Climate and weather

Vietnam is located at the eastern end of the Indochinese peninsula, that is, between tropical and subtropical areas. Also it enjoys a climate inherent in these regions of the globe. It is characterized by a strong sunshine , but also a large pluviometric volume.

The most pleasant is however the dry and cold season from November to March each year. It is also the peak tourist season, especially at the time of the TET festival between the end of January and the beginning of February. Between May and September, it is hot and rainy season. The country knows the most important rains of the year.

The climate "border" seems to be in the vicinity of Da Nang. Thus "winter" exists only in the north, beyond the famous Clouds pass – Danang region, while in the south, it is almost always hot.

In the North of Vietnam
There are 4 different seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season lasts about 3 months.
In the spring, which counts after the Tet festival from January to March, it is cool and humid with an average temperature of 20 to 25°C. Daytime temperatures can go down to 0°C at night in the mountainous region of Sapa or Ha Giang, the sky is gray and foggy with spring drizzle. The drizzle found only in northern Vietnam, can fall for several days, making for example Halong Bay or that of Hoa Lư (Halong Bay inland) quite sullen. It is rarely sunny during the day. And the first showers come in early March.

Summer starts from April to August (from April to September according to the solar calendar) where it is hot but dry. The sun shines from 5:00 to 17:30, even at 18:00, the sky is blue and limpid. The temperature varies between 30 and 39°C, even 42°C for a few days. The summer heat is sometimes dreadful. Sudden showers bring freshness for some days. Thunderstorms at the end of the day happen from time to time. It can be said that the months of July and August experience torrential rains, sometimes very violent. On the other hand, it is ideal to make beautiful pictures in Halong Bay or in other areas of North Vietnam when the humidity is down about 20%.

Fall falls between August and October. It is less hot with the temperature oscillating 25 - 32°C. It's sunny. The ideal time to travel during this period, because the rice fields are yellow and the rice is harvested in the north. The sublime landscapes with yellow rice paddies impress you strongly. However, typhoons and storms can occur during these months, bad weather can cause colossal losses to farmers during harvest.

Winter comes between October and December. In October and November, the sun is still visible, the blue sky with the fresh wind. North - east monsoons can fall to the north in November and December, causing spontaneous and scattered rains. These can last a few days, even a week. Monsoons take away thick fog with strong humidity. Travelers are unhappy to see Halong Bay in fog and fine rains. In December, it is also cool, the sky is often gray and sullen. It begins to be cold between Christmas and New Year, the temperature can go down to less than 10°C in the delta of the Red River and 2 - 5°C in the mountains of Upper Tonkin like Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son , Sapa, Bac Ha.

In the center of Vietnam
It's nice weather from February to May. This is the best time to travel. It begins to rain a lot between November and the end of January. Rainy weather in January improves as the T fêtet festival gets closer (change of the moon). The summer monsoon is from May to November. From May to August, these are the hottest (torrid) months of the year. In Da Nang, the average maximum temperature then oscillates between 33 and 37°C. The beach of Da Nang is very crowded at the end of the day by local residents and Vietnamese tourists, as it is the school holiday months.

The worst period falls in September and October. Time of monsoon changes, typhoons can form and fall on the coast. After the rains, in November, some areas are partially flooded, as to Hội An and Huế.

In the South of Vietnam
The south is tropical with temperatures ranging from 25 to 30°C. It is very hot from March to May. The rainy season lasts from May to November. Intermittent rains last from one to two hours only.

The best time to travel from December to April is the dry and sunny period. In February, it rains the least of the year. March and April are the hottest months, with an average of 30 to 35°C.

The worst period falls from July to September, the rainiest time. Fortunately, in the Mekong Delta, it does not rain all day, but only at certain times towards the end of the day. The rain brings freshness.

Be aware of floods that can occur suddenly in the Mekong Delta between mid-August and mid-September.

Best time to travel to Vietnam

You can travel to Vietnam in any season because of the climatic varieties of the country. The best period is from November to March. It is neither too cold in the north nor too hot in South Vietnam. The best period remains relative because of global warming in recent years.

It's up to you to choose between periods and regions of the country for your trip to Vietnam.

For example: It is hot in the summer in northern Vietnam with the heavy heat of 35 to 39 ° C, but the sky is blue and transparent from 5:00 to 17:30. In exchange, you make beautiful pictures anywhere from Halong Bay to weekly markets in Bac Ha, Can Cau, Muong Khuong, Coc Ly in Lao Cai Province or Dong Van in Ha Giang Province.

The ideal time to discover Sapa, Mu Cang Chai, Yen Bai and Ha Giang falls in late August and early September. It is not too hot during the day, we see yellow rice terraces where the harvest begins in these regions. The magical photos are waiting for you.

Or in the winter, it is cool, but the North - East monsoon can occur abruptly to the north. They cause rain with cold and humid temperature. Halong Bay is plunged in thick fog. Alas, we are desperate to contemplate Halong Bay in fog and mist.

Who knows then?