Background in Sociology and experience in running coworking spaces. Tea drinker by day, she never refuses a beer at night.
Hacker Paradise reviews from previous trips to South Korea
I loved the experience! I joined the group for 1 month and a half in Seoul and had an incredible time. Sara and Spencer are amazing, always worried for you, super well organized and the people i met super like-minded and interesting.
I would love to travel with HP again, and I totally recommend it to anyone ๐
I've been to Hacker Paradise 8 times because I love it so much. It's always a great group of people, and I get to explore a city I wouldn't normally go to. The organizers are great, and super helpful. One of them even taught Korean classes while we were in Jeju, which was incredible. I love it and will be back again soon!
If you're looking for a 'digital nomad' program definitely choose HP. I did tons of research and talked to participants of other work/travel programs and in the end, decided to join Hacker Paradise. I, without a doubt made the right decision. The program exceeded my expectations and really made me feel like I was apart of a community. HP is also super flexible which allows you to get what you want out of it. Some people are looking for professional development and networking, some are looking to travel for a short period of time and some want to start a new job/business/path. The flexibility in structure attract people from very diverse backgrounds. Most of all, the facilitators are amazing!!! I can't stay enough about how awesome they were--they truly made my experience worthwhile. I can't wait to join the group again.
This is no hyperbole: Hacker Paradise has been one of the most productive and enjoyable experiences of my life. As a first-time nomad, I was nervous about balancing productivity and fun while traveling abroad, but the HP community provides a perfect balance of structure and spontaneity. Some highlights from my time in Porto and Jeju: port wine tasting in port caves, pot lucks with homemade food from half a dozen countries, weekend trips to the beach, swimming in rock pools, climbing South Korea's tallest mountain, experiencing a Korean sauna for the first time, and good old Goofy Foot (need I say more)...
Of course, what really makes the whole thing work are the people -- from Spencer and Dale who are absolutely amazing at keeping the ship running and setting the tone, to all the other attendees who are invariably 1) working on cool projects, 2) willing to share their knowledge and insight, 3) always down for a pint after a long day at the co-working space. If you're on the fence, don't be: just do it!
I first joined Hacker Paradise for 4 weeks in Jeju, South Korea. I've enjoyed it so much, that I've decided to also come for Peru trip. This time, for 8 weeks.
Travelling with HP is a great way to meet new people, visit interesting places but still stay on track with your career.
Spencer and Dale are working hard to make sure, that you have everything you need to stay productive and enjoy your stay. They organize meetups with local communities, talks and workshops.
Community itself is also amazing. People are always willing to help each other.
I cannot recommend it enough!
Currently on my fourth trip with Hacker Paradise. The top four things that keep me coming back are:
1. Program organization - Facilitators Spencer and Dale are work relentlessly to make sure accommodations and co-working spaces meet the needs of the participants. If there are issues, for example with internet speeds or housing problems, they are on top of the problem right away, sometimes before we even notice it happening. They are responsive and understand the needs of digital nomads because they both been there.
2. Participants - Hacker Paradise does a great job of selecting people for their programs. Most everyone I've met during my trips have been dedicated, accepting, interesting, friendly, curious, and just generally good travelers. They work hard and yes, they party hard too but it's all great fun. I've made friends for life here. You can judge how great the group is and how addicting this lifestyle is by that fact that so many people either extend their stay or wish they could because the group is so hard to leave.
3. Diversity - Not only is there a diversity in gender but also in age and in career paths. Usually Hacker implies developer but in reality there are people from a number of different jobs here and the facilitators seem to put emphasis on choosing people from variety of backgrounds.
4. Lastly, Location - HP has gone to places this year that I've wanted to visit and the program allows me time to really get to know places with other people who are interested in seeing them too.
Hacker Paradise is my family away from home. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet amazing people, work from cool locations, and constantly be inspired by people doing cool things who are always willing to share their knowledge. And eat a lot of dessert.
Hacker Paradise reviews from other trips
Thoughtful, grounded and easy
First time doing something like this and exceeded any expectation I could even think of.
Like minded people in a beautiful setting with amazing trips.
Fantastic communication from the managers puts your mind at ease.
Something happening everyday with an ideal work balance!
Everything you could need from the rooms with great views.
Nice meals and great internet for those times you need to lock in for your work hour.
These guys really go out of their way to make every situation meaning full
My girlfriend and I joined one of Noma Collective's Belize trips, and it was a blast.
We both work remotely. As a couple, when you're new to a place, it's easy to end up only talking to each other and experiencing somewhere new through the same lens you use to get through a normal Tuesday. We've always found that group activities add dimension, so we wanted people to explore Belize with, and hopefully pull in some other travelers and locals along the way. And that's exactly what we got.
While at Hobbs' Brew Bar, we ended up meeting a fellow traveler who was a hair stylist, and she gave me a great haircut. At Rumfish in downtown Placencia, we met a sophisticated older British woman, who we ended up spending a poolside afternoon with on one of the weekends, sipping cocktails and shooting the breeze.
On weekdays, it was nice to unwind on the beach with like-minded people. My girlfriend and I don't always want to do the same thing at the same moment, and being part of a bigger group solved that. I went paddleboarding and played volleyball with some of the gang while she and a few others went to the tiki bar. It wasn't cliquish at all. Everyone was down to earth, and it was amazing how fast it turned into an actual community.
Several of the people from that trip are still our friends. We house-sat for two of them while they went on a later Noma trip to Argentina, and another crashed at our place in LA for a weekend en route to Singapore. We're hoping to get to the Bahamas with a couple of them this fall.
As for the practical stuff, the room was great. A kitchen you could actually cook in, views of the Caribbean, a balcony, air conditioning, a chill zone. The Wi-Fi handled video calls and streaming without drama. The food was consistently good, and my girlfriend is vegan. The kitchen at Umaya always had a real meal for her. Ever since that trip, she's hooked on guava jam.
The weekend activities were fun and not obligatory, which was the right call. We explored Placencia, hiked to a waterfall, and spent real time with people outside work hours, but nobody was taking attendance. One weekend we rented a car, dipped off, and drove toward the Guatemala border.
I'm still grateful for the friendships that came out of that trip. It was well organized, welcoming, and pretty much everything we hoped for. And despite having that much fun, I still got my work done and didn't get fired. I'd travel with them again.
I came on the Buenos Aires edition in October as I wanted to get to know some nomads from around the world. We did a nice mix of local stuff from a Boca game to nights out at a cultural center . Now I hope to go to Africa next year with them. Maybe see you there
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