How We Choose Somewhere to Live and Work While Travelling

Da Nang is our number-one base for a longer stay. It's where we've spent our longest stretches in one place, and when we plan time there, we try to give ourselves two to three months. The beach, the food, the people, the cafés and the quality of life for what we spend are what keep bringing us back!

That feels different from choosing somewhere for a quick holiday. We want to enjoy being there on an ordinary day, including the days when we need to work and aren't going off to see something new.

We've found bits of that feeling in other places too: cooking in Buenos Aires, settling into an apartment in Budapest, and returning to cafés on the Moroccan coast and in Sri Lanka. Here's what those stays have taught me about choosing a base, with Da Nang as the place I'd start.

Choosing Digital Nomad Accommodation: My Quick Answer

Short answer is, I'd choose the everyday life first and the accommodation second. Da Nang is our favourite because the combination works for us: beach time, good food, cafés, people we enjoy being around and accommodation that makes the quality of life feel affordable.

For the next booking, these are the six things I'd compare:

• The area: food shops, cafés and the things you'll use regularly, with realistic routes between them.
• The room: enough space, a table and chair you can actually sit at, and somewhere to sleep comfortably.
• The connection: specific answers about the internet in that accommodation, plus a possible alternative nearby.
• The food: the kitchen you need, the places you'd eat and what both options would cost.
• The full cost: the final accommodation total, food, transport and the everyday extras.
• The commitment: the length of stay, cancellation conditions and flexibility you need.

Those are the checks I'd use next time, and I'd decide which ones matter most for that stay before falling in love with a listing and trying to make everything else fit!

Why Da Nang Is Our Number-One Longer-Term Base

Da Nang is the place I'd use as our clearest example of living somewhere while travelling. We love the life we can have there, without feeling we need to fill every day with sightseeing.

The beach and sunshine are a big part of the appeal for us. So are the good people, food, cafés and accommodation. It's the way all of those things come together, and how affordable we find it for the quality of life we get, that makes it our first choice!

I'd use Da Nang as a reference point when thinking about another destination. Would I enjoy having a few ordinary weeks there? Are there places I'd want to return to for food or a café visit? Does the accommodation fit the way we'd actually spend our days?

The answer doesn't have to look the same everywhere, and a city apartment and a coastal base can both be lovely, but I want to know what I'm choosing beyond the room photos. Da Nang gives us a combination we love, which is why a cheaper room somewhere else wouldn't automatically tempt me away.

When a place works that well for us, we want enough time to settle in. I'd think about your own plans in the same way: does staying longer sound appealing because you'd enjoy the life there?

You can see the accommodation recorded from our Vietnam trips on our Vietnam stays page. For a longer booking, I'd still compare the exact room, dates and terms rather than assuming a short-stay rate tells the whole story.

Choose the Neighbourhood for an Ordinary Weekday

Once I'd chosen the destination, I'd map out the things that would shape the week: a food shop, cafés, places to eat, any gym I'd want to use and the transport I'd need. Then I'd look at the routes between them.

A pin that looks close on a map isn't the same as a pleasant everyday walk, and a room that's cheaper can become a different proposition if getting breakfast, groceries or dinner means organising transport each time.

Buenos Aires was a useful example of choosing within a city. During our 18 nights there, we stayed in both Palermo Soho and Palermo Hollywood. The second apartment in Hollywood was my favourite, and it was cheaper per night too, so paying more didn't automatically give us the better base.

Our Buenos Aires accommodation guide goes into that comparison. The lesson I'd take into the next booking is to compare what each location gives you in daily life before deciding which room looks best.

We felt a similar difference on the Albanian coast. In Sarandë, morning swims, work and going out for food fitted into our days, giving us a lovely combination of being by the water and still having somewhere to head out afterwards. Ksamil had beautiful water, but Sarandë was the base we'd choose again. Loving a beach and loving living near it aren't always the same decision!

Look Past the Room Photos to the Space You'll Use

I'd study the less exciting parts of a listing just as carefully as the view. Can two people sit comfortably? Is there somewhere to put a laptop without clearing the whole kitchen? Is the chair something I'd want to use for more than breakfast?

If the photos don't show the table clearly, I'd ask for another photo that shows where it sits in the room, then check whether it's inside the booked accommodation or in a shared space. I'd also confirm that the room shown is the room we'd receive.

A listing calling itself digital nomad accommodation doesn't settle those questions for me, because it's the actual table, chair, sleeping space, noise and practical facilities that I'd compare before committing to a few weeks or months.

In Budapest, our apartment booking ran for 33 nights, from 15 August to 17 September 2025, although I left on 7 September and Dan stayed longer. It was a loft-style apartment with a kitchen, giving us somewhere to settle rather than move every few days.

For another stay, I'd check laundry arrangements, heating or cooling, and how the sleeping space is separated from the rest of the apartment, because those details can matter more when you're living there. A washing machine might matter more than another balcony once you've been travelling for a while!

Our Budapest accommodation guide covers the areas and stay options. I'd still check the facilities for the exact room I'm considering, because a property name alone doesn't tell me how that room will work.

Ask Specific Internet Questions Before Booking

This is one where a beautiful view really doesn't help if you can't do what you need to do. In Hurghada, we had a lovely coastal view but struggled with the internet and went looking for somewhere else to work at a beach club.

That experience makes the room itself worth checking before another longer booking, especially when working is a big part of why you're staying put and you'd rather spend the day there than look for somewhere else.

I'd ask whether the Wi-Fi reaches the table we'd use, whether it's shared with other units and whether the host can send a recent speed test from that space. A result from reception wouldn't tell me enough about the connection in the room.

Describe what you need in plain language, including whether your days involve video calls, large uploads or two people online at once, so the host can answer something more useful than “Is the internet good?”

I'd also look for an alternative nearby. A café might have tables and powerpoints but still be too busy, noisy or unsuitable at the time you need, so I'd ask about laptop use and buy something while I'm there.

For a possible mobile alternative, the eSIM I use is one option to compare. Check destination coverage, phone compatibility, data allowance and tethering terms. I'd assess reception in the accommodation separately before relying on it.

Match the Kitchen and Café Options to Your Routine

In Buenos Aires, I loved having kitchens. We made eggs, fruit and avocado toast, cooked vegetables and steak, and had the option of eating at home when we wanted to, without turning every meal into a calculation about saving money.

Cooking gave us a bit of normality between exploring! I'd check what “kitchen” includes before booking something similar, because a fridge and kettle aren't the same as having the hob, pans and utensils to make dinner.

That doesn't mean an apartment with a kitchen should win every time. Da Nang is our favourite for the overall life we have there, including the food and cafés, so I'd compare the way we want to eat and spend our days alongside the accommodation.

A café can be part of that routine too, as we found in Paje when we worked at ZanziBarista, with that beautiful beach view sitting right there while we got on with our day. In Hikkaduwa, Amaroo became a place we returned to repeatedly, with space and powerpoints that made it useful for working.

Those are different reasons to choose a café, rather than a guarantee of internet performance. I'd still want somewhere in the accommodation for anything I need to do privately or quietly, including the days when I'd rather stay in.

Compare the Quality of Life, Not Just the Nightly Rate

Da Nang is the clearest example for us here. We find it really affordable for the quality of life we get: the beach, food, cafés, accommodation and the people are all part of why it works. I'd judge the value of another base in that same everyday way.

A lower room rate on its own wouldn't settle it. I want to know whether we can afford to enjoy being there once meals, groceries, transport and the things we'd use regularly are included, rather than spending the whole stay trying to make the accommodation fit the budget.

I'd compare stays using the final total for the same dates and number of people. Include compulsory charges, then add realistic allowances for food, local transport, laundry and any gym or workspace you'd use. Café days need a place in that budget too.

If you're weighing up currencies, compare the rate and fees before paying. The Wise card I use for travel is one option for travel money; check the current terms for your account and the payment you're making.

Our existing Buenos Aires and Budapest cost breakdowns explain those particular trips. Use them for context and price your own dates. My personal verdict on Da Nang's value isn't a fixed monthly budget or a quote for your stay.

Look for the Places That Make You Want to Stay

Some of the most useful lessons come from our other trips, even when the stays were much shorter than the time we try to give Da Nang. The things that made us enjoy an ordinary day weren't always the big attractions.

In Tamraght, Hey Yallah became part of our routine, somewhere we went for matcha and coffee as well as joining an incense workshop and enjoying the little events around it. I loved having that there! Our Airbnb also had a kitchen, courtyard and somewhere to wash and dry clothes. That's a lovely combination when you want to settle in!

Our Taghazout and Tamraght guide explains that trip. The thing I'd look for elsewhere is the chance to get to know a place through returning, whether that's a café, a class or a little neighbourhood routine.

Sri Lanka offered another version. Amaroo was our work-friendly café in Hikkaduwa, while Nomad was a favourite in Weligama. It's worth being specific about the town, because choosing the right café doesn't help if it's nowhere near the accommodation you're considering or means a journey you won't want to make every day.

You can read our Hikkaduwa guide and Weligama guide for the differences. I wouldn't choose between towns purely on a café list; I'd put the room, the area and the rest of the days alongside it.

Dahab was a much shorter stay for us, just two nights, but coffee, Hammer Gym and being beside the water made us want longer. Our Dahab accommodation guide is useful if that slower waterfront routine appeals to you too!

Give Your Base Time, Without Ignoring the Booking Terms

For Da Nang, we try to allow two to three months. It's our number-one longer-term base, and the time we want there reflects how much we enjoy the life it gives us. That's a different commitment from fitting a destination between travel days.

Buenos Aires was 18 nights, and the Budapest apartment booking was 33 nights with Dan staying after I left. Both gave us time to settle, with different routines from the coastal life we love in Da Nang.

For your own plans, weigh the routine you want against flexibility. A shorter initial booking can leave options open, but it can also mean paying more, moving or finding that the place isn't available to extend. I'd compare those possibilities before committing.

If a longer-stay discount is offered, check the final price and cancellation conditions rather than assuming a month is always better value. I'd also check the requirements for my own passport and circumstances before committing to a longer trip.

There's room to love a place and still read the practical details! The aim is to give yourself time you'll enjoy, with a booking that fits the trip you can actually take.

My Checklist to Send a Host Before Booking

Once I'd narrowed the options down, this is the message I'd adapt. Keep the dates, number of guests and anything essential specific to your own trip.

Hi! We're looking at staying from [arrival] to [departure] for [number of guests]. Before booking, could you please confirm a few things?

1. Is the apartment or room in the photos the exact one we'd receive?
2. Is there a table and chair inside it? Could you send a photo showing the setup?
3. Does the Wi-Fi reach that space, is it shared with other units, and could you share a recent speed test from there?
4. What cooking equipment, laundry facilities and heating or cooling are included?
5. Is there regular noise from nearby venues, roads or building work?
6. Does the total shown include all compulsory charges, and what are the cancellation or date-change terms?

Thanks so much!

I'd keep the answers with the booking details and compare them with the listing, then follow up on anything essential that's still unclear before committing to somewhere we'd be spending a few weeks or months.

My last check would be whether the place suits both people. If one wants quiet mornings and the other wants to head out early, how would the room and neighbourhood work? Choosing a base together means thinking about the ordinary bits together too.

Watch Our Buenos Aires Travel Vlog

Buenos Aires was another place where we spent time as nomads, mixing work with cooking in the apartment, returning to cafés and exploring the city. Our 18 nights gave us time to enjoy the everyday bits as well as the sights!

Our travel vlog shows the neighbourhoods, food and friendships from that stay, including why we loved spending longer there. If you're wondering what that kind of trip can feel like, come along with us.

Watch our Buenos Aires travel vlog on YouTube or visit our YouTube channel for more of our travels.

Our latest public long-form video, checked on 17 October 2026, is We Visited The Worlds Highest City, from La Paz. That's there for your next watch when you're ready!

FAQs About Choosing a Base While Travelling

Where is your favourite place to stay longer while travelling?

Da Nang is our number-one longer-term base. We try to spend two to three months there because we love the beach, sunshine, people, food, cafés and accommodation, and find it affordable for the quality of life we get. That is our personal preference, rather than a rule for everyone's trip.

What should I look for in digital nomad accommodation?

I'd check the neighbourhood, a usable table and chair, the internet in the actual room, cooking facilities and the full booking cost. Ask specific questions before paying if a listing doesn't show something essential. The right combination depends on the work and everyday routine you need.

Is an apartment better than a hotel for a longer stay?

An apartment can be useful if you want to cook and have separate living space. A hotel may suit you better if you value its services or don't want a kitchen. Compare the exact room, facilities, location and final price rather than relying on the accommodation type.

How long should I book somewhere while working remotely?

We try to give Da Nang two to three months, but I'd weigh any booking against flexibility, availability, the final cost and its terms. A shorter trip or a different destination may call for a different length. Decide how you want to spend the time before choosing the booking.

Final Thoughts: Choosing Somewhere to Live and Work

Da Nang is the answer I'd give first when someone asks where we most love to base ourselves for longer. It's got the combination that matters to us, and we find the quality of life for what we spend hard to beat!

Our other stays help explain the details I'd compare: an apartment and kitchen in a city, a café you keep returning to, people you enjoy being around and enough time to have an ordinary day. I'd want those things to fit together before choosing our next base.

I've had a proper think about what we're looking for, and it comes back to that feeling of enjoying living somewhere, as well as enjoying the trip. For us, Da Nang is the clearest example.