Climate - Vietnam

In Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia, the climate is subtropical in the north and tropical in the center and south, and it's influenced by the monsoons: the south-west monsoon affects the country from May to October, and the northeast monsoon from October to April. The former brings heavy rainfall in the exposed areas, ie both the north and the south, while along the central part, protected by the mountains, it brings relatively little rain and leaves often space to the sun. The north-east monsoon is generally drier, but it brings heavy rains in the early months (October-December) along the coast exposed to the east, and light but frequent rains in the north.
In inland areas, there are hills and mountains, which make the climate milder in the summer months, but even cold in winter in the north.
The amount of rainfall is normally between 1,500 and 2,500 millimeters (60 and 98 inches) per year, but there's also a relatively small arid zone in the Phan Thiet area (north-east of Ho Chi Minh City), where it's slightly above 1,000 mm (40 in).

Index

---

• The north - Cao Bang, Hanoi, Sa Pa
• The center - Da Nang, Qui Nhon, Nha Trang
• Interior - Pleiku
• The south- Ho Chi Minh
• Typhoons
• Best Time
• What to pack

The north

---

In northern Vietnam, winter is unusually cool for the latitude: we are just south of the Tropic of Cancer, yet the average temperature in January is below 20 °C (68 °F): in Hanoi, the average is 17.5 °C (63.5 °F), in Vinh, it's 19 °C (64 °F), while it's around 15 °C (59 °F) in the northernmost areas of Tonkin, where the temperature at night can approach freezing (0 °C or 32 °F) between December and February (and sometimes in early March).
The winter monsoon is originally dry because it comes from the Asian continent, but the clash with the mild and moist air of the Gulf of Tonkin generates compact cloudiness, which bring light but frequent rains. Therefore, during winter, the sun rarely shines, and although the temperature is spring-like, a journey to this city would not be so pleasant.
In spring, the temperature gradually rises in northern Vietnam, and the sun comes out every so often in April, but then, from May to October, it's the rainy season, and the weather becomes hot and humid, with downpours in the afternoon or evening.

Cao Bang

In Cao Bang, located in the north-east, a short distance from the border with China, in a valley at 200 meters (2,100 feet) above sea level, winter is mild, however, the temperature can sometimes drop below 5 °C (41 °F) from December to February. In January 2014 it dropped to 0.4 °C (32.7 °F). In January 2016, there was a day with a maximum of 7 °C (44.5 °F).
In April and May, before the monsoon, the temperature can reach 38/39 °C (100/102 °F), but this can also happen from June to September, in periods of good weather.
Here are the average temperatures.

In Cao Bang, 1,425 mm (56 in) of rain fall per year. In winter, the rains are weak but they are quite frequent, while they are abundant from May to September (and sometimes in October), during the summer monsoon period. Here is the average rainfall.

Cao Bang gets just 1,500 hours of sunshine a year, with a minimum of 2 hours a day in January and February. Here are the average hours of sunshine per day.

Hanoi

The capital, Hanoi, is a little further to the south and about 90 km (55 mi) from the sea, at the beginning of the Red River delta.
Winter averages are a little higher than in the far north, however, sometimes there can be very cool periods here as well, with lows around 7/8 °C (45/46 °F) and highs around 15 °C (59 °F); more rarely, it can even get cold for a few days, and highs can drop to around 10 °C (50 °F). In January 2016, there was a day with a minimum of 5 °C (41 °F) and a maximum of 8 °C (46.5 °F).
Here too, in April and May, before the monsoon, it can get very hot, but also from June to September, in the pauses between a period of bad weather and the next. At the beginning of June 2017, the temperature reached 41 °C (106 °F).
In October and November, when the monsoon withdraws, there is another quite pleasant period, before the return of cool and dull weather in December.
Here are the average temperatures.

In Hanoi, more than 150 mm (6 in) of rain fall in May and October, and more than 250 mm (10 in) per month from June to September. In winter, especially from January onwards, there are frequent drizzles.
Here is the average precipitation.

Hanoi is a dull city, in fact, the sun is rarely seen from January to April, but even in summer, it does not shine very often because of the summer monsoon. There are about 1,585 hours of sunshine per year. Here are the sunshine hours per day.

In the northernmost part of the coast, near Hanoi (see Haiphong), the sea is a bit cool from January to March, while it is very warm in the summer months. Anyway, in winter, cool and cloudy weather conditions which prevail in this season are usually not inviting for swimming.

Sa Pa

In the northern mountainous areas, winter is quite cold: at 1,500 meters (5,000 feet) of altitude, the average temperature in January is around 9 °C (48 °F). The highest peak is Fansipan (or Phan Xi Pang), 3,143 meters (10,311 feet) high, which is covered with snow in winter.
In Sa Pa, a city located at 1,500 meters (5,000 feet), in the Hoàng Liên National Park, and at the foot of the Fansipan, in winter, there can be days with highs below 5 °C (41 °F). In January 2016, the temperature dropped to -4 °C (25 °F), with a maximum of -2 °C (28.5 °F).
From April to September, on the hottest days the temperature can reach 28/29 °C (82/84 °F).
On top of Fansipan, the temperature is about 10 degrees Celsius (19 degrees Fahrenheit) lower than in Sa Pa.
Here are the average temperatures in Sa Pa.

In Sa Pa, rainfall is abundant, so much so that it amounts to 2,800 mm (112 in) per year, and exceeds 300 mm (12 in) per month from May to September. In winter, the rains are frequent, but they are a little more abundant than in the plains. Here is the average rainfall.

The Center

---

Along the coast of central Vietnam, the winter is warmer: the average temperature in January ranges from 20.5 °C (69 °F) in Hue to 24.5 °C (76 °F) in Nha Trang. In addition, in the central part, the summer monsoon produces little effects, so that less than 100 mm (4 in) of rain fall per month until August, and the amount of sunshine remains acceptable. On the other hand, it is very hot, so much so that highs from June to August are on average around 34/35 °C (93/95 °F), but sometimes they can reach 40 °C (104 °F).
Here, the rainy season comes later, and runs from September to December, but even to January in the northern part (from Ha Tinh to Da Nang), with a maximum in October and November, when the rains can be torrential. These intense rains at the end of the year are due to the retreating monsoon, which particularly affects the part of the coast exposed to the north-east: in Hue, 2,800 mm (110 in) of rain fall per year, of which 750 mm (29.5 in) in October.

Da Nang

In Da Nang, located on the east coast of Vietnam at 16 degrees north latitude, winter is much warmer than in the north and in Hanoi. From December to February, the temperature generally drops to around 15/16 °C (59/61 °F). In January 1993 it dropped to 10 °C (50 °F). In January 2016 it dropped to 14 °C (57 °F), but with a maximum of 18 °C (64.5 °F).
From April to August, the temperature can reach 39/40 °C (102/104 °F). As we have said, in the summer the monsoon has limited effects in this central part of Vietnam, which is why there are long periods of very hot weather. In 2021, the average maximum in June was 37.2 °C (99 °F), and from May to August there were 15 days with a maximum of 40 °C (104 °F).
Here are the average temperatures.

In Da Nang, it rains less than in Hue, but the trend is similar, and the rains are abundant from September to December. Here is the average rainfall.

In the central part of Vietnam, the sun shines more often than in the north and in Hanoi, both in winter (even though it does not go beyond 3.5/5 hours per day) and in summer, when it shines for a good number of hours (especially from May to July).

In the central part of Vietnam, the sea is warm enough for swimming all year round, although it drops in February to 23 °C (73 °F) in Hue and to 23.5 °C (74.5 °F) in Da Nang, while it never drops below 25.5 °C (78 °F) in Nha Trang. Here is the average sea temperature in Da Nang.

Continuing south, the rainfall pattern remains more or less the same at Quang Ngai and Duc Pho, while further south, precipitation drops below 2,000 mm (80 in) per year. In addition, winter temperatures gradually increase, and the likelihood of cold air coming from the north decreases.

Qui Nhon

In Qui Nhon, a city located on the coast in the province of Bình Dinh, it is definitely warm even in winter, in fact the January average is 24 °C (75 °F). Generally, from December to February the temperature only drops to 18 °C (64.5 °F), although in January 2021 it dropped to 16 °C (61 °F), with a maximum of 19 °C (66 °F).
The warming in spring is less evident than in the cities further north, on the other hand, summer is very hot here too, and from June to August the temperature can reach 39 °C (102 °F).
Here are the average temperatures.

In Qui Nhon, 1.805 mm (71 in) of rain fall per year, and the only very rainy period is from September to November. Here is the average precipitation.

In Qui Nhonm, the sun often shines from March to July.

Here is the average sea temperature in Qui Nhon.

Nha Trang

Further south on the coast, in Nha Trang, the temperatures are similar, but the winter is slightly warmer, while in the summer the temperatures are a bit lower. From May to September, the temperature generally reaches 34/35 °C (93/95 °F) on the hottest days.
Here are the average temperatures.

In this area, where the coast begins to be exposed to the south-east, precipitation drops below 1,500 mm (60 in) per year. Here too, however, the rainy period runs from September to December. Here is the average precipitation in Nha Trang.

The sun in Nha Trang often shines for a long period, from February to August, and for a total of 2,500 hours a year.

Here is the average sea temperature in Nha Trang.

To the south of this area, in the Binh Thuan province, the rains are even less abundant: in Phan Thiet, just 1,150 mm (45 in) of rain fall per year, which is not a very low value, but they are concentrated in a few months, while the rains are scarce for a long period, so that the landscape is semi-arid, and in the Mui Ne area, even sand dunes are found.



The best time to visit this central area of Vietnam runs from February to March in the northern part, and from January to March in the southern part. April is still a dry month, but it begins to be hot, even though sea breezes blow along the coast. From May to August, the air is hot and humid, but the rains are not abundant and the sun often shines, so the situation is better than in the rest of Vietnam.

Inland areas

---

In the interior of central Vietnam, due to the presence of mountains the climate is milder, in fact, there are many cities located between 400 and 1,000 meters (1,300 and 3,300 feet) above sea level, where winters are nice and sunny, while summers are a bit less sultry than at sea level.

Pleiku

In Pleiku, located at 750 meters (2,450 ft) above sea level, the hottest period is from March to May, before the monsoon, when the temperature generally reaches 32/33 °C (90/91 °F), but can sometimes reach 35 °C (95 °F). Here are the average temperatures

Here, the monsoon rains occur in the canonical period, from May to October, with a maximum between June and September. Here is the average precipitation.

In Pleiku and in the central inland areas of Vietnam, winter is the sunniest season.

Winter is dry, so you can visit this area from December to March, or even April at higher altitudes, where the heat is less intense.

The south

---

In the southern part of Vietnam and on the southern islands (see Con Dao, Phu Quoc), the climate is hot all year round, while the rainy period is the summer, as happens in the north and in the inland areas of the center. Between November and mid-February, the maximum temperatures are around 31/32 °C (88/90 °F), while by mid-February, the temperatures starts to rise, and reach the highest level of the year between March and May: 33/35 °C (91/95 °F) on average, but with peaks of 40 °C (104 °F), before the arrival of the monsoon. During the period of the summer monsoon, the heat is quite muggy.

Ho Chi Minh

In Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), the largest city of Vietnam, located near the Mekong Delta, the winter is hot, in fact the January average is 27 °C (80.5 °F). In the coolest nights, the temperature can sometimes drop to 16/17 °C (61/63 °F).
Until May, Ho Chi Minh is the hottest city in Vietnam. The temperature rises until the monsoon arrives, and from March to May it can reach 39 °C (102 °F).
Here are the average temperatures.

In Ho Chi Minh, the rains amount to about 1,930 mm (76 in) per year, and are abundant from May to mid-November, with a maximum in September. Here is the average precipitation.

In Ho Chi Minh, the sun frequently shines in the dry period, from December to April.

In southern Vietnam, the sea is warm all year round.

In southern Vietnam, the best time is from December to mid-February; March and April are still dry months, but they are uncomfortably hot. However, sea breezes blow along the coasts and on the islands.

Typhoons

---

Vietnam is located in the path of typhoons, the tropical cyclones of the western Pacific, which affect the country from the east, generally from May 20 to December 10. Since cyclones hit directly the coast from the sea, when they are at their maximum strength, Vietnam, especially in the northern part, is one of the most affected countries of Southeast Asia.
The area more often affected is the north, in particular, the Gulf of Tonkin and the Red River delta. A particularly destructive typhoon was the one that devastated Haiphong in early October 1881. In the north, typhoons generally occur from May 20 to mid-November, with a maximum from July to October. Typically, in July and August, typhoons only affect northern Vietnam.
In the center, typhoons generally occur from the beginning of September to December 10. For example, Nha Trang was hit by Typhoon Damrey in early November 2017. Anyway in recent times, perhaps because of global warming, there has been Tropical Storm Chanthu in the central part of the country in June 2004, and Tropical Storm Sonca in north-central Vietnam in July 2017.
In the south, typhoons generally occur from October 15 to December 20, with a maximum in early November.
In January, and again from March to mid-May, some tropical depressions can occasionally form, generally off the central-southern coast, but they almost always dissipate over the sea before reaching the coast. However, they can cause abnormal waves.

Best Time

---

The best time to visit Vietnam as a whole is the first half of February, since it's the only period which is neither very rainy nor very hot throughout the country, even though it is cloudy in the north and sometimes very cool. March and April are not bad as well, in fact, they are acceptable months in the north, though not very sunny, while they are dry and sunny in the center and south, though they are also hot in the south. December and January are dry and sunny in the center and south, but not in the north.
If you want to go in July and August, you can choose the south-central coast (from Da Nang and the Cham islands to Phan Thiet, including Nha Trang), where, as previously mentioned, it is sunny and not very rainy, and generally, in this period, it is also spared by typhoons.

What to pack

---

In winter: in the north (Hanoi), pack spring/autumn clothes, a jacket and a sweater, a raincoat for the drizzle, and a hat and gloves for colder nights. In mountain peaks, pack warm clothes, such as a down jacket, gloves, a hat, and hiking shoes.
In the center (Hue, Nha Trang), pack light clothes for the day, a sweatshirt and a scarf for the breeze, a jacket and a sweater for cooler evenings, and a raincoat or umbrella until January inclusive.
For the inland south-central areas, light clothes for the day, and a jacket and a sweater for the evening.
For the south (Ho Chi Minh), light clothing, a scarf for the breeze, a light sweatshirt for the evening, and possibly a light jacket or sweater for cooler evenings.
In summer: across the country, at low altitude, pack tropics-friendly, lightweight clothing of natural fibers, a light raincoat or umbrella, and a light sweatshirt for the evening; for the towns located at an altitude higher than sea level, you can add a sweatshirt and a light jacket; for the highest peaks, warm clothes, a fleece, a jacket, a raincoat, and hiking boots.
When going to the reef, you can bring snorkeling equipment, including water shoes or rubber-soled shoes.
Before entering pagodas, it is customary to take off shoes, dress neatly and cover a little.