By Jane Nguyen, Jun 15, 2024
Hanoi is one of the most beautiful cities in Vietnam, which is home to many travel destinations with historical values. Hanoi becomes more attractive in December with famous holidays like Merry Christmas and New Year, and the convenient weather for travelling. This post will give you some guides for Hanoi Weather in December, things to do & see during this time, and some useful tips for your best trip.
Winter in Hanoi in December
December is one of the coldest and driest months in Hanoi. The average temperature decreases to 15˚C - 16˚C, and even to 11˚C at night. The daylight shortens and it gets dark early at 05.30 PM. After a few days of cold weather, it is sunny with the dry wind, low temperature, and morning fog then Hanoi weather has drizzling rain. Then Hanoi weather has drizzling rain and cold wind again. The number of rainy days and the amount of rain are less than the previous month, but you will feel very cold.
Average December Temperature: 19˚C
December high: 22˚C
December low: 15˚C
Relative humidity: 67%
Expected number of wet days: 7
Hanoi receives around 4 sunshine hours per day on average in December. The rest of the 10-hour daylight, Hanoi is mostly cloudy. From the beginning to the end of December, the number of sunshine hours decreases gradually.
The best time to visit Hanoi is from the end of September to April. December is in the cold season with the temperature from 10˚C - 16˚C. It is cold for travellers who come from tropical countries but it can be good for travellers who come from temperate countries.
Although December is cold, it is a good time to visit Hanoi because this month is dry in Hanoi so it is good for travellers to travel around Hanoi without canceling their plan. There is mostly no rain this time and tourists can enjoy their holiday the best. Hanoi and other tourist destinations now also celebrate the New Year and Christmas so you can celebrate your Christmas holiday in Hanoi, Vietnam.
As you see the weather in Hanoi is cold so you should bring a sweater and a jacket with you. Normally, you may need a jacket but sometimes you may need both of them. However, the world climate is changing and it seems Hanoi become warmer and warmers in December so in some more years, you may not need both of them in day time but you may need them if you travel outside at night time.
If you have a plan to visit Hanoi in December and do not hesitate as it is a good time to visit Hanoi.
Going around Hanoi by a cyclo - a kind of three-wheel vehicle – is an interesting activity among tourists in Hanoi. Hanoi weather in December is not too hot or rainy, so traveling by cyclo is a great idea. You can get around Hanoi Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake, or Dong Xuan Market… The ticket price for an hour visiting Hanoi by a cyclo is about 100,000 VND ($4.5).
Cyclo around Hanoi Old Quarter
One of the historical and cultural sites in Hanoi Military History of Vietnam. Military History of Vietnam is also known as the Army Museum, which is home to an extensive collection of weaponry that was used throughout the war period in the past. 22nd December is the day of celebrating the establishment of the Vietnam People's Army. So there will be something special for you to see.
- Address: 28A Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh District Hanoi, Vietnam
- Opening Hours: Daily 08:00 - 11:00 and 13:00 – 16:00 from Tuesday - Thursday, Saturday - Sunday
- Entrance fee: 40,000 VND for one international tourist
Vietnam Military History Museum
At the end of December, Christmas is coming. If you visit Hanoi this time, you will see the beautiful decorations on the streets of Hanoi. In the Churches, concerts of classical music take place. If you want to enjoy the atmosphere of Christmas Eve, pay a visit to the Saint Joseph's Cathedral on Nha Chung St. Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
Christmas Eve in the Saint Joseph's Cathedral
Another suitable for this time is visiting shopping areas and malls. Some of them are Savico Megamall, Ruby Plaza and Garden Mall.
Check out our best tours to discover Hanoi in December: Hanoi Street Food Tour , Hanoi Scooter Tour , or Hanoi Motorbike Tour .
Sapa is considered a must-visit destination when visiting Vietnam in December. You can contemplate the landscape from house roofs, forests, and gardens to the roads covered in snow and fog, which makes Sapa become more vaporous and mysterious. The fog will leave when the sun rises, but snow still remains. In the winter, the ground orchid and persimmon still blossom in Sapa, which seems to prepare for the Lunar New Year. So you can have a great chance to see the unique beauty of Sapa in the winter.
Sapa 2 days 1 night is one of our best itineraries that we highly recommend for your great trip to Sapa.
Sapa in Winter
There are fewer tourists visiting Halong Bay in December, so you can enjoy more without any crowd as in the summer. Normally, cruise activities are not affected much by the cold weather in December, except for the days with very low temperatures. Kayaking, swimming, climbing mountains, and exploring caves,...will be off only in the bad weather. So you should pay attention to safety instructions and the tour guide’s advice to have a great trip to Halong Bay in the winter.
Halong Bay Day Trip is the best itinerary that we highly recommend for you at this time. If you have more time you can take an overnight cruise at Halong Bay Cruises.
Kayaking on Halong Bay
The weather in December is suitable for you to travel to Ba Vi National Park. You can go walking or hiking in this area of forest trails and mountain slopes to see panoramic views of the Red River Valley and beyond. It may take you 30 minutes for this. You can get to Tan Da Spa Resort in Ba Vi to experience hot springs, mud baths, wet steam baths, and herbal baths for individuals, couples, or families.
- Location: 48 km west from Hanoi, or about 1-hour drive.
Ba Vi National Park
For more options of the best trips from Hanoi, please visit our Vietnam Group Tours and choose the best for you!
The slightly cold weather of Hanoi in December is great for having dinner in a hotpot or grill restaurant. You will feel warmer and find it more delicious than that in summer.
Enjoy Vietnamese coffee is great for a cold day of Hanoi weather in December. Ca Phe Sua Nong (Vietnamese hot coffee with sweetened condensed milk) and Ca Phe Den Nong (Vietnamese hot black coffee) are two of basic kinds of coffee in Vietnam for you to enjoy.
Enjoy Coffe in the Winter of December
Street food also attracts people in December. Street food is cooked and served immediately on the pavements near the roads around the city. So it is not hard to find one place to enjoy street food. The weather in Hanoi in December is suitable for sitting on the pavement and enjoying hot dishes.
Street food in Hanoi in December
- If you are from cold countries like America, you will feel cool in the autumn; while if you are from Southeast Asia, you should wear a warm jacket on cold days.
- If you forget your jacket, don’t worry, you can buy some warm clothes at any store in Hanoi. When traveling around Hanoi Old Quarter, you can get some. We have a tip for you that you must require for a good bargain. Many small shops and boots in Night Market in Hanoi Old Quarter will give you a fixed price if you require.
- On the sunny days of December, the amount of UV rays is high, so you should use sun cream, sun protective clothing, and wear sunglasses.
- Bring an umbrella is very convenient for both sun protection and sudden rain.
- A pair of shoes is suitable for outdoor activities in Hanoi. You may walk several kilometres in Hanoi Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake Walking Street, so it is convenient to wear a pair of sports shoes instead of high-heeled shoes or flip-flops. If you forget to carry your shoes, don't worry because that you can get a pair of shoes in any shoe store in Hanoi.
That's all the information we want to provide to tourists before visiting Hanoi in December, you can check out other destinations in other blogs about Vietnam in December to fulfill your trip. Don't hesitate to ask more at Incredible Asia Journeys!
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