May is the beginning of summer in northern Vietnam, is the dry season with hot temperatures in the Central Coast, is beginning of the rainy season with pleasant or warm temperatures in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam.
The period of one or two weeks at the beginngin of May is among the hottest times of a year in the South of Vietnam and in the areas with low altitudes in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. When the rainy season begins, the temperatures turn to be pleasant in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.
Monsoons and General Weather Patterns in Vietnam in May
1/ The General weather patterns in Vietnam in May
In May, northern Vietnam has mostly dry weather with pleasant temperatures. It is possible that the air gets really moist on some days in northern Vietnam in the first week of the month. There may be showers in northern Vietnam which are mostly short-lived (1-2 hours) in which case the temperatures are fairly pleasant.
In the Central Coast of Vietnam, May is often the dry season with hot temperatures (35oC or higher).
The Central Highlands and South of Vietnam are more likely to have bright sunshine in the first couple of weeks of May, then cloudy weather with daily short-lived rain. The temperatures in the first two weeks of May are likely to be high (33-35oC), then these two places are to have pleasant temperatures. In places with high altitudes in the Central Highlands, the temperatures may be chilly or cold.
2/ Monsoons in Vietnam in May
The prevalent winds which affect different places in Vietnam in May :
- The Southeasterly Wind, which affects northern Vietnam, causes pleasant temperatures and possibly showers.
- The Central Coast of Vietnam starts coming under the influence of the Westerly Wind (a foehn wind) from Laos which is dry and warm. This same wind may also have impacts on different places in the Northwest of Vietnam.
- The Southwesterly Wind, which comes from the Equator, causes daily short-lived rain and pleasant temperatures in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam.
Adventure Travel, Nature Tours, Bird Watching Tours, Photo Tours in Vietnam in May
1/ Hiking Tours, Mountain Trekking Tours
May is not a good time time for trekking tours or mountain hiking trips in northern Vietnam and in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. This is because of either hot or rainy weather.
It is often warm or hot and humid in northern Vietnam and this makes it not suitable for long distance hiking. There are occasional rain in the region that the trekking trails are quite muddy or slippery.
For the first couple of weeks of May, it is often hot in the Central Highlands that is not good for trekking or hiking. Besides, the rainy season could start anytime in May and if it rains, trekking or hiking tours are not operable in the region.
2/ Adventure Tours
The lowland of Northern Vietnam including Hanoi, Halong Bay and Ninh Binh is a good place for general adventure tours in May. It may be humid or it may be short-lived rain in this region, most tours in the region are still operable.
In the Central Coast of Vietnam, it is more likely to be hot in May. But general adventure tours such as walking or country road biking are still fine as this is done mostly in the shade or by the sea with some breezes.
In the Central Highlands, it could be dry for the first couple of weeks with warm or pleasant temperatures mostly and it could be daily short-lived rain starting from mid month. If you plan for adventure tours by car, then your tours should be fine still.
Southern Vietnam is to experience hot temperatures in the first half of the month, then pleasant temperatures for the latter half of the month when the region starts having daily rain. All adventure tours such as walking, cultural exploration, boat trips... are to be done without any difficulties.
3/ Birding Trips and Bird Watching Tours
May is not a great for bird watching all over Vietnam: in the North of Vietnam, in the Central Coast, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam. The reason is that it is hot in the North and in the Central Coast, and it is rainy season in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam. Most migratory bird species have returned to their resident areas.
But for those who can not change your trip to a different time, then it is still possible to observe resident birds in all birding sites in Vietnam. Besides, the rain in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam in May last 1 or 2 hours per day only, and you can always have the rest of the day for bird watching.
Sites for bird watching in Vietnam in May :
- Cuc Phuong National Park (Ninh Binh): resident birds, some bird species have nesting and mating time in May.
- Van Long Nature Reserve (Ninh Binh): resident and migratory storks and waterfowls.
- Xuan Thuy National Park in Nam Dinh Province : water birds, some migratory species.
- Bach Ma National Park in Thua Thien-Hue Province with representatives of birds between northern and southern Vietnam. It is tricky with the weather at Bach Ma at anytime of the year!
- Yok Don National in Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands of Vietnam: among the best places in Vietnam for birding, bird watching.
- Da Lat, Bidoup Nui Ba National Park, Deo Nui Sam at Di Linh (Lam Dong, Central Highlands) : among the best places in Vietnam for birding and bird-watching tours, highly rich in endemic bird species.
- Cat Tien National Park (Dong Nai, Southern Vietnam) : May is among the best places in Vietnam for birding and bird watching.
4/ Family Tours
Generally speaking, families should have a great time traveling in Vietnam in May if you only travel in the lowland in the North, in the Central Coast and in southern Vietnam. May is not a good time for family holidays in the far northern mountains and the Central Highlands of Vietnam because rainy weather may pose dangers such as flash floods, landslides, rockslides.
5/ Island Holidays
May is a great time to make trips to the islands in Vietnam. The reason is the sea is often not rough, and sea exploration tours are operational due to the weather. The temperatures are also perfect on islands in Vietnam in May.
6/ Beach Vacations
May is a good time for beach holidays in Vietnam. But beaches in the country may be crowded due to that the Vietnamese are starting to have holidays too.
In Northern Vietnam, Sam Son Beach, Cua Lo Beach or the beaches on islands in Northern Vietnam have pleasant or warm temperatures. The beaches are crowded this month.
And those beaches in the South of the Central Coast have mostly sunny weather, and with pleasant or warm temperatures : Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Ninh Chu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet.
If you travel to Southern Vietnam then you May try Vung Tau Beach, Long Hai Beach and Ho Tram Beach (all in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province). You can have pleasant temperatures with some sun and clouds, some short-lived rain.
Below are reviews of the Weather in Vietnam in May 2025 Monitored by AdventureGreen
1/ First week of May, 2025
At the end of April and beginning of May, northern Vietnam had some heavy yet short-lived rain in the morning, sunshine and clouds for the rest of the day. The Central Coast had some rain, but was mostly dry with pleasant or slightly warm temperatures. There were some showers in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam; the temperatures in these two regions were pleasant or slightly warm.
Regional weather at the end of the first week of May 2025 was as follows :
- Northeast (Halong Bay, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang...): sun, clouds, rain, 22-32oC;
- Northwest : sun, clouds, rain, 20-32/33oC in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai ; sun, clouds, rain, 18-30oC in Son La, Dien Bien, 16-27oC in Lai Chau;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh...) : sun, clouds, rain, 26-31/33oC ;
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): sun, clouds, rain, 23-31/33oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue) : sun, clouds, 26-36/34oC in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Hue ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van (Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai) : sun, clouds, rain, 25-33/34oC ;
- South Central Coast (Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Nha Trang): sun, clouds, rain, 26-33/34oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Ninh Thuan, Phan Rang-Thap Cham): clouds, rain, 26-33/34oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Binh Thuan, Phan Thiet Mui Ne): clouds, rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dak Nong) : sun, clouds, rain, 23-34/36oC in Kon Tum and Gia Lai ; 22-33/34oC in Dak Lak; 19-29oC in Lam Dong ;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Tay Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai) : sun, clouds, rain, 26-34oC;
- West of Southern Vietnam (Mekong Delta : Long An, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, An Giang) : sun, clouds, rain, 26-33/34oC.
Con Dao Islands: clouds, rain, 28-32oC;
Phu Quoc Island: clouds, isolated rain, 26-31oC;
2/ Second week of May, 2025
In the second week of May 2025, there was a brief heat strike across the North and the Central Coast of Vietnam with high temperatures surpassing 36oC. There was heavy rain in the North and in southern Vietnam. The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam had entered the rainy season with heavy rain.
In mid week, there was a weak spell of the cool Northeasterly Wind affecting northern Vietnam and North of the Central Coast of Vietnam causing some rain and pleasant temperatures across the region.
In mid week, heavy rain caused temporary floods in Saigon Ho Chi Minh City and Route 2 in Tuyen Quang.
Regional weather at the end of the second week of May 2025 was as follows :
- Northeast (Halong Bay, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang...): sun, clouds, rain, 16-28oC;
- Northwest : sun, clouds, rain, 18-28oC in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, 20-29oC in Lao Cai; sun, clouds, rain, 17-28oC in Son La, Dien Bien, 18-26oC in Lai Chau;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh...) : sun, clouds, rain, 21-29oC ;
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): sun, clouds, rain, 21/22-29oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue) : sun, clouds, rain, 23-32oC in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Hue ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van (Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai) : sun, clouds, rain, 25-32oC ;
- South Central Coast (Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Nha Trang): sun, clouds, rain, 26-33/34oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Ninh Thuan, Phan Rang-Thap Cham): clouds, rain, 26-34oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Binh Thuan, Phan Thiet Mui Ne): clouds, rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dak Nong): clouds, rain, 22-32oC in Kon Tum and Gia Lai ; 22-32oC in Dak Lak; 19-26oC in Lam Dong ;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Tay Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai): clouds, rain, 26-32oC;
- West of Southern Vietnam (Mekong Delta : Long An, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, An Giang): clouds, rain, 26-33oC.
Con Dao Islands: clouds, rain, 27-32/33oC;
Phu Quoc Island: clouds, rain, 26-31oC;
3/ Third week of May, 2025
In the third week of May 2025, there was rain and heavy rain in the North, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.
There was heavy rain in the mountains of far northern Vietnam causing a flash flood and a landslide. The North experienced mostly pleasant temperatures.
The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam had been in the rainy season with quite some heavy rain.
Regional weather at the beginning of the third week of May 2025 was as follows :
- Northeast (Halong Bay, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang...): clouds, rain, 23-31/32oC;
- Northwest: clouds, rain, 23-32oC in Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, 23-34oC in Yen Bai ; clouds, rain, 21-31oC in Son La, Dien Bien, 18-26oC in Lai Chau;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh...) : sun, clouds, rain, 26/27-32/34oC ;
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): sun, clouds, rain, 26-33/34oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue) : sun, clouds, rain, 26-34oC in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Hue ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van (Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai) : sun, clouds, rain, 27/28-33/34oC ;
- South Central Coast (Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Nha Trang): sun, clouds, rain, 26-33/34oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Ninh Thuan, Phan Rang-Thap Cham): clouds, rain, 26-33oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Binh Thuan, Phan Thiet Mui Ne): clouds, rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dak Nong): clouds, rain, 23-34oC in Kon Tum and Gia Lai ; 23-33oC in Dak Lak; 19-29oC in Lam Dong ;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Tay Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai): clouds, rain, 27-34oC;
- West of Southern Vietnam (Mekong Delta : Long An, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, An Giang): clouds, rain, 26/27-33/34oC.
Con Dao Islands: clouds, rain, 28-32oC;
Phu Quoc Island: clouds, rain, 27-31oC;
4/ Fourth Week and Last Days of May, 2025
In the last week of May 2025, there was rain and heavy rain in the North, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.
Coming toward the end of the fourth week, there was a spell of Northeasterly Wind which caused heavy rain in northern Vietnam and part of the Central Coast of Vietnam. The temperatures were pleasant all over Vietnam for the remainder of the month.
Regional weather at the beginning of the fourth week of May 2025 was as follows :
- Northeast (Halong Bay, Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Ha Giang...): clouds, rain, 21-31oC;
- Northwest: clouds, rain, 22-34oC in Hoa Binh, Lao Cai, 23-35oC in Yen Bai ; clouds, rain, 21-31/32oC in Son La, Dien Bien, 18-28oC in Lai Chau;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam (Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Bac Ninh...): clouds, rain, 24-34oC ;
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): sun, clouds, rain, 24/25-34/35oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue) : sun, clouds, rain, 26-34/35oC in Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Hue ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van (Da Nang, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai) : sun, clouds, rain, 26-33/35oC ;
- South Central Coast (Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Nha Trang): sun, clouds, rain, 27-33/34oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Ninh Thuan, Phan Rang-Thap Cham): clouds, rain, 26-31/33oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Binh Thuan, Phan Thiet Mui Ne): clouds, rain, 26-32/33oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Lam Dong, Dak Nong): clouds, rain, 22-33/34oC in Kon Tum and Gia Lai ; 23-33/32oC in Dak Lak; 19-29/27oC in Lam Dong ;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Tay Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai): clouds, rain, 27-33/34oC;
- West of Southern Vietnam (Mekong Delta : Long An, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang, Vinh Long, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Dong Thap, Kien Giang, An Giang): clouds, rain, 27-34/26-31oC.
Con Dao Islands: clouds, rain, 27-32oC;
Phu Quoc Island: clouds, rain, 26-31oC;
23-May-2025
01:00 Rainfalls in 24 hours: Nà Tấu 128.6mm (Điện Biên); Muổi Nọi 101.4mm (Sơn La); Tam Gia 73.7mm (Lạng Sơn); Mai Sưu 89.6mm (Bắc Giang); Na Ngoi 161.6mm (Nghệ An); Sơn Hồng 138mm (Hà Tĩnh);...
13:00 Rainfalls in 24 hours: Thịnh Hưng 118.8mm (Yên Bái); Lục Bình 109.6mm (Bắc Kạn); Hoàng Nông 97.6mm (Thái Nguyên); Linh Phú 91mm (Tuyên Quang); Khe Mai 135mm (Quảng Ninh); Ngọc Lặc 80.2mm (Thanh Hóa); Na Ngoi 246mm (Nghệ An); Sơn Hồng 162mm (Hà Tĩnh);...
24-May-2025
Places in Ha Tinh were flooded.
25-May-2025
07:00 Rainfalls in 24 hours: Bàn Nước 432.3 mm, Kỳ Phú 248.8 mm (Hà Tĩnh); Tân Mỹ 93.2 mm (Quảng Bình); Tà Long 164.6 mm (Quảng Trị); Hồ Hòa Mỹ 185.6 mm, Thủy điện Rào Trăng 135.6 mm (Thành phố Huế);…
28-May-2025
19:00 Rainfalls in 18 hours: Tam Thanh 209.8mm (Phú Thọ); Tân Minh 179.9mm (Lạng Sơn); Yên Bình 135.2mm (Yên Bái); Cách Linh 118.9mm (Cao Bằng); Tam Đa 104.8mm (Tuyên Quang);...
29-May-2025
11:00 Rainfalls in 2 hours: Hồ Thạch Khê 53.2mm (Bình Định); Sơn Long 41.2mm (Quảng Ngãi); Đông Thanh - Lâm Hà 39.4mm (Lâm Đồng); Nâm Nung 37.2mm (Đắk Nông);...
13:00 Rainfalls in 2 hours: Đập Suối Dầu 61.4mm (Khánh Hoà); Đăk Xú1 55.8mm (Kon Tum); Ka Dăng 55.4mm (Quảng Nam); Lâm Hoá 39.4mm (Quảng Bình);...
19:00 Rainfalls in 8 hours: Phì Nhừ (Điện Biên) 71.5mm, Phong Phú (Hòa Bình) 78.8mm, Yên Cát (Thanh Hóa) 132.2mm, Mường Típ (Nghệ An) 161.8mm, Phước Hòa (Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu) 114.6mm, Thông Bình (Đồng Tháp) 110.4mm,…
Disclaimer: Vietnam weather summary is for reviews of Vietnam weather by month on the basis as “it is” to the best of our knowledge. AdventureGreen 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. AdventureGreen disclaims any liability in connection with with the use of our information.
