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Australians are discovering that the best holiday extra may be one nobody can see: silence from the phone.

The travel trend known as ‘deadzoning’ is turning poor reception into a premium feature. Travellers are no longer chasing stronger Wi-Fi at every stop. Many are choosing remote places, low-signal tours or set device-free days. The aim is simple. Step away from emails, social feeds and the small electronic tyrant buzzing in your pocket.

G Adventures also calls the trend a digital detox or quietcation. It means travel where access to phones, social media and work alerts is limited. The company points to Northern Thailand, Antarctica, Patagonia and the Ecuadorian Amazon as ideal places to put screen time on ice. In Antarctica, of course, that phrase is almost literal.

The appeal is easy to understand. Research supplied by G Adventures found that 66 per cent of Australians saw time to relax and de-stress as a key reason to book a holiday. Another 47 per cent wanted a break from work and daily pressures.

Globally, more than one-quarter of travellers aged 25 to 30 said switching off a device had made them happiest on a past trip.

This does not mean every traveller should bury a smartphone under a sand dune. Evidence on digital detoxes is mixed. One recent review found that cutting smartphone or social-media use may help more than giving it up completely. Results can also vary by person, length of the break and type of limit.

Healthdirect advises that regular breaks, enjoyable activities and time in nature can help people deal with work stress.

So, deadzoning is not a war on technology. It is a way to restore an old and useful boundary. You are away. The office is not meant to come too.

Five G Adventures Trips Made for Switching Off

Local Living Ecuador Amazon Jungle

Deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, the holiday soundtrack changes at once. There is no Wi-Fi. There is no mobile signal. There is also no need to check whether a colleague has replied-all to a message that needed no reply at all.

Travellers stay with a local Indigenous community and learn about rainforest life. The experience includes traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and the community’s bond with Pachamama.

G Adventures lists the tour as a seven-day Quito-to-Quito trip built around local life in the Amazon.

The Australian media material lists prices from $1,369 per person.

Northern Thailand Hilltribes Trek

Some travellers prefer their rest with a sturdy pair of boots. This five-day trek starts and ends in Chiang Mai. It then moves through national park and jungle country to Lahu and Karen communities.

The route includes remote villages, bamboo rafting and long sections with little signal. That signal may be even harder to find than a quiet Bangkok crossing.

G Adventures describes the tour as a small-group cultural trek through Northern Thailand. Ban Jabo is one of its key stops.

Prices are listed from $679 per person.

Antarctica Classic

Antarctica does not simply lower the volume. It removes the amplifier.

The 11-day trip sails from Ushuaia. Guests join Zodiac outings and talks led by the expedition team. They travel through one of the most remote places on Earth.

Wi-Fi may be sold on the ship, but it is not included. That gives travellers a clear choice. Buy a connection or give the icebergs their full attention.

The days are filled with ocean, ice and wildlife. The scale alone can make an overflowing inbox seem pleasingly small.

Prices are listed from $14,299 per person.

Patagonia: Turquoise Lakes & Torres del Paine

This nine-day trip is designed for travellers aged 18 to 39. It runs from Puerto Natales to El Calafate through Chilean and Argentine Patagonia.

The tour includes walks in Torres del Paine, camp nights, glacier views and bright blue lakes. Some look as though they have been edited by a very keen photographer.

G Adventures gives the trip an average fitness grade. It combines hotel stays with two nights of camping.

Signal can be weak on parts of the route. That makes the trip a useful circuit-breaker for guests who are used to posting every meal, mountain and mildly notable cloud.

Prices are listed from $3,849 per person.

Namibia to Cape Town Overland Safari

This 14-day trip runs from Windhoek to Cape Town. Guests travel aboard G Adventures’ purpose-built Lando vehicle. The tour mixes desert views, wildlife, camping and local visits.

The official route includes Etosha National Park, high dunes and Namibia’s canyon country. It then heads south towards Cape Town.

Stays range from participation camping to fixed tented camps and shared lodging. Most travel is by Lando or on foot.

Evening entertainment is more likely to involve a campfire and a sky full of stars. A charging lead and one more downloaded series can stay in the bag.

Prices are listed from $3,199 per person.

The New Luxury Is Being Unavailable

The business case for the travel trade is clear. Strong Wi-Fi was once a key selling point. Now, a well-planned break from it can be part of the product.

Travel advisers have an important role. They can help clients choose the right level of digital distance. Some people want a full break. Others need contact with family, emergency access or one set check-in each day.

The safe approach is not to vanish without a word. Travellers should set clear limits before departure. They should download key documents, share their route and tell someone how to reach them in an emergency.

The best deadzone holiday is not always the place with the weakest signal. It is the trip that gives a person permission to stop posting, performing and replying for a while.

After years of carrying the office in our pockets, that may be the rarest upgrade of all.