Travelers are embracing “deadzoning” travel, where they switch screens and notifications depending on their connection to nature, adventure, and the real world.
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- A growing travel trend called “deadzoning” involves vacationing in remote locations without cell phone service or Wi-Fi.
- Travelers seek out these disconnected trips to relax, de-stress, and escape the pressures of work and daily life.
- Research shows that younger generations are particularly interested in unplugging, with many feeling happiest when traveling when they turn off their devices.
The first time Johann Konst was completely cut off from the world was at a lodge in the middle of the Amazon rainforest.
This Dutch traveler was exploring Brazil with friends on a trip in April 2023. After visiting Rio de Janeiro and Manaus, the group traveled about three hours into the world’s largest rainforest, but their accommodation had no Wi-Fi or cell phone service.
Initially, Const was “a little shocked” as the lack of internet connectivity meant she was unable to contact her public relations firm’s clients or keep up with the news.
Then something moved.
For the next five days, Const enjoyed spending time with friends and nature. During the day, the group went on a boat tour down the Amazon River. In the evening, they deepened their interactions with overseas travelers at the lodge.
“The first day I was like, ‘OK, what’s going on?'” And after the first day, it was really, really good. “It feels like the world is moving so slowly and you can see things that you wouldn’t be able to see if you were on your phone,” he told USA TODAY.
In the end, she said she liked the experience, Const. Although it was scary at first to disconnect from texting, email, and social media, it was refreshing to realize that the world goes on without you, and it doesn’t really matter.
More and more travelers are leaving their phones and laptops behind and seeking destinations without cell service or Wi-Fi. Research by small-group adventure company G Adventures suggests that such trips, known as “deadzoning,” force people to disconnect from technology and reconnect with themselves, others, and nature.
According to data collected by the company last year, 58% of travelers use trips without an internet connection to “relax and de-stress,” and 41% want to “relieve the pressures of work and daily life.”
For these travelers, deadzoning is an antidote to today’s fast-paced hustle culture and the burnout that comes with it. These trips aren’t just about going to the most beautiful destinations or visiting popular tourist attractions and sharing them later on social media. For travelers, it’s a meaningful time to rest and reset.
No cell phone service? No problem
There’s no doubt that modern life can be stressful. Phones buzzing with notifications and doomscrolling are taking a toll on people’s mental health. In 2024, Americans will spend an average of 4.5 hours on their phones each day, a 52% increase from 2022.
Breaking free from devices is easier said than done, and several studies have shown that the brain’s addiction to devices is similar to drug use.
Younger generations in particular carry the burden of being too connected, and more and more people are choosing to disconnect as much as possible. According to G Adventures, more than a quarter of travelers aged 25 to 30 said they felt happiest when they turned off their devices on a past trip.
G Adventure expedition leader Matt Barnaby witnessed this change in real time during trips to remote and undeveloped destinations, such as an 11-day cruise to Antarctica (Wi-Fi is technically available on board via Starlink, but it comes at an additional cost and is a barrier for some passengers). As the ship sails around the Antarctic Peninsula, passengers will ride Zodiacs, kayak, and go on wildlife viewing and nature immersion tours.
“We’ve gotten a lot of comments from our guests saying they’re surprised by the feeling, and the best word is freedom,” Barnaby said. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how connected they are, especially with their cell phones.”
This is the philosophy behind dead zoning. With a lack of services, people need to exist and find connections in the real world rather than behind a screen.
“I don’t think you really realize how important it is to disconnect until you really try and see how your obsession with social media or online or your phone in general affects you,” he continued. “You get the lasting effect of not only being disconnected in the moment, but realizing that disconnection persists after the voyage.”
Travelers don’t necessarily have to go far to go offline. CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert also recently launched a new “Do Not Disturb” program aimed at encouraging travelers to step away from their devices and be more mindful while on vacation. Guests will be provided with a “phone cocoon” to physically store their devices, participate in screen-free communal meals, and spend time in wellness classes.
Destination dead zoning
For travelers interested in the dead zone, here are some of the best destinations to try a digital detox, according to G Adventures.
- Ecuador: Travelers spend four nights in the Amazon rainforest, staying with a local host family. During the day, they will take a walk through the jungle to a waterfall, visit an animal rescue center by canoe, and experience a shamanic ceremony.
- Northern Thailand: Starting from Chiang Mai, travelers trek through the mountains to visit remote villages and explore deep caves on bamboo rafts.
- Antarctica: Travelers explore the Zodiac’s “white continent” and hope to spot polar bears, whales and penguins.
- Patagonia: Experienced hikers hike the trails of Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares National Parks in Patagonia, Chile and Argentina, against a backdrop of glaciers and pristine mountains.
- Southern Africa: Travelers spend two weeks camping in the Namibia desert before heading to Cape Town. Afterwards, go on safari to Etosha National Park.
