:quality(90)/f/86150/5929x3958/47e4617d0c/vietnam-tropics.jpg)
:quality(90)/f/86150/483x483/467ce292e6/lexi-ward.jpg)
If you are thinking about moving to Vietnam, you’ve probably seen, heard or read that, whilst most countries have four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), Vietnam has only two (Rainy and Dry).
You may be wondering, what does that really mean for people living and working in Vietnam? How rainy is rainy? Should I be prepared for floods every day? Will there be weeks when the rain never ends? Below, I’ll share some first-hand experience of living and working in Ho Chi Minh City through the rainy and dry seasons.
A few facts about Vietnam and living in tropical/subtropical cities
Hanoi is in the north of Vietnam. Its coldest temperature in winter is around 10°C (50°F), and its highest is around 39°C (102°F).
Ho Chi Minh City is in the south of Vietnam. Its coldest temperature in winter is around 15°C (59°F), and its highest is around 39°C (102°F).
The consistently warm weather means that there are many more hours of sunshine, even in the rainy season. In fact, Ho Chi Minh City is estimated to have 2–2.5x the hours of sunlight that London has.
The rainy season tends to mean some rain almost every day, but the rain is usually very heavy and lasts less than 30 minutes.
The rainy season helps cities across Vietnam cool off. For example, Ho Chi Minh City’s hottest month is not July; it’s actually May! That’s because May tends to be the last month of the dry season (long periods of sunshine with no rain). Whilst May can reach 39°C (102°F), July and August tend to be in the low 30s, consistently warm and kept comfortable by regular, short, intense rain.
Whilst flooding can occur across Vietnam, in cities, flooding is usually quite limited and occurs in specific areas of each city that are more prone to flooding, so it is relatively predictable (just ask a local and they can tell you where to avoid).
So, what does all this mean for the average person living in Vietnam?
You can leave your coats at home! Pack a jumper (sweater) and a pair of jeans for January, but for the rest of the year, it’s summer all year round .
Once you arrive, grab a raincoat. (Umbrellas don’t tend to do well in the heavy rain.) You can bring it with you throughout the rainy season, but you’ll probably only need it every now and then if you get caught in a sudden downpour.
There are lots of days to be out and about, to go swimming, play a sport, go hiking, travel to another town or just lounge around in front of a coffee shop.
In short, the dry season is a great time to be out enjoying yourself and doing the things you want to do, and the rainy season is too! No matter the season, sunshine is guaranteed for most of the day, and there’s never a bad time to do something outside!