Planning a Trip to Vietnam?
Vietnam is long and narrow, and that shape drives almost every planning decision. The distance from the far north to the Mekong Delta is substantial, and the north, centre and south have genuinely different climates at the same time of year. A trip that works beautifully in one region can be badly timed in another.
Because of that, there is no single best month for the whole country. The north has a cool season and a hot, humid one. The centre has its own pattern, including a period of heavier rain and storm risk in the later part of the year. The south is closer to a straightforward dry-season and wet-season split. If you plan to travel the length of the country, expect to accept a compromise somewhere — and decide deliberately which region you want to optimise for.
Entry requirements are the thing to confirm early. Vietnam’s rules for visitors have changed more than once in recent years, including the length of stay permitted and how the application is made. Check the current requirement for your nationality with the official source before booking, rather than relying on a guide written a year ago.
Internally, domestic flights save a great deal of time between the main regions, while trains and buses are slower but show you far more of the country in between. Which is right depends on whether the journey is time to be minimised or part of the trip.
Vietnam Travel Articles
We are still expanding our Vietnam coverage. In the meantime, our full library covers the planning decisions that apply to any destination — choosing where to go, timing the trip, setting a realistic budget, and getting ready to book.