Vietnam in January is perfect, as the country has stepped out of the hot rainy season and you can bask in sunshine and mild temperatures—a great time, in particular, to enjoy the beaches of central Vietnam. Plus, the entire country explodes in joyous celebration of Tet, the six-day-long Vietnamese New Year.
February is a great month to travel in Vietnam, with mostly gorgeous sunny weather throughout the country. Visitor numbers are higher than January or March: in fact, this is the second busiest month of the year. And Vietnam’s premier celebration, Tet (Vietnamese New Year), culminates a month full of festivals that add cacophonous color and fun.
March offers sublime weather, with mostly bright sunny days the entire length of the country. There’s no better month for active adventures, especially trekking, with Goldilocks temperatures and little rain. For that reason this is still the spring peak travel season, but with the advantage of fewer visitors than February, and lower airfare costs.
By April, Vietnam’s spring peak season is drawing to a close. Prices remain low. And the weather is still sublime throughout the length of the nation, with little rainfall and plenty of bright sunny days. Plus, there are several important festivals to enjoy. Visit in April and you’ll experience Vietnam at its very best.
May is a transition month between spring and summer, with a good deal of rainfall and high temperatures in most of the country. Central and southern Vietnam enter into the steamy wet season, while Hanoi and the north remain relatively temperate and perfect for active adventures. With relatively few visitors this month, May offers plenty of reasons to visit, including plenty of days of sunshine.
Vietnam is well into its summer monsoon season by now, and most everywhere except the coastal lowlands of Central Vietnam—which remains dry and sunny—you’ll need to account for high rainfall. With rain now spreading across the northern mountains and Central Highlands, this is a time to focus on a beach vacation while visitor numbers are the lowest of the year.
July mirrors June and is a mixed bag weather-wise. Both north and south Vietnam are in the midst of the monsoon wet seasons, while the coastal lowland and offshore islands of Central Vietnam still bask in rain-shadow sunshine, and its beaches are the country’s main draw in July. International visitors are relatively few, but Vietnamese families are traveling en-masse.
Things remain unchanged nationwide as north and south Vietnam endures the sultry monsoon wet season sauna, while Central Vietnam enjoys the last month of dry sunny weather before its monsoon begins. Shoulder season prices are attractive, so don’t let the rains put you off. There’s still plenty of fun in the sun to be had in August.
Overall the wettest month of the year, as Central Vietnam’s autumnal monsoon season begins while north and south Vietnam are approaching the tail-end of their summer monsoon season. As rains lighten in the north, mountain trekking is once again possible. And there are still plenty of sunny days in the mix nationwide, while this is one of the cheapest months for travel.
The skies finally clear in North Vietnam in October, and the summer monsoon rains gradually fade away in the south, making this a great month for getting off the beaten track in either region while rains sodden Central Vietnam. And there’s no cheaper month to get there.
Central Vietnam is still at its rainiest. But this is one of the best times to visit north or south Vietnam, which now bask in sunshine—perfect for beach vacations and active adventures. The high season is now in full gear with good reason: the north and south are enjoying some of the best conditions of the year.
Both north and south Vietnam offer optimum dry and sunny conditions, although much of the north is now becoming quite cool. In Central Vietnam, the monsoon rains are coming to an end, with plenty of sun in the mix—perfect for beach lovers. And, yes, even Christmas is celebrated! There’s nothing much not to like about Vietnam in December, except that both the numbers of visitors and prices soar.
