Climate in Vietnam - When to go to Vietnam

Vietnam is a country that, however little I was able to discover, left me with beautiful memories and that at times makes me think that I could return there one day and go where I couldn’t this time.

The problem is that as usual it is caused by my bad organisation, if I want to talk about organisation, given that I don’t think I have any at all, I didn’t know that the period chosen for my month there coincided with the winter which entails: heat in the south, rain and cold in the center, very cold and misty in the north.

But I discovered this only a few days after my arrival in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), in fact in the south the weather was the same as what I had left in Cambodia, warm and sunny.
Nothing to make you gasp for air but perfect for being outside without coming home in a sweat.
During a tour in the Mekong Delta I began to meet the first travelers who came from the North and who told me about the bad weather and the cold.
Cold, a word that I think I have uttered 1 time in the last 12 months of travel, I thought there was a minimal difference, 20 degrees compared to the 26 we had there.

After a stop at Mui Ne where everyone advised me against going north due to the weather, I undeterred decided to continue despite the general dissent.
I buy the bus ticket for Hi An and in shorts I take my seat on the bus and fall asleep for the long journey.
The wake up call in Hoi An wasn’t quite what I expected. Gray outside and torrential rain were welcoming me.
You know when you think everyone was right in telling you not to do something and then you realize why? It only took 2 minutes for me to get a little gloomy, I was already missing the sun and I wished I wasn’t there!

Have you found plane tickets? See also on Traveljourn
Read also: 12 best places to visit in Vietnam

Actually Hi An it then showed itself for the splendid city that it is, without the sun it still made it very well and it was a pleasure to spend the whole day through its colorful streets surrounded by colonial buildings that make the city characteristic and unique in its kind.

In Hoi An is famous for clothing manufacturing and tailoring, everyone comes here to have some clothes made. Obviously my mission was to buy at least one, since I was there and I really needed it I also included a coat in the list.
With the new coat I thought I could brave the cold of the north!
The coat is actually very nice but it wasn’t enough to make me decide to go all the way to Halong Bay e Sapa where temperatures drop to 0 degrees.

The rain and cold of Hoi An VS the heat and sun of Mui Ne

A Hue in fact, so I continued to travel further north, I met numerous travelers who told me about the cold and the mist which unfortunately did not make them appreciate the places.
I was about to buy the ticket to Hanoi when I suddenly changed direction and went back to the south
I didn’t have to go all the way to Halong Bay because I had to put a cross on the map and tell everyone that I had been there and that it was wonderful. In reality I only wanted the sun and no splendid or gloomy place could ever beat the sun and the joy of those who live there.

This long post to say what?

That before planning a trip to Vietnam you must make sure of the climatic situation.
Vietnam in fact enjoys 3 different microclimates which vary greatly over the 12 months. Practically you will never find the same climate throughout the country.
In winter in fact the south is hot and it is also the best season for kitesurfing as the wind seems to be ideal every day but from the center to the north it rains and is cold, with peaks of 0 degrees around Sapa.
From May to October the weather is hot but it is the end of summer. Also based on what was said by those who were in Vientam in that period, this seems to be the best period, especially October which is the end of the monsoons and the heat is easing.
I know if it flies in March on Saigon you go up the coast you should be able to follow the good weather.
Avoid June-July and August as the heat can easily reach 37 degrees. If you like traveling while the sun is frying you, this could be ideal.
In fact, I have the impression that to visit Vietnam you would have to return three times, let the seasons change and travel at three different times between the south, the center and the north.