Hanoi (Vietnamese: Hà Nội), the capital of Vietnam, and also its second largest city, is a fascinating blend of East and West, combining traditional Sino-Vietnamese motifs with French flair. It is largely unscathed from the decades of war, and is now going through a building boom, making it a rapidly developing city in Southeast Asia.
Consistently ranked among the world's top 10 destinations by TripAdvisor, the city and its surrounding region get more tourists every day.
Climate
The climate is tropical, with wet and hot weather much of the year. But due to the city's latitude, temperatures drop drastically in the wintertime and the wind chill and dampness means winter weather can feel cold. If possible, avoid the summer months of mid May to mid September, as the city turns into a sweltering sauna with little to no wind.
The alternating monsoon winds result in three distinct seasons (including the sunny transitional period between monsoons):
- Rainy season: The southwest monsoon from over the Indian Ocean brings in warm, water-saturated ocean air, triggering pouring rains over Hanoi between June and October.
- Cool, dry season: The northeast monsoon blowing from Siberia creates a cool, dry climate between November and February.
- Hot, humid season: As the monsoon winds change direction between March and May, Hanoi experiences warmer but relatively rain-free weather during this transitional period.
These three seasons will determine what sights you should see when you visit and the prices you pay for access. Peak tourist season in the cool, dry months will also bring the highest prices, as will the domestic peak season in the hot, dry months between March and May.
In and Out
- If you wish to plan your trip from North Vietnam to South than Hanoi is the best entry point.
- Most people arrive at the Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), 35km (45-60min) north of the city
- Visitors traveling from South Vietnam may travel by road through Da Nang or may event take a domestic flight of from Ho chi Minh airport or Da Nang Airports
- Da Nang is 12 hours from Hanoi so a short domestic flight is more preferable
- Hanoi also serves as a base city to travel to Halong Bay which is 180 kms / 3 hrs east wards from hanoi.
- Trains to Nanning, Beijing, China depart from Gia Lam Station, about 5km north-east of Hanoi Station.
- All other trains use the main Hanoi train station for daily services from cities in the south including Hue and Nha Trang. The Reunification Express goes all the way to Ho Chi Minh City, although there is very little 'express' about it.
Hanoi