Vietnam · 21°02′N 105°50′E

Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

Street food, old quarter chaos and limestone bays.

Good for: Food, History & culture, Big city, Nightlife, Nature, Adventure, Doing nothing
Rough daily spend: around $45 per person mid-range, not counting getting there (our estimate; it varies a lot)
Mildest months: November and December

Plan a Hanoi and Ha Long Bay trip with friends

Best time to visit Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

Warmest in June (around 33° by day), coolest in January (21° by day, 14° at night). December has the fewest wet days (7). For walking around in comfortable weather, aim for November and December.

Average weather by month in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay
Month	High	Low	Wet days	Rain	Sun / day
Jan	21°	14°	10	62 mm	4.3 h
Feb	22°	15°	10	51 mm	4.1 h
Mar	26°	19°	12	73 mm	4 h
Apr	29°	22°	12	104 mm	6.2 h
May	32°	25°	18	217 mm	8.2 h
Jun	33°	27°	18	267 mm	8.7 h
Jul	33°	26°	21	318 mm	8.8 h
Aug	32°	26°	25	418 mm	7.7 h
Sep	31°	25°	21	342 mm	8 h
Oct	28°	22°	14	213 mm	7.5 h
Nov	26°	19°	8	60 mm	7.2 h
Dec	22°	15°	7	33 mm	5.6 h

Averages for 2016–2025 from the Open-Meteo historical weather archive (CC BY 4.0), for the point at 21°02′N 105°50′E. Wet day = 1 mm or more. Highlighted months are mild (18–27° highs) and fairly dry.

What to pack for Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

For four nights, based on the weather above. Every trip also needs the basics: documents, chargers, toiletries and any medication.

June

4 × T-shirts or vests
2 × shorts or skirts
Sunglasses
Sun hat
Sunscreen

January

4 × tops
2 × trousers or jeans
Light jacket

Either way

5 × underwear
5 × socks
Something to sleep in
Comfortable walking shoes
Waterproof jacket
Compact umbrella
Small cross-body bag
Transit card or app set up

Going with a group? The planner builds a shared list where each person ticks their own things and claims the shared ones.

Going with friends?

One link for the group: find the days you’re all free, vote on what to do, get a day-by-day route and a shared packing list. No sign-up.

Plan Hanoi and Ha Long Bay