Christmas is one of the most important holidays in the year of Westerners. If you’re far away from your home in that time and visiting the beautiful Vietnam but do not know where you should spend Christmas then consider Halong Bay and Hanoi.

Both two spots will leave you memorable time. 

Why you should spend Christmas in Hanoi and Halong Bay?

Getting around Hanoi could be frustrating sometimes, actually, most of the time as a lot of the streets look similar to each other.

But fret not, there are some hacks to this. One good hack is to use the free Wi-Fi connection provided by the Vietnamese government around the Old Quarter and access Google Maps.

For sure, even if you’re the type of person who gets lost a lot even when you have a live map at the palm of your hands, you’ll still find your way around. No doubt.

Just be sure that you use other resources as well like asking the local people, as they’re mostly outside anyway and are more than willing to help you out with directions. 

Another point that you should remember when traveling from Hanoi to Halong Bay during the holiday season is the fact that there’s going to be heaps of people everywhere, both locals and tourists roaming around the city streets.  So prepare well and keep an eye on your belongings, especially your gadgets; your smartphones, your cameras, and other valuables that you dare not to lose during your trip. Weather-wise, Hanoi and Halong Bay can get cold during the months of November, December, January, and can even last up to March or April, depending on the year. 

But for sure, Christmas time should be around 20°C or less. For Europeans, yes we understand that this temperature might be considered as summer in your respective countries.  

But again, in Vietnam, this number can be chilly because of the humidity.  And so it’s safe to pack some light jackets or sweaters to keep you warm when walking outside. It even gets colder when you get to Halong Bay as you’ll be cruising along open air by the ocean.  Even if you don’t get cold at all, it’s best to prepare than complaining about it later on.

Where to stay in Hanoi?

Hanoi has thousands of accommodations offer ranging from Airbnb homes, privately-owned and managed homestays, boutique hotels, and the usual luxury five-star properties and city resorts.  

Depending on your travel style and the group of people you’re traveling with, there’s never a shortage of rooms available for a good night’s sleep in Hanoi. For first timers in the city, it’s always advisable to stay inside the Old Quarter, the French Quarter, or just a few hundred feet away from these two major areas.

Besides, the prices are not that high anyway as compared to other neighbor destinations such as Manila, Hong Kong, Beijing, or even Ho Chi Minh City. Staying in central Hanoi is not as expensive as people might think or imagine.

How about Halong Bay?

Which Halong Bay Christmas cruise to take?

Here comes the difficult part, choosing the right Halong Bay cruise for you and your travel buddies.

Again, depending on your travel style and the people you’re traveling with, your Halong Bay cruise should suit not only your budget but also your expectations and what you want to experience at the end of your trip.

As there are more than about 500 cruise companies that operate across Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Cat Ba Island, choosing one cruise to go with may seem stressful and excruciating.

But to make it easier and more convenient for you, we’re listing down some options that you might want to consider when booking your Halong Bay cruises.

In conclusion

Where do we stay on Christmas and New Year Eve?

And now the dilemma we’ve all been waiting for, where do we stay on Christmas and New Year eve? 

Honestly, this question can only be answered by you.

Yes, you.

If you want to spend your Christmas eve quietly with a small group of people surrounded by towering karst limestone formations while having some bottles of fine wines and the soothing winter breeze from the ocean, then a Halong Bay cruise would be your best bet.

But if you’re more the party type of person and would love to be surrounded by smiles and greetings from mostly strangers right in the center of Vietnam’s socialist capital, complete with Christmas lights and probably thousands of people walking around Hoan Kiem Lake, then staying in Hanoi would probably best for you.

Again, the choice is yours to make. So make sure you choose the one that fits your taste.

But either way, we’re almost 110% sure that you’ll have one of the best nights of your life.

See more:

1. https://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/what-can-you-expect-in-the-low-season-in-halong-bay
2. https://www.mindstick.com/Blog/235815/the-most-beautiful-beaches-in-halong-bay