The best time to visit Hanoi is October to November and March to April, when days are 23–29°C with little rain; June to August is hot and wet, and December to January is cold enough for a jacket.
Hanoi weather has 4 real seasons, unlike the 2-season south of Vietnam. The 3 numbers to remember are:
- June and July are the hottest months at about 33°C.
- January is the coldest month, with nights near 14°C.
- August is the wettest month, with close to 300 mm of rain.
This guide from Vietnamtour.in gives Hanoi’s weather month by month, covers each season in detail, matches the good months to Indian holidays, shows how the weather affects day trips to Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh and Sapa, and lists what to pack for each season.
Hanoi Weather by Month
Hanoi weather by month ranges from 20/14°C in the coldest month of January to 33/26°C in June and July, with rain climbing from just 19 mm in December to 297 mm in August. The table below gives the full picture for all 12 months, with a verdict for each.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rain (mm) | Rainy days | Verdict | In 1 line |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 20 / 14 | 22 | 10 | Good (cold) | Dry but grey and chilly; a jacket is needed |
| February | 20 / 15 | 28 | 12 | Good (cold) | Tet month; drizzle starts; many shops close for Tet |
| March | 23 / 18 | 42 | 15 | Best | Mild weather, flower season, light drizzle |
| April | 27 / 21 | 97 | 14 | Best | Warm, clear afternoons; the last comfortable month |
| May | 32 / 25 | 181 | 15 | Avoid–OK | Heat builds; afternoon storms begin |
| June | 33 / 26 | 242 | 15 | Avoid | Hottest month; extreme humidity |
| July | 33 / 26 | 258 | 16 | Avoid | Hot, storms; typhoon season starts |
| August | 32 / 26 | 297 | 17 | Avoid | Wettest month of the year |
| September | 31 / 25 | 225 | 14 | OK | Rain eases late in the month; Mid-Autumn Festival |
| October | 29 / 22 | 125 | 11 | Best | Clear, dry, pleasant; Diwali month |
| November | 25 / 19 | 57 | 8 | Best | Cool and dry; peak season |
| December | 22 / 15 | 19 | 5 | Good (cold) | Driest month; Christmas lights; cold evenings |
These figures are long-term monthly averages from Weather2Travel (CRU – University of East Anglia, Met Office), checked in October 2026, and the Verdict column is Vietnamtour.in’s assessment.
The Hanoi weather table shows a simple pattern: rain and heat rise together from May, peak in August, and fall away sharply in October, which makes October and November the driest warm months of the year.
Hanoi Weather Season by Season
Hanoi’s 4 seasons are a mild spring from February to April, a hot and wet summer from May to August, a dry and clear autumn from September to November, and a cool, damp winter in December and January. Each season changes what you wear, what you pay and how far ahead you book, so the 4 sections below follow the same frame: temperature, weather, crowds and prices, what the season is good for, and what to wear.
Spring in Hanoi (February–April)
Spring is Hanoi’s second-best season: 20–27°C by day, light drizzle in February and March, and the city’s flower season. The details are:
- Temperature: 20–27°C by day, 15–21°C at night, warming steadily from February to April.
- Weather: February and March bring Hanoi’s famous drizzle (mưa phùn), a fine mist rather than real rain; April turns warmer and clearer, with 97 mm of rain falling mostly in short showers.
- Crowds and prices: Tet falls in late January or February, when many restaurants, shops and markets close for 3–5 days and domestic prices rise; after Tet the city quietens and prices settle.
- Good for: walking the Old Quarter in comfortable weather, bauhinia and peach blossom season, and the Perfume Pagoda festival in March.
- What to wear: a light jacket for evenings and a folding umbrella for the drizzle.
The mild days suit long walks through the Old Quarter, before the summer heat arrives.
Summer in Hanoi (May–August)
Summer is the season to avoid if your dates are flexible: 32–33°C with extreme humidity, afternoon storms, and the wettest month of the year in August. The details are:
- Temperature: 32–33°C by day, 25–26°C at night; high humidity makes afternoons feel closer to 38–40°C.
- Weather: short, heavy afternoon storms on 15–17 days a month; the typhoon season starts in July, and August brings 297 mm of rain, the highest of the year.
- Crowds and prices: international visitors stay away, so hotel prices drop to their lowest of the year.
- Good for: travellers tied to the Indian summer break; early mornings and evenings are workable, and the lotus season at West Lake peaks in June.
- What to wear: sunscreen, a hat, light breathable clothes and a folding umbrella for the afternoon storms.
On the hottest afternoons, museums, cafés and malls keep the day moving, and the evenings are the liveliest time of day.
Autumn in Hanoi (September–November)
Autumn is the best time to visit Hanoi: from late September the rain stops, and October and November bring 25–29°C days, dry air and clear skies. The details are:
- Temperature: 25–29°C by day, 19–22°C at night, cooling gently through November.
- Weather: September still carries 225 mm of rain, but October drops to 125 mm and November to just 57 mm with only 8 rainy days.
- Crowds and prices: October and November are Hanoi’s international peak season, so hotels and Ha Long Bay cruises should be booked 4–6 weeks ahead.
- Good for: every outdoor activity; the Mid-Autumn Festival lights up Hang Ma Street in mid-September, and Diwali falls in the best weather of the year. Green sticky rice (cốm), Hanoi’s autumn speciality, appears across the Old Quarter.
- What to wear: light clothes by day and a light jacket for November evenings.
Clear autumn days are also the best time of year for photos, with soft light from morning to late afternoon.
Winter in Hanoi (December–January)
Winter is dry and often grey: 20–22°C by day but 14–15°C at night, with cold spells near 8–10°C, and most hotels and cafés have no heating. The details are:
- Temperature: 20–22°C by day, 14–15°C at night; north-east monsoon spells can push nights down to 8–10°C.
- Weather: the driest months of the year at 19–22 mm of rain, with morning mist and long grey stretches.
- Crowds and prices: moderate crowds, rising around Christmas and New Year.
- Good for: Hanoi’s hot food season — phở and hotpot taste best in the cold — and the Christmas lights around St Joseph’s Cathedral. Travellers from Delhi know this weather well; travellers from Mumbai or Chennai should treat it as genuinely cold.
- What to wear: a proper warm jacket, a scarf and closed shoes; the damp cold feels sharper than the numbers suggest.
January is the coldest month, and the Christmas lights are brightest around the cathedral in the last 2 weeks of December.
Best Time to Visit Hanoi from India: Matching Indian Holidays
Diwali and Dussehra fall in Hanoi’s best month, Christmas and New Year land in the cold dry season, Holi lands in mild spring, and the Indian summer break hits Hanoi’s worst weather. The table below matches each major Indian holiday window to Hanoi’s season, so you can see at a glance which breaks work and which need a rethink.
| Indian holiday | Usual timing | Hanoi season | Verdict | Plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holi | March | Spring, 23°C, drizzle | Good | Pack a light jacket; flower season; Tet crowds gone |
| Summer break | May–June | Hot, 32–33°C, storms | Avoid for Hanoi | Keep Hanoi to 1–2 days; add Sapa or an early-morning Ha Long cruise |
| Dussehra | Late September – October | Autumn, drying out | Best | Book 4–6 weeks ahead |
| Diwali | Late October – early November | Autumn, 29/22°C, dry | Best | Peak demand; fly mid-week for better fares |
| Christmas – New Year | Late December – early January | Winter, 22/15°C, dry | Good (cold) | Pack warm; Christmas lights in the Old Quarter |
| Republic Day week | Late January | Winter, 20/14°C | Good (cold) | Coldest spells of the year; clear skies if you are lucky |
Holi visitors get the best walking weather for the Hanoi Old Quarter, Diwali travellers the softest light for photos at Hanoi Train Street, and Christmas travellers the lights around Hanoi St. Joseph Cathedral. Republic Day trips land in the coldest weeks, covered in the guide to the weather in Hanoi Vietnam in January.
Indian festival dates move each year with the lunar calendar, so travellers should check the exact dates before booking. Travellers who have picked their dates can plan hotels, airport transfers and day trips in the travel guide to the Vietnam capital, and those adding the centre and south can compare all 3 regions in the guide to the best time to visit Vietnam.
Hanoi Weather and Day Trips: Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh and Sapa
Hanoi’s weather decides the day trips too: Ha Long Bay is mistiest from December to February and stormiest from July to September, Sapa’s rice is golden in September and October, and Ninh Binh is best from October to April. Most travellers build at least 1 of these trips around Hanoi, so the dates that suit the city should also suit the trip.
| Trip | Best months | Months to think twice | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ha Long Bay cruise | March–May, October–November | December–February (mist), July–September (storms) | Cruises can be cancelled at short notice in typhoon season |
| Ninh Binh | October–April | June–August | Open boat rides in full sun are hard work in summer |
| Sapa | September–October (golden rice), March–May | December–February (cold, occasional frost) | Sapa sits 5–6 hours from Hanoi, and mountain weather runs colder than the city |
In Ninh Binh, the climb to the viewpoint at Mua Cave Ninh Binh is easiest in the cooler months, and in late May and early June the rice fields of Tam Coc turn golden.
Festivals and Dates That Change Your Trip
4 events change prices or opening hours in Hanoi: Tet in late January or February, the Mid-Autumn Festival in September, Liberation Day on 10 October and Christmas week. The details are:
- Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year): Tet falls in late January or February depending on the year, with an official holiday of about 5 days. Many restaurants, cafés and markets close for 3–5 days, domestic flights fill up, and prices rise across the board. In 2027, the first day of Tet is Saturday, 6 February, and the customs and dates are covered in the guide to the Lunar New Year.
- Mid-Autumn Festival: the festival falls on the full moon of the 8th lunar month, usually mid-September, and Hang Ma Street glows with lanterns from early September.
- Liberation Day (10 October): a fixed date marking Hanoi’s liberation, with flags and events around Hoan Kiem Lake.
- Christmas week: the area around St Joseph’s Cathedral gets crowded in the evenings, and hotel prices rise through New Year.
The Mid-Autumn Festival is the most colourful of the 4 for families with children.
Most festival events take place on the Hanoi walking street around the lake, which is closed to traffic from Friday evening to Sunday night.
What to Pack for Hanoi by Season
Pack by season, not by “Vietnam is tropical”: a light jacket for spring, sun protection and a folding umbrella for summer, layers for autumn evenings, and a proper coat for winter. The essentials are:
- Spring (February–April): a light jacket and a folding umbrella for the drizzle.
- Summer (May–August): sunscreen, a hat, breathable clothes and a folding umbrella for afternoon storms.
- Autumn (September–November): light clothes by day and a light jacket for November evenings.
- Winter (December–January): a proper warm jacket, a scarf and closed shoes for the damp cold.
Late autumn is the easiest season to pack for, with light clothes enough for most days.
Travellers should check the 3-day forecast before flying and keep 1 indoor back-up plan per day; Hanoi’s rain usually passes within 1–2 hours. Good back-ups on hot or wet afternoons are the restored Phung Hung ancient house in the Old Quarter and the streets and shows of Mega Grand World Hanoi, while the evenings belong to Ta Hien Beer Street.
FAQs About Hanoi Weather and the Best Time to Visit
Indian travellers asking about Hanoi weather and the best weather in Hanoi Vietnam most often want to know the best month, the coldest month, the months to avoid and the rainy season.
What Is the Best Month to Visit Hanoi?
October and November are the best months to visit Hanoi, with 25–29°C days, under 130 mm of rain and clear skies. March and April are the next best, with mild 23–27°C days and the city’s flower season.
Which Month Is Coldest in Hanoi?
January is the coldest month in Hanoi, averaging 14°C at night and 20°C by day, with cold spells dropping to about 8–10°C. The damp air makes those numbers feel colder than the same temperatures in north India.
What Month Should You Avoid in Hanoi?
June, July and August are the months to avoid in Hanoi: 32–33°C heat, extreme humidity, 15–17 rainy days a month and the typhoon season. Travellers who can only travel in these months should plan sightseeing for early mornings and evenings.
When Is the Rainy Season in Hanoi?
The rainy season in Hanoi runs from May to September, peaking in August with about 297 mm of rain. Rain usually arrives as short afternoon storms rather than all-day monsoon, so mornings often stay dry.
Is Hanoi Too Cold in December and January for Indian Travellers?
No, Hanoi is not too cold in December and January, but it is colder than most Indian travellers expect. Nights of 14–15°C feel sharper in the damp air, and hotels, cafés and restaurants have no heating, so a proper jacket matters more than the numbers suggest.
What Is the Weather in Hanoi in October, December and May?
October in Hanoi is dry and pleasant at 29/22°C, December is dry and cool at 22/15°C, and May is hot at 32/25°C with afternoon storms starting. October is the pick of the 3 for sightseeing weather.
Plan Your Hanoi Trip Around the Weather
Hanoi rewards travellers who pick October–November or March–April, and the city still works in winter with a warm jacket; only the summer months need a reason. Whichever window you choose, the 12-month table above tells you what the sky will most likely do, and the holiday table tells you whether your dates land in the right season.
Vietnamtour.in has planned Vietnam trips for more than 428,000 Indian travellers since 2015, and each best tour package for Vietnam can be timed to Hanoi’s dry season, with hotels and day trips arranged. Routes from 5 to 14 days are laid out in the Vietnam itinerary guide, and travellers escaping Hanoi’s cold winter can finish in the sun with a Phu Quoc island tour package from India.
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