Season guide · Hanoi · Vietnam
Hanoi in winter
December–January: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Cool, grey and damp with chilly nights; good for walking, but bring layers and check air quality. Expect highs up to 22°C (72°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F), with about 14 rainy days across December–January. December is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- December–January
- Temperatures
- 14°C (57°F) to 22°C (72°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 14
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C (66°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 9 | 11 h | 3/5 |
| December | 22°C (72°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 5 | 10.9 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 21°C (70°F) against a yearly 27°C (81°F), and 14 of the year's roughly 143 rainy days fall in these 2 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Tết (Lunar New Year) — flower markets before the holiday, then many shops close for several days (late January or February)
- December: Christmas Eve crowds and decorations around St Joseph's Cathedral (24 December)
Make the most of the weather
Landmark · Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple
Walk the 1.7 km circuit at about 6am to see morning exercises, then return on a weekend evening for the car-free streets.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Outdoors
- Photo spot
- Kids
- Couples
Architecture · Old Quarter
Long Biên Bridge
Built by French engineers between 1899 and 1902, this steel cantilever bridge of more than 2 kilometres over the Red River was bombed repeatedly during the American War and patched up.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Views
- Photo spot
- Off the beaten path
Day trips in winter
- Bát Tràng ceramic village (About 30–45 minutes) — A pottery village on the Red River that has made ceramics for centuries, with workshops, kilns, a large ceramics market and classes where you can throw a pot on the wheel.
- Đường Lâm ancient village (About 1.5 hours by road) — A village of laterite-brick houses, communal halls and old gates in the countryside west of Hanoi, where families still live in centuries-old homes and make local snacks such as peanut candy.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Hanoi?
Yes: December is among the best months. Cool, grey and damp with chilly nights; good for walking, but bring layers and check air quality.
+What is the weather like in Hanoi in winter?
Highs of up to 22°C (72°F) and lows around 14°C (57°F), with about 14 rainy days over the season.