Indochina’s Climatic Complexity

Although it’s only a small region, Indochina’s weather is complicated, to say the least. The pages in this section provide country overviews and specific descriptions of the prevailing weather patterns in each area you might visit. There’s also a page about the extreme forms of weather that can occur, and how they are likely to affect you.

Don't trust the weather charts!

Indochina’s convoluted climatic conditions means that average temperature and rainfall tables often bear little relation to the actual weather, and travelers can find their holiday ruined by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. On the other hand, it means that the weather is seldom universally bad. With careful planning and our local knowledge, we can generally arrange an itinerary that offers a good chance of reasonable weather at more or less any time of the year.

Don't rely too much on the weather forecasts, either!

Weather forecasts are only of value for a week or so in advance and even then, they are not very reliable. Weather averages are better indicators of what to expect in a particular month. In each of the pages describing the weather patterns in specific locations, there is a table of average temperatures, rainfall, and so on.

Rain comes in many forms in Indochina!

Wet weather is never very far away in Indochina, but the degree to which it affects you depends on what you intend to do. In Vietnam, for example, if you want to go diving at Nha Trang, October, November and most of December are useless because the rain turns the sea into a murky soup at that time. However, if you want to visit the Cham monuments, it’s only a matter of dodging the showers.

Furthermore, the type of rain matters. Hue is wet for much of the year but it’s usually little more than an inconvenient drizzle, even during the rainy season. In the South, the summer monsoon brings torrential rain that floods the streets and fields almost immediately, but clears up as quickly as it appears.

We do our best, but please don’t blame us if we get it wrong

Prophesying what the weather will do in a specific location is a risky job anywhere – in Indochina, it’s near impossible. If you want an update on the actual weather situation in Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia, just send us an e-mail.

If you travel with Lighthouse International Tours, you’ll receive a current weather forecast when you arrive, and updates during your tour if you wish.

We also keep a close eye on short-range weather forecasts and warnings of possible storms. If there’s a possibility of severe weather conditions, and after consulting you, we’ll rearrange the itinerary or make special arrangements if we think there could be a safety risk. Fortunately, such situations are rare!

Vietnam’s climate

Vietnam's elongated shape includes tropical and subtropical zone and is responsible for the varied climate in the country. Generally speaking the best time to travel in Vietnam is when there is a reduced chance of rain; that is during April/May and October/November.

The South (from Ho Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet)

The south is hot year round and has two seasons: one wet the other dry. The wet season lasts from May to October and you can expect daily downpours. These are usually brief and easy to predict. The dry season from November to April is generally sunny and humid

The Center (from Nha Trang to Hue)

For most of the year Nha Trang is bathed in beautiful sunshine but between November and December the area has heavy rain. Dalat, at an altitude of 1,500m is cooler than the coastal area, particularly from November through to March. Danang and Hue both experience typhoon activity from mid October to mid December when the climate becomes cooler, more overcast and wet.

The North (from Hanoi to Sapa)

Summer in the north lasts from May to October where temperatures range between 30-35 degrees Celsius with the occasional burst of heavy rain. The temperature varies from 10-15 degrees in winter (December to March). February and March can be damp with drizzle and overcast skies.