Best Time to Visit Hanoi

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The best time to visit Hanoi is late October through March, and the sharpest window inside that is November to January. November averages a high of 23.8°C (74.8°F) with a low of 17.4°C (63.3°F), and January is the driest month of the year by a wide margin — 19.5mm (0.8in) of rain spread over just 3 days. Compare that to June, which drops 491.2mm (19.3in) across 24 days at a high of 32.7°C (90.9°F), and the choice makes itself.

The best months: November, December, January, March

These four months are the ones where Hanoi's weather stops being a factor in your day.

November — high 23.8°C (74.8°F), low 17.4°C (63.3°F), 114.1mm (4.5in) over 11 days. The heat has broken but the city hasn't gone cold yet. The rain total looks moderate, and it is: 114.1mm across 11 days works out to about 10mm on a wet day, which is a solid hour of rain, not a washout.

December — high 23.6°C (74.5°F), low 17.3°C (63.1°F), 38.0mm (1.5in) over 12 days. Read those two rain numbers together, because they tell you something the total alone doesn't: 38mm spread over 12 days is roughly 3mm per wet day. That is drizzle. Grey skies, damp air, a jacket with a hood, no umbrella needed. December's temperatures are nearly identical to November's, so if you're choosing between them, you're choosing between a bit more rain volume (November) and a bit more overcast (December).

January — high 23.0°C (73.4°F), low 13.7°C (56.7°F), 19.5mm (0.8in) over 3 days. This is the driest month and the one with the biggest daily temperature swing: 9.3°C (16.7°F) between the afternoon high and the pre-dawn low. You will be warm at 2pm in a t-shirt and genuinely cold at 7am on a motorbike. Three rain days out of thirty-one means you can plan outdoor days — Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, a full day walking the Old Quarter — with real confidence.

March — high 25.1°C (77.2°F), low 17.5°C (63.5°F), 31.8mm (1.3in) over 6 days. March is the underrated one. It's warmer than January by 2.1°C (3.8°F) in the day and nearly 4°C (7°F) at night, so the morning chill is gone, and it's still very dry at 31.8mm over 6 days. If you want warm without wet, March is the answer.

The months to avoid: May through September

Five months of the year are hot and wet at the same time, and they're consecutive.

June and July both hit a high of 32.7°C (90.9°F) with a low of 25.9°C (78.6°F). That low matters more than the high. A 25.9°C (78.6°F) overnight low means the city never cools down — the streets radiate heat after dark, and walking to dinner at 8pm feels roughly like walking at 4pm. June is also the wettest month at 491.2mm (19.3in) over 24 days, which is about 20mm on each wet day. That's a real downpour, and it happens on four days out of five.

August is the wettest by frequency: 370.5mm (14.6in) over 25 days. Twenty-five wet days in a 31-day month means you should plan on rain interrupting something every single day. The high dips slightly to 31.8°C (89.2°F) but the low stays at 25.8°C (78.4°F).

September — 31.4°C (88.5°F) high, 345.2mm (13.6in) over 20 days — is where the pattern starts to break, but it's still 20 wet days.

May is the front edge: 30.8°C (87.4°F) high, 24.4°C (75.9°F) low, 251.9mm (9.9in) over 19 days. Half the month is already wet and the nights are already too warm to be comfortable outdoors.

The important thing about summer rain in Hanoi: 25 rainy days does not mean 25 days of continuous rain. It means afternoon and evening downpours that arrive fast, dump hard, and clear. You can still do things — you just can't schedule around them, and you'll be soaked through at least once.

Shoulder season: April and October

October is the better of the two and arguably belongs in the "best" list. High 28.6°C (83.5°F), low 22.8°C (73.0°F), 277.9mm (10.9in) over 13 days. The 277.9mm total looks alarming next to November's 114.1mm — but it falls on only 13 days. That's about 21mm per wet day, the highest per-day intensity of any month in the year. October rain is heavy and short. You get 18 dry days, warm enough for the coast, and the tail end of the month blends straight into November's conditions. This is the cheapest month that still works.

April is the riskier shoulder. High 30.5°C (86.9°F), low 21.6°C (70.9°F), 148.9mm (5.9in) over 12 days. The rain is manageable, but April is where the daytime heat jumps — 5.4°C (9.7°F) hotter than March. Early April still feels like spring; late April already feels like the run-up to summer.

February is its own category. High 20.5°C (68.9°F) — the coolest daytime high of the entire year, lower than January's — with a low of 15.0°C (59.0°F) and 52.6mm (2.1in) over 14 days. Fourteen rain days sounds bad until you divide: under 4mm per wet day. That's Hanoi's famous cold drizzle. The sky sits low and grey, everything stays damp, laundry doesn't dry, and photos come out flat. It's not a washout, it's a mood. Prices are lower and crowds are thinner, but if you came for blue skies over West Lake, February will not deliver them. Tet, the Lunar New Year, lands in late January or February depending on the year, and many small businesses close for several days around it.

What each season actually means on the ground

November–January (dry, cool): You'll wear jeans and a light jacket or fleece. Mornings at 13.7°C (56.7°F) in January genuinely need a layer, especially on a scooter — the wind chill is real. Afternoons at 23°C (73.4°F) mean you'll be carrying that jacket by noon, so pack something that stuffs into a daypack. This is the season for street food on plastic stools, all-day walking, and day trips out of the city. Sunscreen still matters; sunny 23°C burns.

February (cold drizzle): A water-resistant shell beats an umbrella, because the moisture is in the air rather than falling in drops. Shoes that dry overnight. Indoor-heavy itinerary — museums, coffee, the Temple of Literature — with outdoor plans held loosely. Hotel rooms often lack heating; 15.0°C (59.0°F) overnight indoors is chillier than it sounds.

March–April (warming, still dry-ish): T-shirt weather. April's 30.5°C (86.9°F) means you'll want to be indoors or under shade between noon and 3pm. Start carrying a compact umbrella in April — 12 wet days is enough to catch you.

May–September (hot and wet): Lightweight, quick-dry clothing only. Cotton stays wet all day at 25.9°C (78.6°F) overnight lows. You'll want two pairs of shoes so one can dry. Plan indoor activities for the afternoon block, because that's when the rain lands. Rain poncho over umbrella — motorbike traffic and narrow sidewalks make umbrellas awkward, and the ponchos sold on every corner cost almost nothing. Air-conditioned accommodation is not optional in June through August.

October (warm, heavy but brief rain): Shorts and t-shirts, with a poncho in the bag. Book flexible on outdoor day trips — 13 wet days out of 31 means roughly a 40% chance any given day gets rained on, but the rain clears.

Month-by-month

• January — 23.0°C/13.7°C (73.4°F/56.7°F), 19.5mm (0.8in) over 3 days. Driest month of the year and the biggest day-to-night swing. Best overall.
• February — 20.5°C/15.0°C (68.9°F/59.0°F), 52.6mm (2.1in) over 14 days. Coolest daytime highs; persistent light drizzle rather than proper rain.
• March — 25.1°C/17.5°C (77.2°F/63.5°F), 31.8mm (1.3in) over 6 days. Warm and dry. The sweet spot if January feels too cold.
• April — 30.5°C/21.6°C (86.9°F/70.9°F), 148.9mm (5.9in) over 12 days. Heat arrives; rain doubles from March. Early April is better than late.
• May — 30.8°C/24.4°C (87.4°F/75.9°F), 251.9mm (9.9in) over 19 days. Nights stop cooling off. Skip if you can.
• June — 32.7°C/25.9°C (90.9°F/78.6°F), 491.2mm (19.3in) over 24 days. Hottest and by far the wettest. The worst month.
• July — 32.7°C/25.9°C (90.9°F/78.6°F), 348.1mm (13.7in) over 22 days. Same heat as June, less rain, still 22 wet days.
• August — 31.8°C/25.8°C (89.2°F/78.4°F), 370.5mm (14.6in) over 25 days. The most rain days of any month.
• September — 31.4°C/25.1°C (88.5°F/77.2°F), 345.2mm (13.6in) over 20 days. Still firmly wet season, but the end is in sight.
• October — 28.6°C/22.8°C (83.5°F/73.0°F), 277.9mm (10.9in) over 13 days. Heavy rain but only 13 days of it. Good value.
• November — 23.8°C/17.4°C (74.8°F/63.3°F), 114.1mm (4.5in) over 11 days. Comfortable and mostly dry. The all-round pick.
• December — 23.6°C/17.3°C (74.5°F/63.1°F), 38.0mm (1.5in) over 12 days. Very little total rain despite 12 wet days — expect drizzle, not storms.

FAQ

What is the single best month to visit Hanoi?

November, if you want one answer. It has the most usable combination on the table: 23.8°C (74.8°F) days that are warm enough to walk all day, 17.4°C (63.3°F) nights that are cool but not cold, and 114.1mm (4.5in) of rain across 11 days. January is drier — 19.5mm over 3 days — but its 13.7°C (56.7°F) lows are noticeably chilly for early starts, and Tet can disrupt some services depending on the year.

Is Hanoi too hot in summer?

For most visitors, yes. June and July peak at 32.7°C (90.9°F), which on its own is manageable — but the overnight low of 25.9°C (78.6°F) is the problem. The city doesn't cool down, so there's no relief in the evening, and the humidity that comes with 491.2mm (19.3in) of June rain makes those numbers feel higher than they read. If you're going anyway, book air conditioning and plan outdoor time before 10am.

Does it rain all day during the rainy season?

No. August has 25 rain days but only 370.5mm (14.6in) total, which averages under 15mm per wet day — that's a heavy afternoon burst, not eight hours of steady rain. October is the clearest example: 277.9mm over just 13 days, about 21mm per wet day, meaning short intense downpours with dry stretches on either side. You lose an hour or two, not a day.

When is Hanoi cheapest without the weather ruining the trip?

October and February. October still gives you 28.6°C (83.5°F) days and 18 dry days out of 31, with wet-season pricing on much of the month. February is cheaper still and only sees 52.6mm (2.1in) of rain, but the trade is grey skies and 20.5°C (68.9°F) highs — the coolest daytime temperatures of the year. Pick October if you want to be outside, February if you're mostly eating, drinking coffee, and staying in the city.

Weather figures are 2025 measured data for Hanoi. Conditions vary year to year — check a forecast close to your travel dates.