Best Time to Visit Hanoi: Autumn, Drizzle and Summer Rain

When is the best time to visit Hanoi?

October and November are the best months for most visitors: WMO 1991–2020 normals show highs of 29.6°C and 26.3°C with only 7–10 rain days. December is cooler but just as dry. February to April bring frequent drizzle, and June to August are hot, with the heaviest rain. Tet falls on 6 February 2027.

Unlike Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi has a real winter and a real summer. The World Meteorological Organization’s 1991–2020 normals, supplied by Viet Nam’s Meteorological and Hydrological Administration, run from an average high of 20.0°C in January to 33.8°C in June, and from 19 mm of rain in February to 335 mm in August.

Vietnam’s national tourism authority agrees on autumn, listing September to November as the best time and describing the season as cool and dry; it also singles out May, when the flame trees bloom along the streets (Vietnam Tourism).

Season also decides your side trips. Ha Long Bay has its own recommended windows, which only partly match the city’s, so read this page with our Ha Long Bay guide, and pick a base in where to stay in Hanoi once your dates are set.

What is Hanoi’s weather month by month?

Highs climb from 20.0°C in January to 33.8°C in June, then fall back to 22.1°C in December. Rain totals peak at 300–335 mm in July and August, but rain days tell another story: March has 18 of them with only 55 mm, while October to December have the fewest, seven to ten a month.

Figures are the WMO’s 1991–2020 averages for Hanoi (WMO World Weather Information Service). They are long-term averages, not forecasts, and Vietnam’s tourism authority notes that cold spells from late December to March can bring lows of around 10°C (Vietnam Tourism weather guide).

Read the two rain columns together. Many rain days with small totals, as in February and March, mean grey skies and drizzle rather than storms; few rain days with large totals, as in September, mean heavy downpours between dry spells.

Why are October to December Hanoi’s best months?

Because the rain falls away and the heat breaks at the same time. October averages 126 mm over ten rain days, November 48 mm over seven and December 24 mm over seven, while highs drop from 29.6°C to 22.1°C. That makes long walks around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake comfortable all day.

Vietnam’s tourism authority describes September to November in Hanoi as cool, with clear skies and sun, and suggests September to December as one of the two best windows (Vietnam Tourism weather guide). September is the wetter start of that window, with 195 mm of rain in the WMO normals.

The catch is the storm season. The FCDO says the tropical cyclone season normally runs from May to November and that flooding occurs in and around Hanoi, particularly along the Red River. On 21 September 2026 it added a warning that tropical storms can cause serious travel disruption (FCDO Vietnam), so keep October bookings flexible.

December is the quiet gem: the driest month alongside November, with average lows of 15.4°C. Bring a warm layer for the evenings and for motorbike-taxi rides.

What is Hanoi like in winter and at Tet?

January and February are cool, with average highs of 20–21°C, lows of 14.6–16.2°C and frequent grey, drizzly days. Tet, the Lunar New Year, falls on 6 February 2027, and public-sector workers are off from 4 to 10 February, so flights and trains fill and city life changes. Book early or avoid that week.

The 2027 holiday dates come from the approved schedule reported by Tuoi Tre on 2 October 2026; in 2026 the Tet break ran from 14 to 22 February (Tuoi Tre). Long holiday breaks drive heavy domestic travel, so book trains south, Ha Long transfers and flights well ahead.

The FCDO says petty crime typically rises during the Christmas and Tet seasons and that bag-snatching by thieves on motorcycles is common. Keep bags on the side away from the road in the busy streets around Hoan Kiem Lake.

Winter suits café-hopping and museums more than long outdoor days. If you visit then, ask whether your hotel room has heating, since Vietnam’s tourism authority warns that late-December to March cold spells can bring lows of around 10°C (Vietnam Tourism weather guide).

Is spring a good time to visit Hanoi?

Late spring is. February and March have 12 and 18 rain days but only 19 mm and 55 mm of rain, which means persistent drizzle and grey skies rather than storms. April warms to an average high of 27.7°C, and Vietnam’s tourism authority recommends April to June as one of its two best windows.

Vietnam’s tourism authority describes April to June in Hanoi as warm to hot, with clear skies and sun (Vietnam Tourism weather guide), and its Hanoi page singles out May for the flame trees in bloom (Vietnam Tourism). By May, though, the WMO normals show 188 mm of rain and an average high of 31.7°C, so it is a warmer, stormier choice than April.

Spring is also one of the two recommended windows for Ha Long Bay: Vietnam’s tourism authority says cruises run all year but the best times are March to April and September to November (Vietnam Tourism). Combining April in Hanoi with an overnight cruise is one of the most reliable plans on the calendar.

How hot and wet is Hanoi in summer?

Very. June is the hottest month, with an average high of 33.8°C, and July and August bring 300 mm and 335 mm of rain over 18 rain days each. The FCDO says the northern rain season runs from June to September and the tropical cyclone season from May to November, so storms can disrupt trips.

Storms affect side trips more than the city. On 24 August 2026, tourism services in Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay and Trang An were suspended as Storm Narra brought heavy rain and flood risks to northern Vietnam (DTiNews). If you plan a cruise in summer, keep a spare day and read the refund terms; our Ha Long Bay guide covers suspensions in detail.

In the city, plan walks for early morning and evening, and use the hottest hours for museums and cafés. The FCDO also notes flooding in and around Hanoi, particularly along the Red River, so check local news before trips out of the centre after heavy rain.

National Day brings a long weekend at the end of the wet season: public-sector workers are off from 2 to 5 September 2027 (Tuoi Tre), so book transport early if your dates overlap.

Which holidays and festivals affect Hanoi in 2026 and 2027?

Tet matters most: Lunar New Year’s Day is 6 February 2027, with a public-sector break from 4 to 10 February. Reunification Day and Labour Day on 30 April and 1 May, and National Day from 2 to 5 September 2027, also fill transport. The Mid-Autumn festival falls on 15 September 2027.

Holiday dates come from the approved 2027 schedule reported by Tuoi Tre and its 2026 holiday guide (Tuoi Tre). The Mid-Autumn date is the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, which the Hong Kong Observatory’s 2027 lunar calendar places on 15 September 2027; it is a family festival rather than a public holiday.

Holidays move people rather than close the city: expect busy roads out of Hanoi before each break and busy trains and flights back afterwards. Restaurants and shops set their own hours over Tet, so ask your hotel what will be open.

Which Hanoi sights and side trips depend on the season?

Three to plan around. The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum opens only on certain mornings and closes for annual maintenance, so check before you go. Ha Long Bay cruises are best from March to April and September to November but can be suspended for storms. And air quality is worth checking daily if you have breathing problems.

Vietnam’s tourism authority lists the mausoleum as open in the morning only, from Tuesday to Thursday and at weekends, with last entry at 10:15, and notes daily flag ceremonies at Ba Dinh Square at 06:00 and 21:00 (Vietnam Tourism). We could not reach the mausoleum management board’s own site to confirm the 2027 maintenance dates, so ask your hotel before you plan a visit.

For Ha Long Bay, the FCDO advises considering safety standards carefully before an overnight boat trip and making sure you get a safety briefing and a life jacket. Our Ha Long Bay cruise verdict helps you decide between a day trip and a night on board.

The FCDO’s health page lists air pollution among the risks in Vietnam and points travellers to TravelHealthPro for air-quality information (FCDO health). If you have asthma or a heart or lung condition, check daily readings and plan indoor alternatives.

Who should visit Hanoi when?

First-timers and walkers do best from October to December. Travellers pairing Hanoi with Ha Long Bay should aim for April or October to November, the overlap of both recommended windows. Café and museum lovers can enjoy January, and summer suits flexible travellers who can work around heat, storms and possible cruise cancellations.

The table pairs each type of trip with the months that suit it, using the WMO normals and the official holiday dates above. Whatever the month, Hoan Kiem Lake comes alive early: Vietnam’s tourism authority describes walkers, aerobics classes and even laughing yoga there every morning (Vietnam Tourism).

If you are combining Hanoi with the south, compare the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City, where the dry season runs from December to March, and the Hanoi to Da Nang train or flight guide for the journey.

So when should you go to Hanoi?

Go in October, November or December if you can. Choose April for a warm shoulder month that also suits Ha Long Bay, and January if you prefer cool café days. Avoid Tet week unless you want the festival, and treat June to September as a flexible-plans season because of heat, heavy rain and storms.

Once your dates are set, pick a base with where to stay in Hanoi and plan the days with the Hanoi 3-day itinerary or the 7-day itinerary. For more ideas, see things to do in Hanoi and the Hanoi destination guide.

For entry, the FCDO says British nationals can visit without a visa for up to 45 days and that the e-visa allows a 90-day stay with multiple entries; Vietnam’s tourism authority lists Noi Bai among the airports that accept e-visas (Vietnam Tourism). Our Vietnam e-visa guide has the details.