Vietnam is a small country. Vietnam Map indicates its neighboring countries, water bodies, national capital and the major cities. Cambodia, Laos, China are the three neighboring countries shown as per the Vietnam Map. Vietnam city map also shows that Gulf of Thailand, South China Sea and Gulf of Tonkin are the three water bodies surrounding the country of Vietnam.
Shaped like an elongated S, Vietnam stretches the length of the Indochinese Peninsula and covers a surface area of 128,000 square miles–making it roughly the size of Italy or, in the U.S., New Mexico. China lies to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, and the South China Sea to the east.
The good news for travelers is that it’s always high season somewhere in Vietnam, and the tropical south is always warm. Vietnam can be broken into three distinct geographical and climatic zones as follows: north, central, and south.
North Vietnam – Hanoi: Summer (May – October, Average temp is 24-330C, hot and humid, especially inland, which is not touched by cool coastal breezes. Tropical rain showers and the occasional typhoon are also possibilities – light clothes and an umbrella are recommended. Winter (November -April, average temp 16-230c. Remains fairly dry up until late February/March, when it starts to drizzle almost constantly and waterproofs become a necessity. Warm clothes are a must during the cool months, especially when travelling in the hill areas. The north is cooler than the rest of the country. Winter months, from November until January, can be quite cool, especially in mountainous areas. If you are going far north to Sapa or Dien Bien Phu along the China/Laos border, be sure to bring one extra layer of warmth (a pullover will do); near Sapa is Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest point, and there is even the occasional freeze and snow at this altitude. Hanoi, the capital and in the north, as well as nearby coastal regions around Haiphong and Halong Bay, experience relatively high humidity year-round and a rainy season from May to October. Winter months are cool (10-14°C) and somewhat damp, but the heat starts to pick up in April and makes for a hot, wet summer (many Hanoians get out of town, to the mountain towns or nearby beaches off Haiphong or Vinh). The best time to visit the north, though cold in midwinter, is from November to the end of April.
Central Vietnam – Lowlands and Highlands: Dalat, Hue , Da Nang , Hoi An, Nha Trang:
Summer from May – October (23-240C), winter from November – April (17-230C). The central belt of Vietnam comprises the lowlands and the highlands. The weather is fairly similar across both, although the highlands tend to be slightly cooler with higher rainfall as the majority of rain normally falls on the mountains before arriving at the low coastal areas.
Lowlands Summer – the weather is warm and reasonably dry from May to September. The monsoon winds then change bringing above average rain during late September. This time is not ideal as rain can be fairly constant – flooding and, in extreme cases, typhoons are also a possibility.
Highlands Winter temperatures can fall slightly below the average and rainfall is higher than at lower elevations. However, most rain tends to fall during the summer months when it can be very wet – although these summer months do provide a respite from the often intense heat of other areas.
Southern Vietnam, Mekong Delta, Ho Chi Minh City: Summer from May – November (24 – 310C) hot, humid and rainy but heavy downpours are usually short lived. Winter from December – April (22 – 330C) remains hot and humid, although humidity levels are more bearable between December and February. During April and May the southwest monsoon winds bring rain showers to the Mekong Delta and southern Vietnam.
Because of the regional variations in weather, a part of the country is seasonable at any time of year. Most travelers in Vietnam trace a north-south or south-north route with flights connecting on either end (or adding continued travel to Cambodia or China). Depending on the duration of your stay, you can plan to “follow” the good weather, hitting Saigon in February or March and tracing warmer weather up the coast.