When to Visit Hanoi
Climate guide & best times to travel
Best Time to Visit
Recommended timing for different travel styles.
What to Pack
Essentials and seasonal recommendations for Hanoi.
Month-by-Month Guide
Climate conditions and crowd levels for each month of the year.
January brings Hanoi's coolest, driest spell. Highs hover at 19 °C (67 °F), lows slide to 14 °C (58 °F). Rainfall is a modest 23 mm. Yet stubborn clouds and raw humidity make it feel colder than the digits suggest.
February turns a notch warmer. Highs reach 20 °C (69 °F), lows linger near 15 °C (60 °F). Rain creeps up to about 25 mm, often arriving as the signature crachin mist that drapes the Old Quarter for days.
March shakes off winter. Temperatures climb to 23 °C (73 °F) by day, 18 °C (65 °F) at night. Rain doubles to around 48 mm, skies stay stubbornly gray, and humidity thickens. Still, parks and pagodas wake up.
April flips the switch to real warmth. Highs hit 27 °C (81 °F), lows settle at 21 °C (71 °F). Rain jumps to 91 mm, afternoon showers become routine. Somehow April sparks café culture, locals flooding sidewalks between bursts of rain.
May slams the door on spring. Highs soar to 31 °C (89 °F), nights stick at 24 °C (76 °F). Rain leaps to 185 mm, monsoon style. Alleyways flood after big dumps. Good news: storms crash hard, then clear, leaving sightseeing windows.
June turns up the heat and the taps. Highs peak at 33 °C (92 °F), lows refuse to drop below 26 °C (79 °F). Nights offer zero relief. Rainfall hits 254 mm, full monsoon mode. Step outside and humidity punches you.
July matches June at 33 °C (92 °F) high and 26 °C (79 °F) low, yet pushes rain to 279 mm. Streets can vanish under water during the worst cells. Midday sightseeing wilts you. Dawn visits to Hoan Kiem Lake or the Temple of Literature save the day.
July is Hanoi's wettest month, typically recording around 310mm of rainfall, with temperatures at 32°C (90°F) high and 26°C (78°F) low. The city turns lush and green in a way that photographs beautifully, and the afternoon rains carry dramatic appeal. But travelers should plan outdoor activities for mornings and accept that some disruption is likely. Pack rain gear.
August sees the monsoon beginning to ease, with rainfall dropping to around 229mm and temperatures cooling very slightly to highs of 31°C (88°F) and lows of 25°C (77°F). The city starts to feel more manageable as the month progresses, and late September can offer some pleasant days as the transition toward autumn begins.
October is by many accounts Hanoi's finest month. Temperatures settle at a comfortable 29°C (84°F) high and 22°C (73°F) low, rainfall falls to around 140mm, and the heavy monsoon humidity begins to lift. The Old Quarter is walkable, the lakes glimmer in cleaner air, and the light takes on a quality that makes the city's French colonial architecture look good. Worth it.
November is nearly as good, with highs of 25°C (78°F) and lows of 19°C (66°F) marking a clear return to cooler conditions. At roughly 66mm of rain, showers are infrequent, and the city's outdoor street food scene, from bun cha stalls to egg coffee shops, is at its most inviting. This is arguably the most popular month for first-time visitors to Hanoi.
December closes the year with Hanoi firmly in cool-season mode, temperatures hitting highs of 22°C (71°F) and lows of 15°C (60°F), with a mere 20mm of rainfall making it the driest month of the year. The city can feel almost European in its winter-café atmosphere, with locals in down jackets sipping ca phe trung around braziers of charcoal.
Ready to plan your trip to Hanoi?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.