Vietnam Travel Guide - Climate and Weather

Vietnam is located in both a tropical and a temperate zone. It is characterized by strong monsoon influences, but has a considerable amount of sun, a high rate of rainfall, and high humidity. Regions located near the tropics and in the mountainous regions are endowed with a temperate climate.
The annual average temperature ranges from 22ºC to 27ºC. In Hanoi, the average temperature is 23ºC, in Ho Chi Minh City it is 26ºC, and in Hue it is 25ºC.
There are two distinguishable seasons. The cold season occurs from November to April and the hot season from May to October. The difference in temperature between the two seasons in southern Vietnam is almost unnoticeable, averaging 3ºC. The most noticeable variations are found in the northern provinces where differences of 12ºC have been observed. There are essentially four distinct seasons, which are most evident in the northern provinces.

	Best Season	Wet	Dry	Hot	Cool
North (Hanoi):	Nov - Mar	May - Oct	Nov - Apr	Apr - Sep	Nov - Mar
Middle (Hue):	May - Jun	Sep - Jan	May - Apr	May - Aug	Dec - Jan
South(Saigon)	Nov - Apr	May - Sep	Mar - Apr	all year	None

Clothing:
North: In the highlands Nov-Mar, it is very cold, especially mornings. Jacket necessary.
South: T-shirts are enough all year around, except in the highlands, where it can be cooler. Apr-May is very hot. Hats are essential to avoid sun stroke.