Best Time to Visit Ho Chi Minh City

Dry season: December to April

December and January are the best months here, and the data agrees. Days are warm but not punishing, and the air feels lighter. Rain is rare, so you can wander District 1, walk the Saigon River bank and take day trips without watching the sky.

February to April is a different story. March and April are the hottest months, with highs of 38°C. Midday in the War Remnants Museum queue or at the Cu Chi Tunnels is draining. Do your outdoor sightseeing early, then retreat to the Ben Thanh Market food stalls or a café with air-con. April also sees the first real showers return.

Rainy season: May to October

Expect rain on most days from June to October. July has the most, at 229 mm on 25 days. But it's rarely a whole-day washout. Often you get sun in the morning and a heavy downpour in the afternoon, then it clears. Humidity sits at 88% for the last few months of this stretch, so everything feels sticky.

The upside? Fewer tourists, easier hotel deals and greener countryside. If you're heading to the Mekong Delta, the rivers are full and the orchards are lush. Just keep time free for a long café stop when the sky opens. Motorbike taxis and Grab bikes get hard to find in a downpour.

November is the in-between month. It's still damp, with rain on 16 days, but the drier weather is near.

Crowds and festivals

High season runs from December to February. Flights and hotels fill up, and the city is at its busiest. If you hate crowds, try early December or April, though April is hot.

Tet, the Lunar New Year, falls in late January or February. It's the biggest event of the year. Many locals travel home, and lots of shops and restaurants close for several days. The city feels calm, and the flower displays on Nguyen Hue walking street are a highlight. Travelling with kids? Tet can be fun, but transport is tight, so expect fewer options.

Later in the year, the Mid-Autumn Festival brings lanterns and mooncakes, usually in September or October. It's a good reason to visit in the wet months, especially for families. Pack a poncho from a corner shop, and enjoy the lantern-lit streets of Cholon, the Chinese quarter, between showers.