October is autumn in northern Vietnam, is the rainy season with pleasant temperatures in the Central Coast, is the high rainy season with pleasant or chilly temperatures in the Central Highlands and rainy season with pleasant temperatures in southern Vietnam.
It is worth noting that with global climate change, and Vietnam is a long and skinny country with a long coastline, the weather patterns in Vietnam in a given year may be drastically different from the norm.
And it was dramatically different in 2025 as we found that the dry season in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam was much less dry than normal. The Central Coast of Vietnam suffered from a typhoon in June with flooded places from Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang and Quang Nam Provinces which is very rare.
And, an extremely powerful typhoon made landfall in the North of the Central Coast at the end of August. It is normal that typhoons in August and October are more likely to make landfall in northern Vietnam (or China).
There was rain all over Vietnam in June, July, and August 2025. Northern Vietnam seemed to have been experiencing a much shorter summer than normal with very pleasant temperatures mostly and only few days with high temperatures above 37oC.
There were sudden gusts of winds in the North, in the Central Coast, in the Central Highlands and in the South of Vietnam in July 2025. Strong winds may capsize boats on Halong Bay and blow away metal roofing sheets which are hazardous for households and dangerous to passersby. In cities, sudden strong gusts of winds might cause dangers to those in cars, on motorbikes, scooters, bicycles.
In August 2025, gale-force winds brought down big and huge trees in the region between the Central Highlands and low land of southern Vietnam which has not happened for decades! The Nam Cat Tien national park had big timber trees in the forest felled by strong winds.
At the end of August, there was Typhoon Nongfa (No 6) which strengthened from a tropical depression and weakened to be a tropical depression within one day on 30-August and which made landfall between Quang Tri and Hue. This typhoon caused heavy rain all over Vietnam.
One week after Typhoon No 6, Typhoon No. 7 formed in the East Sea and made landfall in China without having much impact on Vietnam. Typhoon No. 8 followed Typhoon No. 7 making landfall in China on 19-September without having much impact on Vietnam.
Super Typhoon Ragasa (no. 9) made landfall in China with wind speeds exceeding 200kph on 24-September and was making its way westwards towards Mong Cai (Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam). But this super typhoon met with cool air masses traveling southwards into northern Vietnam and weakened immediately to be a tropical depression, then air trough which did not have much impact on Vietnam except for some days with nice weather.
On the same day that typhoon No. 9 Ragasa weakened, another typhoon, Bualoi, typhoon No. 10 formed and plough its way towards the Central Coast of Vietnam. Typhoon No. 10 made landfall in between Nghe An and Quang Tri (Central Coast of Vietnam) on 29-September but torrential rain caused by this typhoon came a couple of days before making several places in the Central Coast of Vietnam flooded.
Typhoon No. 10 did not make its way to northern Vietnam but caused deadly tornadoes in a vast coastal area of northern Vietnam: Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh. Losses of lives and properties were reported. Besides, this typhoon caused torrential rain all the way from the top north to the Central Coast: floods in the Central Coast, floods in several places in northern Vietnam including Hanoi, Ha Giang, Yen Bai,... Fatal landslides and flash floods took place in several places in the far northern mountains: Lung Cu (Ha Giang), Sapa (Lao Cai), Tuyen Quang, Duc Long (Cao Bang)...
In 2025, October came with losses of lives and destruction of houses and properties in the North and Central Coast of Vietnam (those places of over 1,100km far apart). This is unprecedented!
Often, October is a time with possible typhoons more in the Central Coast of Vietnam and less in northern Vietnam. In case of a typhoon, expect disruption in traffic between islands and the inland all over the country, halting of cruises on Halong Bay and in several places in all over Vietnam; expect torrential rain in the affected regions: it could be flooded cities in the Central Coast, flash floods and landslides in the far northern mountains of Vietnam.
Heavy rain causes flooded streets, and for cities with open sewers and steep terrain, flooded streets have strong currents which are extremely dangerous to everyone taking part in traffic in the rain. It has happened that a man who could swim was swept into a sewer in Da Lat with a strong current after heavy rain and he was accidentally saved by passersby. Things like this do happen in Dong Nai and Binh Duong Provinces. October is still a high rainy time in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.
For bird watchers, October is a much better a time for birding than in June or July, or August, or September; there are several migratory birds in northern Vietnam in October. But again, rain in October is more long-lasting in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam that requires more patience for those on birding tours. Given it may be wet, cloudy, and gloomy your bird photos may look less beautiful. And if the rain is half-day or full-day long, then it is not possible to observe birds that much.
As it is a rainy time in the Central Coast of Vietnam, it is nearly certain that birding in this region is not possible and not recommended (due to possible dangers) in October.
Monsoons and General Weather Patterns in Vietnam in October
1/ The General weather patterns in Vietnam in October
In October, northern Vietnam has mostly pleasant temperatures. It may rain more some year and less in some other years in this region in October.
In the Central Coast of Vietnam, October is the rainy season with pleasant temperatures. Rain in the Central Coast of Vietnam is notoriously long-lasting and boring even among the local Vietnamese.
The Central Highlands and South of Vietnam are more likely long-lasting and heavier rain in October. The temperatures in October are just pleasant. In places with high altitudes in the Central Highlands, the temperatures may be chilly or cold.
2/ Monsoons in Vietnam in October
The prevalent winds which affect different places in Vietnam in October :
- The Southeasterly Wind, which affects northern Vietnam, causes pleasant temperatures and possibly showers.
- The Northeasterly Monsoon which may come from Tibet or Siberia and which causes winter in northern Vietnam and long-lasting rain in the Central Coast of Vietnam.
- The Central Coast of Vietnam comes under the influence of the Westerly Wind (local version of the Southwesterly Monsoon). This wind has a minimal impact on the region in October.
October is the time the Intertropical Convergence Zone has the axis across above the Central Coast and this makes the rain here frequent and lasting. Later in the month, the rain in the Central Coast is more often caused by the Northeasterly Monsoon.
- The Southwesterly Wind, which comes from the Equator, causes daily rain and pleasant temperatures in the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam. With the Intertropical Convergence Zone above the Central Coast of Vietnam, the Southwesterly Wind gets more active, hence heavier and longer-lasting rain in these two regions.
Later in October, the Northeasterly Monsoon may start having impact on the Central Highlands and southern Vietnam which dictates the beginning of the dry season in these two regions.
Adventure Travel, Nature Tours, Bird Watching Tours, Photo Tours in Vietnam in October
1/ Hiking Tours, Mountain Trekking Tours
October is autumn in northern Vietnam with unpredictable weather patterns nowadays: it could be more of rain and typhoon, or it could be dry typically autumnal weather. In the latter case, it is very pleasant and suitable for all adventure activities.
October is not a good time for trekking tours or mountain hiking trips in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. This is because of heavier and longer-lasting rain 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 holidays in October. There may be typhoon hitting northern Vietnam and in which case it may disrupt cruises on Halong Bay for 2-3 days. But typhoons in October are more likely to make landfall in the Central Coast of Vietnam and have a minimal impact on northern Vietnam.
In the Central Coast of Vietnam, it is more likely to be rainy in October. The temperatures are mostly pleasant. It is not advisable to travel to the high mountains in the region.
In the Central Highlands, it is rainy season. If you plan for adventure tours by car, then your tours should be fine still. Avoid traveling to and from the Central Highlands through mountain passes with history of landslides, rockslides: Khanh Le Pass between Nha Trang and Da Lat, route between Binh Thuan and Da Lat via Dai Ninh Hydroplant.
Southern Vietnam is to experience pleasant temperatures mostly and there is daily heavy and long-lasting rain. All adventure tours such as walking, cultural exploration, boat trips... are still operable though.
It is good to know that some streets in Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, in Dong Nai and Binh Duong may be temporarily flooded after each heavy rain which may pose dangers from electricity leakage, open sewers... Some flooded streets in Dong Nai and Binh Duong may have strong currents that could sweep away people and vehicles. This has also happened in Da Lat City.
3/ Birding Trips and Bird Watching Tours
October is in bird migration season and several migratory bird species have made their way to northern Vietnam. But given that it may rain, your birding in the North of Vietnam may be disrupted.
It is less likely but still possible that there are occasional typhoons having impacts on the North and in which case, birdwatching in northern Vietnam could be disrupted.
October is not a good time for birding in the Central Coast of Vietnam due to long-lasting rain and fog in birding places. It is often dangerous when it is wet traveling up high mountains in the Central Coast.
October is not a good time for bird watching in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam. It is rainy weather in these two regions. But if you happen to make your trips in October, you can still go birding in between the rain and you may still have a good time.
Sites for bird watching in Vietnam in October :
- Cuc Phuong National Park (Ninh Binh): resident birds, most bird species have come out of nesting and mating time in October.
- Van Long Nature Reserve (Ninh Binh): resident and migratory storks and waterfowls.
- Xuan Thuy National Park in Nam Dinh Province : water birds, only 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 and October is the beginning of the worst period of a 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) : October is among the best places in Vietnam for birding and bird watching.
