The best times to visit Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

14.10.2024 - 21:20 / lonelyplanet.com

Oct 10, 2024 • 5 min read

Ho Chi Minh City (formerly and still sometimes referred to as Saigon) is one of Vietnam’s most vibrant and culturally rich cities. Although it is characterized by a tropical climate with two main seasons – dry and wet – the city is less susceptible to severe weather conditions than other parts of the country, and potential storms rarely disrupt travel plans.

You can immerse yourself in the city’s cultural heritage, visit historical landmarks, and enjoy street food—regardless of the season. However, timing plays a crucial role in making the most of your trip and ensuring you can enjoy specific activities on your itinerary. Here’s what you should consider when deciding the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City.

December to April is often considered the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City since it is prime dry season. During these months, the city experiences lower humidity, mild temperatures (averaging around 28°C/82°F), and minimal rainfall, offering pleasant conditions to explore the sights and enjoy the bustling streets on foot and motorbikes without worrying about sudden downpours and extreme midday heat.

This is also the best time for a trip to the nearby Mekong Delta or Cu Chi Tunnels. The Mekong Delta’s rice fields are often in full growth, offering a picturesque green landscape that is best enjoyed on scenic boat rides, and is ideal for photographers. The area surrounding Cu Chi, which requires walking through some jungle terrain, is much easier to navigate when the ground is dry and firm. Meanwhile, the cooler weather makes it more comfortable to crawl through the narrow underground passageways. 

This is the time when Ho Chi Minh City comes alive during the holiday season with the celebration of Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Considered the most important festival in the country, the preparations for Tet start from the last lunar month (which often falls at the end of January).

Every restaurant and coffee shop goes all the way with its creativity to come up with innovative decorative concepts. The facades transform with traditional symbols, like apricot blossoms, firecrackers, red envelopes, and the zodiac animal of the year. Delicious seasonal drinks are added to menus to boost festive spirits and coffee shops serve as cultural hubs during this time.

Visiting parks, popular tourist spots, and pedestrian-only areas, like Tao Dan Park, Bach Dang Wharf Park, and Nguyen Hue Walking Street, is also more delightful and exciting at this time because they are the main venues for the city’s events. Flowers are in full bloom, everyone dons their finest clothes and wears their happiest faces, and no one rushes anywhere. All public places become even more picturesque. Most museums