Three northern marathons in November: which one is for you?

Updated 25 Oct 2026

November is the best month to race in northern Vietnam. The summer heat has eased, and three of the region’s biggest marathons fall on three of the month’s four Sundays. They are very different races, though: one is a heritage city course, one finishes at sunrise on Ha Long Bay, and one starts around midnight.

Update, 25 Oct. The Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon – Heritage Race is now sold out for every distance. If you don’t already hold a bib, your choice is between Halong Bay and Hanoi Midnight.

At a glance

	Hanoi Heritage	Halong Bay Heritage	Hanoi Midnight
Race day	Sun 8 Nov	Sun 22 Nov	Sun 29 Nov
Where	Hanoi · event hub at Thong Nhat Park	Ha Long · start and finish at the Quang Ninh Planning, Fair and Exhibition Palace	Hanoi
Format	Early-morning city course	Closed roads along the bay, sunrise finish	Night race, starts around midnight
Distances	42.195K · 21.1K · 10K · 5K · 2.1K Kid Dash	42K · 21K · 10K · 5K	42K · 21K · 10K · 5K
Field	Nearly 20,000 in 2024	About 18,000 expected (a record)	About 10,000 in 2025, 1,000+ from abroad
Credentials	AIMS member · Abbott WMM age-group ranking race	World Athletics Label, the only Vietnamese road race to hold one	Vietnam’s first night marathon (2020)
Entries (25 Oct)	Sold out	[check]	Open until 19 Nov
From Hanoi	In the city	About 2.5–3 hours by road	In the city

Standard Chartered Hanoi Marathon – Heritage Race · Sun 8 Nov

The most “classic” of the three: a big-city marathon through Hanoi’s historic centre, now in its third edition under Standard Chartered and part of the bank’s global marathon series. This year’s heritage icon is Long Bien Bridge, the steel bridge over the Red River completed in 1902.

Why runners choose it: results count in the Abbott World Marathon Majors age-group ranking system, which the Majors use when considering entries. If you are working towards Boston, Tokyo, London or one of the other Majors, a fast time here has real value. Check the current age-group standards on the Majors’ own site before you rely on it.

Watch out for: it is sold out. Don’t buy a bib from social media; transfers, if allowed, only go through the organiser.

Halong Bay Heritage Marathon · Sun 22 Nov

The scenic choice. The course runs on fully closed roads along the edge of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and many runners finish as the sun comes up over the water. Runner’s World UK has listed it among the world’s 50 most scenic running courses, and it holds a World Athletics Label, which means international standards for medical cover, safety and anti-doping.

Why runners choose it: the view, and the chance to turn a race into a weekend away from Hanoi.

Watch out for: the drive. Ha Long is about 2.5–3 hours from Hanoi by road and race morning starts in the dark, so plan to arrive by Saturday at the latest (Friday if kit pickup closes early) and stay in Ha Long the night before. Kit pickup: [dates and hours].

VnExpress Marathon Hanoi Midnight · Sun 29 Nov

The different one. First held in 2020, it was Vietnam’s first night marathon. Races start around midnight, so you run through lit streets while the city is still awake, with no sunrise heat to manage.

Why runners choose it: cooler air and no 3 a.m. alarm. Last year more than 1,000 international runners from 43 countries and territories took part.

Watch out for: a night race changes your whole day. You need a proper dinner a few hours before, an afternoon nap rather than a day of sightseeing, something bright or reflective to wear, and a plan for getting back to your hotel at 3–5 a.m. Prices rise in phases, registration closes 19 Nov, and you can edit your details until 6 Nov. Start time: [exact time and date of the start, as announced].

So which one?

Chasing a time or a Majors age-group ranking? Hanoi Heritage, if you already have a bib.
Want the view and a weekend away? Halong Bay.
Hate early alarms, or prefer cooler conditions? Hanoi Midnight.
Want to run two? Halong Bay and Hanoi Midnight are only a week apart. A full marathon at both is a lot; a 10K or half at one and the marathon at the other is more realistic.

Whichever you choose, November in the north is cooler than early autumn but still humid at dawn. Our Racing in Vietnam 101 library covers the heat, visas and airport transfers for all three. Racing the Hanoi Heritage? Read our Spotlight.

Which one are you leaning towards? Tell us in the runner group.

Sources

This is an independent guide for international runners. It is not produced by, or affiliated with, the race organisers. Details change; the organiser’s own channels are always the authority. See our Disclosure.