Geography of Vietnam
Vietnam is located in the southeastern part of Asia, more specifically - on the Indochina Peninsula. The country shares land borders with China, Cambodia, and Laos. The area of Vietnam is 331,212 km², ranking 66th in the world. Vietnam is 1600 km long and 50 to even 650 km wide. Vietnam’s population is approximately 97 million. On its eastern, southern, and southwestern sides, Vietnam is surrounded by the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin, the South China Sea, and the Gulf of Thailand. Over 75% of the land area is covered with highlands and mountains. The lands surrounding the Red River in the north and the Mekong Delta in the south are extremely fertile. They are connected by a narrow mountainous belt of Central Vietnam. The highest peak in Vietnam - Fansipan, also known as the Roof of Indochina, stands 3143m above sea level.
In terms of climate, Vietnam is truly diverse. For simplicity, we'll divide the country into four zones: North Vietnam, two regions in Central Vietnam and South Vietnam.
Vietnam is a remarkably diverse country in terms of climate and weather. This is on one hand the result of its significant North – South span, and on the other - of the country’s topography. About 75% of the country's area is covered by mountains and highlands, the rest being lowlands. For this reason, it is exceedingly difficult to talk about the average temperature values for individual months, or the average rainfall for the entire country.
In terms of climate, Vietnam can be divided into two climatic zones, with the border between them marked by Hai Van Pass ("Ocean Cloud Pass"). The northern part of the country lies on the edge of the tropical and temperate zones, while the South is in the humid tropical zone. The common features of both of those regions are periodically occurring monsoons, extremely high air humidity, high air temperature, significant rainfall, and typhoons.
The weather in North Vietnam
The climate in the northern regions of Vietnam is much cooler than that of the South for most of the year. The region features significant temperature differences throughout the year. Even 15 to 25°C differences between the hottest and coolest months can occur in some places. The diurnal temperature amplitudes are also quite notable. The coldest month of the year is January with an average air temperature of 13 - 14°C, and the warmest - July with an average temperature of 28°C. Similar to Europe, there are 4 seasons here: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
The highest rainfalls in this region occur between May and September, while the months from November to April are relatively dry, apart from frequent drizzles during February and March.
Seasons in North Vietnam
Spring in Northern Vietnam spans from March to May. In April it starts to get hotter and in May the average temperature already reaches 30°C. It is relatively warm, but not yet as humid and stifling as in summer.
Summers in the northern part of the country are hot, muggy, and rainy. Maximum temperatures reach 40°C, and air humidity can exceed 90%. In August and September, frequent storms, torrential downpours, and typhoons occur.
Autumn is the second most enjoyable season of the year in northern Vietnam after spring. Temperatures drop to an average of 20 - 28°C. The rains are not as intense anymore, and the air humidity drops down as well.
The winter weather in North Vietnam is humid and cool. The average air temperature during this period is around 13 - 14°C, although it can be even cooler than that. The temperatures in December and January can drop below 10°C, and when combined with the extremely high air humidity (even up to 90%), can give you a feeling of penetrating cold, leading to shivering and numbness. The temperature in the mountain regions of Sapa and Dien Bien Phu often drop even below 0°C. When visiting Sapa and the surrounding areas during the wintertime, you might even witness snowfall. For the Vietnamese from Hanoi and other cities, it is an opportunity to experience snow and take pictures. Meanwhile, this is considered a rather unfortunate phenomenon for the residents, especially ethnic villagers.
When to visit North Vietnam?
If you plan to visit North Vietnam and places such as Sapa, Ha Long Bay, or Hanoi, it is best to go here from mid-September to mid-December, when the temperatures are not so bothersome. During this time, intense short rains may occur. Another suitable time of the year to visit North Vietnam will also be Spring (March – April). At the time, temperatures are not that high, and you don't have to worry about heavy rains either. Summer can be terribly hot, humid, and rainy, so it's better to skip trips during this period.
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The weather in Central Vietnam
As you might expect, the climate of central Vietnam is a unique cocktail of weather, combining the features of both the northern and southern regions.
This part of the country should be divided into two sub-regions, i.e., the area from Thanh Hoa province to the northern side of the Hai Van Pass and the area from the southern end of the Pass to Phu Yen province. As you can see, the Hai Van Pass plays a huge role here. As the Pass crosses over the spur of Truong Son Mountain range, it blocks the air currents that bring monsoons to the northern region and serves as a divider of the two areas’ weather.
Therefore, when traveling between Hue and Da Nang, you can sometimes find yourself in situations where the sun is shining and it is hot on one side of the pass, and on the other side it is raining and much cooler.
Regions in Central Vietnam
The climate of this region is a smooth combination of the typical North Vietnamese climate - four seasons plus cold rains with a drizzle - and the tropical - monsoon in the vicinity of Hue. For this reason, below we will focus on the area from Quang Binh province to Lang Co. beaches - south of Hue city.
This region has an average annual temperature of around 25ºC; however, at the peak of the summer season, dry, hot winds blowing from Laos can bring temperatures exceeding 40ºC here.
In the areas located south of the Hai Van Pass to the province of Phu Yen, there are two very clearly demarcated seasons: the dry season, lasting for 8 months - from January to August, and the rainy season, occurring from September to December.
The Da Nang area is characterized by an average annual temperature of around 25°C, while in the Phu Yen region it is 26.5°C.
When to visit Central Vietnam?
The northern region from Thanh Hoa to Hue
The best time to visit the caves of Quang Binh province is during the (almost) rainless season between April and August. It rains here sporadically, and the rainfall is small and short-lived. The average temperature is then around 24 - 25°C.
It is best to visit the area of Hue, Lang Co beaches, and the former Demilitarized Zone (Quang Tri province) from March to August. It rains very sporadically here, but you have to bear in mind that the heat can get up to 40 ° C during this period. Avoid planning multi-day trips around this region from August to January as heavy rainfall, and in some places even local flooding, may force you to change your tour route. Temperatures during this period are around 19°C on average, but evenings can be much cooler.
The southern region from Da Nang to Phu Yen
During the rainy season, areas from Da Nang to Phu Yen are sometimes affected by typhoons. So, if you plan to travel to this region from September to December, you should have a plan B for safety. For example, you can go by air to the southern part of the temples.
Based on experience - the best months to travel to Da Nang, Hoi An, Binh Dinh, and Phu Yen are from January to April and August to September. Summer months such as May, June, and July are a bit less picturesque because some of the vegetation dries up after the end of the rainy seasons.
It is worth mentioning that with good planning and a bit of flexibility, this part of the country is also beautiful in October and November – when the temperature is cooler here than in previous months. Those who hate heat can take this fact into account when planning their trip. In this case, one should only - as we mentioned - remember about possible heavy rainfall and local flooding, especially in the vicinity of the town of Hoi An.
The weather in South Vietnam
Vietnam’s southern part lies in the wet tropical climate zone. It is very warm and humid all year round, as the air temperature does not drop below 20°C. In the coldest month – December, the average air temperature is around 23°C, and in the warmest months – from March to May, the temperature is around 35°C. The temperatures may often be even higher, especially at noon.
In the southern part of the country, there are two distinct seasons: the dry season, lasting from the end of October to the beginning of May, and the rainy season - from May to the end of October.
Seasons in South Vietnam
The dry season lasts from late October to late April. At this time of year, it is hot, but also sunny and dry. There is little to no rainfall and air humidity is around 50%. Single rainy days may occur in November and December.
The rainy season starts in May and lasts until the end of October. During this period, rainfall is very heavy, and it rains almost every day. The rains, however, are not long-lasting and occur in the afternoons. You should therefore expect short and heavy downpours rather than all-day rainfall or drizzle. Typically, the beginning and ending periods of the season are less rainy, while June and September are the months with the highest precipitation.
The rainy season is also cooler than the dry season. The average temperature drops to 30°C, and some days it can get even cooler.
When to visit South Vietnam?
If your destination is in the southern part of the country, just like Saigon, Mekong Delta, Mui Ne, or Phu Quoc, then it's best to plan your trip during the dry season, i.e., the months from October to the beginning of May. However, this does not mean that you cannot go there in the rainy season. Just keep in mind there are often heavy afternoon downpours, which do not last too long – usually just 30 – 60 minutes. If you are a kitesurfing fan, then Mui Ne or Cam Ranh are the perfect destinations for you. Kitesurfing is available all year round, but the best weather conditions will be from the end of October to the end of March.
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