of working overseas in the near future - this book also gives working visa advice. And a copy for his girlfriend. Christmas sorted.

[Svenja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read for anyone still at home in a 9 to 5 job - dense collection of tips & resources, as well as inspiration to actually getting out there and try living the digital nomad life.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book had some real gems

I've traveled extensively and spent part of my life as a digital nomad so the book probably wasn't totally written for me... However I did find some gems... There were quite a few apps I was not aware of or I'd forgotten about it..

My favorite part though was the list of locations that are good for digital nomads with 45 pages of tips for those locations which is helpful.

[Raymond Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick overview that is not always deep, but a good introduction. A section towards the front kind of reminds me of get rich quick scheme books, but it is just trying to give ideas for how to make a living as a digital nomad.

[Lydia Maertens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great source of information, glad I bought it, especially digital so I can bring it with me.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding guide to accessing a digital nomad lifestyle

Since the pandemic era, more people are considering non-traditional workspaces. Whether that means working from home or working while traveling, working online often figures into the picture somehow. The digital nomad is someone who travels while working simultaneously through the online format. With the advent of the internet, work no longer must be tied to a single physical location and workspace. Now workspace can be virtual and accessed through a laptop or digital device from nearly any travel destinations around the world.

This book is an outstanding guide to anyone who is considering the digital nomad lifestyle. With this valuable book, Lonely Planet has assembled a how to guide chock full of tips about how to make that happen access this lifestyle. It also gives many examples of cities around the globe that welcome digital nomads — places that have both good digital nomad work locations and are also interesting travel destinations. As one would expect of Lonely Planet, this book has numerous luscious photos that make the reader want to drop everything and travel to a digital nomad hub immediately. Admittedly this lifestyle isn’t for everyone. But for those who are intrigued, this is a terrific guide well worth the read.

[Flourishing Flo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cool guide for if you literally know nothing about digital nomading. But as a digital nomad myself, I believe one shouldn't buy this book but rather simply pack your bags and go to a coworking or coliving space for 2 weeks at a place you want to explore. I think people buy this book because they are uncertain if the lifestyle of a digital nomad is for them. They won't find out by reading this book. It's better to just run a quick experiment by actually traveling.

Besides, most of this book is common sense stuff you can piece together yourself and the rest is stuff you'll easily learn in your first 2 weeks on the go. So if you truly know nothing about digital nomadism and haven't traveled much in life, you could consider picking this up. For everyone else, this book won't add much.

[Deborah Raney · Rating 4 out of 5]

An attractive and comprehensive handbook for those who work on the road. 5 stars for the beautiful photos, sidebars, and great tips and links. 3 stars because much of the book only applies to certain types of working from the road. Still, if you work remotely or are thinking about becoming a digital nomad, this book is a great resource and a good one to keep on hand to refer to when various issues arise.

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many of the practical tips that they provided are information that any traveler would want to know about staying safe. They do offer information on apps that are useful, type of work to consider and particular cities around the world that are good for wireless access, co-working spaces and quality and price of living arrangements.

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reference for my upcoming travels! A lot of this info is definitely available online, but I wouldn’t even know to look a lot of the information up in the first place. It was particularly useful for tips on technology, mobile hotspots, co-working options, etc.

Would recommend!

[Alexandra]

*bought 21-09-20*

[JC Cornell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great practical guide to anyone thinking of becoming a digital nomad.

[Jonathan Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone interested in this lifestyle.

[MJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was curious if it said anything useful but it's pretty basic

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a reference book - a series of articles and lists. While there are pictures, it’s not meant to be a coffee table book. AI could have written this book with its basic tips.