Hanoi vs Sapa: which to choose?
Side by side for the month you pick: real weather, how good a time it is, holidays and festivals, rough costs and getting there.
HanoiPhoto: BehindTheTmuna / Unsplash
SapaPhoto: Vivu Vietnam / UnsplashThat month: November
Hanoi
Best timeSapa
Quietercool and mistyWeather
Hanoi
26° / 19° · 60 mm rainSapa
18° / 12° · 87 mm rainHolidays & festivals
Hanoi
- Vietnam Culture Day Nov 24
Sapa
- Vietnam Culture Day Nov 24
Getting there
Hanoi
Pick where you fly fromSapa
Pick where you fly fromRough daily cost
Hanoi
$25 budget · $60 mid-rangeSapa
$25 budget · $60 mid-rangeOur homestays
Hanoi
None here yetSapa
None here yetBest time to visit
Hanoi
October to December offers mild temperatures and less rain, ideal for sightseeing. Avoid heavy rains and heat from May to September. Spring is warm with occasional showers.Sapa
Visit from March to May for pleasant weather and blooming flowers, or September to November for clear skies and harvest season. Avoid the heavy rains and fog of summer and the cold, wet winter months.Top things to do
Hanoi
Old Quarter · Hoan Kiem Lake · Temple of LiteratureSapa
Fansipan Mountain · Sapa Market · Cat Cat VillageFood to try
Hanoi
Pho · Bun Cha · Cha CaSapa
Thang Co · Grilled pork skewers · Sapa corn wineRough daily costs are AI estimates per person, in US dollars, for a place to stay, food and getting around. Flight times are rough: worked out from the straight-line distance, for a non-stop flight. Average daily high and monthly rain over the last ten years, from weather records by Open-Meteo