Best Time To Visit Halong Bay > Weather, Season And Temperature

What is the best time to visit Halong Bay?

The best time to visit Halong Bay is March to May and October to November. Those are the months with clear skies, calm water and reliable cruise days, at around 19°C to 28°C.

The bay is worth planning around more carefully than most places, because the view is the product. December to February is dry but heavily foggy, which is atmospheric but often hides the karsts entirely. June to August is typhoon season, when cruises are cancelled at short notice.

Most visitors come from Hanoi, around two and a half hours by road, so the two share the same good months.

Monthly Weather in Halong Bay

Month	High/Low (°C)	Rain
January	22°/ 17°	4 days
February	21°/ 17°	6 days
March	24°/ 20°	6 days
April	24°/ 20°	6 days
May	29°/ 25°	17 days
June	32°/ 28°	20 days
July	32°/ 28°	25 days
August	31°/ 27°	25 days
September	31°/ 26°	13 days
October	29°/ 24°	12 days
November	26°/ 20°	6 days
December	22°/ 17°	1 days

Halong Bay Travel Packages

Compare quotes from upto 3 travel agents for free

7 Nights / 8 Days

Discover Vietnam: 7 Nights Hanoi, Halong Bay & Phu Quoc Experience

Hanoi(2N) → Halong Bay(2N) → Phu Quoc island(3N)

₹85,700/person

14 Nights / 15 Days

Viet Nam: Ha Noi - Da Nang - Ho Chi Minh 15D Luxury Tour (Private)

Hanoi(4N) → Halong Bay(1N) → Danang(5N) → Ho Chi Minh City(4N)

$1,620/person

7 Nights / 8 Days

7N/8D Breathtaking Vietnam Discoveries

Hanoi(3N) → Halong Bay(1N) → Danang(3N)

₹132,300/person

5 Nights / 6 Days

Vietnam Tour Package to the Land of Dragons

Hanoi(2N) → Danang(3N) → Halong Bay(0N)

₹36,000/person

5 Nights / 6 Days

Timeless Vietnam: 6 Day Tour for Hanoi and Da nang

Hanoi(2N) → Halong Bay(1N) → Danang(2N)

$558/person

9 Nights / 10 Days

Heritage & Horizons: Vietnam & Cambodia (Customized) 09 Nights/10 Days

Hanoi(2N) → Halong Bay(1N) → Danang(2N) → Ho Chi Minh City(...

₹99,000/person

View All Packages For Halong Bay

More about Best Time to Travel to Halong Bay

Halong Bay in Spring (March to May)

Temperature: 19°C to 25°C, warming through the season.
Weather: Sunny and pleasant with some early morning mist and light drizzle. April is the pick. May turns warmer and humid and can bring tropical depressions.
Crowds: High, though prices ease from April.
Tip: The best months for kayaking and swimming from the boat, alongside October.

Halong Bay in Summer (June to August)

Temperature: 28°C to 33°C, humid.
Weather: Typhoon season. July is the wettest and stormiest month. Storms arrive with little warning and the port can close, cancelling cruises outright.
Crowds: Busy with domestic travellers on school holidays, and the cheapest rates for everyone else.
Tip: If you must travel now, book a refundable cruise and leave a spare day in Hanoi.

Halong Bay in Autumn (September to October)

Temperature: 23°C to 28°C.
Weather: The rain ends and humidity drops. October is the clearest month of the year in the bay and the best single month to cruise.
Crowds: The busiest stretch, so cabins book out well ahead.
Tip: Late October can turn chilly as the northeast monsoon sets in. Bring a layer for the deck at night.

Halong Bay in Winter (November to February)

Temperature: 15°C to 22°C, and colder on the water.
Weather: Dry, but the bay sits under thick fog for long stretches, so the karst views are often lost. Too cold for swimming or kayaking.
Crowds: Quietest of the year, apart from a surge of domestic visitors over Tet.
Tip: Fine for a quiet, moody trip and good for hiking on Cat Ba, but not the season if photographs are the point.

Cruise Conditions and Cancellations

The bay is almost always visited by cruise, so the weather question is really a cancellation question.

Most reliable: March to May and October to November.
Highest cancellation risk: June to August, when typhoons can close the port at a few hours’ notice.
Runs but often fogged in: December to February.

Whatever the month, book a cruise with a clear refund or reschedule policy, and keep a spare night in Hanoi so a cancelled sailing does not cost you the trip.

Best Time to Visit Halong Bay by Interest

Cruising and the karst views: March to May, October to November.
Kayaking and swimming: April to May, September to October.
Cat Ba Island hiking: October to April.
Fewest people: December to February, if you accept the fog.
Lowest prices: June to August.
Months to avoid: July and August for typhoons.