Vietnam
Ha Long Bay in December
🌤️ Cool dry seasonPleasant and mostly dry. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: N95 mask for hazy days
Why December scores 8.8What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.8
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (20.9°C highs / 13.4°C lows)
- ✓Comfortable humidity (dew point 12.6°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~21 mm rain)
- Air quality5.5
- !Elevated (PM2.5 ~36 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| Dec | Nov | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.8 Excellent | 9.0 Excellent |
| Season | 🌤️ Cool dry season | ☀️ Dry season |
| High / low | 21° / 13° | 25° / 19° |
| Rain | 21 mm | 44 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 13° | dew pt 18° |
| PM2.5 | 36 µg/m³ | 18 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast).
Holidays & crowdsDecember 2026
No long holidaysNo long public-holiday weekends this month. School holidays aren't counted, so check those if you want to avoid family crowds.
No national public holidays in Vietnam this month.
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Explore Ha Long BayEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyA UNESCO-listed bay in northern Vietnam with thousands of limestone islands, best explored on an overnight boat cruise.
No major events on our calendar for December.
Coming up later
Tết (Lunar New Year)Date variesLunar calendar — late Jan to mid-Feb, date moves each year
Vietnam's biggest holiday, when families gather and streets are decorated with flowers and red banners.
Why go: Many shops and restaurants close for several days and domestic travel is very busy, so book transport early.
Where: Ha Long and across Vietnam
National DayEvery year2 September every year
A national holiday marking Vietnam's declaration of independence.
Why go: Domestic travel is busy around the long weekend.
Where: Across Vietnam
Ha Long Bay cruises
Day and overnight cruises through the limestone islands.
💡 Typhoons and storms can cancel cruises roughly June to October.
Sung Sot Cave
One of the largest caves in the bay, with large chambers.
Ti Top Island
An island with a small beach and a viewpoint over the bay.
Kayaking
Kayaking through lagoons and caves such as Luon Cave.
Bai Tu Long Bay
A quieter neighbouring bay with similar limestone scenery.
Cat Ba Island
The largest island in the area, with a national park, reached from Ha Long or Haiphong.
Chả mực
Fried squid cakes, Ha Long's best-known specialty.
💡 Local restaurants and markets
Seafood
Fresh fish, clams, crabs and shrimp from the bay.
💡 Seafood restaurants in Ha Long city
Bánh cuốn chả mực
Steamed rice rolls served with squid cakes.
💡 Breakfast shops
Pearls
Pearls from farms in the bay area.
💡 Pearl shops
Chả mực
Vacuum-packed squid cakes.
💡 Local markets
Airport transfer Kiwitaxi
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