Season guide · Hoi An · Vietnam
Hoi An in the cool season
December–January: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
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Quick answer
Mild, damp and often grey, with rough seas but quiet streets and lower prices. Expect highs up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 20°C (68°F), with about 30 rainy days across December–January.
Key facts
- Months
- December–January
- Temperatures
- 20°C (68°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 30
- Sea
- 24°C (75°F) to 25°C (77°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in the cool season
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25°C (77°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 12 | 11.3 h | 3/5 |
| December | 25°C (77°F) | 20°C (68°F) | 18 | 11.2 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 25°C (77°F) against a yearly 30°C (86°F), and 30 of the year's roughly 130 rainy days fall in these 2 months. Crowds rate 3/5 and hotel prices 3/5 on average.
What's on in the cool season
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Tết (Lunar New Year) — the old town is decorated with flowers and lanterns, and some shops close for several days (late January or February)
Good choices for the cool season
Museum · Ancient Town
Museum of Trade Ceramics
Head upstairs to the balcony for a view over the tiled rooftops.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Experience · Ancient Town
Lantern-making workshop
Workshops in and around the old town teach you to stretch silk over a folding bamboo frame and finish your own lantern in about an hour or two, with a lantern-maker guiding each step.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Art
- Rainy day
- Couples
Historic site · Ancient Town
Tan Ky Old House
Go early or late in the day; the narrow house becomes crowded when tour groups arrive.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Historic site · Ancient Town
Phung Hung Old House
Built in 1780 near the Covered Bridge, this two-storey house is supported by dozens of ironwood columns and has a hanging balcony and a trapdoor once used to lift goods above floodwater.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Day trips in the cool season
- Ba Na Hills (About 1–1.25 hours by car) — A mountaintop resort park reached by cable car, known for the Golden Bridge held up by giant hands, a replica French village and an indoor amusement park.
- Hue (About 3 hours by road) — Vietnam's former imperial capital, with the walled citadel and Imperial City, royal tombs along the Perfume River and the Thien Mu Pagoda.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is the cool season a good time to visit Hoi An?
It is a trade-off: Mild, damp and often grey, with rough seas but quiet streets and lower prices. The best months overall are February–May.
+What is the weather like in Hoi An in the cool season?
Highs of up to 25°C (77°F) and lows around 20°C (68°F), with about 30 rainy days over the season.