Hanoi · Vietnam

December

Cool and dry — Hanoi's winter character emerges; excellent for walking the Old Quarter and proper hot phở.

Strong option

#8 of 12 months

There are better months for Hanoi — see the full ranking below.

Climate

High

20°C

Low

14°C

Rain

22mm

Sun

3hrs/day

30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5

How December scores in Hanoi

Weather

Good

Value

Above average

Crowds

Above average

Events

Good

Atmosphere

Very good

↑December is comfortably cool at 20°C with minimal rain — the Old Quarter in cool weather with rising mist over Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the most atmospheric urban experiences in Southeast Asia
↑Christmas in Hanoi is a surprisingly festive affair: the French Quarter's cathedral (St Joseph's) is lit up and the surrounding streets fill with young Hanoians celebrating; a very different Christmas atmosphere, entirely Vietnamese in character
↑The city's phở culture is at its most appropriate in December — a bowl of phở bò at 7am in 15°C weather in the Old Quarter is one of the definitive Hanoi experiences

↓Sunshine hours drop to 3.0 daily and the sky is frequently overcast — the grey mist over Hoan Kiem Lake is atmospheric on day one and less welcome by day five
↓At 20°C (and 14°C at night), Hanoi is significantly colder than the rest of Southeast Asia; visitors arriving from tropical destinations often underpack
↓The city is building toward the Tet peak that begins in January — hotel prices start rising from mid-December as forward bookings for the festive season arrive

Climate data: 30-year normals (1991–2020) from Open Meteo ERA5 reanalysis. Scores compare months within Hanoi, not across destinations. Methodology →