WHEN TO VISIT VIETNAM

The best time to visit Vietnam depends on many factors, and since the weather conditions vary from north-south there may be different times that are best for different regions. In saying that, there is no BAD time to visit, you just may have to prepare for rain!

JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH

This is winter in the north of Vietnam, where it can get really cold and even sometimes snow. In the rest of Vietnam it will generally be mild and dry, with the weather getting warmer the further south you go.

Watch out for the Vietnamese New Year festival (Tết) which occurs in late January/February each year. Many Vietnamese travel during this time so transport/ accommodation may be booked out and businesses closed.

BEST FOR: visiting South Vietnam or the cities!

APRIL, MAY, JUNE

This is the transition from Winter-Summer, so you are likely to experience different kinds of weather as you travel around. That is not necessarily a bad thing, as you might be lucky and get glorious sunshine everywhere you go!

BEST FOR: doing a tour of Vietnam and festivals.

JULY & AUGUST

This is the high season (read: busiest time) in Vietnam, where the weather is mostly sunny but also very hot and humid. You can expect to have intense monsoon pours but generally these should pass fairly quickly.

BEST FOR: hanging out by the beach.

SEPTEMBER

This is the best time to travel north before the rice fields are harvested. The weather is mild throughout the country, which celebrates Vietnam National Day on 2nd September. Keep an eye out for big celebrations in Hanoi for Hanoi Pride at the end of the month.

BEST FOR: travelling all of Vietnam, especially Hanoi and the north (Sapa and Ha Giang).

OCTOBER - DECEMBER

The weather is mostly mild throughout Vietnam and sunny, especially in the south. You will probably run into some rain if you are visiting Central Vietnam though, as Winter begins there.

BEST FOR: South Vietnam, Halong Bay and the islands.

I do not really believe there is a real "best" time to visit Vietnam unless you plan to visit specific areas at once. If you are travelling the whole of Vietnam you will likely experience all the seasons at some point in your trip - so just be prepared!