Best time to visit Việt Nam: the weather, region by region

Ask “when is the best time to visit Việt Nam?” and the honest answer is: which part? The country is long and thin, and on the same winter day Hà Nội can be cool and grey while Sài Gòn is hot and sunny. Think of it as three climates, north, centre and south, and plan around the one that matters most to you.

The north: Hà Nội

• Winter, around December to February. Cool and sometimes cold, often grey and drizzly. Pack a proper jacket. It is also the best weather there is for a steaming bowl of phở.
• Spring, around March and April. Milder and greener. Early spring can still be damp, but this is one of the two pleasant seasons.
• Summer, around May to September. Hot, humid and rainy, with heavy downpours. Go out early and late, when it is cooler.
• Autumn, around October and November. Usually mild, drier and clear. Many people in Hà Nội will tell you it is the best time of all. It is also the season of cốm, young green sticky rice.

Heading into the northern mountains? It is colder still up there in winter.

The centre: Huế and Hội An

• Dry season, roughly February to August. Mostly dry and hot, and hotter as summer goes on. Good beach weather.
• Rainy season, roughly September to December. Heavy rain, with a risk of typhoons and floods, especially in October and November. Low-lying streets in Huế and Hội An can flood.

You can travel here in the rainy season. Keep a day or two spare, watch the forecast, and have a plan B for the days when the river comes up.

The south: Sài Gòn and the Mekong

• Dry season, about December to April. Sunny and hot, getting hotter towards the end.
• Wet season, about May to November. Still hot, and more humid, usually with a short, heavy downpour in the afternoon, then sun again. Carry a light poncho and wait it out under an awning with a coffee.

The south is hot all year, so there is no cold season to dodge. The Mekong Delta has its own rhythm: late in the wet season the water rises, what locals call mùa nước nổi, the floating-water season. Our Mekong Delta trip guide explains what it means for a visit.

At a glance

Region	Usually pleasant	Wetter	Watch for
North (Hà Nội)	March–April, October–November	May–September	Cold, damp winters, December–February
Centre (Huế, Hội An)	February–August, hot by summer	September–December	Typhoons and floods, especially October–November
South (Sài Gòn, the Mekong)	December–April	May–November	Heat all year; short afternoon downpours in the wet season

Tết

Lunar New Year, Tết, falls in late January or February. It is the biggest holiday of the year: people travel home, transport and hotels fill up, and many stalls and shops close for several days. It is a special time to be here, and a tricky one to eat on the street. Read our Tết guide before you plan around it.

So when should you go?

There is no single best month for the whole country. For a trip from north to south, roughly February to April often works well: Hà Nội is coming out of winter, the centre is in its dry season and the south is still dry. Avoid Tết itself if you want every stall open.

If your dates are fixed, here is roughly what to expect:

• December and January. The south is usually at its best. Pack layers for Hà Nội, and the centre can still be wet in December.
• May to August. Hot everywhere. The centre is dry; the north and the south get their rain in heavy bursts.
• September to November. Lovely autumn in Hà Nội, storm season in the centre, the tail of the wet season in the south.

Whenever you come, requesting a lowstool outing is free: a person confirms within 24 hours, and the 30% deposit comes only after that.