Dreaming about Van Life? The best places to make your work-life a beach
The Internet Connectivity Index has mapped the digital highs and lows for travellers, spotlighting destinations where the WiFi is safe, speedy, open and affordable, and others where logging on will cost you dearly and fray your nerves in equal measure. Researchers from Nord VPN’s travel eSIM app Saily gathered data from trusted international reports and indices, and evaluated 96 countries to analyse Internet speed, stability, safety, openness, and the price of mobile data. It was based on four dimensions that focus on countries’ cybersecurity environment, internet quality, affordability, and internet freedom.
Vykintas Maknickas, CEO of Saily, said: “Staying connected is now as essential as a passport for many travellers. The Index helps travellers and remote workers set expectations for speed, safety, and openness, then make smarter choices on the ground.”
So where should you rock up with that digital nomad back pack? Topping the charts, France, Denmark, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Portugal pair fast, stable connectivity with traveller friendly rules, enabling immediate setup for remote work on arrival. While mature fibre and 5G networks, strong consumer protections, and open internet policies make video calls and cloud work a walk in the park.
Italy ranks as best value for the cash conscious, while Qatar is best on quality, expect smooth video calls, rapid file syncs, and dependable tethering. Finland boasts the best cyber security. for safer day-to-day work for travellers, lower risk on public Wi Fi, smoother access to sensitive accounts, and greater confidence handling sensitive data on the move. Sweden ranks highest for internet freedom, with minimal censorship and strong protections for online expression and access across news, apps, and collaborative tools without heavy filtering. While China, unsurprisingly, offers the least freedom.
Four internet trends travellers should know according to CEO Vykintas Maknickas
- Safety meets speed in the north. Finland, Canada, the U.S., and Germany stand out for cybersecurity. These countries take online protection seriously, offering secure connections and strong legal safeguards.
- Low cost, high performance: Italy, France, and Poland deliver affordability, performance, and cyber safety. Budget travellers and remote workers alike get more for less in these countries.
- North America offers quality at a cost: The US and Canada offer some of the best networks globally, but at a much higher price point than Europe. Travelers should expect reliable access and a steeper bill.
- Freedom isn’t universal: Countries like China and the UAE offer reliable infrastructure and great speeds but score low on internet freedom. Connectivity without openness is still a limitation.
