Short answer: March and April are the best months for a trip from north to south, when Hanoi is mild, the central coast is dry and the south is still in its dry season. For a single region, go to the south and Phu Quoc from December to March, the central beaches of Da Nang and Hoi An from February to August, and Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Sa Pa from October to November. The main trade-off is Tet: around Lunar New Year (6 February 2027) the weather is fine in much of the country, but transport sells out and many businesses close.
Vietnam is about 1,650 km (1,000 miles) long, so the north, the central coast and the south have very different seasons, and there is always somewhere with good weather. This page explains them month by month and destination by destination, with typhoon and flood seasons, Tet and other holidays, as of October 2026. For visas, transport and costs, see our Vietnam travel guide, and plan your days with our AI trip planner.
Best time to visit Vietnam at a glance
| Goal | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| North-to-south trip | March to April | Mild in the north, dry on the central coast and in the south |
| North (Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh) | October to November, March to April | Dry and mild between the hot, wet summer and the cool, gray winter |
| Central coast (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang) | February to August | The dry season; swimming is best from April to August |
| South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta) | December to April | The dry season, hot all year |
| Beaches | Phu Quoc November to April; Da Nang and Hoi An April to August; Nha Trang January to August | Each coast has its own dry season |
| Rice terraces | September (golden, Sa Pa); late May to June (flooded and green) | Harvest and planting seasons |
| Diving and snorkeling | February to May (Nha Trang); December to March (Phu Quoc) | The calmest, clearest water |
| Caving (Phong Nha) | February to August | Dry enough for caves; floods close many from September to November |
| Kitesurfing (Mui Ne) | December to April | Strong, steady winds |
| Fewest crowds | May, September (outside holidays), early December | Between Tet, the April 30 holiday and the summer school break |
Vietnam weather month by month
Weather month by month
The climate table shows average highs, lows and rain by month for Hanoi, in the north, from the 1991–2020 climate normals of the Viet Nam Meteorological and Hydrological Administration (National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, NCHMF), published by the World Meteorological Organization’s World Weather Information Service; the same source covers Ho Chi Minh City, in the south, which has a different pattern: hot all year, with a dry season from December to April. Hanoi’s rain peaks in July and August, Da Nang’s in October and November, and Ho Chi Minh City’s in September; the mountain towns of Sa Pa and Da Lat are much cooler.
Vietnam month by month
January
Cool and often gray in the north: Hanoi averages 20 °C (68 °F) by day and 15 °C (58 °F) at night, with drizzle but only 28 mm (1.1 in) of rain. Sa Pa can be close to freezing and misty. The south is dry and sunny, around 32 °C (90 °F) in Ho Chi Minh City, and Phu Quoc is in peak season. In 2027, the Tet travel rush starts late in the month: Vietnam Railways sells Tet tickets for travel from 23 January to 25 February.
February
Tet, Vietnam’s Lunar New Year, falls on 6 February 2027, and civil servants are off from 2 to 10 February. Flower markets, temples and family celebrations are lovely, but trains, buses and flights sell out weeks ahead, prices rise and many restaurants and shops close for several days. The weather improves everywhere: the central coast dries out (Da Nang averages 22 mm/0.9 in of rain), and the north is cool and misty. The Lantern Festival, on the 15th day of the first lunar month (20 February 2027), is one of the most beautiful nights in Hoi An.
March
One of the best months overall. Hanoi warms to about 24 °C (74 °F), the central coast is dry at about 28 °C (83 °F), and the south is dry and hot. Spring festivals take place around Ninh Binh and the north, and plum and peach blossom brightens the mountains around Ha Giang. Crowds and prices are moderate after Tet.
April
Warm across the country: Hanoi about 28 °C (82 °F), Da Nang 31 °C (88 °F), and Ho Chi Minh City close to its hottest, about 34.5 °C (94 °F), just before the rains. Hung Kings Commemoration Day (the 10th day of the third lunar month) is a public holiday, and the Reunification Day and May Day break (30 April and 1 May) is the busiest domestic travel week of spring; book beach hotels early.
May
Hot, with the rains starting in the north and south: Hanoi gets about 188 mm (7.4 in) and Ho Chi Minh City about 202 mm (8.0 in), mostly in short afternoon storms. The central coast is dry, hot and ideal for swimming. In Sa Pa, the terraces are flooded and newly planted, and from late May the rice turns gold around Tam Coc in Ninh Binh.
June
Hot and humid: Hanoi’s highs reach about 34 °C (93 °F) and Da Nang’s 35 °C (95 °F). The north and south are wet, but the central coast is in its dry season and Da Nang and Hoi An beaches are at their best, busy with Vietnamese families on school holidays. Phu Quoc’s west coast becomes rough and wet.
July
Peak summer: hot and wet in the north (about 300 mm/11.8 in in Hanoi) and the south, with storms possible in the Gulf of Tonkin. The central beaches are still dry and sunny, with calm sea. Ha Long Bay cruises can be suspended at short notice when storms approach.
August
The north’s wettest month, with about 335 mm (13.2 in) of rain in Hanoi on 18 days, and the main storm season in the Gulf of Tonkin. The central coast is hot and still fairly dry, though rain starts to build late in the month. A good month for Nha Trang and the central beaches, less so for Ha Long Bay.
September
The north starts to dry out, and Sa Pa’s terraces turn gold just before the harvest, the best time to see them. On the central coast the rainy season begins (Da Nang about 394 mm/15.5 in), and Ho Chi Minh City has its wettest month. National Day on 2 September is a public holiday (in 2027 the break runs from 2 to 5 September), and the Mid-Autumn Festival, on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, falls in September or early October with lanterns and mooncakes.
October
One of the best months for the north: dry, mild days around 30 °C (85 °F) in Hanoi, clear views in Ha Long Bay and Sa Pa, and buckwheat flowers in Ha Giang from October to December. The central coast has its wettest month, with about 658 mm (25.9 in) in Da Nang, and floods are possible in Hue and Hoi An. The south is still in its rainy season.
November
Cool and dry in the north, with Hanoi around 26 °C (79 °F) by day and only 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, and lovely clear weather in the mountains. The central coast is still very wet (about 486 mm/19.1 in in Da Nang) and floods remain possible. The south dries out, and Phu Quoc’s dry season begins. Vietnam Culture Day on 24 November is the newest of the country’s 12 paid public holidays.
December
Cool in the north, about 22 °C (72 °F) by day in Hanoi and colder in the mountains. Early December can still be wet on the central coast. The south is dry and sunny, and Phu Quoc, Mui Ne and Ho Chi Minh City are in high season. Da Lat is dry and sunny with cool nights, and holds its Flower Festival in December in some years. Christmas is celebrated in Saigon and Hanoi.
Best time to visit by region
Hanoi and Ninh Binh
October to early December and March to April, when the weather is mild and fairly dry. Summer is hot and wet, and winter is cool, damp and gray. In Ninh Binh, late May to early June brings golden rice at Tam Coc. See our Hanoi and Ninh Binh guides.
Ha Long Bay
March to May and September to November. December to February is cool and often foggy, and June to August is hot, with storms that can suspend cruises. See our Ha Long Bay guide.
Sa Pa and Ha Giang
September to November for clear skies and golden rice (terraces are ripest in September), and March to May for spring blossom and young rice. Winters are cold and misty, and June to August is the rainy season. See our Sa Pa and Ha Giang guides.
Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang
February to April for warm, dry and not yet too hot weather; May to August for the beach. September to December is the rainy season, and October and November bring the heaviest rain and floods. See our Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang guides.
Phong Nha–Ke Bang
February to August, when it is dry enough for caving; June to August is hot, around 34 °C (93 °F). From September to November, floods close many caves and roads. See our Phong Nha–Ke Bang guide.
Nha Trang and Mui Ne
Nha Trang is dry from January to August, with the calmest, clearest water from February to May; October and November are the wettest months. Mui Ne is best from December to April for dry, windy weather, and from May to October for calmer seas and lower prices. See our Nha Trang and Mui Ne guides.
Da Lat
December to April, when the highland city is dry and sunny with cool nights. May to October brings afternoon showers most days. See our Da Lat guide.
Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta
December to April, the dry season; the rest of the year has short, heavy afternoon storms. In the delta, fruit season peaks from May to August, and September to November shows the river at high water. See our Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho guides.
Phu Quoc
November to April, the dry season, with the calmest seas from December to March. May to October is wet, with rough seas on the west coast. See our Phu Quoc guide.
Best time for beaches, trekking, diving and caving
Beaches
Pick the coast by season: Phu Quoc and Mui Ne from November or December to April, Nha Trang from January to August, and Da Nang and Hoi An from April to August, when the sea is calm.
Trekking and rice terraces
September to November and March to May in Sa Pa, Ha Giang and the northern mountains. September is the month for golden terraces; May and June for flooded, mirror-like ones.
Diving and snorkeling
Nha Trang from February to May and Phu Quoc from December to March, when the water is calmest and clearest.
Caving
February to August in Phong Nha–Ke Bang. Many caves and tours close during the floods of September to November.
Festivals
Tet (6 February 2027) and the Lantern Festival two weeks later; Hoi An’s lantern night on every full moon; the Mid-Autumn Festival in September or early October; and the Da Lat Flower Festival in December in some years.
Seasons to plan around
- Typhoons and floods: tropical storms and typhoons from the South China Sea affect Vietnam’s coast mainly from about May to November, reaching the Gulf of Tonkin mostly from July to September and the central coast most often from September to December, with heavy rain and river floods. Between 25 and 30 October 2025, flooding inundated parts of Hue’s Imperial City, according to the government. Airports, roads, mountain passes and Ha Long Bay can close at short notice; follow the NCHMF forecasts (nchmf.gov.vn) and keep central-coast plans flexible in autumn.
- Tet: Lunar New Year’s Day is 6 February 2027. Trains, buses and flights sell out weeks ahead, and many restaurants and shops close for several days; book early or plan to stay put.
- Long holidays: Reunification Day and May Day (30 April and 1 May) and National Day (2 September; 2–5 September in 2027) are peak domestic travel periods. Beach towns fill up in June to August school holidays.
- Northern winter: December to February is cool, damp and often foggy in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, and cold in the mountains.
How long to stay
Two weeks covers the classic route from Hanoi and Ha Long Bay through Hue and Hoi An to Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta; three weeks adds Sa Pa or Ha Giang and a beach stay on Phu Quoc. In 10 days, pick two regions whose seasons match your dates. See the sample itineraries in our Vietnam travel guide.
Best time to visit Vietnam: FAQ
What is the best month to visit Vietnam?
March or April, if you want to see the whole country in one trip. The north is mild, the central coast is dry, and the south is still dry before the rains start in May.
What is the rainiest month in Vietnam?
It depends on the region. In Hanoi, August is wettest (about 335 mm/13.2 in); in Da Nang and Hoi An, October (about 658 mm/25.9 in); in Ho Chi Minh City, September (about 273 mm/10.7 in).
When is typhoon season in Vietnam?
Mainly from about May to November. Storms reach the north mostly from July to September and the central coast most often from September to December, when floods are also likely.
Is Tet a good time to visit Vietnam?
It is a wonderful time to see Vietnamese culture, but a hard time to travel: transport sells out, prices rise and many businesses close for several days. In 2027, Tet falls on 6 February.
Is November a good time to visit Vietnam?
Yes for the north and the south, which are dry; less so for the central coast around Hue and Hoi An, which is very wet with a risk of floods.
When is the cheapest time to visit Vietnam?
May, June and September, outside the April 30 and September 2 holidays, are usually the quietest months, as is the rainy season on any given coast. Avoid Tet, when fares and hotel prices peak.
What is the best time to visit Ha Long Bay?
March to May and September to November. Winter is cool and misty, and summer storms can suspend cruises.
Sources · last reviewed 8 Oct 2026
Researched and last reviewed by TravelerCenter on 8 October 2026. Monthly temperatures and rainfall are the 1991–2020 climate normals of Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, published by the World Meteorological Organization; Tet 2027, the holiday breaks and Vietnam Culture Day come from the Government of Vietnam’s news portal; Tet train ticket dates from Vietnam Railways; the October 2025 floods in Hue from the government; typhoon seasons from the UK government’s factual travel pages and general climate reference. Regional seasons, festivals and harvest timings come from our destination guides and general reference, and some are flagged for checking. Check forecasts and transport before you travel.
Also: VNMHA normals 1991–2020, Hanoi (WMO World Weather Information Service) (climate)
Data: Wikidata (CC0)