Unfortunately, it looks like my consulting workload may force me to cancel one of my two upcoming trips in November. I have one trip that is 3 nights in Hanoi and 2 nights in Tokyo. The other trip is 4 nights in Singapore. I've never been to any of the 3 cities before, but I did spend 4 days in Ho Chi Minh City recently. The SIN ticket cost $375 more than the HAN/NRT ticket.

For the HAN/NRT trip, I was mostly interested in the 2 days in NRT and am not that sure of things to do in Hanoi to make it interesting. It was just cheaper to fly to HAN and then stopover on the way back than it was to go just to NRT.

For the SIN trip, it's more of a place I do want to go visit on its own.

I'm leaning towards cancelling the Hanoi/NRT trip and just doing Singapore. I know it's a personal choice, just seeing if anyone has any advice or reason to cancel one trip over another, if I have to.

Edit : Just called and found out that the HAN/NRT is refundable minus $250 fee while the SIN is non-refundable and also would include the $250 fee. HAN/NRT cancellation gives me $740 refund while the SIN trip gives me $1100 value to use for another ticket departing from the US.

I've been to Hanoi, Saigon, and Singapore (only passed through NRT about 10 times), and my favorite by far is Hanoi. Much more charming than Saigon or Singapore. Great city to walk around and while chaotic, nothing like the madness of Saigon.

I spent multiple times in both HAN and SIN, and while I think Hanoi is the better and more interesting destination--and very unlike HCMC--I reluctantly think this is the one you should probably cancel this time around, and save it for later. Why?
1) I'd tend to take the cash refund now rather than a future credit--you never know when something happens in your life that makes a future credit tough to use/schedule. Cash back in your pocket is always good.

2) Hanoi in November can be subject to rain/flooding. I happened to be in Hanoi last year during the latter part of October, and headed south just before the heavens opened and parts of Hanoi were flooded for several days, causing a lot of disruptions.

If the ticket refund situation #1 were equal or if you are really positive you can use the future credit in the next year, I'd take on the risk of #2 and go to HAN. I do chuckle about your worry that you might not find enough to do in HAN--actually, it's the stretch in Singapore that you may find tough to fill. For most people, 2 days/nights in Singapore is enough if you are purely a tourist. Not to mention SIN is expensive. Maybe there is a short daytrip or overnight trip you could stick in there, if you decide to keep the SIN ticket.

Thanks for the help & advice!

The other part about the SIN trip is that due to its timing, it would only take me out of the office for 2 work days while the HAN/NRT trip would have me out for 6 total workdays. I've currently cancelled my HAN/NRT hotels since that deadline was today. I'm going to 'sleep on it' over the weekend and then decide on Monday which one to cancel.

I didn't realize Hanoi was more interesting that HCMC. When I was in HCMC I have to admit I did not really enjoy the experience. I was really annoyed by the constant pushing from people to buy water, t-shirts, hats, what have you. Is it the same in Hanoi or Singapore when you're walking around?

As for the refund vs future credit, my concern is that the credit is only valid for trips out of the US. If things work out well with this one venture I have then I'll be re-locating to Spain early next year. That means I'd have to find time in Dec to use up the credit since it requires travel originate within the US.

This all seems to point to cancelling the Hanoi trip but possibly keeping it on my list of places to visit in the future instead of scrapping it altogether.

I was also wrong on the duration of the SIN trip. I had booked it mostly for a MR but also b/c it sounded interesting to me. I'd actually only be there for 3 days/2 nights.

Singapore does not have the problem of sellers trying to sell you something.

Hanoi vendors are not anywhere close to as aggressive as those in HCMC. Northern people are different from southern people. HCMC is a highly energized mercantilistic place and was so even when it was called Saigon.

Singapore is a completely different kettle of fish. In Singapore you won't have any more aggressiveness among vendors than you would in the USA. It's an extremely modern city probably more advanced in most ways than average US cities. Definitely cleaner.

Based on the additional situational circumstances you described, it's an easy decision. Get the HAN/NRT trip refunded and go to Singapore this time.