@sophiepanteli

Tirana is a nice enough city. There're lots of amenities - really good restaurants, bars, cafes. Tirana park is great to escape the hustle and bustle. The cable car up into the mountains is a really nice weekend day trip and was probably the highlight of our stay. But other than drinking espressos all day, there isn't an awful lot to do here, you can see the sites in a couple of days. In terms of digital nomad-ing here, there's a reason why Tirana isn't high up on the nomad ranking. I couldn't find any good cafes to work in with wifi that's stable enough. There are a few co-working spaces but they seem awful expensive for what they are. The city isn't really set up for remote workers - that's not to say it couldn't be in the future. It's quite affordable, safe, pretty clean and well connected. I'd be indifferent to returning. nb- if you are vegetarian/ vegan you will most likely struggle in Albania!!

Da Nang is a great spot for digital nomads. There're loads of coffee shops that are designed for laptop working - my favourite were The Good Folk Cafe and DNG coffee. They've got big tables, comfortable seats, air con, good coffee and fast wifi. But the main event of Da Nang is the beach. It's really good, there's loads of space, there are spots to buy a fresh coconut or a beer. The tide can be quite strong but there were usually life guards. The beach front is also great for running. Because Da Nang is very touristic, it felt a bit like living on a holiday resort here. It didn't feel very cultured. The food choices can be a bit more pricey and unhealthy - burgers, greasy banh mi, tacos. There're also things to explore in the surrounding areas - caves and mountains and things. The goddess of mercy statue at the end of the bay makes for an easy hike. We enjoyed our time in Da Nang and would stay again!

I did not like Hanoi at all! It very gloomy, grey, dank, sombre. Men sat around on little plastic stools smoking tobacco bongs, spitting on the floor. Loads of tourists shuffling around, glaring lights. The Vietnamese only want to interact with you to flog you some knock off goods. We tried to see some sights - the botanical gardens was a sad concrete park with some monkeys in a pissy cage. The Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum wouldn't let me in because I was wearing shorts. So we hid in Starbucks for most of our visit until it was time to leave! I would give this one a miss guys.

Chiang Mai is digital nomad mecca. It's SO cheap, the quality of life is really high, there're co working spaces, cafes with fast wifi, endless food choices, it's incredibly safe - I saw a guy leave his mac book on a table outside a cafe and go in to use the toilet. Incredible! The surrounding countryside is beautiful when you want to escape the city. My bf and I would regularly hike up to Doi Suthep which is very accessible from the city. It's a good stop off for Chiang Rai and elephant sanctuaries. We stayed in the Nimman area which felt really nice for living and working. The accom was very affordable, the feeling was very civilised with lots of shopping and restaurants. It's more of a nomad area than the old town, which feels quick back-packer-y. For me the only pit fall was the pollution around the month of March. There's not an awful lots you can do but leave or stay inside. Other than this, Chiang Mai is no.1 spot to live and work and we're coming back in 2025 for 3 months!