Vietnam weather in November and December: where it rains and where it is dry

Vietnam’s weather in November and December depends entirely on where you are. In December the north, including Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, is cool and dry: official station averages put Hanoi at 19.6°C and just 20 mm of rain for the month. The central coast, from Hue through Da Nang and Hoi An down to Nha Trang, is still in its rainy season, with 319 to 599 mm on average. The south, from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc, is moving into its dry season. So there is always somewhere with good weather, but a beach week in Da Nang in November is a very different bet from one in Phu Quoc in December.

This guide uses the monthly averages for 2016–2025 that the National Statistics Office of Viet Nam publishes for its weather stations, plus NASA POWER rainfall for Phu Quoc and Ho Chi Minh City, which have no station in those tables. The temperatures are day-and-night means, so afternoons are warmer and nights cooler. Averages tell you what a month is usually like, not what next week will bring: each destination page on our site, such as Hanoi or Phu Quoc, shows a live forecast for the coming days, and that is the one to check before you go.

What is the weather like in Vietnam in November, December and January?

These three months sit at a turning point. The south-west monsoon that soaks the north and south in summer has ended, and the north-east monsoon brings cooler, drier air to the north while pushing rain onto the central coast. Here is how each month usually plays out.

November: the centre is at its wettest

November is one of the wettest months of the year on the central coast. Hue averages 764 mm, Da Nang 463 mm and Nha Trang 426 mm, which makes November the wettest month of the year in Nha Trang. The north, meanwhile, has already turned dry: Hanoi averages 35 mm and Ha Long Bay (Bai Chay station) 25 mm, with mean temperatures around 23–24°C, pleasant for walking. In the south, rain is tailing off; NASA POWER puts Phu Quoc at 125 mm and Ho Chi Minh City at 100 mm, far below their summer totals. The national weather agency issues flood and landslide warnings for the centre in this season; on 11 November 2026 it warned of flash floods and landslides in eight provinces from Ha Tinh to Khanh Hoa, including Hue, Da Nang and Khanh Hoa, the province of Nha Trang.

December: dry north, still-wet centre, dry south

December is the driest month of the year in Hanoi (20 mm) and Ha Long Bay (13 mm), but also noticeably cooler, with averages of 19.6°C and 18.7°C. The centre is still wet, with 599 mm in Hue, 432 mm in Da Nang and 319 mm in Nha Trang, although Da Nang’s official tourism portal says the rainy season usually ends by late December. In the south, Phu Quoc averages only 48 mm and Ho Chi Minh City 32 mm. Vietnam’s national tourism board calls Phu Quoc a sublime tropical escape in December and January.

January: the coolest month in the north

January is the coolest month of the year at every station in the north and centre: 18.3°C in Hanoi, 17.5°C in Ha Long Bay, 20.4°C in Hue and 22.1°C in Da Nang. Rain on the central coast drops sharply (96 mm in Da Nang, 71 mm in Nha Trang), and the south is at its driest, with 27 mm in Phu Quoc and 11 mm in Ho Chi Minh City. Keep in mind that Tet, the Lunar New Year, often falls in late January or February, and many businesses close for several days around it.

Northern Vietnam: what is Hanoi and Ha Long Bay weather like in winter?

The north has real seasons. From December to March, the national tourism board describes Hanoi and Ha Long Bay as cool to cold, misty and cloudy, and warns that from late December nights in Hanoi can drop to around 10°C. The upside is that this is the dry part of the year: November, December and January together bring only about 100 mm of rain to Hanoi, less than August alone (400 mm).

For Ha Long Bay, the tourism board suggests April to June or September to November for the best chance of sunny skies. In winter, low mist often wraps the limestone islands. It cuts the long views, but many visitors find it atmospheric, and the bay is far calmer than in the summer storm months. Pack proper warm layers for an overnight cruise in December or January: the tourism board describes January on the bay as frigid.

November is the sweet spot in the north: still mild (23.7°C on average in Hanoi), dry and usually clear. If you are combining Hanoi with the centre, starting in the north and heading south is the better order at this time of year.

Central Vietnam: why are Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An and Nha Trang wet now?

The central coast has its rainy season late in the year, when the north-east monsoon meets the mountains that run behind the coast. The national tourism board gives the wet months as September to February for Hue, September to January for Hoi An and September to December for Nha Trang, and notes that Hue and Hoi An can see floods from September to November. Da Nang’s tourism portal gives September to December, with October, November and December bringing most of the year’s rain.

The station figures show how concentrated it is. Hue receives more than 1,000 mm in October alone (1,113 mm) and 764 mm in November. Da Nang peaks at 894 mm in October. Nha Trang’s rainy season is later and shorter: its wettest month is November (426 mm), and from January it is dry again. The tourism board calls Nha Trang’s rainy season the shortest in Vietnam.

Travelling here now is still possible, and prices are often lower, but build in slack. Rain can last for days, the sea is often too rough for swimming or island boats, and mountain attractions can close in bad weather. Our Da Nang weather guide covers what the rainy season means for beaches and day trips in more detail. If you are there for New Year, Da Nang holds its New Year Festival along the Han River from 30 December to 3 January.

Southern Vietnam and Phu Quoc: is it the dry season?

Yes, or nearly. The national tourism board gives Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta a dry season from December to April and a wet season from May to November, when afternoon downpours are typical but usually last only a few hours. The NASA figures match: Ho Chi Minh City gets around 200 mm a month from June to October, then 100 mm in November, 32 mm in December and 11 mm in January.

Phu Quoc follows the southern pattern but with a heavier summer. The tourism board lists July to September as its stormy months and October to June as dry, and NASA’s rainfall averages show the wettest stretch from June to September (380 to 444 mm a month). Rain falls away through October (253 mm) and November (125 mm), and December (48 mm), January (27 mm) and February (24 mm) are the driest months of the year. For a beach holiday from mid-December onwards, Phu Quoc is the most reliable choice in the country. Temperatures in the south stay warm all year; the tourism board puts Ho Chi Minh City at around 30 degrees.

Vietnam weather by month: rainfall at six places

The table shows average rainfall in millimetres for every month. Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, Hue, Da Nang and Nha Trang are station averages for 2016–2025 from the National Statistics Office; Phu Quoc has no station in those tables, so its figures are NASA POWER averages for 2001–2025. Hoi An is about 25 km from the Da Nang station and follows the same pattern.

Average temperature (day and night together) in the three months people are planning for now:

Temperature and rainfall: National Statistics Office of Viet Nam, station averages 2016–2025. Rainfall for Phu Quoc: NASA POWER, average 2001–2025.

What should you pack, and what works on a rainy day?

One trip through Vietnam in December can cover three climates, so pack in layers rather than for one season.

• For the north: a warm jacket or fleece, long trousers and closed shoes. Monthly averages below 20°C mean chilly evenings, and a night on a boat in Ha Long Bay feels colder still.
• For the central coast: a light rain jacket, quick-dry clothes and sandals you do not mind getting wet. A small dry bag helps on motorbike taxis.
• For the south and Phu Quoc: summer clothes, sunscreen and a hat.

On a wet day in the centre, plan indoor and short outings: museums and covered markets, a cooking class, coffee shops, spas, or the old town of Hoi An between showers. Keep a spare day for anything that depends on the sea or the mountains, such as island boat trips or cable cars, and book rooms you can cancel. When storms or floods are forecast, follow the warnings of the national weather agency (nchmf.gov.vn) and local authorities, and check that your flight and any ferry is still running before you leave. If you have not sorted your entry yet, our guide to the Vietnam e-visa on the official site walks through the application.

Where should you go in Vietnam right now?

For November: the north is at its best, dry and mild, so Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and the northern mountains are the strongest choice. The south is drying out, but the central coast is at its wettest.

For December: go north for cool, dry sightseeing (bring a jacket), or south for beach weather. Phu Quoc is the most dependable beach in the country from mid-December. The central coast is still a gamble until late in the month.

For January: the south is at its driest, the centre is drying out (Da Nang and Nha Trang are much drier than in December), and the north is at its coolest. It is a good month for a north-to-south trip, as long as you plan around Tet.

Whatever you choose, check the live forecast on the destination page a few days before you travel, and follow official warnings if a storm is approaching.