Weather, seasons and festivals, month by month
Hoi An has two seasons: a long dry season from February to August and a rainy season from September to January, with floods most likely in October and November. Here is what each month is really like, and how to plan your tours around it.
February to April is the best time to visit Hoi An for most people: dry, sunny, warm rather than hot, and green after the rains. May to August is hot (often 34°C and above) but sunny and reliable, the best time for the beach and the Cham Islands. September to December is the rainy season; October and November bring the heaviest rain, occasional typhoons and floods in the riverside streets of the Old Town.
Lantern nights happen every month. Whatever your dates, check our lantern festival calendar: the full-moon evening is the most atmospheric night of the month in any season.
| Month | Average high | Rainfall | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | about 25°C | about 100 mm | Cool and cloudy, light drizzle; the end of the wet season |
| February | about 26°C | about 30 mm | Pleasant and drying out; Tet (Lunar New Year) often falls here |
| March | about 28°C | about 20 mm | One of the best months: dry, sunny, not too hot |
| April | about 30°C | about 30 mm | Excellent, warmer; the sea is calm for the Cham Islands |
| May | about 33°C | about 60 mm | Hot and sunny, the odd afternoon storm |
| June | about 34°C | about 90 mm | Hot, humid, beach season; busy with domestic tourists |
| July | about 34°C | about 90 mm | Hot; plan outdoor tours for early morning |
| August | about 34°C | about 100 mm | Hot, more thunderstorms towards the end of the month |
| September | about 32°C | about 350 mm | The rainy season begins; still many sunny mornings |
| October | about 29°C | about 600 mm | The wettest month; flood and typhoon risk |
| November | about 27°C | about 370 mm | Very wet, flood risk; quiet and cheaper |
| December | about 25°C | about 200 mm | Cooler, showery, improving through the month |
Long-term averages for the Da Nang weather station, 30 km from Hoi An, rounded. Single years vary a lot.
From September to December, central Vietnam catches the north-east monsoon and the tail of the Pacific typhoon season. Rain usually comes as heavy showers rather than all-day downpours, and most tours still run. The exception is flooding: after several days of heavy rain, the Thu Bon River can rise into the streets along the waterfront, most often in October and November. Locals then move around by boat, shops lift their goods upstairs and the water usually drops again within a day or two.
| Tour | Best months | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ba Na Hills | February–August | Clear views from the cable car; the peak is often in cloud in the wet season |
| Cham Islands | March–September | Calm sea and clear water; trips rarely run in winter |
| My Son | All year, at sunrise | Avoids the heat in summer and most showers in winter |
| Hai Van Pass | February–August | The pass is often in fog and drizzle from October to January |
| Basket boats | All year | Short and easy to move to a dry hour |
A dry-season highlight, two classes for rainy afternoons and a river ride that works all year.
A speedboat day to the Cham Islands marine park with snorkelling on the coral, a fishing village and beach time, in a smaller group than the mass-market trips. Runs only in the calm-sea season.
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Two hours in a small Old Town workshop learning how Vietnam drinks its coffee: phin-filter drip coffee, egg coffee, coconut coffee and salt coffee, made by you and tasted on the spot. A lovely rainy-afternoon activity and one of the highest-rated classes in town.
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Build your own silk lantern in a small Old Town workshop, from bamboo frame to silk panels. The lantern folds flat for your suitcase. Easy, calm and a great keepsake from Hoi An.
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A short wooden-boat ride on the river past the lit-up Old Town, ending with a paper lantern you set on the water. Book it for the full-moon lantern nights or any evening; it is the one experience almost every visitor to Hoi An does.
Check availabilityMarch and April are the best all-round months: dry, sunny and not yet too hot. February is also very good, apart from the days around Tet.
From September to December (sometimes into January), with the heaviest rain and flood risk in October and November.
Yes, if you are flexible: it is quieter and cheaper, and most days still have dry spells. Keep a day spare in case a flood or storm cancels a trip.
Usually from March to September, when the sea is calm. Outside that period trips are often suspended.
