Why Hanoi’s winter shocks foreigners from colder countries

"Many people from cold countries like me have paid the price for underestimating the winter in northern Vietnam. They did not expect temperatures of around 10 degrees Celsius to feel that cold."

In 2017 the Nottingham, Britain, native visited Vietnam with his wife, and, after traveling across the country, decided to settle in Hanoi.

Temperatures began to drop in late November. "We had been under the impression that Vietnam was a tropical country, with warm weather all year round," he says.

Having lived in Nottingham and Scotland, where winter temperatures frequently fall below zero, he ignored forecasts of an imminent cold spell in Hanoi, and did not prepare warm clothing.

After a 30-km motorbike ride from Long Bien District in Hanoi to Bac Ninh Province, he says he felt as if he had "frozen solid" on the road and sat shivering for half an hour after pulling over. "The trip haunts me to this day."

He says in the U.K. vehicles are heated and so exposure to the cold is limited to short walks outdoors. But in Hanoi he often found himself suffering from thermal shock from the weather.

Hanoians wear warm clothes to endure the chill weather, January 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

Soon he reverted to his cold-weather habits such as wearing gloves, scarves, thermal layers, and multiple pairs of socks.

Building design too is an issue, he says, pointing out that in Europe buildings are designed to retain heat, making indoor spaces warmer than outdoors, while in Hanoi homes and cafes are often built to allow airflow during summer.

After two winters in Hanoi, he and his wife decided to relocate to HCMC. Other foreigners living in northern Vietnam report similar experiences.

On Vietnam-related Reddit forums and social media groups, expats often say they can tolerate the dry cold in Europe at temperatures of minus 15-20 degrees Celsius but struggle with Vietnam’s damp cold due to the country's high humidity.

Tourists from Russia, a country notorious for its harsh winters, write on travel blogs they are shocked by how temperatures of 6-7 degrees Celsius feels much colder in Vietnam.

The video of the two New Zealanders shivering and unable to hold cups in the cold weather in Ha Giang attracted more than four million views on social media, reviving discussions among expats about dealing with winters in Hanoi.

American expat Vincent during a trip to Soc Son ward, Hanoi, in 2025. Photo courtesy of Vincent

Vincent, an American who has lived in Hanoi for eight years, says adapting to the winter took time. Originally from Arkansas, where winters are colder, he wears heavier clothing in Vietnam, he says. "In my hometown the cold only lasts briefly when I move from the house to the car. Here, the sidewalk culture and motorbike travel mean people are exposed to the weather for much longer."

The absence of central heating in apartments causes the cold to persist throughout the day, he says.

But he has learned to cope: He drinks hot tea, eats beef stew pho and uses gloves while riding. "Once I got used to it winter is the time of year I enjoy most because life feels slower and street food tastes better," he adds.

 

 

Why Hanoi’s winter shocks foreigners from colder countries

Người nước ngoài 'sốc lạnh' trong mùa đông Hà Nội