Life.Culture.Discovery.

‘Life isn’t just about money’: 5 digital nomads on following their dreams, and the liberation of working where and when they want

They work as photographers, a diving instructor, in web or graphic design and, as one says, ‘With a laptop and a connection … I can work anywhere I want’

What does a life on the road give these young Asians and Australians? ‘Fun, liberation, excitement, adventure’ and ‘complete control over my time’, says another

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Born in Singapore to parents from Malaysia and China and educated in Hong Kong, Lawrence Alex Wu was destined to become a digital nomad. Based for now on the Thai island of Phi Phi, he is a diving teacher and underwater photographer. Photo: Lawrence Alex Wu

Published: 7:45am, 16 Jul 2023Updated: 8:14pm, 24 Jul 2023

When it comes to travel in 2023, freedom is the new luxury.

Digital nomads are casting their cares to the winds, cocking a snook at the nine-to-five, and – toting little more than laptop, phone, credit card and a change of underwear – taking a deep dive into their bucket lists while continuing to pursue lucrative careers.

Here’s a quintet who have high-fived Wi-fi’d global adventuring:

1. Lawrence Alex Wu

Lawrence Alex Wu was destined to become a digital nomad. Born in Singapore, he was brought up by his Malaysian father and Shanghainese mother in Hong Kong, where he studied at South Island School before crossing the Pacific to major in computer science at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

“I started off working in IT, but most of the time in customer support you are dealing with complaints so after a while I decided to make a move,” says Wu, who is currently based in Phi Phi, east of Phuket, in Thailand. “I’d got into diving in Canada, so that was the logical next step.”