March 25, 2025
BEIJING – Picture this: Trading the monotonous hum of fluorescent office lights for the soothing rhythm of tropical ocean waves or the quiet buzz of a cozy cafe in a centuries-old village. This is reality for digital nomads, a growing community of remote workers who blend work, passion and travel into a seamless lifestyle. In South China’s Hainan province, this trend is rapidly evolving from a niche movement into a thriving way of life.
Digital nomads are location-independent professionals who leverage technology to work from anywhere: be it home, a coffee shop or even a beach.
Shared spaces
In February, Haikou, the capital of Hainan province, took a significant step toward integrating this lifestyle into its local economy with the launch of its first digital nomad community. Located in the Longhua Animation Industrial Park, the Dopamine Digital Nomad Community is designed to provide an innovative and comfortable environment for remote workers, combining work with leisure in a vibrant setting.
The community, situated in the park’s Baoming Digital Creative Block, features shared office spaces, livestreaming studios, cross-border digital business training centers and shared gyms.
It has already attracted over 30 companies spanning industries such as animation, gaming, artificial intelligence, short video, self-media and online education.
According to Wang Zixuan, the community’s manager, the block’s design draws inspiration from dopamine colors, creating a youthful and dynamic atmosphere.
One of the standout features is a shared lounge stocked with around 3,200 books from the Haikou Longhua District Library, which are regularly updated to cater to both digital nomads and residents of Baoming village. The lounge is open 24/7, offering a quiet space for reading at any time.
Additionally, the community includes a public art studio open to both nomads and villagers, fostering artistic creation and exchange.
A shared conference center is also available free of charge for business meetings and project discussions.
Wang notes that her company has transformed a row of houses rented from the villagers into a vibrant hub for digital nomads, blending modern innovation with the charm of a centuries-old village. The community, nestled next to a historical settlement, offers a unique juxtaposition of tradition and progress. The area’s high green coverage and proximity to open fields create a tranquil environment, with minimal pollution and low foot traffic.
To enhance relaxation, an outdoor camping area with hammocks has been set up, allowing residents to unwind amid nature. Regular social events, such as board game nights and Switch gaming sessions, provide opportunities for digital nomads to connect and expand their social circles, according to the manager.
The community also offers networking opportunities, with plans to host training sessions on artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) and overseas content distribution. “These initiatives aim to equip digital nomads with cross-border business skills,” says Wang.
Among the community’s residents is Lin Xianquan from Haikou, 29, specialized in live-streaming and overseas e-commerce. Lin has been living in the community for over four months since its beta phase, drawn by its focus on animation and gaming. His company has established cross-border e-commerce channels and collaborates with intellectual properties created by other digital nomads in the park.
“I was introduced to this place by a friend in the same industry. After a quick visit, I found the office environment, relaxed lifestyle, good atmosphere, convenient internet tools and comprehensive industrial support perfect for future development. This place meets our needs perfectly,” Lin says, praising the community’s relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere.
Yan Yuxuan, a 31-year-old AI researcher from Beijing, shares Lin’s enthusiasm. He values the collaborative environment, which facilitates idea exchange and provides access to industry resources. “The emotional value — nature, art, community — and the functional value, such as work, living and transport, make this place unique in Haikou,” Yan notes.
The Dopamine Digital Nomad Community provides different types of rooms for 1,000 to 3,000 yuan ($138-415), including utilities and access to public facilities. This pricing structure caters to nomads with varying budgets and needs.
The community has utilized online platforms like RedNote, TikTok, and the popular Nomad Island mini-program to attract digital nomads from across China.
Wang says that digital nomads from cities such as Chengdu in Sichuan province, Wuhan in Hubei province and Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, mostly aged from 20 to 40, have joined the community.
Looking ahead, Wang hopes to draw more foreign nomads, leveraging Hainan Free Trade Port policies and its focus on overseas markets. “This initiative will enhance global digital economic exchanges,” she says.
Yi Hui, general manager of Hainan Manlyu Culture Development Co, which manages the project, emphasized Hainan’s suitability for digital creative industries. “Hainan’s pleasant climate and abundant resources make it an ideal hub for digital nomads,” she says. The community has grown from scratch, accumulating valuable experience in local development and fostering a unique work-life environment tailored for younger generations.
In addition to promoting rural vitalization through the integration of culture and technology, the community collaborates with universities to bridge industry and academia, aiming to attract and nurture talent. “We are committed to building an ideal home for digital nomads,” Yi says.
Coastal hub
In Zhenhai village, located in Yazhou district of the coastal city of Sanya, another digital nomad community is making waves. The Sanya NCC Wave& Work Island Digital Nomad Community, the largest of its kind in China, has attracted over 200 nomads since its establishment in mid-December 2024. The community offers shared kitchens, libraries, gyms, swimming pools and offices, meeting the daily needs of its residents.
Li Xinya, 30, a community manager from Xi’an, Shaanxi province, frequently organizes activities to help newcomers connect with like-minded individuals.
“As long as you’re not socially anxious and participate in community activities, it’s easy to make new friends,” Li says.
Li left his job in internet in Beijing a few years ago to explore a more flexible work-life balance and has since been involved in multiple digital nomad community projects.
Feng Ziqing, a designer from Foshan, Guangdong province, finds the oceanfront setting of the community inspiring.
“The quiet environment and proximity to the sea provide endless inspiration for my creations,” she says.
Living in a six-person room, her monthly expenses, including food and accommodation, are around 2,000 yuan.
A 30-year-old finance professional from Wuhan called Laifu has visited the community twice within a month. He values the integration of work and leisure, as well as the intellectual exchanges among residents.
“Interesting souls, beautiful environment and well-equipped office spaces are crucial factors in digital nomad community life,” he says.
Community events, such as cooking sessions, traditional local dance lessons, yoga practices and poetry workshops, foster deeper relationships among members. He hopes that future policies will support more flexible employment for digital nomads and more countries will offer visa-free entry to Chinese nationals, enabling him to “roam “more freely.
Yao Jianhua, a professor at Fudan University’s School of Journalism, has been researching digital nomad communities for over two years. He sees these communities as transitional zones for young people facing employment challenges or career stagnation. “They offer a cost-effective alternative to metropolitan areas, allowing young people to experiment with online jobs while exploring their next career steps,” Yao says.
However, managing shared spaces in digital nomad communities is not without its challenges. Li, the community manager, acknowledges that disputes over the use of public spaces, such as kitchens and quiet offices, can arise.
“Community governance must be self-regulated, not imposed,” he says, emphasizing the importance of consensus-building and cross-authorization among residents to maintain order and harmony.
Beyond being a physical space, Li describes the Sanya nomad community as an experimental model for reshaping social interactions. “It fosters high-frequency idea exchanges, breaking traditional work-life patterns and transcending the ‘information cocoon’ of established social circles,” he says, adding that this environment encourages ideological collisions and value integration, creating a unique blend of creativity and collaboration.
For many residents, the community represents a physical escape from the pressures of urban life and a spiritual journey of personal growth. “This new form of living is both a physical migration to escape involution and a spiritual journey of cognitive upgrading,” Li explains.
As community members bring creative capital and innovative cultural tourism formats to local rural development, they also undergo self-reconstruction through cross-experiential exchanges. This dynamic reinforces a value loop of “talents returning to villages; community empowering individuals”, creating a sustainable model for rural vitalization and personal fulfillment, he adds.
The term “digital nomad” was coined in a 1997 book by Tsugio Makimoto and David Manners, who predicted a future workforce of globe-trotting professionals. Today, this vision has become a reality, with Hainan Free Trade Port emerging at the forefront of this global movement. As digital nomad communities continue to grow, they are redefining how people balance work, life and travel in an increasingly interconnected world.