Best time to visit Hanoi

Hanoi, Vietnam — ranked month by month from data: temperature, rainfall, snow, and peak hazard seasons. The standouts: November, December, January.

About Hanoi

Hanoi is the capital and second-most populous municipality of Vietnam. It encompasses an area of 3,358.6 km2 (1,296.8 mi2), and as of 2025 has a population of 8,807,523. Hanoi had the second-highest gross regional domestic product of all Vietnamese provinces and municipalities at US$48 billion in 2023, behind Ho Chi Minh City.

— condensed from Wikipedia

"

Northern Vietnam's old soul. Old Quarter is a tangle of vendors and motorbikes; the lakeside cafes are how locals actually relax. Cooler and rainier than Saigon.

— how Hanoi really feels, in two sentences

Best months to visit

November

Best time
26°C / 18°C 6 rain days

warm

  • comfortable temperatures (avg high 26°C / 79°F)
  • very low rainfall (only 6 rain days)
  • outside peak hazard season
  • warm evenings without humidity overload

December

Best time
22°C / 15°C 6 rain days

warm

  • comfortable temperatures (avg high 22°C / 72°F)
  • very low rainfall (only 6 rain days)
  • outside peak hazard season
  • warm evenings without humidity overload

January

Best time
20°C / 14°C 8 rain days

mild

  • comfortable temperatures (avg high 20°C / 68°F)
  • manageable rain (8 days)
  • outside peak hazard season
  • warm evenings without humidity overload

February

Best time
21°C / 15°C 12 rain days

mild, rainy

  • comfortable temperatures (avg high 21°C / 70°F)
  • outside peak hazard season
  • warm evenings without humidity overload

OK — shoulder months

March

OK
23°C / 18°C 15 rain days

warm, rainy

  • comfortable temperatures (avg high 23°C / 73°F)
  • outside peak hazard season
  • warm evenings without humidity overload

Months to skip

How we ranked these

Each month is scored on temperature comfort (18–27°C avg high is the sweet spot), rainfall (more rain days = lower score), snow days, and peak hazard seasons (hurricanes, monsoons, etc.). Green-tier months are within ideal range with no major issues. Yellow are workable but with trade-offs. Red has at least one significant problem — extreme heat or cold, heavy rain, or peak storm season.

🇻🇳 Vietnamese survival phrases

The 16 phrases that will earn you smiles, food, and help when you need it. English-speaking travellers — start with the first 4 and add the rest as needed.

Hello
Xin chào
sin chow
Thank you
Cảm ơn
kam un
Please
Làm ơn
lahm un
Yes / No
Vâng / Không
vung / khong
Excuse me
Xin lỗi
sin loy
Do you speak English?
Bạn nói tiếng Anh được không?
ban noi tieng anh duoc khong
I don't understand
Tôi không hiểu
toy khong hyew
How much?
Bao nhiêu tiền?
bao nyew tien
The bill, please
Tính tiền
tinh tien
Water
Nước
nuok
Where is…?
… ở đâu?
uh dow
Bathroom
Nhà vệ sinh
nha veh sinh
Help!
Cứu
koo
Call the police
Gọi cảnh sát
goy kanh sat
I need a doctor
Tôi cần bác sĩ
toy kan bak see
I'm allergic to…
Tôi bị dị ứng với…
toy bee zee oong

Pronunciations are rough English approximations — they'll get you understood, even if your tones aren't perfect.

What does Hanoi cost?

Estimated daily budgets per person across three travel tiers. Use these as rough starting points — actual spend varies with season and neighborhood.

Per person per day 🎒 Budget🏨 Mid-range🥂 Luxury
🛏 Lodging $15$60$195
🍽 Food $8$22$80
🚇 Transit $3$6$22
🎟 Activities $10$22$60
Daily total $36$110$357

Calculate your trip total

Plug in how long you'll go and how many people you're with. We'll show the total in USD and — if you've set a home city — automatically convert it to your home currency.

Estimated trip cost

Estimates as of 2025-2026, in USD per person per day. Excludes long-haul flights.

Related tools for Hanoi

See packing lists for Hanoi year-round →