Five Fun Ways for Digital Nomads to Make New Friends

As digital nomads, we tend to do everything online, but from personal experience I would recommend that making new friends should be in-person to the extent possible. One of the luxuries of being mobile with flexible working hours means that you can actually leave your laptop behind and go do things in new places relatively spontaneously.   

Making friends online or through social media platforms hasn’t given rise to strong friendships for me. Oftentimes, in-person events and activities allow a friendship to blossom around a shared experience, which creates bonds that tend to have a longer staying power. Here are some of the ways in which I have made new friends while traveling as a digital nomad:  

Book a Sightseeing Tour

The key is to book your tour at a time when the mainstream tourist groups won’t be there. Avoid weekends and public holidays. Ask how many people will be joining your group and where they are from.  

Work from a Co-Working Space

This is an obvious choice for digital nomads to meet new people, but be careful because not every co-working space is conducive to meeting new people. Do your research before signing up for any plans or memberships. Some co-working spaces cater to more local crowds, while others are curated for an international clientele – make sure you choose a space that suits your preferences.  

Join a Local Sports Team

Joining a local sports team is a great way to make new friends. In Hong Kong, dragon boating, hiking and sailing are quite popular, while in Argentina, football, tennis, field hockey and mountaineering are favorites. No matter what sports you play, you should not have any problems finding local teams looking for new team members.

Bo on the Lookout for Popular Digital Nomad Hangouts 

Sites like NomadList and Wifi Tribe are great places to start looking for where digital nomads are going and where they are most likely hanging out. Joining other digital nomad communities also helps to bring you up to speed on new places to visit in different cities.  Check out our list of the best digital nomad destinations here.

Join our mailing list at Jobkast and stay up-to-date on the latest jobs for digital nomads, best global employers and travel and lifestyle tips for professionals on the move.