Founders' story

We are a couple of world travellers. Over the past 6 years we have slow‑traveled and lived in more than ten countries and regions, including the US, Latin America, Thailand, Bali, Nepal and Europe. We have experienced many digital‑nomad, spiritual and eco communities, living together with people from around the world and exploring alternative ways of life. We are now based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Through our media account "Chinese Nomads" we share our travel stories and reflections. We have close to 500k followers across platforms and our content has reached tens of millions of views.

Ding

Ding

Designer & content creator, co‑founder of Chinese Nomads

I used to work as a product designer in big tech, but beyond design, travel has always been my biggest passion. My first backpacking trip to Yunnan in college opened the door to a different way of living. Later I travelled through India and Latin America and fell in love with places full of local culture and colour.

Travel not only helped me grow into a better version of myself, it also taught me to capture life through the lens and share these stories with more people. Today I'm based in Chiang Mai and continue to practise a borderless lifestyle, hoping our experience can inspire more people to design a life that truly fits them.

Pan

Pan

Founder of Chinese Nomads Community & classical yoga teacher

I grew up in a small city in China and have always been curious about both the inner and outer worlds. From youth culture studies to classical yoga, from big city life to global nomadism, I have been exploring what a meaningful life can look like for me.

Since university I have been searching for my own path: studying, teaching, writing, travelling and holding space for others. Through long‑term stays in different countries I learned to see the world's diversity and to listen to my own pace. My vision is to live with freedom and inner peace, and to support more people to find their own rhythm and definition of a good life.

Our nomad journey

A six‑year journey from leaving Shanghai to building a global community.

1

2019 – Leaving Shanghai for Latin America

We left our stable but limiting city life in Shanghai, quit our jobs and moved into a campervan in the Americas. That was the beginning of our long‑term nomad journey.

2

2020 – Stuck in Mexico, finding digital nomad role models

During the pandemic we were stranded in a small hippie town in Mexico and met many digital nomads from different countries. They showed us that remote work and global living can be real and sustainable.

3

2021–2022 – Building a community while travelling

We travelled through many countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, while growing our audience and starting what is now the Chinese Nomads Community.

4

2023–2025 – Back to China, then to Chiang Mai

We spent a period back in China, collaborating with brands, giving talks and doing "light nomad" travel within China and Europe. In 2025 we moved to Chiang Mai as a longer‑term base.

Our vision

For us, nomadism is more than working while travelling. It is a life philosophy about how to gain real freedom through geographic mobility, to keep growing through cultural encounters, and to build sustainable happiness on a foundation of physical and mental wellbeing.

We hope to create a warm, inclusive and supportive ecosystem where people can explore their own way of living as "world citizens" and design lives that truly belong to them.

🗺️

Geographic freedom · Economic independence

Not bound by location, not compromising for livelihood
Unlock a borderless life with online work

🌏

World citizen · Lifelong growth

Stay open in diverse cultures
Evolve together through continuous learning

🧘

Mind-body balance · Sustainable happiness

True freedom begins with health
Let happiness become a sustainable lifestyle

🎤 Speaking events & talks

CCTV-6 Film of the Week: Jungle Cruise special guest

CCTV-6 Film of the Week: Jungle Cruise special guest

2nd Digital Nomad Conference

2nd Digital Nomad Conference - Main stage featured speaker

Amer Sports

Amer Sports (global iconic sports & outdoor brand) - Internal company talk

Tourism New Zealand

Tourism New Zealand x Xiaohongshu offline event "Travel the World Slowly"

Monster Tribe

Monster Tribe (largest youth community in Sichuan & Chongqing) - Offline sharing guest

Join our journey

Whether you're just starting to consider a digital nomad life or already an experienced nomad, we welcome you to join our community and explore this world of possibilities together.

Join the community