4 years, 3 islands, and 1 big question: Can remote workers really thrive in paradise? 🧑💻 Spoiler: It’s not all Instagram sunsets. Here’s my no-BS guide.
The Island Experiment: Why I Left the Mainland
For more than four years, I’ve been conducting an experiment: can island life really work for remote professionals? What started as curiosity became a deep dive into three distinct island cultures, each offering unique advantages and challenges for digital nomads.
My journey began in Malta, which became my home base for four years. Then I tested Madeira (Portugal) for 1.5 intensive months. Now, the Canary Islands (Spain) await my next field test.
The reality check: Each destination has compelling strengths and frustrating weaknesses. Success depends entirely on matching your priorities with what each island offers. Here’s my honest comparison based on experience and research.
Malta: The Four-Year Deep Dive
The Promise: Endless sunshine, English-speaking environment, EU convenience
The Reality: A complex mix of Mediterranean charm and modern challenges
✓ What I like
- Psychological boost from constant sunshine: Malta’s clear blue skies create an undeniably positive atmosphere. This isn’t just vacation happiness; it’s a sustained mood improvement that affects productivity and social connections.
- Zero language barriers: English dominates daily life and education. For families, this means access to numerous English-speaking schools (both public and private), eliminating the stress of language immersion.
- Logistics that actually work: Online ordering and delivery systems function reliably. When you’re managing remote work, this operational efficiency matters more than you’d expect.
- Healthcare accessibility: Public healthcare operates with typical queues, but the private sector delivers fast, quality care when deadlines can’t wait.
- Tax optimization: Significantly lower tax burden compared to Portugal and Spain, leaving more budget for other priorities.
✗ What is hard
- Intense summers: May to September can be uncomfortably hot
- Limited nature: Beautiful cliffs but sparse greenery
- Waste management: Increasing litter, fixed garbage collection days
- High costs: Rent and electricity expenses bite hard, while modern housing remains surprisingly scarce
- Food prices: Groceries, especially fruits and vegetables, are pricier than many European countries
Madeira: A 1.5-Month Test
The Promise: Mild climate, green nature and clean streets. People also call it the island of eternal spring because of its soft weather and flowers all year.
The Reality: A slower, introspective lifestyle with trade-offs
✓ What I like
- Safety and calm: Even during tourist season, the island maintains a peaceful, orderly atmosphere.
- Nature: Mountain trails and tropical landscapes create an almost therapeutic living environment, and are perfect for hiking.
- Affordable groceries and dining: Fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood cost substantially less while offering superior quality.
- Internet and community: Reliable, fast internet combined with an established nomad community provides both technical and social support.
✗ What is hard
-
Mood: Frequent cloud cover and mountain fog create a contemplative, sometimes melancholic atmosphere that affects productivity and social energy (my personal feeling).
-
Sea and beaches: Cold Atlantic waters year-round, few sandy beaches
-
Schools (Family considerations): Only one private English-speaking school limits options for remote workers with children.
-
Language barrier: Many locals don’t speak English fluently
-
Challenging delivery: Slower and less reliable
-
Taxes: Higher than in Malta.
-
Healthcare concerns: Weaker medical infrastructure forces residents to travel to mainland Portugal for serious conditions. Local advice: “In Madeira, you better not get sick.”
Canary Islands: The Next Step
The Canary Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean, part of Spain. They are my next destination to test for remote work.
From my tourist memory and new research:
What I anticipate:
- Climate: Summer heat comparable to Malta (30°C+) but with more pleasant winters (24°C). More consistent sunshine than Madeira, less oppressive than Malta’s peak season
- Nature: In between Malta and Madeira: more green than Malta, less tropical than Madeira. Volcano landscapes (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura), green mountains (Tenerife, Gran Canaria).
- Sea and beaches: Many sandy beaches, good for surfing. The Atlantic is colder than Malta’s sea.
- Internet & Community: Good internet, well-known digital nomad hubs such as Las Palmas.
- Schools (for families): Multiple international schools on larger islands
- Delivery: Works, but some products don’t arrive (for example from Amazon), sometimes slower.
- Healthcare: Spanish system quality with typical public/private options (public — with queues, private — faster).
- Cleanliness: Mixed — cleaner than Malta, not as spotless as Madeira
- Atmosphere: Different depending on the island or even the town: you can find both active beach zones and more quiet places. Overall sunny and more “open,” closer to Malta.
🙋♀️ The Honest Conclusion
Island life is not an Instagram filter. It’s a series of daily trade-offs that either align with your current life phase or create constant friction.
After extensive testing, I’m returning to Malta for another year — the sunshine, English integration, and logistics efficiency currently outweigh the costs and environmental limitations for my work situation.
But the Canaries remain my next major test. Different life phases require different island solutions.
The key insight: Success isn’t about finding the “perfect” island — it’s about honest self-assessment of your non-negotiable needs versus your flexible preferences.
What’s your island experiment? Have you tested remote work from islands? Which factors would be your deal-breakers versus nice-to-haves? 🌴
Written by