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When Is The Best Time To Visit Vietnam?
Visiting Vietnam isn’t a question of if, it’s a question of when. One for every keen traveller’s Bucket List, Vietnam is an incredible country, with so much to see and do but – news flash – it rains, a lot.
At more than 1,000 miles long, the weather does different things the further down the country you go. No problemo if you’re hoping to spend a year there, as there’ll always be somewhere warm and comfortable to be.
But if you’re like most people and you don’t have unlimited time on your hands, you’ll want to avoid both the tropical monsoons and the extreme heat during your adventure in Vietnam.
So how do you make sure those typhoons don’t stick a stopper in your trip? With such a long coastline, it pays to think of Vietnam as three separate destinations – north, central and south – and go from here. So here’s our quick guide to the weather in Vietnam, to help you work out the best time to go.
Short on time? Scroll down to our Vietnam weather calendar and use the key to find your ideal month.
The weather in North Vietnam (Sapa, Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ninh Binh)
It’s cold and dry up here from December to February (like actual cold – 4°C kinda cold at night), though you could still experience heat up to 20°C during the day if you’re lucky.
It’s hot and humid during the summer in the north, from May to August, rarely dropping below the late twenties during the day, and often higher.
Spring (March to April) and Autumn (September to November) tend to be warm and sunny so they’re probably your best bet if you’re planning on just visiting north Vietnam.
The weather in Central Vietnam (Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Dalat)
If one thing’s for sure, you want to avoid Central Vietnam during the wet season.
Typhoons often batter the coast of central Vietnam and it can be really tricky to predict exactly when they’re going to hit. The typhoon season in Central Vietnam runs from August to November and is usually well and truly over by February when the weather warms up and the sun comes out again.
Generally speaking, February to August is the best time to travel to Central Vietnam but if you’re after 30°C daytime temperatures and lots of sun, make sure you visit in July and early August.
The weather in South Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Cu Chi Tunnels, Long Hai)
South Vietnam is your best bet for year-round sunshine, so if you’re not heading any further north, you can’t really go wrong here.
Sure, it has its rain, with the wet season in South Vietnam running from June to November. And while flooding can occasionally happen, it’s not like a wet wet wet season further north.
The rain in south Vietnam usually falls in short bursts and is unlikely to affect your travel plans (so long as you’ve got your pack-a-mack). The truth is, your photographs can come out better during the rainy season in south Vietnam too – the rice fields seem to turn an extra lush shade of emerald-green, and the grey skies above the Mekong can look super dramatic.
If you’re not a fan of super high temperatures, best to visit south Vietnam during rainy season and definitely avoid travelling here from March to May, when the mercury often hits 40°C.
Summary: when is the best time to visit Vietnam?
So there you have a quick run-down of what the weather does throughout the year across Vietnam.
The beautiful thing about Vietnam (among many others!) is that there’s no real right or wrong time to go. Unless you want a white Christmas, in which case, try the northernmost tip in December!
All in all, you’re least likely to get caught in a deluge or overheat, wherever you are, from March to April. But check out our calendar below to make doubly sure you’re booking a trip at the right time of year.
And if you want to book the Vietnam adventure of a lifetime – one that takes in all the most beautiful and wildly exciting bits of this amazing country – why not take a look at our Vietnam and Cambodia trip page? If you don’t do it now…will you ever?
Vietnam rain calendar – when is the best time to visit?
