Weather in Saigon: The Best Time to Visit South Vietnam's Megacity

People keep asking me: when is the best time to travel to Saigon? When to visit Vietnam? If you, too, want to know what the climate is like in Ho Chi Minh City before you take the plane, here's all the information you need about the weather in South Vietnam.

The climate of South Vietnam is subequatorial, meaning there are high year-round temperatures and two seasons – rainy and dry. So when is the best time of the year to travel to Saigon and Mekong Delta?

The offical dry season lasts from December to April. Temperatures are temperate at first but can climb up to 40°C at the end of April while remaining very humid. The rainy season in turn, which runs from May to November, is characterized by violent but brief showers.

The best time to visit Saigon runs from December to March

In Saigon, the annual average temperature is 27°C and never falls below 15°C. The best time to visit the city runs from December to March when it is dry and sunny. February is the month when it rains the least of the year while March and April are the hottest months with an average of 36 to 38°C.

Average temperature in Saigon through the year

If you are generally interested in the climate of Vietnam, check out our article about the best time to visit Vietnam. We also have a section about the weather of Hanoi, for those among you who are more into the North. Check it out!

The wettest period is from July to September

It’s not all doom and gloom though, as the rain can bring a welcome drop in temperature. The heaviest rains occur between mid-August and mid-September and many of the streets in the city will be flooded at this time.

Average rainfall and humididy

This problem is exacerbated by the gradual sinking of the most populous city in Vietnam.

Research has shown that Saigon is slowly sinking due to mass urbanization and excessive pumping of groundwater, with some places sinking up to 20 millimeters per year.

But the greatest threat comes from the coastline. 90% of the Mekong Delta and more than 20% of Ho Chi Minh City will be flooded by 2100 if the sea water level rises 1 meter.

If you don't have the choice about your holiday dates, we still recommend you to come to Vietnam, but you should prefer visiting areas such as Nha Trang where the rain is much lower.