The short answer
- Best for a north to south trip
- March and April
- North (Hanoi, Ha Long, Sapa)
- March to May, September to November
- Central (Hue, Hoi An)
- February to August
- South (Saigon, Mekong)
- December to April
Vietnam stretches more than 1,600 kilometres from north to south, so the weather in Hanoi can be completely different from the weather in Hoi An or Ho Chi Minh City on the same day. There is no month that is perfect everywhere, but there is always somewhere that is good.
For a classic north to south tour, March and April are the safest choice: the north has warmed up, the centre is dry and the south has not yet had its rains. Late September to November also works well for the north and south, but that is when central Vietnam floods.
Vietnam's three climates
| Region | Dry and pleasant | Wet or difficult | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| North: Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Sapa | March to May, September to November | June to August (hot, heavy showers) | Cool, grey, drizzly winters from December to February; Sapa can be near freezing |
| Central: Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang | February to August | September to December | Floods and storms, peaking in October and November |
| South: Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc | December to April | May to November | Short, heavy afternoon downpours rather than all day rain |
Average temperatures and rainfall
The table shows how differently each region behaves. Hanoi has a real winter, Hue and Hoi An take most of their rain in the autumn when the rest of the country is drying out, and Ho Chi Minh City stays hot all year with a clear wet season.
Notice the autumn rain in Hue and Hoi An: October can bring more than 600 mm, which is why central Vietnam floods in most years. Read our typhoon and flood season guide before booking that part of the trip from September to December.
Average daily high / low and monthly rainfall
| Month | HanoiHa Long is similar | Sapamountains, 1,500 m | Hue | Hoi AnDa Nang is similar | Ho Chi Minh CityMekong is similar | Phu Quoc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20° / 14°18 mm | 12° / 5°60 mm | 24° / 18°160 mm | 25° / 19°95 mm | 32° / 22°14 mm | 30° / 23°30 mm |
| Feb | 21° / 15°26 mm | 14° / 7°70 mm | 25° / 19°60 mm | 26° / 20°30 mm | 33° / 23°4 mm | 31° / 24°20 mm |
| Mar | 23° / 18°44 mm | 18° / 10°110 mm | 28° / 21°50 mm | 28° / 22°20 mm | 34° / 24°12 mm | 32° / 25°60 mm |
| Apr | 28° / 22°90 mm | 21° / 13°190 mm | 31° / 23°50 mm | 31° / 24°25 mm | 35° / 25°42 mm | 33° / 26°100 mm |
| May | 32° / 25°188 mm | 23° / 16°270 mm | 33° / 25°90 mm | 33° / 25°60 mm | 34° / 25°220 mm | 32° / 26°250 mm |
| Jun | 33° / 27°240 mm | 24° / 17°350 mm | 34° / 25°90 mm | 34° / 26°80 mm | 33° / 25°330 mm | 31° / 26°350 mm |
| Jul | 33° / 27°288 mm | 24° / 18°420 mm | 34° / 25°70 mm | 34° / 26°85 mm | 32° / 25°315 mm | 30° / 25°400 mm |
| Aug | 32° / 27°318 mm | 24° / 17°450 mm | 34° / 25°140 mm | 34° / 26°105 mm | 32° / 24°270 mm | 30° / 25°450 mm |
| Sep | 31° / 26°265 mm | 22° / 16°300 mm | 31° / 24°430 mm | 32° / 24°350 mm | 32° / 24°330 mm | 30° / 25°350 mm |
| Oct | 29° / 23°130 mm | 20° / 13°170 mm | 29° / 23°800 mm | 30° / 23°610 mm | 31° / 24°270 mm | 30° / 24°250 mm |
| Nov | 26° / 19°43 mm | 17° / 10°80 mm | 26° / 21°590 mm | 27° / 22°370 mm | 31° / 23°110 mm | 30° / 24°130 mm |
| Dec | 22° / 15°23 mm | 13° / 6°50 mm | 24° / 19°300 mm | 25° / 20°200 mm | 31° / 22°50 mm | 30° / 23°50 mm |
Rounded long term averages. Blue shading marks the wetter months. Individual years can be hotter, colder or wetter.
Best time for what you want to do
| Experience | Best months | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ha Long Bay cruise | March to May, September to November | Cruises can be cancelled for storms from July to September; winter is misty |
| Sapa trekking | September to November, March to May | Rice terraces are green in summer and golden before the September harvest |
| Ninh Binh boat trips | March to May, September to October | Rice fields are bright green in May and June |
| Hoi An and Hue | February to August | Hot from June to August; avoid October and November |
| Beaches in central Vietnam | April to August | Calm seas and sunshine at Da Nang and An Bang |
| Phu Quoc beaches | November to April | Sea is rough on the west coast in the wet season |
| Mekong Delta | December to April | September to November is high water season, with flooded fields |
| Phong Nha caves | March to August | Some caves and boat trips close in the autumn floods |
When to avoid
- Central Vietnam in October and November: Floods regularly close roads and parts of Hoi An's old town. Keep plans flexible or visit another time.
- Tet week: Vietnam's Lunar New Year (6 February 2027) is fascinating, but transport sells out and many shops close for several days. See our Tet guide.
- Sapa in January: Cold, damp and often foggy, with views hidden for days at a time.
- Ha Long Bay in typhoon season: From July to September cruises can be cancelled at short notice by the authorities. Choose a cruise with a flexible cancellation policy.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to visit Vietnam?
April is the best single month for a north to south trip: warm in Hanoi, dry in Hue and Hoi An, and still before the rains in the south. March is a close second.
Is Vietnam hot all year?
No. The south is hot all year, but Hanoi has a cool winter with daytime highs around 20°C, and Sapa can be close to freezing at night in December and January.
When is the rainy season in Vietnam?
It depends on the region: roughly May to September in the north, September to December in the centre, and May to November in the south.
When is typhoon season in Vietnam?
Storms can affect the north from about July to September and the centre from September to November. The far south is rarely hit.
Sources we checked
Vietnam month by month
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