Vietnam Weather in May

Country: Vietnam

May is beginning of summer in Northern Vietnam, the dry season with warm and hot temperatures in the Central Coast, the beginning of rainy season with mostly pleasant and sometimes warm temperatures (on low altitudes) in the Central Highlands, and the beginning of the rainy season with warm temperatures Southern Vietnam.

In the Central Highlands and Southern Vietnam, the temperatures tend to be more tolerable coming towards the end of the month as there are more daily short-lived rain.

Monsoons and Regional Weather Patterns in Vietnam in May

In May the cool Northeasterly Wind (Winter Monsoon) is less likely present. But if it is, then most of Northern Vietnam will have lovely weather with extremely pleasant temperatures and mild sunshine.

It is more likely that most of Northern Vietnam is to have the Southeasterly Wind as the predominant wind in May. The wind causes short-lived rain occasionally and pleasant temperatures.

Part of the Northwest of Vietnam including Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai and Yen Bai is occasionally under the impact of the Southwesterly Wind or a foehn wind coming from Laos. This wind causes dry air and hot temperatures.

Most of the Central Coast of Vietnam comes under the influence of the foehn wind from Laos in May which causes the air hot and dry.

The Central Highlands and Southern Vietnam are to come under the influence of the Southwesterly Wind which is more likely coming from the Equator and which causes daily short-lived rain with more tolerable or pleasant temperatures. There may be times the Southwesterly Wind comes from the Bengal Bay, which then is the foehn wind and which causes dry and hot temperatures in these two regions.

Hot Air Troughs and Possible Impact on the Weather Patterns in Vietnam in May

In May the Sun has crossed the Equator and is heading northward. The inland is heated more than the sea. There are air troughs (with hot temperatures and low pressure) formed. These air troughs absorb winds and the expansion of these air troughs cause hot temperatures in the regions under impact.

In May there are often air troughs formed over the west (in Laos, Myanmar, Thailand) and northwest of Vietnam (China). The strong sun heats up air temperatures and the air troughs keep expanding. This causes dry and hot air in affected regions in Vientam including: the the Northwest of Vietnam, sometimes lowland and even the Northeast of Vietnam, the Central Coast of Vietnam, part of the Central Highlands and part of Southern Vietnam.

What to expect from your holidays to Vietnam in May?

Taking the general weather conditions in Vietnam into consideration, for those travelers planning for tours to Vietnam, then there may be some notes as follows:

- Some torrential rain in the far northern mountains should be expected. The rain may be not too long-lasting, but trails are muddy which makes trekking tours not quite lovely experiences as they should in dry times. High temperatures and often found strong sun should be taken into account for those on adventure tours, sightseeing tours. In some cases for those on sightseeing tours, you should avoid visits to tourist attractions in cities at mid day. Street food tours should be avoided in the summer.

- Families on holidays to Vietnam should make sure you have sunshade and enough drinking water, especially those with kids and/or senior travelers.

- May is a good time for junk cruises on Halong Bay as it is often clear skies and you have lovely photos of the islands in sunshine. Those on cruises on the Mekong River in Southern Vietnam should have a good time in May, too.

- May is not a good time for bird watching tours as migratory bird species have traveled back to their homeland, and bird parks and national parks in Vietnam are not that busy with wildlife.

- May is a good time to go for beach holidays in Vietnam and is the best time for island vacations in Vietnam. The best beaches should be in the South of the Central Coast (Quy Nhon, Phu Yen, Nha Trang, Phan Rang, Mui Ne) and South of Vietnam (Vung Tau, Long Hai). Those on boat trips and sea exploration tours like snorkeling and scuba diving should have a great time as the sea is calm, and the sea water is clear.

- The Con Dao Islands and Phu Quoc Island are the best destination for island vacations in Vietnam in May. On these islands, the sun is bright and the temperatures are mostly pleasant in May. And if you are going to sacrifice amenities on your vacation, then the Phu Quy Island (Binh Thuan Province) and Ly Son Island (Quang Nam Province) may offer good off-the-beaten-track beach holidays.

The drawback for tourism in May is that the Vietnamese often have long public holidays at the beginning of the month, and they travel. Places are very busy during public holiday occasions; prices are often very high during these times.

Weather Patterns and Temperatures in Different Regions of Vietnam in May

1/ Northern Vietnam

- Northeast (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan...): mild sunshine, clouds, some possible rain, 24-35oC;

- Northwest (Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau...): sun, clouds, rain, 22-33oC in Lai Chau, 24-37oC in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai and Dien Bien; 26-39oC in Lao Cai;

- Lowlands (Hanoi, Ninh Binh,...): sun, clouds, some days with high moisture, light rain, 26-38oC;