Introduction
Vietnam is one of the Southeast Asia’s countries, bordered by South China Sea, Laos, Cambodia, China and Thailand Gulf. Like the other countries in these area, Vietnam has a typical tropical monsoon climate, which shows 2 separated seasons: dry and rainy. However, whether it’s the rainy or the dry season, the weather remains very good for travelers to explore this amazing country. That’s one of the reason why Vietnam’s tourism number rises up more and more these years – besides the improvement of facilities and services.
Are you an adventurous traveller or a beach lover? Whether you’re more interested in a cultural trip or living the ultimate island life, Vietnam has it all. With gorgeous mountainous landscapes, paradise beaches along the country, and cities brimming with cultural heritage, this country offers you a vacation with endless possibilities. Your heart is already set on Vietnam but you’re still wondering when you should visit it? We will help you with an overview of the Vietnamese weather and things you should do, the dishes you must try, and the festivals you shouldn’t miss in each part of Vietnam.
1. Travel to Far North
a. Main cities you must visit:
Sapa, Ha Giang b. Weather overview
The climate in Sapa and Vietnam’s northwest region is divided into two seasons: the dry season (from October to April) and the wet one (from May to September). Besides, it can get very cold and frosty in December and January, especially at night.
Sapa and the Tonkinese Alps: average temperatures and rainfalls
MAR
MAY
JUL
SEP
NOV
19oC
25oC
25oC
23oC
18oC
57mm
248mm
451mm
251mm
18mm
APR
JUN
AUG
OCT
DEC
22oC
24oC
25oC
21oC
16oC
139mm
290mmv
406mm
120mm
6mm
P/s: We recommend you not traveling in Ha Giang during the rainy season (May to September) due to the high average rainfalls which is up to 353mm (the highest one is in July: 457mm).
c. Best months to travel
d. Some places you should check out
- Sapa: Ta Van Village, Ta Phin Commune, Stone Church, Muong Hoa Valley, Fansipan Mountain, Heaven’s Gate…
- Ha Giang: Dong Van Town, Lung Cu Peak, Ma Pi Leng Pass (especially in spring)…
e. Key festivals throughout the year
- Gau Tao: from 01 – 15th January of the lunar year.
- Tet Nhay (means Dance) in Ta Van village (first day of the lunar year)
- Nao Cong: there are 3 main exciting parts which consist in a religious worship ritual, the announcement of general regulations of the region and the dining party. It’s always organized in June of the lunar year.
- Mid-Autum Festival: on 15th August of the lunar year
And so many other festivals throughout the year!
f. Clothes you should bring
Sneakers, t-shirt and trousers, coat (in winter)
2. Travel to the North
a. Main cities you should visit: Hanoi, Halong, Ninh Binh
b. Weather overview:
Hanoi and the north Vietnam in general has a distinct winter and summer season:
- The cool but mostly dry winter is from November – April with an average temperature of 17 – 22°C. The coldest months are from January – March.
- Summer lasts from May to October when it is hot and humid and the region experiences its highest rainfall, while the months from July to September are often the wettest months of the year. During these months, severe weather can prevent junks sailing in Halong Bay although such weather is rare.
c. Best months to travel
d. Some places you should check out
- Hanoi: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, Temple of Literature, Water Puppet Theater, Perfume Pagoda, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, One Pillar Pagoda, Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, the Old Quarter, Bat Trang Village, Van Phuc Silk Village, Dong Xuan Market…
- Halong Bay: Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, Thien Canh Son Cave, Cong Dam Area, Vung Vieng Fishing Village, Cua Van Floating Village, Viet Hai Village…
e. Key festivals throughout the year
- Halong Carnival: from the end of April to the beginning of May.
- Quan Lan Festival: 10 – 20th June of the lunar year.
- Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival: First day of Lunar New Year.
- Hung King Festival: 25th April 2018
These are only some suggestions so that you can experience one-of-a-kind events during your holiday in this region.
f. Clothes you should bring
Light cotton clothes (in summer), warm duffel jacket and boots (in winter), rain jacket, sneakers.
3. Travel to the Central
a. Main cities you should visit: Hue, Hoi An, Danang, Da Lat, Nha Trang
b. Weather overview:
Hoi An, Hue & Danang located in the centre of Vietnam have hot and dry weather from mid-January to late August, with temperatures often reaching 30°C. During the winter months (especially in October and November), the rainfall reaches peak levels, occasionally in the form of typhoons.
Hue is often cooler than Hoi An, especially in the early days of the year. In addition, with each sitting on opposite sides of a small mountain range, the weather in the 2 cities can be totally different during the same day.
In the far south of Central Vietnam, Nha Trang benefits from a longer dry season (typically from January to September), with high temperatures and a little rain. The rainy season runs from October to early December.
Da Lat, in the central highlands, is wet from June to October making outdoor pursuits problematic. From November to May, it is far drier and colder.
c. Best months to travel
d. Some places you should check out
- Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park
- Bach Ma National Park
- An Bang Beach
- En Cave
- Phong Nha Cave
- Paradise Cave
- Son Doong Cave
- Tan Ky House, Japanese Covered Bridge (Hoi An)
- Imperial Citadel of Hue (Hue)
- Ponagar Cham Tower (Nha Trang)
- Love Valley (Da Lat)
e. Key festivals throughout the year
- Danang International Fireworks Festival: April
- Hue Festival: April – May (every 2 years)
- Mid-autumn Festival: September
- Hoi an Lantern Festival: 14th of each lunar month
- Da Lat Flower Festival: from December to early January
f. Clothes you should bring
Light clothes, sneakers, beach gear.
4. Travel to the South
a. Main cities you should visit:
Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc Island, Con Dao Island
b. Weather overview:
With temperatures remaining constantly throughout the year, the climate of the south is divided into two simple seasons which are wet and dry. The dry season begins from November to the end of April / early May with late February to May being slightly hotter and more humid. The wet season lasts from May until early November with June, July & August experiencing the highest rainfall of the year. Throughout the wet season, rainfall is generally heavy but short lasting, often occurring in mid-afternoon heavy downpour.
The average temperatures in the south range are between 25 and 35°C year round.
In the far south, the islands of Phu Quoc and Con Dao can be enjoyed throughout the year, with high chances of sunny days.
c. Best months to travel
d. Some places you should check out
- War Remnants Museum (HCMC)
- Notre-Dame Cathedral (HCMC)
- Cu Chi Tunnels
- Cat Tien National Park
- Mekong River Delta
e. Key festivals throughout the year
- Tet festival: is held right in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, and beautiful flower displays – peach and apricot blossom, can be seen everywhere, along with dragon images. It is held late January or early February, depending on the lunar calendar.
- Epizode Music Festival in Phu Quoc: kicks off on the 28th of December and continues all the way through until the 8th January
- Vietnam Rice Festival in Mekong Delta: is held every 2 years, in November.
f. Clothes you should bring
Light clothes, sneakers, rain jacket (in rainy season)
Other notices for you while traveling to Vietnam
- You might know that hugging and kissing the cheeks of Vietnamese people is only acceptable when you know him already. Or else, they are considered to be rude things here.
- Currency: Vietnamese dong (VND). They accept US dollars at some international standard places and you can easily change any currency over the counter within big cities.
1 USD = 23,411 VND. - Visa: most tourists travelling to Vietnam will require an entry visa, regardless of how long they plan to stay in the country. However, citizens from some countries can receive a short-term visa exemption.
These countries include: Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand, and Laos for a period of up to 30 days; the Philippines for a period of up to 21 days; the UK, Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, Spain, Norway, Italy, Finland, Russia, South Korea and Japan for a period of up to 15 days; and Myanmar and Brunei for a period of up to 14 days. - In this case, when you arrive at the airport, you will need to fill in the Vietnam Entry and Exit forms, provide two passport-sized photos, show your passport at the immigration service and, in some cases, present your return flight ticket.
If you are a citizen of any of the above countries and are planning to stay in the country longer than the agreed visa-free period, you will need to apply for full visa via the Vietnamese Embassy or Consulate, the e-visa or the Visa on Arrival.
British citizens traveling to Vietnam for either tourism or business can enter Vietnam for up to 15 days (including the dates of entry and exit).
For all citizens traveling to Vietnam, the passport will need to be valid for at least six months.
