Best Apps for Travelers in 2022

Best Apps for Travelers in 2022

In the beginning of the last year we created a post on the Best Apps for Travelers in 2021. With travel picking up and borders re-opening, we selected a few best applications that can ease your travels and help you find the best accommodations!

Apps for planning trips

Aviasales

Aviasales is a convenient flight search engine. The app will find the cheapest flights based on the dates and other conditions you select. Aviasales can also help you find the perfect hotel accommodations anywhere in the world!

Kayak

Kayak application is a universal assistant that can help you plan your trip from start to finish. With Kayak you can book flights and hotel accommodations, and rent cars. In addition, with the app’s ticket forecasting feature, you can even get a better idea of how to budget for your trip.

Apps with travel guides

Tripster

Tripster can help you find travel guides from locals including historians, art historians, architects, journalists, and even organize an individual tour.

Sygic Travel Trip Planner

Sygic Travel Trip Planner is another traveler’s assistant. With the app, you can create a detailed route of your upcoming trip and get access to travel guides for cities you’re interested in. You can even get acquainted with the local history and culture. Not to mention that you can find tips on how to get to travel hotspots, calculate the walking time and check the weather forecast!

Azbo

With Azbo you can go on an excursion whenever you want. You can choose a ready-made tour or create your own tour using the app’s tour constructor. As a result with this unique feature, you can build a personalized tour filled only with places you’re interested in checking out.

Redigo

Redigo is a guide to a vast number of countries from Australia to Japan – containing plenty of photos, attraction information, and a basic phrasebook in several languages. In this application you’ll also find route options, and information on restaurants and entertainment.

AroundMe

AroundMe will become a reliable guide for you in any city in the world–providing accurate information about objects located near you. All objects are divided into categories: bars, theaters, restaurants, museums, hospitals, etc. Important objects can be added into the Favorites category to make them easily accessible.

For finding something particular, you can just enter a name or postal code in the search system. Then, using the AroundMe map, you can build a walking route or a route by car.

App for creating your own map of places

Pin Drop

Pin Drop is an application where you can create your own catalog of interesting places, share them with friends, view their marks, and find something new for yourself. It’s also convenient to use when you’re organizing a meeting in some new and unusual place. You can even add a photo and an audio comment to any place mark to make it easier to find.

App for European bus tour

Busradar

Busradar will help you travel around Europe by bus. All you need to do is enter the name of the city you’re currently in and the name of the destination city. Once you’ve done that, you will get information about bus companies you can use on that route, how many changes will be required, how long the trip will take, how much it will cost and when the next bus is scheduled.

How Can POND mobile Help During Your Travels?

POND mobile is an international mobile operator that provides customers with roaming in over 210 countries around the world. Our World Phone and Global Data rate plans are designed to provide reliable communication and a high-speed Internet connection in any country you choose for remote work or your travels.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS, and GB of high-speed Internet, so everyone can choose exactly what they need. The pricing is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. Taxes and fees are already included so there are no hidden charges or additional roaming fees.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending time researching various carriers. When you need to use the Internet, you can simply use it. You don’t have to worry about roaming and looking for free Wi-Fi any more. The ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world and the US number that you get with our SIM will allow your family, friends, and colleagues to call you at their local rates. POND mobile ensures that you stay connected, no matter what country you’re in!

Lesser-Known Telegram Features

While many of us use Telegram, there are some features and that even the most avid Telegram users may not know of. Here are 14 of the most interesting and useful features of Telegram:

You can set a time for message delivery

Did you know you could schedule your message delivery on Telegram? Type out the desired message and hold down the send button for a second or two. In the menu that appears, select “Send later”. Then just choose the date and time of message delivery.

Audio messages can be listened to through a conversational speaker

Turn on the audio message and put your smartphone to your ear, like you’re talking on the phone. Doing so will keep you from broadcasting the message.

Automatic audio message recording

You can record an audio message in the same way you listen to them. Open the dialog box, put the phone to your ear and, once you hear the starting signal, start speaking. Once you’ve finished recording your message, just hit the send button.

Accelerated audio messages listening

While listening to an audio message, a panel with a “2X” button appears at the top. If you press this button, the voice message will be played twice as fast. To return to normal listening speed, press the “2X” button again.

Clear your app storage

Go to Settings > Data and Storage > Storage Usage > Clear Telegram Cache

You can hide your mobile phone number

Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Phone Number

In the top section, you can select who can see your phone number.

You can use multiple accounts on one application

Tap and hold on the Settings icon and, in the menu that appears, select “Add account”

This feature can help you easily distinguish between personal conversations and work conversations.

You can assign automatic folders for different chats

Go to Settings > Chat Folders > Create New Folder

Protect Telegram with a passcode

Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Passcode & Face ID > Turn Passcode On

Copy only the necessary pieces of messages

When you hold down your finger on a message, you highlight the entire message. To select only a part of the text, you can hold down the message and then select the necessary piece.

Forwarding messages

Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Forwarded Message

Here you can configure who can link to your account when forwarding messages. If you select “My Contacts” then people outside of your contacts will only see the name from whom the message was forwarded, but they will not be able to open the profile.

Important conversations can be held through secret chats

Go to the profile of the contact with whom you want to create a secret chat. Click on the “More” button in the profile menu and select “Start Secret Chat” in the additional menu that appears. Secret chats have several features: a more advanced message encryption scheme, no traces on the app’s servers, the ability to delete data by timer, and a ban on forwarding information.

Pinning messages

Your most important messages, groups, and chats can be pinned on the screen. Using this feature will keep these at the top of your screen, instead of being sorted by the date of the last message.

On iOS, just swipe the dialog/chat to the right and the corresponding “Pin” icon will appear. On Android, you need to hold down the message, and a submenu with a pin icon will appear on top.

Disappearing photos

If you want to send a confidential photo or video, you can use additional security measures. Telegram is able to automatically delete these files from the recipient’s device after the time you set expires. In addition, the recipient will not be able to forward self-destructing photos and videos to other contacts. And, if the receiver takes a screenshot, the messenger will notify you about it.

To send self-deleting content, first, add it with a help of the paper clip button. Then hold down the send button and in the additional menu that appears, select “Set Timer” and set the time. The countdown will start from the moment the recipient views the message.

The Best Apps for Finding Friends While Traveling

There’s an abundance of reasons why someone might travel alone. But even during those solo journeys, you might want to spend some time with like-minded people. There are plenty of great opportunities to meet other travelers and locals in any country you’re visiting with recent developments in technology. There are now apps specifically designed to help you meet people while traveling (or even before)!

Best Apps for Finding Travel Companions

TravSolo

This app allows you to make new friends during your trip by connecting you with other solo travelers in real-time. It also helps you save money by connecting you to other travelers through things like joint taxi rides or various excursions. You can even take advantage of the app’s filters like age, gender, and interests when looking for a travel companion.

Eatwith

This app will help you connect with locals in over 130 countries. The application has a variety of culinary events ranging from dinner parties to gastronomic tours and ending with culinary masterclasses. You’ll have the ability to drink wine and have dinner with local hosts during your travels. In the application, you can filter food based on various dietary restrictions, as well as choose vegetarian, vegan, kosher dishes.

Meetup

Meetup is another great tool for communicating with locals while traveling. This popular app brings together like-minded people in thousands of cities around the world. It can be used to find people at your travel destinations with similar interests like jogging groups, dance troupes, animal lovers, etc.

Travello

This is a social network for travelers. It gathers data on your interests to select people with similar interests for you to communicate with. The great thing about Travello is that it’s designed for a wide range of travelers.

Tourlina

This app is created exclusively for women. It helps women find traveling companions. Enter your destination and travel dates, and the app will show you potential traveling companions, who you can reach out to if you want to plan a joint trip.

Worldpackers

This app will help you plan your vacation, meet other travelers, develop some of your skills, or even learn a new language. The global WorldPackers community is also a great source for tips and recommendations on your next trip.

TravelBuddy

Another travel app that will help you to meet and chat with the locals in the place you’re traveling to, learn about interesting places, and plan unique trips is TravelBuddy. To find a traveling companion, you just need to enter your destination, select the preferences for your traveling companion and add the dates of your trip.

How Can POND mobile Help During Your Travels?

POND mobile is an international mobile service operator that provides its customers with international roaming in 210+ countries and destinations around the world. Our World Phone and Global Data plans are designed to provide reliable communication and high-speed Internet in any country you choose for travel.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS, and GB of high-speed Internet, so you can pick the plan that meets your specific needs. Our pricing is transparent– you pay the fixed monthly subscription fee specified in your rate plan. There are no hidden costs or additional roaming charges, and taxes and fees are already included.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local or international SIM card and spending hours researching the various local carriers in each country. When you need to use the Internet, you can use it freely without worrying about roaming charges or looking for free Wi-Fi. Thanks to this, you can always use the above applications and find a fellow traveler on your trips, contact them, or get the necessary information from locals in real time about the place you’re traveling to.

By having the ability to add local numbers for 90+ countries, in addition to the US number you receive, your family, friends and colleagues will be able to call you at their local rates with no extra charges in their phone bills.

POND mobile has made sure that you always stay connected no matter what country you’re in!

Hidden iPhone Features to Make Your Life Easier

While major Apple updates are always well-known, there are also numerous iPhone features that go hidden under the radar. Here are 15 lesser-known iPhone features and how to access them! Each of these has various benefits whether it’s improving accessibility or just making tasks easier to complete.

1. Quick access to the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth list in the Control Center

Open the Control Center to access the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings by expanding the toggle widget, and then holding down either the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth button to get access to the list.

2. Quick removal of numbers in the Calculator app

Did you know you could easily backspace a number if you make a mistake, instead of deleting the whole number and starting over? To do this, just swipe your finger to the left and it will erase the number at the end. If you want to erase more than one number, just repeat this process until you get the desired result.

3. Quick selection of elements using two fingers

For apps that have list sections, such as your list of notes, email inbox, or your iMessages, you can swipe down with two fingers to enter selection mode and select several items at once. This makes it easier to delete multiple items or complete other tasks.

4. Quick video recording using the volume buttons

When you’re on the Camera app, you can record a quick video by simply pressing and holding one of the volume buttons while in “Photo” mode. You can also press and hold the white circle while in “Photo” mode to record a video.

5. Open a recently closed tab in Safari

To do this, go to Safari and select the icon with two squares at the bottom right of the screen. This will show you all your open tabs. Next, hold down the “+” button and it will show you your recently closed tabs.

6. Find a song by typing its lyrics in the Music app

You can find a song in the Music app by typing some of the lyrics into the search bar. The Music app will then find and display any songs matching that lyric description.

7. Take screenshots of a full web page

Did you know you could take a screenshot of a full web page in Safari? Open up any web page in Safari and take a screenshot by pressing the power and volume buttons simultaneously. After taking a screenshot, select the “Whole Page” tab in the pop-up that appears. Here, you can adjust the screenshot as needed. When you’re done, select the Share button at the top right of the screen and you can choose to save the screenshot as a PDF.

8. Remove location data from photos

You can delete location data from your photos by opening the photo in the Photos app, clicking the Share button, and then clicking the Options button on top. On the next screen, toggle off the Location option.

9. Instant currency conversion

To convert an amount in one currency to another, you can type this request in the Spotlight search, which opens by swiping down the main screen. For example, to find out the current Euro exchange rate, just enter “€1” in the search bar and you should see the current Euro exchange rate. You can do the same with units of measurements by typing, for example, “1 inch in cm”.

10. Complete actions by tapping the back of your iPhone

Another new feature for Apple iPhones is the Back Tap feature. It’s only available for those using the iPhone 8 and later models. If you tap on the back of your iPhone 2-3 times, you can take a screenshot, lock the screen, turn off the sound, and much more. In order to enable this feature: Open Settings > “Universal Access” > “Touch” > “Back Panel Touch” > “Double/ Triple Touch”. After that, select which action you want to take when activating this feature.

11. Accelerated typing of symbols and numbers

If you want to type something that contains mostly letters and only a few numbers or symbols, then there’s a trick that will make it faster. You don’t need to waste time and switch to a layout with symbols every time. In order to quickly type the desired symbol or number, just hold down the “123” button and, without taking your finger off the screen, select the symbol you want to insert. Then, remove your finger from the “123” button and the layout will return to normal.

12. Return to the top in any application

If you’re scrolling for a long time through any application like Safari, for example, you don’t need to manually scroll all the way up again. Just touch the top of your device where it displays the time, battery, and network settings, and you will automatically return to the top of the application.

13. Search for photos by subject

In the search bar in the Photo application, you can enter the name of an item, and the application will select and display all photos that have this item. For example, enter the word “bicycle”, and you will see all the photos from your gallery that have a bicycle.

14. Precise volume control

You can adjust the volume on your iPhone with more precision by clicking the volume button once and then selecting the desired volume level by swiping your finger along the volume bar on the screen.

15. Add frequently visited websites to your Home Screen

If you have certain sites that you visit often, you can just save them to your Home Screen instead of bookmarking them. To do so, open Safari, go to the desired site, click the Share button and select “Add to Home Screen”.

The Best Travel Podcasts to Listen to Now

In recent years, podcasts have become a part of our everyday routine, even replacing the radio or music during our daily commute. People all over the world listen to podcasts while working out, walking their pets, on their road trips, or even when relaxing at home.

What exactly are podcasts? Podcasts are like audio blogs that are similar to radio broadcasts. They’re usually about hot topics like: history, science, true crime, sports, and even travel.

What Are Some Popular Travel Podcasts?

Travel with Rick Steves

Travel with Rick Steves is hosted by Rick Steves, the host and writer of over a hundred public television travel shows and the author of 30 best-selling guidebooks. He is known as America’s leading authority on Europe. He and his guest experts discuss hot topics like travel, culture, and the people of the world.

A History Of The World in 100 objects

Neil MacGregor, the director of the British Museum, hosts A History of the World in 100 Objects. Each episode is dedicated to a special curated artifact. All of these artifacts are gathered in different parts of the world and comprise well-known items and some lesser-known gems.

The Dish Food Travel Show

The hosts of The Dish Food Travel Show and their guests explore the culture and history of different countries through their cuisine and culinary traditions. They uncover the stories behind some of the world’s most famous dishes.

Trip

The Trip is hosted by journalist Nathan Thornburgh. Each episode is an interview with a special guest over a drink. This podcast is a journey in itself with stories from Iraq to Appalachia about various adventures. Artists, journalists, and musicians are just a few kinds of guests that Nathan brings onto the podcast.

JUMP With Traveling Jackie

JUMP With Traveling Jackie is hosted by Jackie Nourse. It offers listeners tips on traveling without breaking the budget and how to get the most out of their travels!

Wild Ideas Worth Living

Wild Ideas Worth Living is hosted by journalist Shelby Stanger. This podcast is about the pleasure that comes from interacting with nature and the positive changes sports bring into people’s lives. Among the guests are world-class explorers, athletes, authors, scientists, and health experts.

The Cutting Edge

The Cutting Edge is produced by the American Alpine Journal. Each episode presents interviews with the world’s best climbers who recently returned from their latest climbing adventures.

The Travel Diaries

The Travel Diaries is hosted by travel journalist Holly Rubenstein. She runs an interview series where she talks to various special guests about their travel experiences, adventures around the world, and the destinations that influenced their lives.

Women Who Travel

Women Who Travel is a podcast hosted by editors of Conde Nast Traveler. This women-geared podcast shares what it’s really like to travel as a woman and goes through a wide range of topics.

The World Nomads Travel Podcast

The World Nomads Travel Podcast is hosted by Kim Napier and Phil Sylvester. It takes you on a journey around the globe with travel insights from experts who have lived in the highlighted destinations. It also goes through the latest travel news and any travel questions its listeners may have, making it a great listen for all the digital nomads out there.

Zero To Travel

Zero To Travel is hosted by travel expert Jason Moore. He talks to various guests living life on the road. They share their experience and give actionable advice, showing new ways to travel endlessly.

Flight of Fancy

Flight of Fancy is hosted by Ben Groundwater and it includes 30-minute episodes on all things travel! Travel experts share their most terrifying travel experiences, cliche travel experiences, and how travel has changed their outlook on life.

All these podcasts can be found on various resources, the links are for Apple Podcasts, but they can also be found in Google Podcasts.

And with POND mobile World Phone and Global Data rate plans, you will always have high-speed Internet in 210+ countries and destinations around the world. You can listen to your favorite podcasts wherever you are. You don’t need to search for Wi-Fi, just open the podcast app and listen to your heart’s desire!

Protect Your Data With POND mobile

How Does POND mobile Protect Your Data?

A SIM card, also known as a subscriber identification module, stores information about your device, the device owner (you), and your phone carrier. The most important aspect is the phone number.

Recently SIM card fraud, such as SIM hijacking and swapping, has become widespread. With this type of fraud, the hacker, having stolen the victim’s personal data, contacts the mobile carrier with a request to port the victim’s number to their phone. With inefficient data protection, many hackers get away with this because the customer service representatives may not verify the information effectively or they’ll accept a bribe from the hacker. Once the hacker gets the phone number at their disposal, they have access to bank accounts and other resources associated with the phone number. They’re then able to login to any service using two-factor authentication (2FA) by SMS.

POND mobile pays great attention to the protection of its subscribers’ data. Each customer is assigned a dedicated, personal account manager that knows them and is familiar with their account.

Any porting request is passed through multiple departments for multiple verifications. Once all the verifications are complete, the customer’s account manager will reach out to the number on file once more to confirm the request. Only then will the phone number be released and the porting process will begin.

POND mobile works hard to ensure that customer data is protected so they can avoid SIM Swap attacks.

Advantages of Using POND Mobile

You may find Internet services or applications blocked or only partially working during your travels when visiting certain countries.

For example, in the UAE, many websites do not work, and popular messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Viber only work with text and voice messages. It’s not possible to make audio or video calls when using these VoIP applications over there. The government has somewhat of a monopoly on VoIP communications. There are only two legal services which local mobile carriers provide access to for an additional subscription fee.

China is another location where the Internet is under strict state control and many popular Internet services and applications are blocked. You won’t be able to use Facebook, Instagram and many other popular social networks there. Messengers like WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber are also blocked as well as Google services. You can try using VPN services, but they have certain restrictions. Some VPN services have stopped working entirely or their performance has suffered, but there are a few that continue to work.

One downside of using VPN services, however, is data security issues. Some of these services won’t hide your information, and they may even sell your personal data including your phone number, name, and email address.

When using POND mobile, regardless of which country you find yourself in, you won’t need to worry about blocked Internet services or applications. Our customers have access to all Internet content, as well as all communication web services around the world. And you won’t need to use VPN services and put your data at risk.

How Can POND mobile Help in Your Travels?

POND mobile is an international mobile carrier that provides customers with international roaming in over 210 countries and destinations around the world! Our World Phone and Global Data plans are designed to provide reliable communication and a high-speed Internet connection in any country you choose.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so everyone can choose exactly what they need. The pricing is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. Taxes and fees are already included so there’s no hidden charges or additional roaming fees.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending time researching various carriers. When you need to use the Internet, you can simply use it, without worrying about roaming and looking for free Wi-Fi. The ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world and the US number that you get with our SIM will allow your family, friends and colleagues to call you at their local rates. POND mobile ensures that you stay connected, no matter what country you’re in!

Countries Offering Digital Nomad Visas For Remote Workers

With the COVID-19 pandemic, some countries have fully closed their borders while others have imposed heavy entry restrictions. Traveling freely is no longer possible as it was prior to 2020. Even with these difficulties, another type of traveler has emerged. Digital nomads are people who simultaneously travel and work remotely. They take longer trips, and usually spend several months in one country before moving onto another. With the growth of this type of travel, resort countries that have suffered losses due to the pandemic have begun to fight for remote workers. Visa and specialized programs for digital nomads have become weapons in this fight.

So, Which Countries Are Offering Digital Nomad Visas?

Before we get into the specific countries and locations offering these digital nomads visas, there are certain criteria that interested digital nomads must meet:

  • – Has a valid contract, and the employer company is registered in another country, does business with a company registered in another country, or is a partner in a company registered in another country
  • – Has confirmation of where they’ll be residing during their stay
  • – Has medical insurance that covers COVID-19 any treatment and testing costs
  • – Has no criminal record
  1. Anguilla
  2. Visa name: Work from Anguilla
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  3. Antigua and Barbuda
  4. Visa name: Antigua Nomad Digital Residence Visa (NDR)
    Period of visa validity: within 2 years of arrival to Antigua and Barbuda

  5. Barbados
  6. Visa Name: Barbados Welcome Stamp
    Period of visa validity: within 2 years of arrival to Barbados

  7. Bahamas
  8. Visa name: Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay (BEATS)
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  9. Bermuda
  10. Visa name:Work from Bermuda Certificate
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  11. Dominica
  12. Visa name: Work in Nature (WIN) Extended Stay Visa
    Period of visa validity: 18 months

  13. Costa Rica
  14. Visa name: Rentista Visa
    Period of visa validity: up to 2 years

    In August of this year, Costa Rica introduced a Digital Nomad Visa with a validity period of 1 year. However, the visa is still under development.

  15. Mexico
  16. Visa name: Temporary Resident Visa
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  17. Montserrat
  18. Visa name: The Montserrat Remote Work Stamp
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  19. Curaçao
  20. Visa name: @HOME in Curaçao
    Period of visa validity: 6 months

  21. Cayman Islands
  22. Program name: Global Citizen Concierge Program
    Period of visa validity: within 2 years of approval

  23. Mauritius
  24. Visa name: Premium Visa
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  25. Seychelles
  26. Program name: Seychelles Workation Program
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  27. Cabo Verde
  28. Program name: Remote Working Cabo Verde
    Period of visa validity: 6 months

  29. Dubai (UAE)
  30. Program name: Work remotely from Dubai
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  31. Iceland
  32. Visa name: Long-term visa for remote work
    Period of visa validity: 6 months

  33. Croatia
  34. Visa name: Digital Nomad Visa
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  35. Estonia
  36. Visa name: Digital Nomad Visa
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  37. Malta
  38. Visa name: Nomad Residence Permit
    Period of visa validity: 12 months

  39. Germany
  40. Visa name: Residence permit for the purpose of self-employment
    Period of visa validity: up to 3 years

  41. Norway
  42. Visa name: Independent Contractor Visa
    Period of visa validity: up to 2 years

  43. Portugal
  44. While there is no special visa for digital nomads, there are special programs for remote workers and digital nomads, (specifically in Madeira). There is a visa for independent workers and entrepreneurs, issued for 1 year with the possibility of extension.

  45. Czech Republic
  46. There is a Zivno visa for freelancers available; however, the process of obtaining it isn’t easy because a trade license is necessary for many professions. The validity period of this visa is up to one year with possibility of further extension.

  47. Georgia
  48. A visa is not required for the citizens of these countries. Citizens coming to Georgia from these locations can stay for up to 1 year without a visa. However, if you want to work remotely while in Georgia, you need to submit a special request and wait for permission from state authorities.

What Countries Are Working on Developing Visas for Digital Nomads?

In the near future, several more countries will join the list of countries that issue visas to digital nomads:

  1. Colombia is developing a visa for digital nomads.
  2. Belize is working on developing the “Work where you Vacation” program.
  3. Thailand – the existing Smart Visa program is not popular due to some restrictions. Amendments to this program are in the works. They will allow freelancers to work there for up to 4 years.
  4. Indonesia is developing a visa for digital nomads going to Bali, which will allow them to stay in there for up to 5 years.
  5. Sri Lanka is developing an annual visa for digital nomads.
  6. The government of South Korea has also announced plans to create a digital nomad visa.
  7. Spain is preparing to pass a law, Ley de Startups (Start-Up Law), regarding visas for digital nomads. According to this law, remote workers will be able to get a visa for the period of 12 months.
  8. North Macedonia, following Croatia, started to work on developing a digital nomad visa.
  9. Greece started developing a visa for digital nomads.
  10. Romania has also announced its intention to join the countries that issue visas to digital nomads.
  11. South Africa is in the process of developing a Remote Working Visa for digital nomads.

What Can POND Mobile Offer to Digital Nomads?

Digital nomads travel around the world, changing locations several times a year. In each country, they have to worry about communication and getting SIM-cards from local carriers. Thus, they’re again required to change phone numbers and select rate plans.

POND mobile offers international roaming services in 210+ countries and destinations. Our “World Phone” and “Global Data” rate plans provide reliable communication and high-speed Internet in any country that you choose for remote work. Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so everyone can choose exactly what they need. The pricing policy is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. All taxes and fees are already included with no hidden or additional roaming costs!

With our POND mobile SIM card, you don’t have to worry about buying a local SIM card. Whenever you need to use the Internet, you can use it freely without worrying about roaming fees and looking for free Wi-Fi. You also have the ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world onto your SIM, in addition to the US number that you get with a POND mobile SIM card. This will allow your family, friends and colleagues to call you at their local rates with no extra costs.

With POND, regardless of what country you’re traveling to, your phone number, rate plan, and subscription fee will remain constant!

Croatia for Digital Nomads

Did you know Croatia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe? With a mild year-round climate, picturesque coastlines, a fascinating history and culture, incredible national parks, and great food and wine, a large number of tourists visit Croatia every year.

Not to mention, the country has a well-developed infrastructure. Modern high-quality highways provide convenient movement around the country and, although there’s a railway connection in limited directions, the bus service between cities is well developed. Croatia also offers a variety of accommodation options, ranging from hotels to villas. And, since most Croatians speak English and other foreign languages, communication is simple.

And finally, there is good telecommunication and Internet infrastructure, which is one of the main reasons the country is so attractive to remote workers.

So, What Does Croatia Have to Offer Remote Workers?

Croatia is one of the first countries to introduce special visas for digital nomads. Visa or temporary residence is granted for up to one year. Family members of these remote workers can also obtain a temporary residence permit in Croatia. During the entire period of visa validity, children can study at one of the Croatian schools and parents will have the opportunity to choose between state and private schools. Free Croatian language lessons will be held for children there.

While the visa cannot be extended, remote workers can apply for a new annual visa with a temporary residence permit 6 months after the expiration of their previous visa.

Croatia has even created tax incentives for interested digital nomads and freelancers. These workers will be free from paying taxes in Croatia while their digital nomad visa is still valid.

Keep in mind that Croatia is not a member of the Schengen Union, therefore a Croatian visa does not give the right to travel to Schengen countries.

Digital Nomads in Croatia

This new long-term tourist trend is just beginning to develop in Croatia. There are currently no special state programs for digital nomads there; however, on Facebook you can find a page of the Croatian digital nomads community. On this page, you can find other digital nomads living in Croatia and exchange information, get advice, and organize meet-ups. There is also a website for expats living in Croatia where a lot of useful information can be found.

At the end of September, the digital nomads community announced the creation of Digital Nomad Valley Zadar, a village of digital nomads in Zadar. The program begins October 10th and everyone who joins it will receive:

  • – Premium mobile homes
  • – Exclusive coworking office
  • – Community manager
  • – Exclusive events
  • – #discord community channel
  • – Partner discounts

How Can POND mobile Help You During Your Stay in Croatia?

POND mobile is an international mobile service operator that provides its customers with international roaming in 210+ countries around the world. Our “World Phone” and “Global Data” plans are designed to provide reliable communication and high-speed Internet in any country you choose for remote work, including Croatia.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so you can pick the plan that meets your specific needs. Our pricing is transparent– you pay the fixed monthly subscription fee specified in your rate plan. There are no hidden costs or additional roaming charges, and taxes and fees are already included.

With our service, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending hours researching the various local carriers in each country. When you need to use the Internet, you can use the Internet without worrying about roaming charges. This also protects you from the risk of scammers stealing your data when using public Wi-Fi!

By having the ability to add local numbers for 90+ countries, in addition to the US number you receive, your family, friends and colleagues will be able to call you at their local rates with no extra charges in their phone bills. POND mobile has made sure that you always stay connected wherever you are whether it’s on a beach, in the mountains, on land, or out at sea!

Malta for Digital Nomads

The COVID-19 pandemic has vastly increased the number of remote workers around the world. Remote work is quickly becoming the norm, and transitioning into a permanent mode of work. In fact, the growth of remote work has convinced many countries to revise their visa policies to acknowledge digital nomads, who are remote workers that travel regularly and for long periods of time. Some of these countries like Portugal, Georgia, Croatia, the UAE, and Iceland have been working to develop residence permit programs for these digital nomads. Malta is another company that has recently hopped aboard the digital nomad visa train, announcing the launch of its program in June.

So, What Does Malta Have to Offer?

This island state attracts visitors from all over with its comfortable Mediterranean climate, interesting history, rich culture, delicious cuisine, and security. English is the official language here, which removes any language barrier issues. The locals are also hospitable and friendly towards foreigners. Malta has a good telecommunications infrastructure that provides a stable Internet connection, and it’s one of the few countries with 5G nationwide coverage. Combined with the growing number of coworking spaces, all of these factors make Malta a formidable player in the race for digital nomads.

As of today, about a thousand freelancers from the EU live and work in Malta. The new residence permit program for digital nomads (Nomad Residence Permit), launched by the Maltese government, is estimated to attract digital nomads from other non-EU countries. It will allow approved applicants to live in Malta for up to one year, working remotely, without needing special visas or additional work permits. As a bonus, income received from abroad is not subject to taxation.

How Can POND mobile Help?

POND mobile is an international mobile carrier that provides customers with international roaming in 210+ countries and destinations around the world. Our World Phone and Global Data rate plans are designed to provide reliable communication and a high-speed Internet connection in any country you choose for your travels.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so you can choose exactly what you need. The pricing is simple – you pay only a fixed monthly subscription fee, which is specified in the rate plan. Taxes and fees are already included so there’s no hidden charges or additional roaming fees.

With a POND mobile SIM card, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending time researching various carriers. When you need to use the Internet, you can simply use it, without worrying about roaming and looking for free Wi-Fi. The ability to add local numbers from more than 90 countries around the world and the US number that you get with our SIM will allow your family, friends and colleagues to call you at their local rates. POND mobile ensures that you stay connected, no matter what country you’re in!

The Best Places For Digital Nomads in Portugal

In recent years, Portugal has become a hotspot for digital nomads and freelancers alike. This European country impresses travelers from all over the world with its beautiful and diverse nature. The northern part of the country consists of mountains and mixed forests where linden trees, chestnuts, oaks and pines grow. The southern part of the country contains plains and valleys with olive, citrus and almond trees. The climate in Portugal is mild, which can be attributed to its proximity to the Gulf Stream and breezes from the Atlantic. All of these factors, as well as the high quality of life, low prices, and developed social infrastructure make Portugal attractive for these globetrotters.

So, what are the best places for a freelancer to go in Portugal?

Madeira

Madeira is called the island of eternal spring, or the “Hawaii of Europe”. Breathtaking views, warm oceans, good weather year round, delicious food and wine, a high level of security and wonderful hospitable people – all of these factors make the island of Madeira attractive to tourists.

With the support of the Government of Madeira, the first digital nomad village in Europe was created. The unique Digital Nomads Madeira Islands project was launched on February 1, 2021 and will be in motion until 2024. This project was created to support freelancers who want to move to Madeira and work remotely for a period of 1-6 months.

Within the framework of this project, digital nomads registered in the community are offered:

  • – Free equipped workplaces
  • – Free unlimited Internet
  • – A variety of housing rental options, ranging from rooms to villas, and discounts of up to 30% for long-term stays
  • – Exclusive events

There are also public spaces organized here, where visitors of the island have the opportunity to socialize with other members of the community.

Digital Nomad Village in Ponta do Sol

This small village is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Portugal. It’s the home to the first digital nomad village. For members of the digital nomad community, there are workplaces with unlimited Internet and the opportunity to work for hours. After work you can sit in local pubs, go to cafes or restaurants, or enjoy a stunning sunset in the bay of Ponta do Sol!

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz is another popular tourist destination. Hotel, private house, and apartment accommodations are organized with discounts for freelancers. Co-working spaces are available via the Vila Gale hotel, and are open 24/7.

In Santa Cruz, everyone can find a type of cuisine they enjoy. There are cafes and restaurants located in even the most remote parts of this territory.

Funchal

The capital of Madeira is located on an island of the same name. It’s a tourist hotspot, known for its historical monuments, beautiful beaches, and amazing nature scenery.

As part of the Digital Nomad project, two workspaces for digital nomads are also organized here. One space is CoWork Funchal which boasts 24-hour access and free Internet. The second location is the Nini Andrade Silva design center, which is equipped with Internet access and offers discounts on hotel and apartment accommodations for freelancers.

Bragança

This cozy city is located in an agricultural area of Portugal near the Spanish border. The project Liberdade para Recomeçar was launched for remote workers with families and single freelancers who are ready to move to this area. Housing prices in Bragança and in the villages nearby are low and you are able to rent apartments or even whole farms!

Lisbon

There are no government programs for freelancers in Lisbon, but there are comfortable conditions for working and living in the city. There are numerous coworking spaces in Lisbon, from simple and cozy (where pets are allowed) to innovative ones. You do have to pay for the coworking spaces. Additionally, the cost of renting a house varies based on the area and housing quality.

Porto

Porto, a city in the north of Portugal, is the second largest and most important after Lisbon. There are no government projects to support digital nomads here, but the combination of low housing prices and excellent working spaces make it attractive and comfortable for remote work. In Porto, as well as in Lisbon, there are a large number of coworking spaces, among which you can choose the one that best meets your particular needs.

Algarve

Algarve is the southernmost province of Portugal with the capital of the region, the city of Faro. It’s a popular resort region with clean sandy beaches and a well-developed infrastructure along the coast. There are no government projects to support freelancers here, but comfortable workplaces for remote work have been created. Additionally, the cost of renting a house here is lower than in Lisbon.

How Can POND mobile Help You During Your Stay in Portugal?

POND mobile is an international mobile service operator that provides its customers with international roaming in 210+ countries around the world. Our “World Phone” and “Global Data” plans are designed to provide reliable communication and high-speed Internet in any country you choose for remote work, including Portugal.

Each rate plan includes a certain number of minutes for calls, SMS and GB of high-speed Internet, so you can pick the plan that meets your specific needs. Our pricing is transparent– you pay the fixed monthly subscription fee specified in your rate plan. There are no hidden costs or additional roag charges, and taxes and fees are already included.

With our service, you no longer need to worry about buying a local SIM card and spending hours researching the various local carriers in each country. When you need to use the Internet, you can use the Internet without worrying about roaming charges. This also protects you from the risk of scammers stealing your data when using public Wi-Fi!

By having the ability to add local numbers for 90+ countries, in addition to the US number you receive, your family, friends and colleagues will be able to call you at their local rates with no extra charges in their phone bills. POND mobile has made sure that you always stay connected wherever you are whether it’s on a beach, in the mountains, on land, or out at sea!