Best time to go to Vietnam for a perfect weather and where to go?
Get the best time to visit Vietnam from seasonal norms in many locations like Sapa (North Vietnam) or Ho Chi Minh City, here.
When is the best time to go to Vietnam?
The best times to visit Vietnam varies and depends on the interests of the travellers. The country has a coastline that extends for kilometers, facing the South China Sea and is most beautiful during the dry season. It is important to stay away from visiting Vietnam during the typhoon season, which extends from July to September.
To discover the breathtaking scenery of Halong Bay and experience Hanoi, with the help of a nice weather the optimal times are generally between October and December or April. In the north however, from the months of January to March, the evening and nighttime temperatures are cooler. This period is also conducive with cultural discoveries such as the celebration of the Vietnamese New Year.
When visiting the center of the country between the months of February and April, the city of Hoi An as well as the nearby beaches are especially welcoming to relax and enjoy a variety of culinary tastings.
Overall, April is the best time to visit Vietnam and travel the entire country, from the north all the way to the south and finish off the journey discovering the beautiful white beaches on the island of Phu Quoc.
So, when is the best time to go to Vietnam? Here's some more information to help you in your decision:
- In Vietnam, the weather is good across more than 66% of the territory for: February, March and April
- The best months to go to Hanoi are September, October, November and December
- On average, the warmest months in Hanoi are May, June, July, August and September
- The rainiest months in this city are July and August
- The cities with the best climate are Phan Thiet, Co Thach Beach (Bình Thạnh) and Mũi Né, with good weather at least 11 months a year
- The best months for swimming in Halong Bay are May, June, July, August, September and October
Annual weather in Vietnam
For information about the climate and the weather city by city in Vietnam for a specific month, click on the corresponding line below:
| Month | Our opinion | View Details | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47°F to 92°F | perfect weather* | |||
| February | 49°F to 95°F | good weather* | |||
| March | 56°F to 97°F | good weather* | |||
| April | 63°F to 97°F | good weather* | |||
| May | 67°F to 95°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| June | 68°F to 99°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| July | 68°F to 95°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| August | 67°F to 94°F | very bad weather* | |||
| September | 65°F to 92°F | tolerable weather* | |||
| October | 61°F to 90°F | good weather* | |||
| November | 56°F to 90°F | good weather* | |||
| December | 47°F to 90°F | good weather* |
Best time to travel to Vietnam by cities
Hanoi
The best months to go to Hanoi are september, october, november and december.
Halong Bay
The best months to go to Halong Bay are october, november and december.
Ho Chi Minh City
The best months to go to Ho Chi Minh City are january, february, march, april, november and december.
Climate and Weather in Vietnam
Bordering China, Laos, and Cambodia - Vietnam, as the majority of countries in Southeast Asia, has a hot and humid climate covering almost all of its territory and is overall, very dependent on the different monsoon seasons.
The Climate in Northern Vietnam
The Vietnam climate in the north, towards Hanoi or the Halong Bay, enjoys what is called the “Vietnamese winter” which occurs between the months of November and early May. The temperatures are rather mild and sometimes cool at night, but the weather is usually gray and rainy during the day, making it overall rather gloomy. To the northwest towards the mountainous regions, the Vietnam weather is however much nicer, with higher temperatures and a little less rain.
When discussing the summertime, which runs from May to October, it is possible to state that it is punctuated by rain - even if this is known as the driest time of year for this part of the country. The temperatures, which are very high, create a rather humid atmosphere and there is a high possibility of getting caught by the particularly powerful typhoons, stemming from the former China Sea.
The Climate in Central Vietnam
Central Vietnam is just as humid as the rest of the country, but the rainfall is even higher between the months of November and late January. The start of the summer monsoon season, which takes place between May and November, also signifies the opening of the hottest yearly season in this part of Vietnam. In the highlands, one can still benefit from more pleasantly sweet temperatures on the coast. It is important to beware of typhoons however as these can form between the months of September and October, coinciding with the time of monsoon season changes. Hue is a city to especially be careful of, as it suffers greatly from flooding throughout this time of year.
In this part of the country however, there is also the city that is considered to have the most pleasant weather forecast in Vietnam as a whole. In fact, Nha Trang benefits from a particularly pleasant microclimate.
The Climate in Southern Vietnam
Southern Vietnam, ranging from Ho Chi Minh City to the island of Phu Quoc, has the opportunity to enjoy a dry, sunny period between the months of December and April. It also encounters its driest weeks during February and the warmest months of the year are generally March and April.
Meanwhile, the rainy season extends from the months of July to September, especially on the island of Phu Quoc, which becomes completely impassable. Specifically, the rain does not fall all day long, but in the late afternoon which allows for the tour to be accessible at this time of year. On an additional positive note, the rain brings a well appreciated freshness! Stay alert for any possible flooding in Mekong though, which can be quite substantial in August and September.
Temperatures and rainfall in Vietnam
On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Vietnam and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and Nha Trang, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.
Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Vietnam
Find out when Vietnam has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.
Tourist seasons in Vietnam
The months with low numbers of tourists are: February, March, May, June, September, October and November. The number of visitors to Vietnam is high in: January, April, July, August and December.
- Very low season in Vietnam: May, June, September and October.
- Low season in Vietnam: February, March and November.
- High season in Vietnam: January, July and August.
- Peak season in Vietnam: April and December.
Figure: Visitor index for Vietnam month by month
Average price for flights to Vietnam
A return flight between Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh City is generally cheaper if you go in november ($ 499 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 265 more for your airline ticket to Ho Chi Minh City if you go in december.
Where to go in Vietnam?
This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).
| Cities | jan. | feb. | mar. | apr. | may | jun. | jul. | aug. | sep. | oct. | nov. | dec. |
| Hanoi | 72°F | 77°F | 83°F | 88°F | 95°F | 99°F | 95°F | 94°F | 92°F | 86°F | 83°F | 74°F |
| Halong Bay | 68°F | 72°F | 76°F | 81°F | 86°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 83°F | 77°F | 70°F |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 92°F | 95°F | 97°F | 97°F | 95°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F |
| Hoi An | 74°F | 77°F | 83°F | 86°F | 90°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 83°F | 79°F | 76°F |
| Nha Trang | 79°F | 81°F | 85°F | 86°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 85°F | 83°F | 79°F |
| Phu Quoc island (Koh Trol) | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 86°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F |
| Sapa (North Vietnam) | 72°F | 76°F | 81°F | 85°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F | 83°F | 83°F | 79°F | 77°F | 72°F |
| Vinh | 70°F | 76°F | 81°F | 86°F | 94°F | 95°F | 94°F | 92°F | 90°F | 83°F | 79°F | 72°F |
| Da Nang | 74°F | 77°F | 83°F | 86°F | 90°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 83°F | 79°F | 76°F |
| Dalat | 76°F | 79°F | 85°F | 85°F | 85°F | 81°F | 79°F | 79°F | 79°F | 77°F | 77°F | 76°F |
| Huế | 76°F | 79°F | 85°F | 88°F | 94°F | 95°F | 94°F | 92°F | 90°F | 85°F | 81°F | 76°F |
| Mekong Delta | 88°F | 94°F | 97°F | 95°F | 94°F | 92°F | 90°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F |
| Phan Thiet | 86°F | 88°F | 92°F | 92°F | 94°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F |
| A Pa Chai | 70°F | 77°F | 83°F | 86°F | 86°F | 81°F | 81°F | 83°F | 83°F | 79°F | 76°F | 70°F |
| Bac Ha | 67°F | 76°F | 83°F | 88°F | 90°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 79°F | 76°F | 68°F |
| Bai Lang (Cham islands) | 74°F | 77°F | 83°F | 86°F | 90°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 83°F | 79°F | 76°F |
| Bãi Xép Beach (An Chấn) | 77°F | 79°F | 85°F | 88°F | 92°F | 92°F | 90°F | 90°F | 88°F | 85°F | 83°F | 79°F |
| Buon Ma Thuot | 83°F | 90°F | 95°F | 95°F | 94°F | 88°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 86°F | 85°F | 83°F |
| Cat Ba island | 67°F | 70°F | 74°F | 79°F | 85°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 86°F | 83°F | 77°F | 70°F |
| Cat Tien National Park | 92°F | 95°F | 97°F | 95°F | 94°F | 90°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 88°F | 90°F | 90°F |
Legend:
perfect weather
good weather
tolerable weather
bad weather
very bad weather
About Vietnam
What can I do in Vietnam?
Beaches / swimming
Nature and countryside
Culture and heritage
Sports
Family travel
Crafts / shopping
Gastronomy
Nightlife
Is this weather information for Vietnam reliable?
Climate data for Vietnam has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Vietnam allows us to determine the average for each month in Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc island (Koh Trol), Sapa (North Vietnam), Vinh, and 68 other cities.
So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.