Continuing with tips and advice for finding accommodations in East/Southeast Asia. The biggest piece of advice I will pass on is to make sure you have your room booked at least a few days in advance of a weekend. This wasn’t so much of a problem at one time but now with the huge emerging middle class of Southeast Asia it’s best to have your weekend accomodations in place by midweek. Check in advance with your guesthouse, hostel, or hotel and let them know you’ll be staying on through the weekend. In some cases the rates might be higher for the Saturday night, like in Sapa, Vietnam. Because so many people travel on the weekend in Taiwan you absolutely must have your accommodations prebooked, along with train tickets. In Japan, they don’t like surprises so make sure all of your accommodations are booked ahead of your arrival. In Southeast Asia this isn’t a problem and sometimes worth it so book on the spot.