Best Time to Visit Vietnam

By Mr Hoang Dinh - July 6, 2023
Best Time to Visit Vietnam

When to travel to Vietnam? The best season to Vietnam? How to choose the good place and good time in Vietnam?

"When should I come to Vietnam?" is the question of most tourists who intend to visit this beautiful country. You already have a specific date, where should you go? Or do you like to go this and that destination, when should you go?
This article will make it easier for you to choose the best time to visit Vietnam in the best possible conditions.

best time to visit the northern vietnam
Tham Ma pass - Ha Giang

First of all, let's review a few key information about the geography and climate of Vietnam.

I/ General features

Vietnam is located in a tropical humid monsoon climate with the diversity of climate along the length of the country.

1. In the northern Vietnam

There are four seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter.

  • The Spring (February – March – April) is cool and comfortable, with sun or drizzling rain. Depending on the Lunar New Year period, the first half of February can still be cold;
  • The Summer (May - June - July) is hot and often with heavy rain at the beginning or the end of the day, rains do not last too long and are not available every day, at the end of summer, beginning of July, maybe storms and floods.
  • In autumn (from August – September - November), the temperature decreases, the sun is not harsh, the weather is nice;
  • The Winter (November-December and January) is cold, dry, low rainfall, the coldest time is around the end of December and January (the temperature can drop to less than 10 degrees in the plain and below 8 degrees in the mountainous areas).

The best ideal weather for travelling in the northern Vietnam is from March to April and November.

2. In the central Vietnam

Slightly influenced by northern climate. The most prominent feature is the rainy season in October - November.
The weather is quite hot in June-July and August; the temperature sometimes reaches 40 degrees or more. The other months are pleasant. Usually from March, tourists can swim in the beaches in Hoi An.
The best ideal weather for travelling in the central Vietnam is from March to April and May.

best time to travel to hoian ancient town
Hoi An ancient town - Vietnam

3. In the southern Vietnam

It is hot all year round with 2 main seasons: rainy season and dry season. The rainy season is from May to October and the dry season is from November to April next year.
Average temperature ranges from 25 - 35 degrees for the whole year.

June and September have the highest rainfall, while January, February and March have very little rain. The showers are usually quick in the late afternoon.
The best ideal weather for travelling in the central Vietnam is from November to April next year.

With such a wide range of climates across the country, choosing the best time for your trip is not always easy. Sometimes the North is cold, foggy, the Central and South are sunny, or when the North - South is beautiful, the Central is rain storm. But don't let that stop you, there is always a way for you to have a great trip in our country, just choose the right place at the right time!

II/ How to choose the right place, right time for your trip in Vietnam?

In Vietnam, you can visit all 3 regions: North – Center - South, can also choose only North - South, or North - Center or Center - South.
Depending on the purpose of your trip, you can quickly determine the ideal time based on our experiences below.

1/ Travel in all 3 regions in Vietnam

Best choice is from March, April? Yes, It is in term of weather.
It is easy to see that March - April is the period when the weather is most pleasant for the whole country in Vietnam, neither cold nor too hot, no need to worry about storms, sun shines everywhere with the beautiful landscapes.

Besides the places that not be missed such as Hanoi, Ha Long Bay (including Bai Tu Long and Lan Ha Bay), Ninh Binh (Ha Long on land), Hue, Hoi An, Saigon, Mekong Delta, you can explore the northern mountainous region.
This time is ideal for long trek tours in both the Northeast and Northwest. Although there is no rice on the terraced fields, the majestic landscape still has an irresistible beauty.
To see the rice fields in this season, you can choose Mai Chau and Pu Luong.

How is about other months?
In fact, with a short tour across Vietnam (10-15 days) and with the main attractions (Hanoi - Ha Long Bay - Ninh Binh - Pu Luong - Mai Chau - Hue - Hoi An - Saigon - Mekong Delta), you can go at any time of the year without worrying about the weather.

It's cold, hot or rainy will not affect the overall trip too much. There are many tours to Hue - Hoi An in October - November still going well.

Ha Long Bay in the fog of January - February is still extraordinary beautiful. Many French and Canadian visitors often go in January to avoid the freezing in their country.

Compared with thick layers of snow and ice and the temperature down to minus dozens of degrees, the northeast monsoon of northern Vietnam is much more pleasant.
Of course, you also need a little luck to have a complete trip! Traveling is an adventure, just get ready to experience it

best time to visit vietnam halong bay
Halong Bay - Vietnam

In February, many of you will want to go from Saigon to Hanoi with the hope that the weather will gradually get better in the north at the end of the tour - a very good idea if you plan to stay in the north for a long time with travelling to the mountains. However, with a short program it is not necessary because the different weather in a few days is negligible.

In July, August, the advice for your northern part is to go to Ha Long first so that in case of storm, you still have time to change the program and still to visit the bay - the most important destination that is indispensable in your itinerary.

In May, June, besides the hot weather, this is also a good time to depart. The scenery from the North to the South is fresh and lively in the sun. You will have very nice photos for the trip. Moreover, this is the low season, the service prices will be more attractive.

>>>Reference tours, please click here

2/ Trekking, homestay, seeing the rice terraces in the northern Vietnam

The North is always the most interesting part of a trip to discover Vietnam, if you like to learn about culture, ethnic groups and majestic mountain scenery.

So when is the best time to go?

Long trekking and enjoy homestay in a village

March - April and November are ideal times to go trekking in Vietnam's mountainous regions. The daily trekking time is about 3-6 hours, eating and sleeping conditions in the mountains are simple that may make you tired.
If it is too cold, cloudy or too hot, it will be difficult to fully enjoy the beauty of this place. Pleasant weather in March, April will help you get the best trip.
You can trek in the Northeast (Ha Giang, Dong Van, Bao Lac, Cao Bang, Ba Be), the Northwest (Nghia Lo - Mu Cang Chai - Sapa - Bac Ha, Thac Ba) or full Northeast and Northwest trekking.

>>>Reference trekking tours at here

Note: Northern mountainous areas have very special markets for ethnic minorities. What a pity if you miss these unique colorful and interesting markets.
Fair market is lively image of daily life of highland people. Ethnic people go to the market like going to festivals, they wear their traditional costumes and eagerly talk, buy and sell.
The market is only held in the morning in 1 fixed day in week.

best time to visit vietnam rice terraces in mu cang chai
Rice terraces in Mu Cang Chai

Market Schedule

  • Sunday: Bac Ha, Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh market
  • Monday: N/A
  • Tuesday: Coc Ly
  • Wednesday: Sin Cheng market
  • Thursday: N/A
  • Friday: N/A
  • Saturday: Can Cau, Quyet Tien Market

The best time to visit the rice field terraces?

The terraced fields in the North always have a strong attraction to photographers. The most beautiful field terraces are in Nghia Lo (Tu Le), Mu Cang Chai (La Pan Tan, Che Cu Nha), Sapa (Lao Chai, Ta Van, Ta Phin), Bat Xat (Y Ty), Hoang Su Phi.
Depending on the mountainous terrain, there is a harsh winter, each year there is only one rice season from May to mid-October. The terraced fields change the different colors each month but are always beautiful.

  • From May to mid-June: the water season. Early summer rains bring water to help people prepare for a new rice season. The sparkling water fields reflect the sky, creating a magnificent color painting of earth - water and sky.
  • June - July: rice growing season - green season. The green color covers the mountains in the North. There are many different shades of green depending on the time of rice transplantation.
  • August and in the mid-October: golden season - harvest season. The rice fields are brilliantly golden in the sun.


Only 4-5 days, you can do a Northwest tour to admire the nature scenery that captivates this human heart.

Suggested Itinerary:
Day 1: Hanoi – Nghia Lo
Day 2: Nghia Lo – Tu Te – Mu Cang Chai ( can stay 2 nights for full day explore the best rice field terrace in the Northwest)
Day 3: Mu Cang Chai – Sapa
Day 4: Sapa -  Hanoi

>>>Reference tours, please click  here

3/ Best time for beach break in Vietnam

Vietnam has a coastline along the length of the country, so you can enjoy the beach in all 3 regions, but the beaches from the Central to the South are more beautiful with fine white sand, clear blue sea, smooth waves than that in the North.

vietnam best time to visit phu quoc
Phu Quoc Beach - One of the best beaches in Vietnam

Beaches in the Southern Vietnam: Phu Quoc and Mui Ne
The most beautiful time is from November to April: the weather in Northern and central Vietnam is still pretty cold for swimming so the beaches in the southern Vietnam are the best choice.
Note that if you travel during Christmas, New Year and Lunar New Year, rates (especially hotels) will be much higher and need to book a few months in advance to ensure hotels are available.
From May to October is the rainy season, there are rainy periods that last for many days. Therefore, you should consider the trip carefully.

Con Dao archipelago
The ideal period for travelling is from March to the end of September. Although it is still the rainy season, the rains in Con Dao are mostly showers that last no more than 1 hour, other times of the day are still sunny. harmonious. This time is suitable for boat trip, snorkeling and island exploration.
From October to February is the dry season, but due to the impact of the northeast wind, the East Sea of island often has big waves. The west sea of island is quieter, but most tourist services are concentrated in the East of Con Dao.
Con Dao is still quite new to tourists so tourism services on the island are still limited. This place is suitable for young people who like to explore new and unspoiled lands.

Nha Trang Beach
The most beautiful time is from April to August, you can also start to go from February. This is the dry season in Nha Trang, less rain, calm sea. Besides swimming, you can take a boat to visit the bay and snorkel.
From September to December, it often rains, it is a bit chilly, not very suitable for beach break.
Nha Trang often attracts many Russian and Chinese tourists. If you want a quiet place for vacation, you need to choose beaches far from the center.

Central Beaches in Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An
The best time for vacation in the Central Vietnam is from April to September. Hot summer is the time that the beaches in the central Vietnam are bustling with tourists. However, with international visitors, Hoi An is the most popular.
Hoi An is in the top indispensable destination when traveling in Vietnam because of the beautiful ancient town and the beaches near the center (4-5km away).

It's easy and economical to choose a beach break here, just extend your stay in Hoi An, you will both enjoy the beautiful beaches and have time to relax, visit and explore the old town.

There will be no need for extra time to travel or spending more for domestic flights as going to Nha Trang beach or Phu Quoc island
Even from early March you can swim in Hoi An, depending on the weather each year.

Beaches in the northern Vietnam
Northern Vietnam has many beaches but is usually only suitable for domestic tourists. Due to being close to estuaries, the sea water is not clear, often with big waves.
In the summer (from May to September), you can take advantages of Ha Long Bay cruise trip to swim (depending on the schedule of each boat).

Summary: Best time to visit the beaches
Phu Quoc Island, Mui Ne: From November to April
Con Dao Island: From March to September
Nha Trang Beach: From April to September
Hoi An beach: From April to September.

See more:
>> Top 10 best beaches in Vietnam
>> A Thorough Guide to Find the Best Vietnam Travel Agency
Hopefully the above information about the best time to visit Vietnam will help you in preparing well your trip. Vietnam is always ready to welcome you!


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02 Comments

Dear izitour.com owner, You always provide great examples and real-world applications.
ReplyFeb 16, 2023
  • Thank you for your comment, Lidia. Have great journey!

    Feb 16, 2023

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