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Weather is one of the first things to consider when planning a holiday. One of the many perks of travelling to a country like Vietnam is that no matter when you visit, there is always a perfect place where it is pleasant to stay.

So if you’re interested in visiting Vietnam, here’s what to expect from the weather.

Photo: Sylwia M. - 27 Mar 2018 tour
Photo: Sylwia M. - 27 Mar 2018 tour

Vietnam’s Seasons (Quick Version)

High Season (Jul - Aug)

Basically all Vietnam, except the far north, is hot and humid, with the summer monsoon bringing downpours throughout the country. The storms are usually not entire-day storms, just short bursts of heavy rainfall that bringing a welcomed cooling effect to the air. If you like a good thunderstorm but plenty of sunbathing opportunities, you’ll be a happy backpacker this time of year.

Shoulder Season (Dec – Feb)

North of Nha Trang can get cool weather but is almost always acceptable for beach weather from Nha Trang to Mui Ne (our final beach destination on tour). Expect cool conditions north of Hanoi - especially towards Halong Bay. Swim trunks by day, jumpers by night - perfect sunrise and sunset weather. In the south, you can expect clear skies and sunshine - this is the case almost the entire year in the sunny south.

Low Season (Mar – Jun, Sep – Nov)

Perhaps the best time to travel Vietnam as a whole. Moderate to heavy rainfall will affect parts of the central and northern coastline September until November. The south will be moderately cooler than earlier in the year but still great beach weather to work on that holiday tan. Hanoi to Halong Bay will be slightly wet from March to June but in prime weather conditions come November.

High Season

28°C Avg

Hot all over! Best beach weather generally. Less chance of rain.

Shoulder Season

27°C Avg

Cool in north with moderate chance of rain. Hot, dry in south.

Low Season

26°C Avg

Warm even in north with chance of rain. Hot, dry in south.

Best Time To Visit

Vietnam sits just atop the balmy equator at its southernmost point and winds its way up into the more temperate and mountainous border with China in the north. We travel over 1,800 kilometres from Halong Bay to Ho Chi Minh City on tour and pass through a dramatically stunning range of topography (and weather) along the way. 

The answer to “when is the best time to visit?” depends whether you are visiting for trekking and outdoor adventures, genuine cultural experiences, or for a beaches-and-warm-weather holiday - or a combination of it all. That's our goal!

Thanks to these regional variations in weather, generally, you can visit Vietnam at any time of year and find a place with those just-right conditions.

Join Us On Tour

If you have been considering a trip to Vietnam but just can’t find the time to plan or don’t want to go it alone, check out our Vietnam package and our 23-day, backpacker-approved tour.

You can also connect with us on Facebook or drop us a line, anytime, at team (at) backpackingtours.com.