Ditch the Office—These Yacht Destinations Are Perfect for Remote Work

For many, sailing on a yacht makes for an idyllic weekend or week-long getaway, but if you have the opportunity to work remotely, why not combine time on the water with taking care of those responsibilities? It’s the perfect way to combine the luxuries of a vessel and the beauty of a destination with online work. Thanks to ever-evolving technology, including high-quality Wi-Fi hotspots and connections like Starlink, it’s possible to work just about anywhere, from a remote mountain cabin to a boat. 

The biggest question is, where to anchor your yacht for working remotely? The key to success is reliable connectivity, good infrastructure for digital nomads, and access to a marina with good weather protection and services like laundry facilities, shops, and restaurants. Of course, you’ll also want a destination that offers activities and attractions you’re interested in. 

While there are many places across the globe worth considering, these top spots strike the perfect balance for work and play.

Cadiz, Spain

Spain is one of the top destinations for digital nomads, and it also offers many outstanding coastal spots for working remotely from a yacht. Cadiz, a beautiful historic city on a narrow peninsula that juts out into the Atlantic, provides access to spectacular sandy beaches on the Costa de la Luz (Coast of Light). World-class watersports can be enjoyed at beaches like Tarifa, including windsurfing, kitesurfing, traditional surfing, and paddleboarding. It’s also a good spot for dolphin watching and sipping sunset cocktails at the beachfront bars (chiringuitos). 

As one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, there’s a lot of history to explore, while vibrant festivals are often hosted, and mouthwatering cuisine can be found around nearly every corner. When you want to explore beyond Cadiz, there are many enticing places within an easy day trip, including Seville and the dramatic mountaintop city of Ronda, famous for its medieval Moorish heritage. Plus, you’ll find multiple marina options that are suitable for yacht services and berthing. 

Split, Croatia

Croatia is a yachter’s paradise with a breathtaking coastline, hundreds of gem-like islands, and a mild Mediterranean climate. The ancient city of Split is particularly ideal for working remotely from a yacht, providing a strategic central base for exploring and a thriving digital nomad scene. You’ll be just a short sailing distance to many diverse islands, secluded bays, and idyllic beaches tucked into hidden coves. The infrastructure is excellent, and marinas are top-notch with reliable Wi-Fi typically available. The city also offers coworking spaces with fast Wi-Fi if you want to meet up with others or just enjoy a change of scenery. 

Chania, Crete, Greek Islands

With over 200 inhabited islands and many full-service marinas, there are a lot of great choices for remote work in Greece, but Crete is particularly suited for yacht-based remote work. It’s the largest of the Greek islands, offering excellent infrastructure and a thriving digital nomad scene. If you’re looking for magnificent natural and manmade beauty, Chania is a top spot, with the Port of Souda its best natural harbor, just a short distance away. It’s home to the Souda Bay Marina, with outstanding facilities, including reliable Wi-Fi access, fuel stations, showers, and secure docking. 

You’ll enjoy the best of both worlds as Souda is near sandy beaches and picturesque Old Town Chania, renowned for its maze of cobbled streets, centuries-old walls, Venetian fortress, lighthouse, and historic harbor lined with enticing eateries.

The Algarve, Portugal

While Lisbon is a hotspot for remote work, the Algarve is an ideal alternative for a more laid-back stay with beautiful beaches and easy access to a wide range of outdoor activities, including some of the world’s best waves for surfing. The more than 300 days of sunshine, mild winters, and relaxed pace make for the ideal outdoor work environment. 

There are excellent marinas throughout this stretch of Portugal’s coast, providing the perfect base for working on a yacht, but it’s hard to beat Vilamoura, an upscale marina that’s great for longer stays. It’s the largest in Portugal, part of a luxurious resort with a vibrant social scene, championship golf courses, a casino, shops, bars, and restaurants. Immediately adjacent, Quartiera also has an urban beach and a long beachfront promenade. 

Oban, Scotland

While it’s not the warmest destination on this list, Oban is incredibly picturesque and provides easy access to countless islands nearby, including Kerrera, Iona, Mull, Staffa, and Lismore. It’s also a gateway to the Highlands, providing a great base for exploring dramatic mountains and castles just a short distance away. The Oban Harbour (North Pier Marina) offers a central location just steps from the shops, pubs, and restaurants renowned for fresh seafood, with breakwater pontoons for larger yachts, while the Kerrera Marina offers a more peaceful location with a free ferry that can take you to town in less than 10 minutes. 

Benoa, Bali

Benoa Marina is Bali’s first full-service marina, located near bustling Kuta and the more tranquil Nusa Dua Beach, with unspoiled, soft white sands and a barrier reef that protects it from rough waves, ideal for swimming and snorkeling. The marina is currently in its pilot phase with 40 berths, a temporary buoy system for up to 30 yachts, water, electricity, 24-hour security, toilets, and basic food and beverage options. But it will soon have offices and meeting spaces for remote workers, a yacht club, and much more. Plus, the general area from Benoa to Canggu is renowned for its strong digital nomad community.

St. Lucia

Lush St. Lucia in the eastern Caribbean is famous for its emerald pair of volcanic peaks known as the Pitons, its waterfall-filled rainforests, geothermal attractions like a drive-in volcano, and spectacular beaches. It also has world-class marinas like Rodney Bay Marina and Marigot Bay Marina, both catering to yachters seeking longer stays, with full services, deep-water docks, and provisioning, making them ideal for yachters working online. Marigot is more exclusive, with an upscale feel that attracts many VIPs, including celebrities, while Rodney Bay offers more extensive facilities and close proximity to shops and restaurants as a major hub in the Caribbean. 

Puerto Morelos, Riviera Maya, Mexico

While Playa del Carmen is a hotspot for working remotely, with many coworking spaces and an active expat community, Puerto Morelos is home to El Cid Marina, providing safe harbor for yachts, along with less-crowded beaches. A more authentic village, it sits about halfway between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, with its main beach, Playa de Puerto Morelos, right in the heart of town. Here you can enjoy food and drink service at beach clubs with loungers and umbrellas, or head to one of the beaches nearby, like Playa Punta Brava, offering a more secluded experience. If you want to swim in a freshwater cenote, you’ll have easy access to many via the “road of cenotes.”

El Cid Marina is ideal for remote-working yachters with full services, security, Wi-Fi, strong power, and even resort amenities like swimming pools and restaurants for a great work-life balance. When you’re looking for bigger city amenities or a place to work off your yacht and do more socializing, you’ll be perfectly situated for easy day trips to Cancun or Playa del Carmen, both less than 25 miles away.

Phuket, Thailand

Thailand has been popular among remote workers for decades, with Phuket, a gateway to the Andaman Sea, one of the top spots, thanks to its ideal mix of modern amenities and striking natural beauty. It also boasts a vibrant expat and digital nomad community, along with a wide range of marinas. Ao Po Grand is outstanding for larger yachts and longer stays, right at the entrance to Phang Nga Bay with its famous limestone karsts and islands. Royal Phuket Marina is the place to go for those seeking the most luxurious lifestyle with access to fine dining and world-class facilities. 

Of course, while in Phuket you can enjoy its famously beautiful beaches with chalk-white sands, clear turquoise water, and lush greenery. There are popular spots like Karon, Patong, and Kata, as well as quieter beaches such as Nai Harn and Ao Sane. You can easily rent a scooter when you want to explore further on land.

Da Nang, Vietnam

Da Nang is an underrated hub for digital nomads with everything remote workers could need, including those working remotely from yachts. The infrastructure was recently upgraded, and the Son Tra Marina offers a Santorini-inspired spot on the waterfront along the Son Tra Peninsula, only about 20 to 30 minutes from the city. Enjoy this relaxed setting with lots of blue and white, food and drink, and a vantage point for watching sunrises and sunsets. It’s also the only bay in the area with a panoramic view of the city.

You’ll find many breathtaking beaches here, like famous My Khe, ideal for swimming and enjoying a wide variety of activities. There are also secluded coves along the peninsula that can be explored, including Tien Sa, with soft sands and clear waters. Da Nang is also surrounded by mountains, providing a great option for those who like to hike.