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Climate & seasons

When to visit Vietnam?

By La rédaction · Updated 5/29/2026

The Editors
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Expert on Vietnam · 1 contributions

The best periods

The best time to visit Vietnam is November to April (north) and February to August (south).

Oct, Nov, Déc, Jan, Fév, Mar, Avr

Saison sèche au Nord — haute saison touristique

  • Temps idéal pour le nord et le centre : ciel dégagé, températures fraîches à Hanoï (15-25 °C en hiver), humidité modérée
  • Conditions parfaites pour la Baie d'Halong et Hoi An — mer calme, visibilité maximale
  • Rizières de Sapa sublimes en terrasses dorées à la récolte (septembre-octobre) ou en verdure (mai-juin)
  • Haute saison : affluence maximale sur les sites touristiques (Halong, Hoi An, Hô Chi Minh-Ville) et prix en hausse
  • Hanoï peut être fraîche et brumeuse en décembre-janvier : prévoyez une couche supplémentaire
  • Hébergements à réserver plusieurs semaines à l'avance pour les croisières Halong et Hoi An en décembre-janvier
Mai, Juin, Jui, Aoû, Sep

Saison des pluies au Nord — mousson

  • Tarifs hébergements et vols nettement inférieurs, beaucoup moins de foule sur les circuits classiques
  • Rizières en terrasses d'un vert électrique à Sapa et Mù Cang Chải — photographie extraordinaire
  • Sud-Vietnam (Hô Chi Minh-Ville, delta du Mékong) reste praticable avec des pluies souvent brèves en après-midi
  • Pluies intenses et typhons possibles sur la côte centrale (Hoi An, Đà Nẵng) de septembre à décembre
  • Croisières Baie d'Halong parfois annulées en cas de typhon ou de météo défavorable
  • Risques d'inondations à Hoi An en octobre-novembre — la ville peut être partiellement submergée
Nov, Déc, Jan, Fév, Mar, Avr, Mai, Juin, Jui, Aoû

Saison sèche au Sud — idéale pour le delta et les plages

  • Meilleure période pour le sud : Hô Chi Minh-Ville, delta du Mékong, Phu Quoc et côte de Mui Ne
  • Températures chaudes et stables (28-34 °C), plages accessibles, mer calme sur la côte sud
  • Phu Quoc et ses plages de sable blanc au meilleur de leur forme de novembre à avril
  • Chaleur et humidité élevées toute l'année au sud : températures nocturnes rarement inférieures à 24 °C
  • Saison des pluies au sud (mai à octobre) : averses quotidiennes intenses mais courtes, rarement rédhibitoires pour voyager

Climate by destination

The climate varies sharply from one region to another. See the month-by-month detail — temperatures, sea, crowds and flight prices — on each destination's 'when to go' page.

Frequently asked questions

Do French, British or American travellers need a visa for Vietnam?+
Yes, since 2024, most Western passport holders — including French, British and American citizens — require an e-visa to enter Vietnam. The application is completed online on the official Vietnamese government portal (evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn) for approximately US$25. Processing takes around 3 business days — allow at least a week before departure. The e-visa is now valid for 90 days with multiple entries. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from your date of entry.
Is it safe to rent a motorbike or bicycle in Vietnam?+
Bicycle and scooter rentals are widely available in all tourist towns (Hoi An, Hanoi, Da Lat), with scooters running €7-15 per day. The Ho Chi Minh Trail by motorbike is a legendary route. However, traffic in Vietnam is genuinely chaotic, mountain roads can be treacherous, and Vietnam has one of Southeast Asia's highest road accident rates. Always wear a helmet, check your travel insurance carefully (most basic policies exclude motorbike injuries without a valid licence), and never ride after dark on unfamiliar roads or after drinking.
Is the tap water safe to drink in Vietnam? What about street food?+
No — tap water is not safe to drink anywhere in Vietnam. Stick exclusively to bottled or filtered water. Street food is generally very safe if cooked at high temperature immediately before serving. Avoid raw vegetables in low-end establishments and ice whose origin you cannot verify. Factory-produced hollow cylindrical ice cubes are generally safe; artisanal block ice, less so.
Ha Long Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay — which should I choose?+
Ha Long Bay is the UNESCO-listed icon with 1,969 limestone islands and islets, but it draws hundreds of cruise junks simultaneously in high season and can feel overwhelmingly busy. Bai Tu Long Bay, immediately to the east, offers identical karst scenery with 60-70% fewer vessels. Budget €250-450 for a 2-night/3-day mid-range cruise on Ha Long, €180-320 on Bai Tu Long. For travellers who value space and authenticity, Bai Tu Long is the clear choice.
What is a realistic daily budget for Vietnam?+
Plan around €50 per person per day in comfortable mid-range mode: a clean air-conditioned double room, 2-3 meals including one decent dinner, local transport and site entry fees. A backpacker staying in hostels and eating exclusively street food can comfortably manage €25-35 per day. The Paris-Hanoi or Paris-Ho Chi Minh City return flight costs €550-950 depending on season and booking lead time. Ha Long Bay cruises (€250-450 for 2 nights) are the main exceptional expense to budget for separately.

Our verdict

Vietnam is one of the most complete and accessible destinations in Southeast Asia. It pulls off the remarkable feat of combining an exceptionally rich historical and cultural heritage, a street food scene elevated to world art, and natural landscapes of breathtaking beauty — all for a budget that is derisory compared with European standards. The ideal destination for a first major trip to Asia, provided you plan the north-south itinerary carefully around the season, and venture beyond the classic circuits to explore the caves of Phong Nha, the ethnic minority villages of the northwest or the waterways of the Mekong Delta.

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