Autumn, especially October should be the best time of the year to visit Hanoi and the North of Vietnam. Thanks to the support of the weather, with the average temperature of 25 Census degrees, the autumn of Hanoi is so beautiful with warm sunlight and cool breeze. The beauty of Hanoi’s autumn lies in its streets coloured in yellow of fallen leaves, prettifying with a little red of sesame flowers and a pure white colour of milk flowers.

The charming of Hanoi in this time presents not only in its scenery but also in its wind. Hainoian also calls autumn a season of milk flowers (hoa sua). With its sweet fragrance, milk flowers perfume the air with a romantic feeling that makes people easily fall in love. Besides the passionate scent of milk flowers, the delicate scent of yellow orchid flowers (hoa hoang lan) also bring the relaxing feeling for those passing by. Walking along the Hoan Kiem Lake, you can enjoy breathing in the unique flavor of Hanoi’s autumn over each gust of wind, observe daily life of people and enjoy the peaceful moment of the sunset. Outskirt of the Old Quarter, Thanh Nien street located between West Lake and Truc Bach Lake is less known by visitors but it is said that you could not fully understand what autumn in Hanoi is like and why this season brings lovers closer if you have not had a stroll on the street.

During the October, ones may also go to Vong Thi Pagoda located on the side of West lake to attend festival with traditional folksongs and cockfighting. Another exciting day in autumn is Full-Moon or Mid-Autumn Festival, taking place in the 15th day of the lunar August when the moon is at its best round shape of the year. These days, the old quarter of Hanoi, especially Hang Ma Street, is alive with the bustling activities and the atmosphere resplendent with colourful star-shaped lanterns, gifts and decorations, as well as the ant-farm-like crowds of people. Even though the official day of the festival is 15th August, people are excited to prepare for the festival weeks and even a month ahead. Moon cakes are widely sold by both vendors and stores from long before the festival. The traditional moon cake is popularly made in two types: the ‘grilled cake’ and the ‘sticky cake’ which are distinguished by colour. Grilled cakes are brown while sticky cakes are white. They are normally sweet with diverse fillings, shapes and sizes. The Mid-Autumn festival is also the great time for fruit fans as it is the prime season for ripe juicy pomelos and persimmons. On the full moon day, families will enjoy traditional moon cakes with green tea, admire the moonlight and sing Autumn-related songs with their children. Besides enjoying moon cakes, dragon dancing is one of the major activities during the festival. The performance often takes place on outdoor stages or right on the streets. The dance follows the joyful beat of drums and is known as a wish of luck, health and happiness. Although this festival is especially celebrated for children, it is also a good time for teenagers and young adults to go back to their childhood. They buy children toys, wear funny masks and take pictures with their friends with the feeling of forever young. Come and experience Hanoi in autumn, it is really worth a visit. Contact Eviva tour for local advice and professional support to explore the full beauty of Hanoi in autumn.
