Weather in Vietnam

Vietnam's elongated shape means that the best time to visit depends heavily on which part of the country you're heading to. For northern Vietnam — Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, and Sapa — the dry and cool months of October through April are ideal, with October and November offering particularly golden weather and minimal humidity. Summers in the north are hot and wet, with typhoons possible from August onwards. Sapa and the northern highlands are spectacular from September to November when rice terraces turn gold before harvest.

Central Vietnam around Hue and Hoi An has its driest and most pleasant weather from February through May, before the autumn brings heavy rain from October through December — flooding can be severe. Da Nang beaches peak between May and August. Southern Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City are best visited during the dry season from November through April; the wet season from May through October brings daily afternoon downpours but generally clear mornings. The Mekong Delta floods dramatically during the wet season — either a nuisance or a fascinating attraction depending on your perspective. For a single trip covering the whole country, February to April offers the best overall compromise.