Hanoi
New cốm (young green rice flakes)
Made from young sticky rice, cốm peaks in autumn and tastes best fresh. Old Hanoi has a saying, “hồng cốm tốt đôi”: green cốm and red persimmons make a perfect pair, and both appear in wedding offerings.
Seasonal Calendar
October: new cốm, buckwheat blossoms and autumn rain in Central Vietnam
Hanoi smells of new cốm, the rocky plateau glows with buckwheat flowers, Central Vietnam enters flood season and the Mekong Delta is in its high-water months. Join Nhà An to see what to eat, where to go and how to prepare in October.
Weather across Vietnam
Three regions, three rhythms of October
In October, the North is in its prettiest stretch of autumn, Central Vietnam enters flood season, and the South still sees afternoon showers. Knowing the weather ahead helps you pick the right dishes and the right trip.
- North: clear skies, cool early mornings, and possibly the first cold air of the season late in the month
- Central: peak flood season; Da Nang and Hoi An often get heavy rain for days on end
- South: afternoon rain, and the Mekong Delta enters its high-water season
- Central Highlands: end of the rainy season, with wild sunflowers starting to bloom late in the month
Seasonal produce
October delicious in January
Treats come right on time each year. Actual timing can shift by a few weeks depending on the year and the growing region.
Da Lat
Persimmons and wind-dried persimmons
From early October, Da Lat’s persimmon orchards are in season. Ripe fruit is peeled and hung in the breeze for two to three weeks to become chewy, sweet hồng treo gió (wind-dried persimmons).
Cao Bang
Trung Khanh chestnuts
September to October is harvest time. Roasted or boiled, they are nutty and fragrant, a lovely snack beside a pot of hot tea.
Phu Tho
Doan Hung pomelos
In season from around the 8th lunar month. Juicy segments with a gentle sweetness, great as dessert or in fruit tea.
Mekong Delta
Điên điển and bông súng (sesbania and water lily flowers)
Specialties of the high-water season. Stir-fried điên điển flowers or in bánh xèo (crispy Vietnamese pancakes), and bông súng in vegetarian sweet-and-sour soup, all go wonderfully with rice.
Holidays this month
Days worth remembering in October
Some occasions follow the lunar calendar, and Cham calendar dates shift on the solar calendar every year; check them quickly with Nhà An’s solar-lunar calendar converter.
- 1/10
International Coffee Day
Launched by the International Coffee Organization in 2015. A good day to slow down with a cup of phin coffee.
- 10/10
World Mental Health Day
A reminder to rest when you need to, talk more, and reach out to a mental health professional when necessary.
- Cham calendar
Kate Festival
A festival of the Cham Brahmin community held at the start of the 7th Cham month (in 2026 it opens on Oct 10), centered on the Po Klong Garai Tower in Khanh Hoa.
- 13/10
Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day
Honoring the business community, official since 2004; a good time to send a tea or cake gift box to thank your partners.
- 20/10
Vietnamese Women’s Day
Marks the founding of the Vietnam Women’s Union (Oct 20, 1930). Nhà An plans to offer flowers, tea sets and cakes as gifts.
- Full moon of the 8th lunar month
Some years, Mid-Autumn comes late
Mid-Autumn Festival usually falls in September, but some years it slips into October: Oct 6 in 2025 and Oct 3 in 2028.
At Nhà An
Teas & bites for October
Seasonal items depend on each branch’s suppliers; these are ideas to ask your barista about or try at home.
Hot wood-fired roasted oolong
A pot of hot oolong for a rainy Central Vietnam morning: warm roasted aroma, sweet finish, best sipped slowly cup by cup.
Jasmine green tea and cốm
Got a pack of new cốm? Try it with a cup of jasmine-scented Tân Cương green tea: the gentle astringency makes the cốm taste even sweeter and more fragrant.
Pomelo fruit tea
A seasonal idea: fresh pomelo segments on a light tea base, with sugar level from 0% to 100%.
Ginger tea, lemongrass tea
Warming on drizzly days and easy to make at home; Nhà An’s Tea Dictionary has step-by-step guides.
Vegetarian dishes for high-water season
Điên điển and bông súng flowers are planned for seasonal vegetarian dishes when fresh supplies are available.
Suggested activities
October at Nhà An
Our 5 branches are being finished and opening soon. Once the doors open, here is how Nhà An hopes to spend October with you.
20/10
Áo dài photos with Mom
Áo dài Studio and photo corners for shoots with mom, sisters and friends.
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13/10 · 20/10
Tea & pastry gift boxes
Thank-you gifts for partners, colleagues and loved ones; please contact us ahead for bulk orders.
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Rainy days
Shelter from the rain at the Cozy Corner
Sofa, warm lights, bookshelves and light blankets for those rainy afternoons when you’d rather not go out.
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Saturday
Oolong brewing workshop
Learn to brew oolong at the right temperature and steeping time. The class schedule will be announced after opening.
Xem thêmLittle tips
Stay healthy, have fun on the road in October
Choosing produce
- Good cốm is naturally green, with soft, chewy grains and the scent of young rice; eat it soon before it dries out and hardens
- Pick pomelos that feel heavy, with taut thin skin and a fragrant essential-oil aroma
- Pick chestnuts with glossy brown shells that feel firm, with no worm holes
- Pick persimmons that are intact and unbruised, with fresh stems
Handling the season change
- Bring a light jacket for early mornings and late nights
- Drink plenty of water; it’s easy to forget thirst when it’s cool
- Get enough sleep and avoid many late nights in a row
- If you’re sensitive to caffeine, choose a light tea in the evening
Trips in October
- Heading to Central Vietnam: follow the forecast and local announcements
- Hoi An Ancient Town can flood when the water rises; ask your accommodation first
- Bring raincoats and waterproof bags for your laptop and documents
- Highland rice fields usually turn golden from mid-September to mid-October
Quick questions about October
What fruit and produce are delicious in October?
In the North: new cốm, Trung Khanh chestnuts and Doan Hung pomelos; Da Lat is in persimmon season, including wind-dried persimmons; the Mekong Delta has điên điển and bông súng flowers in the high-water season.
What holidays and observances fall in October?
Oct 1 is International Coffee Day, Oct 10 is Hanoi Liberation Day and World Mental Health Day, Oct 13 is Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day, and Oct 20 is Vietnamese Women’s Day; some years Mid-Autumn Festival lands in October too.
Should I visit Da Nang and Hoi An in October?
You still can if your itinerary is flexible, since this is peak flood season. Follow the forecast, choose a safe place to stay and save a few sessions for museums and tea houses.
Keep exploring the Seasonal Calendar
See all 12 months of produce and holidays, or reserve a table ahead to meet friends when Nhà An opens.
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