Hanoi weather in May is rather hot, but still worth to visit. In this post, Incredible Asia Journeys will give you some useful information about Hanoi Weather in May to help you get your best itineraries for your memorable trips in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Hoan Kiem Lake in a sunny day
May is the first month of the hot season in Hanoi, so the temperature is rather high. The temperature continues to increase during the month with the average temperature between 24˚C (75.2˚F) and 32˚C (89.6˚F). The high temperature in the daylight ranges from 26˚C (78.8˚F) to 37˚C (98.6˚F), while the low daily temperature usually drops to 21˚C (69.8˚F) or rises to 28˚C (82.4˚F). You will feel warm most of the day, but the hot period may last approximately 3 hours from 02.00 pm to 05.00 pm. Until the end of the month, the duration of hot hours is around 9 hours, from 11.00 am to 08.00 pm.
If April is the welcoming time of the rainy season, it officially occurs in May with the doubled amount of rainfall in comparison with April. Hanoi in May receives around 190 mm of rainfall on average. The number of wet days ranges from 14 to 18 days. The rainfall increases from the beginning to the end of May.
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
Located in Ba Dinh District, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is one of the must-see places when visiting Hanoi. The mausoleum is the place to keep Ho Chi Minh President’s body remain, so Vietnamese people and foreign friends can visit and show their great gratitude to Vietnam’s hero.
Also, you can visit other attractions in Ho Chi Minh Complex including Uncle Ho’s House on Stilt, One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Museum, and Ba Dinh Square.
You have to note that a camera, cell phone, bare-shoulder T-shirts, or mini-skirts inside are not allowed in the mausoleum.
Opening time: 5 days per week, except Monday and Friday
Cold seasons (from November to March): 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Hot seasons (from April to October): 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Closed once per year in 2 or 3 months (depend on the government, so please pay attention to this) for the body maintenance
Thang Long Imperial Citadel is an intriguing relic of Vietnam with historical and cultural values. In 2010, the citadel was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just a 15-minute walk from other attractive destinations in Hanoi such as Quan Thanh Temple, Vietnam Military History Museum, Ho Chi Minh Museum and Hoan Kiem Lake.
Opening time: Tuesday – Sunday 08:00 AM – 17:00 PM
Location: 9 Hoang Dieu, Dien Bien, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi.
Ticket price: 30,000 VND.
Thang Long Imperial Citadel
Hanoi Old Quarter is considered as the soul of Hanoi with 36 ancient streets, which remains its beauty in the modern city. You can find the narrow streets with many street vendors who sell fast food or souvenirs. You can walk around or hire a cyclo to discover Hanoi Old Quarter. You can enjoy some Hanoi beer in Ta Hien Street to avoid the hot weather of May in Hanoi. Besides, if you visit Hoan Kiem Lake near the Old Quarter, you should try Trang Tien Ice Cream – the famous ice cream in Hanoi.
Hanoi Old Quarter
Mu Cang Chai is located in the mountainous northeast area of Vietnam. A new crop is welcomed in Mu Cang Chai in May. Because of the terraced fields, water must be supplied from the top of the fields. So this time is called the “falling water season” that the water runs from the top to the bottom of the terraced fields. It is one of the best time for you to visit Mu Cang Chai to go sight-seeing. Especially if you would like to be immersed into nature and photography, Mu Cang Chai in May shouldn't be missed out.
Mu Cang Chai in Water Season
Unlike the falling water season in Mu Cang Chai, Ninh Binh in May is ready for the ripened rice season. The rice fields start to change their colours to yellow. Ninh Binh attracts millions of tourists all over the world with famous attractions such as Trang An Grottoes, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Tam Coc Bich Dong, and Hoa Lu Ancient Capital. Located on the edge of the Red River Delta, Tam Coc (Three Grottoes) is the beautiful place that remains the long-standing rice cultivation. Only 2 hours from Hanoi, you can get to Tam Coc to see the beautiful scenery of the transition between the bright green and yellow rice fields.
Besides, you can do trekking in Cuc Phuong National Park – the first national park and the largest nature reserve in Vietnam. Cuc Phuong National Park in May is the “butterfly season”, so you can be surrounded by lines of colourful butterflies.
The hot weather in Halong Bay in May is the perfect time for tourists to see the beauty of the limestone karst scenery and get into the water with swimming, kayaking, scuba diving, and snorkelling. Also, if you want to avoid the heat, you can explore the cooler caves such as Sung Sot Cave, Thien Cung Cave, Luon Cave…, take a day boat to the local village, or just relax in the boat with fans and aircon.
Swimming in Halong Bay
Cat Ba is one of the best islands to visit in summer in Vietnam. The weather in Cat Ba Island in May offers tourists the best time to visit, which is not too hot to be exhausted and not too cold to swim. Also, you can enjoy the comfortable fresh air here, enjoy the long sandy beaches and beautiful caves, visit Monkey Island and Cat Ba National Park, go kayaking, try scuba diving, and taste delicious seafood or barbecue night.
Light clothes including shorts and T-shirts are suitable for the hot summer in Hanoi. If you are afraid of being bronzed by the sun, you should prepare a pair of thin slacks, a long-sleeved thin overcoat, and sun cream to use in the sunny days.
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