Vietnam is an intensely interesting country. It has been at war for much of its history, and has been colonised multiple times, meaning that there are myriad cultural influences.
Vietnam is an intensely interesting country. It has been at war for much of its history, and has been colonised multiple times, meaning that there are myriad cultural influences. While China had influence here for millennia, the French colonisation has definitely left its mark in the food, architecture, and even the language! You’ll notice the language uses the Latin alphabet today, but at the ancient temples there are Chinese characters adorning the walls.
The country is narrow but long, meaning that each part of it has its own distinct feel, and there’s no ‘one size fits all’ rule for the country’s weather. Vietnam is in the Northern Hemisphere, so you’d expect seasons to be the same as the UK. However, in Vietnam the year is generally split into two seasons – summer (May to October) and winter (November to April) – rather than four. And what to expect in Vietnam in each season depends on which part of the country you’re visiting.
- Northern Vietnam: The north has colder winters, although not by British standards, as they average 21-22°C. Similarly to the south, winter is dry while summer is humid and rainy.
- Central Vietnam: Temperatures are between 31-33°C in the summer, and 20-26°C in the winter, but they have a later rainy season than the north and south. Expect wet weather in Central Vietnam from September to December.
- Southern Vietnam: The temperature in Southern Vietnam stays pretty much the same year-round, with highs swaying between 30-35°C in Ho Chi Minh City, but it’s the rain and humidity that changes through the months. Winter is hot and dry, while summer is hot, humid and rainy.
Great experience. Very organised tour, fantastic itinerary, tour manager and local guides. Hotels were superb. Choice of restaurants with included meals was amazing. The team at customer service was very efficient and helpful. Highly recommend this tour.
What to expect from Vietnam in January
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 14°C and highs of 20°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 19°C and highs of 25°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 22°C and highs of 32°C
January is in the dry season for the whole country. It’s one of the best times to visit Vietnam because you have the most chance of a sunny day, and the least chance of rain, for the whole year! It is chillier in the north, but in the south the average temperature is a balmy 27°C, with low humidity, making it one of the best times to visit Ho Chi Minh City – or Saigon – the region’s main city.
Festivals and Events in January
- Vietnamese New Year (Tet) (January-February)
- Vietnam observes Lunar New Year, which generally falls in late January or early February each year.
- It’s one of the biggest celebrations in Vietnam, and during this time people travel across the country to spend time with family and honour their ancestors, while praying for luck, prosperity and health in the new year.
- The public holiday runs for a week - Tet celebrations generally start a few days before the main day, and then continue for a few days after.
- Hoi An lantern festival (monthly)
- Held on the 14th day of each lunar month, to align with the full moon.
- Visitors flood to Hoi An to watch the sunset and see the old town come to life with colourful lanterns.
Photo credit - Sifa Ustun - on our Solo Vietnam and Cambodia tour
What to expect from Vietnam in February
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 16°C and highs of 21°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 20°C and highs of 26°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 23°C and highs of 33°C
Festivals and Events in February
- Lim festival
- This festival is specific to Northern Vietnam, as it’s held in the village of Lim (around 5 miles from Hanoi)
- It happens a couple of weeks after Lunar New Year, and is to celebrate the enlightenment of Ba Mu, a Buddhist nun who lived at Lim Pagoda.
- Locals sing Quan Ho folk songs, with unique vocal techniques and in different singing dialogues.
- There are competitions for singing, weaving and wrestling.
- Lunar New Year (Tet)
- Although it changes year to year, Lunar New Year tends to fall in February
- The celebrations can last for a week – a few days before and after the main day – and it’s seen as a fresh start, similarly to New Years Day in the UK
- Yellow and red are considered lucky colours, so you’ll see buildings and houses decorated in these colours
- There will be lots of street performances which provides a really lively atmosphere, but it also means that many shops, restaurants and museums may be shut.
What to expect from Vietnam in March
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 18°C and highs of 23°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 22°C and highs of 28°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 24°C and highs of 34°C
March is peak tourism season in Vietnam for international visitors, as it’s in the dry season, has warm, sunny days and low chance of rain.
Many consider March to be the best time to cruise Ha Long Bay due to the low chance of rain and clear skies, giving you great views of the dramatic landscapes that this area is famous for.
What to expect from Vietnam in April
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 22°C and highs of 27°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 24°C and highs of 31°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 26°C and highs of 34°C
April is often considered the best time of year to visit Vietnam, as it’s still the dry season and while it’s getting warmer, the humidity hasn’t risen to peak levels yet. It’s arguably the best time to visit Hanoi specifically, as in Northern Vietnam the temperatures are comfortably in the high 20s and humidity is low.
Festivals and events in April
- Reunification day
- Held each year on 30th April, Reunification Day (also called Liberation Day) marks the unification of Northern and Southern Vietnam after the civil war.
- The day is marked with military processions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which were and are the main cities in the north and south, respectively.
- Expect to see the Vietnamese flag hung from every building and home. Shops and offices will be closed as it’s a national holiday.
- Hue Festival (April, May or June)
- Held every two years, this festival honours the culture and history of Hue, which is Vietnam’s former capital city.
- The festival generally lasts for a week and includes cultural events such as street performances, poetry, music, boat races and fireworks displays.
What to expect from Vietnam in May
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 24°C and highs of 32°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 25°C and highs of 33°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 26°C and highs of 34°C
May is the start of ‘summer’ in Vietnam (the year here is generally split into two seasons, although there are technically four!). It’s also the start of the wet season in Northern and Southern Vietnam, although there’s less chance of rain in May than the rest of the summer. In Central Vietnam, where the monsoon season doesn’t start until September, you can expect hot and sunny days, except in the Highlands.
Photo credit - Susie Thorne, Riviera Web Content Manager.
Festivals and events in May
- May 1st is a national holiday, as it marks International Labour Day.
- May is also when Phat Dan is celebrated, marking Buddha’s birth. The week-long holiday is an important spiritual event, and you may see colourful bunting and decorations in the cities.
What to expect from Vietnam in June
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 26°C and highs of 33°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 26°C and highs of 35°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 25°C and highs of 32°C
June is hot and humid in Southern Vietnam, with rain expected every day - although these are normally just short bursts – and in the north, it can get stormy in June, so it’s not the best time to visit Vietnam. The coast of Central Vietnam – where you’ll find beach cities like Da Nang - will likely be dry, but it will also be very hot, with highs of 35°C! Instead, the best time to visit Da Nang is actually February to May, or July if you can handle the heat.
Photo credit - Susie Thorne, Riviera Web Content Manager.
What to expect from Vietnam in July
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 26°C and highs of 33°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 26°C and highs of 34°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 24°C and highs of 32°C
July is a popular time to visit the beach resorts of Central Vietnam, such as Da Nang. The weather is very hot, but it’s the only area of Vietnam that’s not in the middle of its rainy season. The north and south of the country are extremely wet – Hanoi in the north has an average of 19 days of rain in July, which Ho Chi Minh City in the south has a whopping 23 days of rain on average in July!
Photo credit - Joanne Whennell - on our Vietnam and Cambodia tour.
What to expect from Vietnam in August
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 26°C and highs of 33°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 25°C and highs of 34°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 25°C and highs of 32°C
August tends to be low season for international tourism. Temperatures are hot across the country, and while Central Vietnam is likely to be dry, the rest of the country is experiencing the rainy season.
Photo credit - Susie Thorne, Riviera Web Content Manager.
Festivals and events in August
- Wandering Souls day (August)
- August is known as Ghost Month, where it is said that there is an open channel between the human and spirit world.
- Wandering Souls Day – or Vu Lan Festival – is a spiritually significant day in this month, where Vietnamese people may visit their local temple to honour their ancestors and living family.
- They may wear a white or red rose to honour their mother, and in Hoi An they light lanterns to float on the river.
What to expect from Vietnam in September
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 25°C and highs of 32°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 24°C and highs of 32°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 25°C and highs of 31°C
September can be a tricky month to predict weather-wise in Vietnam. Central Vietnam finally hits its monsoon season, which lasts until December, while Northern and Southern Vietnam are in the second half of their rainy seasons, so while there’s less chance of rain, it’s hard to know for sure what to expect. However, temperatures are still warm, and it also means that it’s quieter in the main tourist spots.
Photo credit - Susie Thorne, Riviera Web Content Manager.
Festivals and events in September
- Independence Day
- Held on the 2nd September each year, Independence Day is the country’s National Day.
- The public holiday marks when President Ho Chi Minh read the Declaration of Independence at Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi, declaring independence from decades of French colonial rule.
- Tết Trung Thu, or Mid-Autumn Festival (September or October)
- This is held each year on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month – the date of the full moon between September and October, so the timing in the Gregorian calendar changes each year.
- It’s sometimes called the Full Moon festival as the peak of the celebrations happen on the night of the full moon
- It was historically a time for family to come together after the hard work of the harvest period.
- Celebrations include street performances – including lion dances - and traditionally people eat moon cake and carry carp-shaped lanterns.
- Each city puts on a big display for the Mid-Autumn festival, but Hoi An – which has full moon celebrations all year round – is particularly lively.
What to expect from Vietnam in October
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 22°C and highs of 29°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 23°C and highs of 29°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 24°C and highs of 31°C
October is the very end of the wet season, so while there’s less chance of rain than in the height of summer, there’s still a chance you’ll experience short but heavy downpours. Luckily, the humidity isn’t too high, and the warm weather means everything dries up pretty quickly!
Some consider October to be the best time to visit Hoi An, as this tends to be when the Mid-Autumn festival falls. Although it’s celebrated across Vietnam, Hoi An’s celebration is particularly special, with lively street performances, bright lanterns adorning every building, and an atmosphere of celebration wherever you go.
What to expect from Vietnam in November
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 19°C and highs of 25°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 21°C and highs of 27°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 23°C and highs of 31°C
November is the start of Vietnam’s winter, but it’s still relatively warm, so November is an excellent time to visit Vietnam, particularly the north and south where it’s also the start of the dry season. In Central Vietnam, it can get very wet in November, although it’s mostly nice and sunny.
What to expect from Vietnam in December
- Northern Vietnam: Lows of 15°C and highs of 21°C
- Central Vietnam: Lows of 20°C and highs of 25°C
- Southern Vietnam: Lows of 22°C and highs of 31°C
December is a great time to visit Vietnam. The north and south of the country will have settled into their dry seasons, meaning the humidity in these regions is low and days should be clear and sunny. Hanoi in the north averages 18°C in December, while Ho Chi Minh City in the south averages 27°C, making it a very comfortable month to travel. The only caveat is to make sure you go before Christmas break starts, as many places will be busy with domestic travellers on holiday or shut for the festive period.
Excellent service, from booking and throughout the holiday. Fantastic guides and tour guide. Lovely food and accommodation. Can’t wait to book my next adventure with Riviera.
What to expect from Vietnam in 2024
Here at Riviera Travel, we run holidays to Vietnam every month of the year except for June and August:
Journey on the Mekong – the Mekong River runs from southern Vietnam into Cambodia, and then further north into Thailand and beyond. This tour cruise showcases the highlights Ho Chi Minh City (also known as Saigon) before you take to the river for a cruise to Cambodia, stopping at historic and culturally significant sites in Vietnam before you cross the border. Then, in Cambodia, the adventure continues with stops at hotspots such as Phnom Penh, plus day trips to the iconic Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Siem Reap.
Vietnam and Cambodia – this is the perfect introduction to Vietnam. It starts in the north in historic Hanoi, cruises Halong Bay – a natural wonder that’s at the top of many bucket lists – and then travels to Hue, the home of the ancient Imperial City, before flying south. In southern Vietnam, enjoy visits to Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi Tunnels and the Mekong River Delta, before flying into Cambodia to continue the cultural exploration.
Grand Tour of Indochina – This Grand Tour follows the same route as our incredibly popular Vietnam and Cambodia tour but adds on a trip to Luang Prabang in Laos.
Our Holidays to Vietnam
Frequently asked questions
Mekong river cruises
- If you’re looking for a Mekong river cruise, the best time to visit the Mekong is November to April, which is the dry season in Southern Vietnam.
- We run our Journey on the Mekong holiday in January, February and March, then start it up again for September to December to make sure we get the best weather conditions – it’s dry and the weather can be hot in the south (depending on the month) but with low humidity.
Ha Long Bay cruises
- If you’re looking for a Ha Long Bay cruise, you’ll be in the north of the country. There are pros and cons to visiting Northern Vietnam in every season.
- The driest weather is November to April, but it’s also winter so can get cold.
- May to October is warmer, but there’s a good chance of rain.
- March tends to be the most popular month as temperatures are mild, there’s little chance of rain, and days are sunny and clear, so you can get great views of the surrounding landscapes.
- Northern and Southern Vietnam’s rainy season runs from May to October
- Central Vietnam’s rainy season is September to December.
- Vietnam’s monsoon season runs from late spring (May) to early autumn (October).
- Usually rainfall is heavy but short-lived, but there can be period of heavy downfall, especially in the north where there can even be flooding.
- Northern Vietnam’s dry season runs November to April. This is winter, so temperatures in the north are cooler – even as low as 10°C in December and January – but humidity is low.
- Central Vietnam’s dry season is January to August, and it’s generally hot with low humidity.
- Southern Vietnam’s dry season runs November to April, and although it’s winter, it’s still hot, with temperatures in spring sometimes reaching 30°C.
Average temperatures by month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Hanoi (north) | 17°C | 17°C | 21°C | 24°C | 28°C | 29°C | 29°C | 29°C | 28°C | 25°C | 22°C | 18°C |
| Da Nang (central) | 8°C | 8°C | 11°C | 14°C | 18°C | 22°C | 24°C | 24°C | 21°C | 17°C | 12°C | 9°C |
| Ho Chi Minh (south) | 27°C | 28°C | 29°C | 30°C | 30°C | 29°C | 28°C | 29°C | 28°C | 28°C | 27°C | 27°C |
Average rainfall by month
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Hanoi (north) | 10mm | 30mm | 50mm | 100mm | 150mm | 190mm | 210mm | 200mm | 160mm | 100mm | 60mm | 30mm |
| Da Nang (central) | 100mm | 95mm | 100mm | 85mm | 75mm | 55mm | 30mm | 80mm | 100mm | 150mm | 110mm | 80mm |
| Ho Chi Minh (south) | 10mm | 10mm | 10mm | 40mm | 140mm | 180mm | 190mm | 170mm | 190mm | 160mm | 120mm | 40mm |
Travel guides excellent. Lorenza was FABULOUS. Accommodation excellent and itinerary as expected and it was the best holiday in a very long time. Which was great as it was a silver wedding anniversary celebration.