When is the best time to visit Halong Bay?

Choosing the best time to visit Halong Bay is one of the most important things when planning your trip there.

However, there is no certain answer for the question because it depends on your references. Read out the article below to find the most suitable time for yourself.

Ideal Temperatures

More often than not, temperatures are the main concern of people considering when taking Halong Bay cruise tours. Scorching hot temperatures can prove a serious annoyance during cruises, while freezing wind swirling around the sundeck is not much better. This is where halong bay weather needs to be considered while planning your trip.

For four months of the year, there is a happy middle ground, and it will come as no surprise to find that this comes during autumn and spring.

First Choice: October And November

After an incredibly sticky wet season where temperatures can reach upwards of 34°C, October and November like to play the role of the perfect seasonal neighbours. These months comprise some of the most amiable temperatures in Halong Bay, reaching highs of about 28°C (85°F) and 24°C (75°F) respectively as the bay starts its long descent towards winter. Lows tend to reach the 18°C (60°F) mark during October and November, providing Halong Bay’s perfect weather for long evenings on the sundeck or romantic times on your private balcony.

Out in the bay, Titop Island, Ba Trai Dao beach and Cua Van fishing village are the places to be for activities including beach relaxing, swimming and kayaking, all of which are possible without breaking a sweat.

Second Choice: March and April

We’ve labelled March and April as the second most ideal time to visit Halong Bay for the temperatures, but the reality is that these two months are a mirror image of October and November, cousins from the other side of the wet season.

Before the rains kick off in May, March and April squeeze in the last bit of perfect temperatures throughout the spring, often manifesting as highs of 23°C (73°F) and 27°C (81°F) respectively. Again, lows of 18°C (60°F) make for uncompromised evenings outside, watching the bay sparkle silently beneath.

Avoid: July and August

In the heart of the wet season, Halong Bay becomes a sauna of heavy heat and sweat-inducing humidity. If you’re looking for which months to visit Halong Bay, avoid July and August entirely, as the searing temperatures will prevent you from doing most of the activities that you want to do.

At their height of 32°C (90°F), even cruising atop the sundeck seems like an arduous task, one characterised more by attempting to arrange shade and skipping over a red-hot burnished wooden sundeck than actual relaxation. Lows of 25°C (77°F) are more acceptable in the nighttime, but with most of the bay being coated in darkness at this point, there isn’t a great amount of appeal outside as opposed to an air-conditioned cabin.

Exquisite Sunshine

Being an international destination, Halong Bay attracts various people with various differing attitudes to the big yellow sun up above. Passengers from the West who are looking for the best time to visit Halong Bay might research its sunshine hours in pursuit of a holiday than can tinge their skin a healthy golden brown. Passengers from areas with a lot of sun might research the opposite; when they can most effectively hide between cloud cover and retain their light tones.

First Choice: March and April

In this category too, March and April take one of the crowns. Spring is amongst the best times to visit Halong Bay for many reasons, but the 7-8 hours of sunshine per day is certainly one of the most treasured by passengers. These perfect months ooze potential for a sublime cruise, where the bay sparkles brighter in the sunshine and the verdant greenery atop the mountains looks even more healthy than usual.

Even a day trip to Halong Bay at this time can fill up a camera roll within hours, as beauty radiates from the surface of the ocean to the peaks of karst towers above.

Second Choice: October and November

Second choice by a whisker this time is October and November, again enjoying essentially perfect conditions for many of the days throughout. The one slight difference is that the autumn officially contains one less hour of sunshine per day, though whether this is noticeable or not is very much up for debate.

Even so, the 6-7 hours of sunshine per day may suit those with more of an aversion to the sun, giving October and November a slight advantage for passengers looking to enjoy the beauty of the bay but without the UV rays pelting down from above.

Avoid: December/January and July/August

Having expended all of its warm temperatures and atmosphere during spring and autumn, the sun takes its own holiday during winter and summer, hiding behind thin mist or thick, dark cloud.

The former usually takes place around January, when Halong Bay is enveloped in the elements that create beautiful images of an ancient world lost in the fog. For many, this is actually one of the best times to visit Halong Bay for its outstanding photo opportunities, though not many people would say the same about July, which is a month marred by black clouds that congregate high above the mountaintops.

No matter when you travel there, your experiences will be unforgettable. Visit our website to get further information about Halong Bay. Share this article with others if you find it helpful. Thank you.