The best time to visit Vietnam

The north experiences the northeast monsoon between the months of November and March, which brings great swathes of mist to popular areas like the rice terraces in Sapa and the karst limestone outcrops of Halong Bay.

Despite this being labelled the monsoon season, ironically, Hanoi is at its driest in December and January. Though temperatures do drop so be prepared for chilly nights. Hanoi also experiences the majority of its rainfall in July and August and these are not great months for hill tribe trekking around Sapa.

The best time to visit the northern regions of Vietnam is between October and December when the skies are clearer and there's less rainfall. During these months there's also a break to the high humidity of recent months. March is another great month to travel around northern Vietnam.

Central Vietnam’s coastal areas, which includes Hoi An, Da Nang and Hue, benefit from the protection of the Truong Son mountain range. This region escapes a lot of the rains from the southwest monsoon between April and September thanks to these mountains, which means you can expect sunny days during these months.

Unfortunately, the mountains don't protect these destinations from the northeast monsoon, which falls between September and December, coupled with typhoons from the Western Pacific. Flooding has been known in certain areas such as Hoi An during these months.

The best time to visit central Vietnam and its lovely beaches is between April and August when you can expect sunshine and blue skies with pleasantly hot temperatures. Around Dalat and the highlands rainfall starts to increase around June, so April and March are the ideal months for trekking in this particular area.

Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta) benefits from a long dry season between December and May when the skies are clear, the landscape is lush and the Mekong Delta is calm. The monsoons arrive towards the end of May and stay until about November.

Monsoon showers are generally short and sweet and shouldn’t deter you from travelling. If you’re in Ho Chi Minh City during these quite spectacular showers, you’ll be wowed by how quickly the water dissipates due to very impressive drainage and then it’s blue skies again.

Hanoi is relatively humid year-round and receives a large amount of sunlight. It also experiences four seasons, with hot summers and high rainfall during July and August and dry cold winters from December to February.

The best time to visit is during spring, from March to April, and autumn, from September to November. These months are relatively dry with balmy temperatures.

Those wanting to visit Halong Bay should time their trip during spring, from March to May, or autumn, from September to November. The pleasant temperatures and dry climate make this an excellent time to explore aboard a traditional junk boat cruise.

However, if you are a more budget-conscious traveller, you may wish to time your trip between May to September. Although this summer season can see sporadic storms, this is considered the low season and you could save a great deal on cruises.

Although Ho Chi Minh City is blessed with a pleasant climate year-round, it still experiences two distinct seasons that travelers should be aware of. December to April sees the dry season, with hot temperatures and low humidity.

The rainy season then runs from May to November. Whilst these months see higher humidity and more frequent showers, they are interspersed with sunny spells.

Hue has a tropical climate that can be divided into two distinct seasons. August to January sees the colder wet season and rainfall can frequent and heavy. March to August is then considered the dry season, with pleasant temperatures and less rainfall.

Tourist numbers are at their highest from New Year until the end of March, so it is recommended to visit during the rest of the year for fewer crowds.

The beaches around Danang and Hoi An on the central coast are warm year-round, with temperatures peaking during the summer months of July and August. The dry season runs from February to July, with August to November seeing rainfall increase and the potential for a typhoon to hit.

Vietnam’s southern beaches likewise experience warm temperatures year-round, but different destinations experience rainfall at different times. The beaches at Nha Trang are affected by the monsoon season from September to January and occasionally see typhoons hit with torrential rain.

Phu Quoc, on the other hand, is best avoided from July to October due to rainy and wet weather. Whilst Mui Ne generally experiences less rain, its rainy season lasts from June to September and brings light afternoon showers. Con Dao is hot and humid throughout the year, with heavy rains from July to September.