Best Time to Visit Vietnam: Month by Month for North, Center and South
Best time to visit Vietnam by region: north, center and south month by month, rainy and typhoon seasons, Tet, and when to apply for your visa.
The best time to visit Vietnam depends on where you go, because the north, center and south have different seasons. For a trip across the whole country, March and April are the safest choice, with mild weather and little rain almost everywhere. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog explains the three climates, gives the weather month by month, and covers holidays and planning.
Busy months mean busy visa offices and booked-out flights, so plan early for peak season and Tet. If you need a visa, apply for a Vietnam e-visa online at least two weeks before high-season trips.
Vietnam's three climates
Vietnam is about 1,650 km long, so it has three climates. The north has four seasons with a cool winter, the center has a dry summer and a stormy autumn, and the south is hot all year with a dry and a rainy season.
The rainy season in Vietnam therefore moves down the country: summer in the north and south, autumn and early winter on the central coast. There is always somewhere with good weather.
Best time to visit Vietnam: weather by month
This table shows where to go in Vietnam each month, region by region. "Good" means mostly dry and comfortable; "mixed" means some rain or heat; "poor" means heavy rain, storms or cold.
| Months | North | Center | South and Phu Quoc |
|---|---|---|---|
| January to February | Cool, misty (mixed) | Rain easing (mixed) | Dry, sunny (good) |
| March to April | Mild (good) | Dry, warm (good) | Dry, hot (good) |
| May to June | Hot, humid (mixed) | Dry, hot (good) | Rains begin (mixed) |
| July to August | Hot, heavy rain (poor) | Hot, mostly dry (good) | Afternoon showers (mixed) |
| September to November | Cool, clear (good) | Heavy rain, storms (poor) | Showers, ending in November (mixed) |
| December | Cold, dry (mixed) | Rain (mixed) | Dry, sunny (good) |
The north
The best time to visit northern Vietnam, including Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and Sapa, is September to November, when days are cool and dry, as Vietnam's national tourism site notes for Hanoi. Spring, March to May, is also pleasant.
December to February is cold and often grey in Hanoi, and close to freezing at night in the mountains. June to August is hot and humid, with heavy downpours. Our Hanoi guide covers what to do in each season.
The center and typhoon season
The central coast, from Hue to Hoi An and Nha Trang, is best from about February to August, with the beach season from May to August. the national tourism page on Da Nang names March to May and September to October as ideal for Da Nang.
Typhoon season in Vietnam runs from about May to November, according to UK government advice, and the central coast is hit hardest from September to November, when floods can close roads and sights. Our Hoi An guide explains how to plan around the floods.
The south and the islands
Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and Phu Quoc are best from December to April, during the dry season, as the national tourism page on Ho Chi Minh City notes. From May to November, short afternoon showers are common but rarely spoil a day.
Phu Quoc's west coast is calmest from November to April, which is also peak season; our Phu Quoc guide covers the island. Weather is only half the picture, because holidays and crowds shape a trip too.
Holidays and crowds
Vietnam's busiest travel periods are Tet, the Lunar New Year in late January or February, and the long weekends around 30 April to 1 May and 2 September. Domestic flights and hotels fill up, and prices rise.
Tet brings a week of closures as well, which our guide to traveling during Tet explains. July and August are busy with Vietnamese family holidays at the beaches. Two planning steps follow from the season you choose: your visa, and your route.
Planning around the season
The season you pick affects both your paperwork and your route. These two steps make the rest of the planning easier.
When to apply for your visa
Vietnam's immigration offices do not process visas on weekends and public holidays, so applications filed just before Tet or a long weekend take longer. Our guide to visa processing during public holidays shows how to count working days.
Building a route across regions
A trip from north to south crosses at least two climates. Start where the weather is better when you arrive; for example, end in the south from December to February. Our two-week itinerary shows a route you can adjust by season.
VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website, and you can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25. If you would like your dates checked against holidays, start your application with us.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is December a good time to visit Vietnam?
December is a good time for the south and Phu Quoc, which are dry and sunny, and for Christmas and New Year breaks. The north is cold and often grey, and the central coast can still be rainy early in the month. Pack layers if you start in Hanoi.
Is summer a good time to visit Vietnam?
Summer, June to August, is a good time for the central coast, where Da Nang, Hoi An and Nha Trang are hot and mostly dry. The north is hot with heavy rain, and the south has afternoon showers. Expect domestic crowds at the beaches in July and August.
What is the best month to visit all of Vietnam?
March and April are the best months for a trip covering all of Vietnam. The north is mild, the center is dry and warm, and the south is still in its dry season, though very hot. October is also good for the north and south, but stormy in the center.
Do I need a visa to visit Vietnam in any season?
Visa rules do not change with the season, but processing pauses on weekends and public holidays. Read Do I need a visa for Vietnam? for your passport, and apply earlier for trips around Tet and long weekends.
