We started planning this trip in December booking flights and accommodations. In January, we reviewed some of our accommodations and decided to upgrade places we were staying in Luang Prabang and Hanoi.
In Luang Prabang we switched to a place that was out of town. Sure it was only 15 minutes out of town and in a beautiful setting on the water, but it was just a little inconvenient compared to the original places we booked. On top of that. local transportation didn’t go to the resort, we had to take the limited scheduled shuttles that the resort offered or request an individual paid shuttle from and to the resort.
In Hanoi, we moved from an older AirBNB in the Old Quarter to a modern high rise condo 20 minutes from the Old Quarter. What that means is taking a Grab through the chaotic streets of Hanoi. It is nice having a two floor condo, and of course the washer/dryer combo, but we gave up too much in location for the luxury of something much newer. Also, I am a fan of new contemporary bathrooms.
Will we survive? Yes. We made the best of it. Is it something we need to be more cognizant for future adventures? Yes.
Finally, in many places we have stayed, we have chosen great locations.
Traveling Walters 