Why Visit Hanoi In Spring?

Dear travel enthusiasts, visit Hanoi while its ephemeral beauty in Spring still lasts!

Hanoi is the 1000-year-old capital of Vietnam, situated in the South-East region of exotic Asia. Hanoians describe their city as the one place where “you can’t rush for anything”. It is where you enjoy egg-coffee on the side of the street at 8 am with your pals and immerse yourself in the enthralling nightlife of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Known for a pretty tough climate throughout the years, Vietnam’s ol’ capitol becomes the ultimate wonderland for everyone in Spring.

I get it, some of you guys are still skeptical about what Hanoi has to offer. That’s why I will give you the top 4 reasons (among many others) to visit Hanoi at this time of the year (or this time next year). Get ready to beg for a few days off from work and hop on the next available flight to Hanoi!

1. Ideal Weather for a Multitude of Activities

Spring in Hanoi lasts from around February to April each year. It is when the weather becomes warm enough for you to explore the city on motorbike but also cool enough to help you fight off the humidity that would have been unbearable in the Summer.

Hanoians enjoy the cool weather of Spring and, hence, never miss a chance to participate in outdoor activities at this time of the year. You can join the locals for a jog around lakes, go biking in groups around the city, stroll around the Old Quarter for some photos or some food, play badminton in the evening with in beautiful parks, or enjoy a cold beer on a lounge chair by the West Lake.

On the other hand, it can be rainy and misty in Hanoi at times, but that only adds to the melancholic charm of the ol’ capital. Personally, I enjoy spending a couple of hours in a book coffee shop near the legendary Hoan Kiem Lake with my special egg-coffee and feeling the city breathe underneath the mist.

2. Mesmerizing Scenery In A Relaxing City

Spring is also the most suitable weather for plants and flowers to grow, as it is humid while not too hot nor cold. As a result, Hanoi will be filled with a multitude of colors due to the burgeoning of various types of flowers. Basically, each street is known for only a certain type of trees and plants, which makes every turn an exciting and surprising journey for visitors.

For example, one of Hanoian’s favorite species of plant is Bougainvillea, known for its paper-like leaves and bright pink/purple color. Bougainvillea can be found in many streets of Hanoi and never fails to warm up the people’s heart in cool weather. So relax, take a walk, and grab some unforgettable pictures of this old city!

3. Perfect Time for Specialties of Any Season

Exploring Vietnamese food is the essential experience during your visit to Hanoi. Although each season has its own specialties, Spring remains the perfect in-between season that allows both Hanoian and visitors to fully enjoy a great variety of tasty food.

If you ask a Hanoian what is his/her favorite dish for each season, he/she would likely answer something like “a hot bowl of phở” when it’s chilly outside, “some bún chả” for lunch break, and so on. In reality, since the most authentic street food are found [drumroll] on the street, you will most likely have to eat all of these delicious dishes outdoor.

However, trust me, you will want to avoid both the excruciating heat wave in the Summer and run away from the cold and humid weather in Winter – which, in turn, gives you no time to enjoy the outdoor street food. As a result, the half-temperate half-cool climate in Spring gives you some times to enjoy hot-weather refreshing desserts such as “chè” and other times to sip the boiling soup in your bowl of phở.

4. Unforgettable Tet’s Atmosphere That Lingers

Every year, Vietnamese people begin to prepare for Tet – also known as the Lunar New Year in other parts of the world – one of the most important events of the year in Mid-January as the annual celebration usually occurs in the second half of February. Things start to heat up as soon as Spring comes and the exciting atmosphere can be felt throughout the entire nation. People become excited for the big holiday as they rush to local markets for Tet’s specialties, gather different ingredients for their homemade “Bánh Chưng” (glutinous rice cake with mung bean and fatty pork) and shop for the Vietnamese peach blossoms.

For travelers who do not celebrate the Lunar New Year in their home country, you should visit Hanoi during Tet as soon as you can or put that on your bucket list.

Nevertheless, I made it sound like Tet is only fun before and during the celebration. As a matter of fact, its overwhelmingly exciting atmosphere lingers until Mid-Spring, as people continue to enjoy their exclusive [Lunar] New Year’s food and decorate their house, workplace with Tet decoration as if it never ended.

To sum up…

If there’s a perfect time to visit Hanoi, it is definitely Spring. From the opportunities to enjoy local favorites to contemplating the most beautiful season in Northern Vietnam, Spring does bring out the ephemeral beauty in Hanoi. Are you tempted yet?

More from Suggestions from a Local!

---

Editor Picks

---