It can be said that anytime in a year is a good time to visit Ho Chi
Minh City. Once called The Pearl of the Orient, Ho Chi Minh City is
famous for its pleasant climate and rarely suffer from natural disasters
like the Central or Northern Vietnam (see the weather comparison
chart).
Best time to visit: The dry season
With a
tropical climate of 2 distinctive seasons: dry and wet, it's suggested
that you should pay a visit to Ho Chi Minh City during the dry season,
starting from December and lasting until April. This period of the year
is known to be the hottest, with average temperature of 28 °C (82 °F).
The peak is 39 °C (102 °F) around noon time in late April, while the
lowest may fall below 16 °C (61 °F) in the early mornings of late
December. Humidity is moderate in December and begins to decrease from
January to April. Hence, if travelling during this period, foreign
travellers can escape from the normal sticky weather of Saigon.
In
term of activity, this is surely an attractive occasion as tourists can
celebrate Christmas and New Year explosively with local people here
(see How Vietnamese celebrate Christmas). From Christmas until New Year,
streets and hotels in city center are filled with colorful decorations,
people hanging out and grand sales happening at all kinds of shops
(including those in upper ranges). During Lunar New Year (around
late-January and mid-February), many stores will be closed and air
tickets will be fully booked just before it, so plan your trip
accordingly. Otherwise it is a great opportunity to see how Vietnamese
enjoy their own “Tet” Festival.
The rest of the year
Although
dry season tends to be the popular choice, rainy season still has its
advantages, considering that this city is endowed with a rare nice
climate. It often has short day time rains that clear as quickly as they
come, and give space for even more sun.
In this monsoon season,
from May to November, it is quite humid and rainy. There're several
major national holidays during this time such as Vietnam Reunification
Day on April 30th, May Day on May 1st, Vietnam National Day on September
2nd which will see an exodus of people coming in and out of these
cities. Transportation and restaurant service on these days may be a
little scantier for visitors, especially in nearby retreating places
like Nha Trang, Mui Ne and Dalat.
In brief, if you want
comfortable climate - visit Vietnam between December and April. If you
are a budget travellers or professional sales hunters, May - September
is the best choice.
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