Best Time to Travel to Vietnam
Characterized by a subtropical climate in the North and a monsoon climate in the South, Vietnam’s weather is different from North to South. The best time to visit Vietnam is from November to April.
Northern Vietnam:
There are four seasons in this region (spring is from March to April, summer from May to August, autumn from September to November, winter from December to February). Due to the difference in altitude, the temperature in mountainous areas is lower than in the delta region.
Summer: It is hot and humid in Northern Vietnam during summers. This region will experience heavy rains as well, so we do not recommend traveling to the mountainous area in summers.
Winter: The temperature may drop to 10 degrees Celsius, and maybe 0 degrees Celsius in mountainous regions.
This region experiences drizzling rains and a high level of humidity in spring.
Central Vietnam:
This region experience warm to cool weather year-round.
February – August: It is the dry season in Central Vietnam, which is suitable for your swimming, snorkeling and diving activities.
September – mid-December: This region is impacted by typhoons and flooding may occur in Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An. Nha Trang, Da Lat, and Mui Ne are less affected by typhoons.
Southern Vietnam:
Similar to the central region, the south of Vietnam is warm year-round.
November – early May: Dry season, in which it is hotter from February to April.
May – early November: Rainy season, but the rains are short so they will not affect your trip.
Passport & Visa to Vietnam
Traveler’s passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into Vietnam. Passport holders from the USA, Europe, Australia, and Canada can travel to Vietnam without a visa for 15 days. If you wish to enter Viet Nam at least two consecutive times without visa, the next entry must be at least 30 days after the previous exit. Otherwise, you still need a visa to enter Vietnam.
If your trip is 30 days or less and if you are traveling by air to Vietnam, you could apply for a Visa on Arrival. Firstly, you need to submit an application form online to apply for a Letter of Approval. Vietnam Immigration Department will email you the Letter of Approval. Secondly, take your approval letter and passport on your trip and have it stamped at the immigration office at one of Vietnam’s international airport. Most important, remember to bring enough cash to pay for Visa fee at the airport in USD and no other form of payment is accepted.
Vietnam Currency
The official currency in Vietnam is Vietnam Dong (VND) which comes in different denominations: 1,000; 2,000; 5,000; 10,000; 20,000; 50,000; 100,000; 200,000 and 500,000.
You can exchange money at our airport or at some national banks (Vietcombank, Techcombank, TP Bank, etc.) or international banks (Shinhan Bank, Public Bank, ANZ, HSBC, etc.). Unofficial exchange places such as jewelry stores are not recommended. ATMs are easy to be found in major cities, but if you travel to rural areas, bring enough cash.