Asia Master Tour

Knowing a country before going there is one of the most important things you should do. And one of the common questions among travelers who are going to Vietnam is the best Vietnam travel time. There is no answer for this question. “The best” depends on various factors. Some can deal with the heat in Southern Vietnam while someone can’t or some don’t like crowded areas while some feel annoyed. But I guess you will find the most appropriate Vietnam travel time throughout a year.

1. January – March

Vietnam travel time from January to March is highly recommended because at this time there are various festivals including Tet holiday. You will have chance to experience Vietnamese culture from the North to The South.

However, the weather at this time isn’t lovely enough. It’s quite cold and there are drizzles in the North, in contrast, it’s dry and warm in the south and the central. Therefore, Vietnam travel time from January to March is for the South and the Central. You really don’t want to feel humid and wet all the time. In addition, drizzle makes the streets dirty with mud and so on.

In contrast, I highly recommend you to visit Sapa in Northern Vietnam. This is because the town is super beautiful in the winter and sometimes there is snow. I know some of you are familiar with snow and this phenomena in your country might be more beautiful. But you can’t admire paddies rice covered by white snow in your country. So take advantage of Vietnam travel time to enjoy it.

Another factor you should take into account about this Vietnam travel time is from February to March the volume of tourist travelling in Vietnam is lower than other times both foreign and domestic. Therefore, you might have more peaceful trip than usual.

Ideal destinations for Vietnam travel time from January to March are: Ho Chi Minh city, Sapa, Dalat, Nha Trang,… Most of them are in the Central and South of Vietnam. But if you don’t mind coldness and drizzles, Hanoi is also the good city for you. Actually, the atmosphere of Tet holiday in the North is more significant than in the South.

2. Vietnam travel time: April – June

This Vietnam travel time is quite special because of the transition from spring to summer. In the north, It’s still cool and comfortable with sun shining and breeze before the first heat wave arrives in June. The central remains wet while the South experience dryness. In general, this Vietnam travel time is quite comfortable. And you should make use of it because Vietnamese families won’t take vacation until June when their children get summer vacation.

In other words, you still get a nice place on the beach and don’t need to relax with lots of noise. Moreover, if you want to visit Ho Chi Minh city or Hanoi, you should pass by in the end of April. This is because on 30th of April – The national Reunification day of Vietnam people will have a long holiday, so they tend to leave the city to get back their hometown or travel to somewhere else. No traffic jam, more fresh air, no crowds are great factors helping you to enjoy the city more. And you also should avoid off-city spots where people flock into for their vacation.

Vietnam travel time from April to June is great time for beaches. Along the country there are lots of aquatic sites like Halong bay, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Mui Ne,… They are both beautiful and less tourist from April until May.

3. June to early September

This Vietnam travel time is high season. Children are off to school, which means lots of Vietnamese families will travel this time. Every destination in Vietnam is full of people from Halong, Sapa to Nha Trang, Vung Tau. No hotel rooms are available if you don’t book in advance, food and services price raise like global warming.

In term of weather, from June to early September is the devastating time with various heat waves in the North. And after these terrible heats, there are persistent rains. Actually it doesn’t rain all the time but you only find a sunny time lasts a day, then it rains again. And because of the bad weather, the Central is the place that suffers huge impacts from floods. It sounds like Vietnam travel time from June to early September is not ideal much, but if you love the Sun just go. The only thing you need to focus on is weather forecast.

At this time I can give you advices about where you should go, I will tell you when to go instead. You can go to the beaches from Monday to Thursday and visit the city at weekend. But remember that it’s the crazy season of tourism, so these times only help you to avoid the crowds in general.

4. Mid September to December

The domestic tourist is over at this Vietnam travel time. This time is considered as the golden time for travelling to northern Vietnam. I recommend you to visit Halong bay before December because the closer to December the time is, the lower temperature it is. But with other destinations, just take your time. The cold atmosphere will make Hanoi look more ancient and more beautiful. The landscape changes according to the time. You can have chance to see sparkling rice terraces harvested in Sapa. Vietnam at this time is a romance and tranquil country.

However, it’s not the good time for travelling to the central and southern beaches. This is because this time is rainy season, especially from October to November. Although it doesn’t rain all the time, you can predict them and they can ruin your plan as well as outdoor activities.
All sites in Northern Vietnam are recommended at this Vietnam travel time. Ho Chi Minh city and off the beach areas are also great.

5. Tips for travel to Vietnam

Dealing with your visa 1 month before departure: You need to plan the specific Vietnam travel time and take care of your visa beforehand. This is because the process of getting visa to Vietnam may last longer than you expected and requires lots of documents. Therefore, take care of your visa 1 month before D-day is the great idea.

Read about Vietnam: You should know where you are going to. You can check Vietnam culture post here. It doesn’t waste your time much, just 30 minutes a day. The more you are prepared for you trip, the better your experiences are.

There are lots of Vietnamese tips for you, check my another article Vietnam travel tips. You might have an overview about Vietnam in general and Vietnamese in particular.

As I said before, there is no common formula for the best Vietnam travel time. It depends on each person’s hobbies. Let’s take a look at this post and follow the weather forecast – because the weather is unpredictable, you will know when is the most appropriate Vietnam travel time for you.