Hanoi Weather in December: Temperature & Things to Do

The weather of Hanoi is characterized by a tropical monsoon climate, including 4 seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Winter in Hanoi starts at the end of November to December. Let’s see what Hanoi is like during this season.

Hanoi weather in December overview

Temperature: In Hanoi, days usually feature pleasant temperatures in December. The temperatures can be maximum up to 23°C and the minimum is around 10°C. As the end of the year gets nearer, the interval of cold temperatures expands. At the beginning of the month, it feels comfortable from around 9:00 Am until 4:00 Am (19 hours). Daily high temperatures decrease by 5°F, from 75°F to 69°F, rarely falling below 60°F or exceeding 83°F. While daily low temperatures decrease by 5°F, from 63°F to 58°F, rarely falling below 49°F or exceeding 71°F.

Precipitation: Typically, December is the second least rainy month throughout the year, the average sliding 31-day rainfall days are gradually decreasing. Hanoi in December receives between 20 mm (0.79 in) and 30 m (1.18 in) of rainfall during the month on average so Hanoi only receives 6 to 9 rainy days this month. When the precipitation occurs, it comes as light rain and drizzles. Overall, the chance of a wet day over the course of December is essentially constant, remaining around 7% throughout.

Sunshine hours: The day length of Hanoi in December is 5 hours per day. Over the course, the length of the day is essentially constant. The shortest day of the month is December 22, with 10 hours 51 minutes of daylight. Not to mention, the month of December in Hanoi experiences essentially constant cloud cover, with the percentage of time that it is mostly cloudy remaining about 33% throughout the month.

Sunrise and Sunset: The earliest sunrise of the month in Hanoi is 6:17 AM and the earliest sunset is 5:14 PM. whereas the latest sunrise is 16 minutes later at 6:33 AM and the latest sunset is 12 minutes later at 5:25 PM.  For reference, December 21st is the shortest day of the year in which sunrise occurs at 6:28 AM and the sun sets at 5:20 PM.

Humidity: As December is in the dry season, the humidity is rapidly decreasing, falling from 67% over the course of the month, which makes Hanoi’s weather pretty much comfortable.

Hanoi weather is not tropical like the other countries and cities of Southeast Asia. The city has a subtropical climate which basically means that it can get pretty chilly during winter. Despite the cold, December is one of the peak travel months as well as in the whole country. In this month, there is mostly no rain, the humidity at the lowest, the heat doesn’t make walking in the street feel like a chore and that makes travelers enjoy their holiday the best.

Compared to summers, winters are far more manageable and do see an influx of more tourists in comparison. Traveling during the winter holiday season is a busy time and making bookings in advance is advisable, and also the traveling cost could be higher, especially towards the end of the month.

Hanoi Christmas Store

Bear in mind that most of the restaurants and hotels will require some extra fee if you visit them during the holiday, which is Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The holiday season coupled with events and festivals is a reason enough to vacation in Hanoi during winters. December is also the time to enjoy warm street foods while chilling in the cold.

Things to do in Hanoi in December

Hanoi is an atmospheric city at any time of year, but it’s especially romantic in the holiday season when temperatures can drop to around 10 degrees. Get bundled up and join the locals for tea, street food, and evening strolls around the city’s picturesque lakes.

Pay a visit to Churches and Cathedral to celebrate Christmas

Winter comes along with Christmas, more and more people in Vietnam have become aware of this festival as it’s a nice occasion for families and friends to get together. From this time onward to the end of the year, in the big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, you can see a lot of colorful decorations, twinkling lights hung out in the streets, or even in small alleys all in the name of the Christmas spirit.

Christians embrace only 7% of the total population of Vietnam but the churches here celebrate the Christmas season with full enthusiasm and respect.

A number of locals and tourists gather at St. Joseph’s Cathedral to witness its extravagant interior and exterior historic architecture that dates back the centuries. It is also the oldest church in Hanoi. Located in the Old Quarter, this majestic church wears neo-gothic architecture which has lasted for more than 120 years. People often compare it to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris as it was built by the French colony during their rule in Vietnam.

Over a century has passed, but the church remains almost unchanged and now has become a spectacular landmark of Hanoi. On the Christmas holiday, they will conduct mass from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day. There will be big crowds of visitors to the cathedral so it’s better to arrive early and take care of your belongings.

Hanoi celebrates Christmas

Another significant colonial marvel set in the heart of Hanoi that you should visit is Cua Bac Church. This is a Roman Catholic church that was also built by the French in 1932. With its beautiful architecture and rich history, it’s the perfect place to celebrate Christmas with your dearest ones.

Visit the German Christmas Market organized here and enjoy a variety of Christmas food, wine, and beautiful handicrafts. The event’s highlight is the Christmas concert conducted and performed by our National Symphony Orchestra and other choirs in the city.

Soak up the cafe culture and local cuisine

Hanoi’s winter is also famous for many delicious street foods that can warm you up on a chilly day. Pho is the most typical noodle dish of Hanoi cuisine. It is a staple breakfast food, but no matter the time of day, you will find restaurants and street vendors serving the dish and many a contented soul crouching over a bowl and slurping the soup. Slurping a bowl of steaming hot ‘pho’ will warm your soul and won’t even break your bank. You can also try many other dishes that are perfect to have in the winter such as banh cuon, bun cha, banh troi tau, etc.

Pho will warm up your soul and capture your heart

Winter is the best time to get cozy in one of the many stylish cafes and try all the different types of Vietnamese coffee. Egg coffee is one of the best delicacies that you can not miss when traveling to this city and you can get this at any coffee shop in Hanoi. However, the best places to get are Giang Coffee on Nguyen Huu Huan Street or Dinh Cafe on Dinh Tien Hoang street. Visit the for the authentic taste and the original story of the coffee.

If you have a limited amount of time, the best option is to attend one of the Hanoi food tours. Walking keeps you warm, and walking also gets you hungry, so this is the perfect combination of convenience and culture!

Tips for traveling in Hanoi during December

The Hanoi weather in December is around 15°C, though it sometimes can go below 10°C. It may sound normal if you are from countries that are used to a sub-zero winter. But bear in mind that it is a different type of cold. It’s damp, it’s humid, and it seeps into your bones.

Not to mention, most buildings in Hanoi don’t have central heating and are poorly insulated so the cold sort of follows you everywhere around. So, make sure that you pack some seriously warm clothes when visiting Hanoi in wintertime. Besides, the sun is much stronger in Asia, even if it’s wintertime. It’s good to use SPF daily, to avoid skin damage that can lead to future health concerns.

Hanoi weather in December could be colder than you expected

What to pack?

It does get freezing during winter in Hanoi since the temperatures average 17°C but can drop to less than 10°C too. Therefore, getting outdoors with warm clothing is a must. You can also consider some of the things mentioned below if you are planning to visit some destinations up to the North of Vietnam, like Sapa, Mu Cang Chai, Ha Giang, or Cao Bang:

• A warm layer (sweatshirt, sweater, tights, waterproof jacket)
• Some pairs of warm socks
• Travel scarf or compact neck buff
• Good pair of walking shoes or waterproof hiking boots
• Bring along personal health care and toiletries essentials

For many travelers, Vietnam’s capital city of Hanoi is the perfect place to vacation—there’s plenty to see, the food is delicious, and the people are friendly. Visit BestPrice and join our Hanoi tours to get the magic that the city can offer in December.

You might also want to know about Hanoi weather in January

Minah Trinh

Image source: Internet