Best time to visit Vietnam: the best month by region
Updated 31 October 2026 · 6 min read
In short
March and April are the only months with good weather in all three regions at once. Visit the North from October to April, the Centre from February to August and the South from December to April. Avoid the Centre (Hue, Hoi An) from October to December: heavy rain and floods.
Vietnam stretches more than 1,600 km from north to south, so it has three climates: a North with clear seasons (including a real winter), a Centre whose rainy season falls in autumn, and a tropical South with a dry and a wet season. The weather is always good somewhere, never everywhere at once.
Month-by-month table
✅ ideal · 🟡 fine · ❌ avoid
| Month | North (Hanoi, Ha Long, Sapa) | Centre (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang) | South (Saigon, Mekong, Phu Quoc) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 🟡 cool and grey, cold in Sapa | 🟡 end of the rains | ✅ dry |
| February | 🟡 cool, Tet holiday | ✅ | ✅ dry |
| March | ✅ mild | ✅ | ✅ hot |
| April | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ very hot |
| May | 🟡 hot, first rains | ✅ hot | 🟡 rains begin |
| June | 🟡 hot, humid | ✅ beach season | 🟡 showers |
| July | ❌ rain, typhoons at Ha Long | ✅ | 🟡 showers |
| August | ❌ rain, typhoons at Ha Long | ✅ very hot | 🟡 showers |
| September | 🟡 golden rice terraces in Sapa | 🟡 rains begin | 🟡 showers |
| October | ✅ | ❌ heavy rain, floods | 🟡 rains end |
| November | ✅ | ❌ heavy rain, floods | ✅ dry season starts |
| December | 🟡 cool | ❌ rain | ✅ dry |
Which direction should you travel?
- December to February: start in the South (sunshine in Saigon and Phu Quoc) and travel north, where winter is cool but dry. Pack a fleece for Hanoi and a proper jacket for Sapa.
- March to May: the whole country is pleasant, the best time for a full north-to-south trip.
- June to August: focus on the Centre (Hoi An, Da Nang, Nha Trang), in its dry season. In the North, stay flexible for the Ha Long cruise, which can be cancelled for typhoons: book a free-cancellation offer.
- September to November: the North is superb (Sapa's terraces in September, buckwheat flowers in Ha Giang in October-November) and the South ends its rainy season. Move quickly through the Centre, or skip it.
Each month in detail (where to go, crowds, holidays): Vietnam month by month. For stops and travel times: our itineraries.
Tet, the Vietnamese New Year
Tet falls in late January or February, following the lunar calendar (6 February in 2027). It is the country's biggest holiday: trains, buses and domestic flights fill up one to two weeks before, and many restaurants and shops close for several days. If you travel then, book transport and hotels very early.
By destination: Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Sapa and Phu Quoc.
Activities to book in Vietnam
Cruises, day trips and guided tours — free cancellation up to 24 hours before on most offers.
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