Best Time to Visit Hanoi

Four seasons, and they're real ones

Hanoi is in the north, so it has a proper cool season. That surprises people who expect Vietnam to be hot all year. From December to February, days are mild and nights feel properly chilly. January is the coldest month, with highs of 21°C and lows of 11°C. December matches that high. The sky is often grey and drizzly, and there's very little sun. It's still the most comfortable time to walk the Old Quarter and around Hoan Kiem Lake.

March and April warm up fast. It's muggy, with light rain on many days. By May the heat and storms arrive for good. June to August is the wettest stretch, and August is the peak, with 331 mm. Streets near the lake can flood after a downpour. Mornings are sticky, and afternoon storms are common.

Which month for which trip

Want to eat and wander on foot? Go in November or December. Both are dry, and November has the most sun of any month. Autumn is also the best time for a day trip to Ninh Binh or a cruise in Ha Long Bay. The water and views are clearer than in summer.

Heading north to hike around Sapa? Late September and October can work, when rice terraces turn gold. Expect cooler nights up there than in the city, though.

Travelling in summer? It's cheaper and quieter, but plan for indoor stops. The Temple of Literature, the Museum of Ethnology and a long egg coffee in a café are all good rain plans. Keep a poncho handy, since umbrellas are hard to manage on a crowded motorbike street.

Crowds and festivals

High season runs roughly from October to March, with the biggest crowds in November and December. Tet, the Lunar New Year, usually falls in late January or February. It's Vietnam's biggest holiday. Many family-run shops and restaurants close for several days as people head home. The city goes quiet, then fills with flowers, kumquat trees and fireworks over the lake. It's lovely, but don't expect a normal week.

The Mid-Autumn Festival comes in September or October, depending on the lunar calendar. Around Hang Ma street in the Old Quarter you'll see lanterns, lion dances and mooncakes. It's a good reason to visit even though September is still wet.

If crowds bother you, try early November or March. The weather is decent and the streets are calmer.