May is summer in Northern Vietnam, the dry and hot season in the Central Coast, the rainy season in the Central Highlands and Southern Vietnam.
In Northern Vietnam the temperatures are more likely pleasant in the Northeast and in the lowland, but more likely to be hot in part of the Northwest of Vietnam: Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien Phu and Lao Cai. The reason is that this part of the Northwest is under impact of the Lao Wind which blows from Laos and which is a foehn wind.
Besides, part of the Northwest of Vietnam and most of the Central Coast of Vietnam are often to come under impact of growing hot-air troughs, which are often present in the atmosphere to the west (over Laos) or northwest of Vietnam (over southwestern China), which are also attributed to dry air and hot temperatures in these places.
Daily rain may be found from the beginning of May or from after the first half of May in the Central Highlands and Southern Vietnam. This means that high temperatures may be the norm in these places in the first half of the month.
Monsoons in Vietnam in May
In May there are four monsoons affecting Vietnam:
- Northeasterly Monsoon causes pleasant temperatures in part of the North . The Northeasterly Wind in May is often weak and not likely to cause cold temperatures at all.
- The Southeasterly Wind which causes pleasant temperatures in most of the North and which may cause showers ;
- The Westerly Wind from Laos, which is a foehn wind and which affects part of the Northwest of Vietnam (Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai) and part of the Central Coast (from Thanh Hoa to Hue), which causes dry and warm or hot temperatures ;
- The Southwesterly Wind, which comes from the Bengal Bay in May at the beginning of the month and which is also a foehn wind causing dry and hot temperatures in part of the Central Highlands on low altitudes, hot temperatures in Southern Vietnam.
There may be more days that the lowland of Northern Vietnam is to come under the impact of the Easterly Monsoon which often causes pleasant temperatures in the region.
- The sea and the offshore islands in northern Vietnam are to come under impact of the Southeasterly Wind in the North and Southwesterly Wind in the South in May : pleasant temperatures, calm sea mostly.
What to expect from your holidays to Vietnam in May, where to go in Vietnam in May?
Taking the general weather conditions in Vietnam into consideration, for those travelers planning trips to Vietnam or those who are on holidays in Vietnam in May, then there may be some notes as follows:
- May could be or could be not a good time to travel to the far-northern mountains of Vietnam given that it could rain or it could be dry. While the rain in May is mostly short-lived, but bare hills or steep mountain slopes without forest may pose dangers in or right after heavy rain.
The Red River Delta is a good place to travel to in May. There may be days with hot temperatures but it is more likely that the North enjoy a pleasant time for most of the month. Ninh Binh is among the top choices for countryside landscape all the month. May is often a good time for luxury cruises on Halong Bay may have foggy sometimes at the beginning of the month.
- The Central Coast of Vietnam often has sunny weather. Due to the foehn wind which may be strong in May that part of the Central Coast from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri and Hue may have hot days with strong sun. The region to the south of the Central Coast from Da Nang to Binh Thuan is more likely to enjoy sunshine with more tolerable temperatures.
- May is not a good time for birding tours in Northern Vietnam as it is the nesting and mating time of many bird species and most migratory bird species have left the region. But it could still be a fine time for birdwatching in: Bach Ma National Park, Cat Tien National Park, Da Lat, Bidoup-Nui Ba National Park, Deo Nui San (Di Linh Plateau, Lam Dong Province).
- May is a great time for beach holidays or for island vacations in all over Vietnam. The sea is calm all over the country in May. And it is more likely that there is no typhoon in Vietnam in May.
The best beaches to visit in Vietnam in May include Sam Son Beach (Thanh Hoa), Cua Lo Beach (Nghe An), Dong Hoi (Quang Binh Province), Da Nang, Hoi An, Cam Ranh Beach (Khanh Hoa Province), Ninh Chu Beach (Phan Rang-Thap Cham City, Ninh Thuan Province), Mui Ne Beach (Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province), Ho Tram Beach (Xuyen Moc District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province), Long Hai Beach (Ba Ria-Vung Tau), Vung Tau (Vung Tau City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province).
For those who plan a trip to the Central Highlands, you are to have a good holiday ahead with sunny days and pleasant temperatures. There may be daily rain in the region but it is mostly short-lived rain which each lasts for half an hour or an hour.
Those planning holidays to Southern Vietnam in May, then you are likely to have strong sun and hot temperatures with the highs reaching 36-37oC at the beginning of the month. The temperatures turn more pleasant coming into the second half of May. The beaches in Vung Tau, Long Hai and Mui Ne, Phan Thiet are the best options near Saigon Ho Chi Minh City.
Con Dao Islands, Phu Quoc Island are to have either sunny or cloudy days with lovely temperatures of 26-33oC.
Rainfalls measured in 24 hours from 08:00 hours of 08-May-2024: Yên Thế 129,4 mm (Yên Bái), Nghĩa Đô 155,6 mm (Lào Cai), Mẫu Sơn 130,2mm (Lạng Sơn), Thái Cường 140,3mm (Cao Bằng),…
Below you can find Paradissa’s reviews and statistics of the weather in different regions in Vietnam in May 2024
At the beginning of May 2024, northern Vietnam received a few consecutive spells of the Northeasterly Wind which caused showers and pleasant temperatures.
The Central Coast of Vietnam had some rain and nice temperatures mostly.
The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam started having rain from th beginning of the month helping the regions to fight the serious ongoing drought.
Regional weather patterns in Vietnam in the first 10 days of May 2024 :
- Northeast (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan...): clouds, rain, 22-29oC;
- Northwest: clouds, rain, 23-31oC in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai; clouds, rain, 22-31oC in Son La, Dien Bien Phu, Lai Chau ;
- Lowlands (Hanoi, Ninh Binh...): clouds, some rain, 24-31oC.
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): clouds, rain, 25-31oC ;
- Central Coast from Quang Binh to Hue: sun, clouds, 25-34oC ;
- Central Coast from Da Nang to Quang Ngai: sun, clouds, 26-35oC;
- Central Coast from Quy Nhon to Tuy Hoa: sun, clouds, isolated rain, 27-34oC ;
- Central Coast in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa: sun, clouds, 27-34oC ;
- Central Coast Ninh Thuan: sun, clouds, 27-35oC ;
- Central Coast Binh Thuan: sun, clouds, rain, 27-34oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong): sun, clouds, rain, 22-36oC mostly ;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh): sun, clouds, rain, 25-36oC;
- West of Southern Vietnam ( The Mekong Delta : Long An, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Vinh Long, Chau Doc, Kien Giang): sun, clouds, rain, 26-34oC;
Rainfalls measured in 8 hours from 19:00 hours of 9-May-2024: Hà Nì (Điện Biên) 70mm, Cao Sơn (Lào Cai) 65.2mm, Púng Tra (Sơn La) 58.2mm, Du Gìa (Hà Giang) 87.4mm, Hồng Trị (Cao Bằng) 78.2mm, Lăng Can (Tuyên Quang) 89.6mm,…
Rainfalls measured in 2 hours from 20:00 hours of 12-May-2024 in Phu Tho Province: Hạ Hoà 124,2 mm, Thanh Thuỷ 74,2 mm,…
Rainfalls measured in 3 hours from 11:00 hours of 13-May-2024 in Thua Thien-Hue Province: Thủy điện Rào Trăng 4: 49,8mm; Hương Nguyên(A Lưới): 25mm;...
There was a brief heat strike for a couple of days across Vietnam at the end of May 2024. Then heavy rain was found all over the country and pleasant temperatures returned.
There was a typhoon in the East Vietnam Sea which made landfall in Guangdong Province (China) at the end of May and beginning of June.
Disclaimer: Vietnam weather summary is for reviews of Vietnam weather by month on the basis as “it is” to the best of our knowledge. Paradissa does not guarantee the accuracy of our monthly reviews of Vietnam Weather. Our Vietnam Weather Reviews by month must not be used for making travel decisions or for any other purposes. Paradissa disclaims any liability in connection with with the use of our information.
