Ho Chi Minh City (known as Saigon) is considered as the most outstanding tourist attraction in Vietnam which has several amazing landscapes, cultural heritages, historical sites,... The following parts will provide you with useful and practical information about the climate of Ho Chi Minh City.
I - Overview about the weather in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City is located in the tropical climate zone; therefore, this city experiences hot and humid weather.
- There are 2 seasons: dry season (December - April) & rainy season (May - November)
- The average temperature in Ho Chi Minh City: 27°C (the highest temperature: 32oC & the lowest one: 21°C)
- The annual precipitation: 1949mm
- The average humidity: approximately 79.5%
Ho Chi Minh City at dust - Source: Pete Walls
II - Details about the weather in Ho Chi Minh in dry & rainy seasons
1 - In the dry season (December - April)
Characteristics of the dry season in Ho Chi Minh City
The dry season in Ho Chi Minh City has low rainfall, low humidity and high temperature.
- Average temperature of the day is about 26 - 29°C
- Humidity: to 70 - 72%
- The highest monthly rainfall: 50mm in April
- The lowest monthly rainfall: 4.1mm in February
- The average monthly hours of sunshine: at least 226 hours. The highest is 272 hours in December and March respectively.
Weather in Saigon on sunny days is very suitable for sightseeing, visiting historic sites and joining in outdoor activities. Moreover, due to the weather conditions, transportation is also extremely convenient.
Dam Sen Water Park - Source: Internet
What to do in Ho Chi Chi Minh City in the dry season?
The weather in Ho Chi Minh City during the dry season is favourable for you to try some following activities:
- Traveling arounds the streets of Saigon by cycle rickshaw while experiencing the hustle and bustle of the city.
- Enjoying the city filled with the yellow color of flowers of apricots and chrysanthemums during the Vietnam Lunar New Year (January to February). Furthermore, during Tet holiday, Ho Chi Minh City has a new appearance formed by colorful, vibrant lights, and flowers. Several traditional activities are also organized on this occasion such as fireworks, spring festival, and so much more.
- Don’t forget to enjoy the typical Saigon street food at the markets and food streets or visit the floating market, cruise on Nha Be River,...
- Ho Chi Minh City weather in the dry season is suitable for taking a tour to historical sites, scenic spots, and outdoor amusement areas such as Suoi Tien Water Park, Dam Sen Water Park, Notre Dame Cathedral, Independence Palace, Saigon Opera House,...
Ho Chi Minh City in Tet Lunar New Year time - Source: Thao Luong
Tips and advice when visiting Ho Chi Minh City in the dry season
- Always use sunscreen
- The dry season is also the peak of the tourist season, so you should carefully review the necessary information, make reservations to avoid unexpected incidents
- From January to February, due to the Lunar New Year - a traditional festival of Vietnamese people, the demand for transportation is extremely high (especially during the 7 days before and after the Tet holiday); you should be careful with traffic congestion and overload transportation situations
2 - Weather in Ho Chi Minh City in the rainy season (May - November)
Characteristics of the rainy season in Ho Chi Minh City:
In the rainy period, you may experience sudden heavy rain that significantly affects the traffic in Ho Chi Minh city negatively.
- Humidity: 80 - 85%
- The lowest average monthly rainfall: 116.5mm in November
- The highest average monthly rainfall: 327.1mm in September
- Temperature in Ho Chi Minh City: approximately 27°C
- The average sunshine duration within a month at this time is much less than the dry season, in which the highest time of sunshine is about 200 hours in November, and the lowest one is 170 hours in June.
Saigon coffee - Source: Behance
However, the weather of this season often changes from one month to another as mentioned below:
- Ho Chi Minh City weather in May: May is the month in which the weather gradually changes from the dry season to the rainy season, so the temperature still stands at a rather high level of 28oC. At this time, you can sometimes be caught in the middle of a sudden rainfall, as the amount of rain has also increased significantly, reaching an average of 218.4mm.
- June and July: the rainfall starts to increase, reaching an average of 311.7mm and 293.7mm respectively. Due to high humidity, rain falls more often and longer, but the temperature does not drop too much, holding at about 27-28°C.
- The weather in Ho Chi Minh City in August, September, and October: Rainfall does not fluctuate too much, but it is enough to cool Saigon's atmosphere, the temperature sometimes drops to 23-24°C, with a record of lowest at 16.3°C. August and October have quite similar average amounts of rainfall, about 266.7mm and 269.8mm, but the average soars to 327.1mm in September.
- November: This month is the end of the rainy season; therefore, the precipitation is quite moderate, falling to an average of 116.5mm. You can freely travel around the city under a very favourable weather condition, with the average temperature of the day falling at 26.7°C.
- Weather of Ho Chi Minh City in October and November are the 2 peak months for international tourists.
What to do in Ho Chi Chi Minh City in the rainy season?
The activities that you can experience in Saigon's rainy season are not too different from the dry one. However, in a colder Ho Chi Minh weather with more sudden rain, the must-try activities should include:
- Enjoy Saigon coffee associated with the bustle and hustle of the city covered under the romantic rain.
- Experience amazing dishes that can warm you up like a hot pot, BBQ grill,...
- Experience shopping at shopping malls and supermarkets,...
Source: Osman Rana
Tips and advice when coming to Saigon in the rainy season:
- You should prepare umbrellas or raincoats to deal with the sudden rain. You also need to check the weather forecast beforehand and schedule appropriately.
- You must pay attention to traffic congestion, and flash floods on Saigon's streets during and after the rain.
The weather in Ho Chi Minh City is quite stable and suitable for several kinds of tourism activities. Hopefully, via the provided information, you will have a better understanding about the climate of Ho Chi Minh City.
— Duy Linh
