Best Time to Visit Vietnam

When you should go to Vietnam depends upon which part of the country you’re planning to visit. If you like drippy, drizzly weather, visit South Vietnam between June and August - it pours. The south also has very hot summers, especially between February and May. Most of the northern highlands, on the other hand, have very cold winters, with temperatures falling below 0°C. So, if you’re going north, go during the summer, but avoid the months between July and November- hurricanes sometimes hit this part of the country at the time; if you’re going south, go between December and April, when it’s dry and relatively cooler.

One note: Go to Vietnam in late January or early February- that’s the time when the `Tet’ New Year is celebrated all over the country, and most people take their annual holiday at this time. You’re likely to find hotels completely full and many services shut down, so book well in advance.

Climate

Although much of Vietnam has a typically tropical climate - warm and moist- there are places especially in the mountains, where the climate is more temperate than tropical.

The northern regions of Vietnam have a hot summer between April and September; monsoons arrive in July and last till October with strong likelihood of hurricanes in between July and September.

Southern areas of Vietnam are at their hottest between March and May. Monsoons hit this area sometime early in May and last for much longer, with rainfall common even in November.

Mean temperatures in southern Vietnam range between 26°C and 29°C, and between 16°C and 33°C in the north as the winter is much more clearly defined in the north.