Hoi An October — two women navigate flooded Ancient Town streets by boat as the Thu Bon River inundates the historic lanes

Hoi An · Vietnam

October

FLOODING SEASON — the Thu Bon River regularly breaks its banks and streets fill with water. Do not visit.

Worth considering

#12 of 12 months

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

See when to go instead →

Climate

High

29°C

Low

23°C

Rain

567mm

Sun

4.8hrs/day

30-year climate normals · Open Meteo ERA5

How October scores in Hoi An

Weather
Very low
Value
Perfect
Crowds
Outstanding
Events
Below average
Atmosphere
Below average

What you gain in October

  • The cheapest month of the year by a significant margin — five-star riverside hotels at one-third of peak rates
  • Almost no tourists: the Ancient Town is entirely local — a once-in-a-year glimpse of a non-tourist Hoi An
  • Full Moon Lantern Festival still occurs, and the flooded-street lantern reflections are photographically extraordinary — if you can reach them

What you sacrifice

  • 567mm of rain: the most of any month by far — the Thu Bon River regularly floods An Hoi Island and large sections of the Ancient Town, making streets impassable on foot
  • Properties closest to the river have documented annual flood insurance claims; guests can be stranded or evacuated
  • Beach completely off-limits, many restaurants and shops closed, and travel insurance typically requires typhoon/flood coverage for this month

How October compares to February (best month)

FactorOctoberFebruary
Weather
1
9
Value
10
7
Crowds
9
6

October in other destinations

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