We are going to rest in Vietnam in the winter of 2020-2021! What is the weather like in December, January and February at different resorts? Where to go, what to do, what are the prices for tours and hotels? Travel reviews, personal experiences and many useful links for travelers.
Vietnam is a popular beach destination. There is stunning nature here: long sandy beaches, cliffs and tropical thickets, replacing the green valleys of rice fields. Many cultures and religions coexist here peacefully, so there is always something to see for sightseeing lovers.
We love Vietnam very much and spent three winters in this wonderful country and celebrated two New Years. In total, we lived and rested in Vietnam for almost six months. We share our knowledge and experience in this review.
Resorts of Vietnam: where to go in winter
The Vietnamese winter is characterized by dry weather, precipitation is rare and small. The air temperature is lower than in summer.
In winter, it is best to go to rest on resorts of southern Vietnam: air temperature +25 ... + 28 ° С, the sea is warmed up to the same temperatures. According to tourists, the best weather for a beach holiday in Vietnam is from December to February - on the islands of Con Dao and Phu Quoc (how to get there), as well as in the resorts of Phan Thiet and Mui Ne.
In Nha Trang, the most Russified resort in the country, it is windy and a little damp at this time, especially in December, and the temperature of the water and air is slightly lower there. However, we had a great vacation in Nha Trang from December to March: we swam, sunbathed, rode a motorbike, looked at the sights.
North of Vietnam not suitable for a beach holiday, in winter it is too cool here - the temperature drops to + 15 ° С and even lower. In the mountains in the north, it is especially cold (about + 5 ° С), snow can lie on the peaks. Hanoi is cool and cloudy in winter. However, it is quite possible to go here to see pagodas and temples, visit the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, go to the silk and snake villages.
In the center the countries are warmer than in the north, but swimming is not very pleasant due to the strong waves. Sometimes it rains, so it is not recommended to rest in Da Nang at this time. We celebrated the New Year in Da Nang - it was windy, we didn't swim.
What to do on vacation
Entertainment... In addition to standard beach activities, the resorts can go fishing, diving, surfing, ride elephants, and play golf. In Nha Trang there is a whole island of entertainment with a water park and attractions - Vinpearl, a favorite place for family leisure of many tourists. Read more about rest in Nha Trang and the best beaches of this resort.
Excursions... Holidays in Vietnam in winter will appeal to sightseeing enthusiasts. Go on excursions to the ancient temple complexes of Ho Chi Minh City, Phan Thiet, Hue, or Hoi An. Visit the Coconut Candy Factory in Ben Tre Province or the Coconut Prison in Phu Quoc Island. Visit a pearl farm Take a river cruise along the Mekong Delta. Admire the beauty of Halong Bay Go to mountainous Vietnam: Dalat, Daklak, Sapa.
Shopping... Do you want to go shopping and buy branded items at lower prices? It is worth going to Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Ho Chi Minh City is the cultural and commercial center of the socialist republic, with beautiful cathedrals and palaces, parks and attractions, and Hanoi is a huge metropolis with ancient temples and other attractions. Find out what to bring from Vietnam >>
Health and beauty... Those who want to improve their health a little can take a course of medical procedures - the country is rich in mineral springs and healing mud, so many expensive hotels maintain their own SPA-salon. In addition, you can use the services of specialized centers for traditional medicine. There are such centers in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Phan Thiet.
Diving and surfing... Unfortunately, from December to February, diving becomes impossible due to the excessively stormy sea, and in fact the underwater flora and fauna of the South China Sea is replete with variety and is able to satisfy the needs of any diver. There are corresponding centers in many popular places: Fukuoka, on the Con Dao archipelago, in the bay of Nha Trang, etc. But surfers will be able to enjoy their favorite entertainment to their fullest, winter is good for such a pastime. If you like quieter waves, then you can choose the Vung Tau resort in the southeast of the country.
Kitchen... Local culinary traditions can slightly discourage an unprepared traveler, but some exotic lovers agree to such adventures and bravely drink the blood of a snake, eat soup from it, etc. In the markets and in special shops you can buy a jar with creeping (and not only) alcoholic representatives of the animal kingdom, which are sold as medicinal tinctures. Our tourists buy them as a souvenir.
Holidays... Most of the holidays in the country are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, so the date is floating. Vietnamese New Year (Tet) usually takes place in late January - early February, and the celebrations last for several days. There are many tourists during this period, as well as on Catholic Christmas (December 25), and prices for tours are traditionally increased. Tet is celebrated loudly and colorfully, with flamboyant fireworks and giant dragon parades. The next day, in large cities it becomes sparsely crowded, local residents go to rest in resorts, and most shopping centers and cafes are closed.
Winter weather in Vietnam
Winter is a good period for a beach holiday on south of Vietnam... Phu Quoc Island is ideal: in December, January and February the air temperature is +30 ... + 31 ° С, the water temperature is +25 ... + 27 ° С. It is good to have a rest in the winter in Mui Ne and Nha Trang. It is cool and rainy in the central region (Hue, Hoi An, Da Nang), and it is better not to go to the north without a jacket and a light scarf.
December weather
The weather in Vietnam in December in the south of the country is wonderful: in Fukuoka and Phan Thiet +30 ... + 33 ° С, water +23 ... + 27 ° С. In Ho Chi Minh City (former Saigon) it is even hotter - up to + 35 ° С during the day. By the way, even cloudy weather is insidious, without a special cream it is easy to get burned. And, of course, sunglasses and a hat are required.
In December, both water and air are colder in Nha Trang: + 27 ° С average daily air temperature, + 22 ... + 24 ° С water temperature in the sea, partly cloudy due to the existing wet monsoons, by January they subside. Da Nang is too damp and cold.
In Hanoi, it rains infrequently in December, but it is chilly here, +15 ... + 22 ° С during the day, and at night it can be below + 10 ° С. When planning excursions, you should take into account such temperature fluctuations in different regions and stock up on appropriate outerwear.
Thus, it is better to rest in the south - the best resorts of Vietnam in December gladly accept tourists.
Learn about a Vietnam holiday in December.
January weather
January is the coldest month. Fukuoka and Phan Thiet resorts continue to delight with sunny weather and lack of wind and rain. In Vung Tau during the day it is up to + 31 ° С and it is windy. It is hot in Ho Chi Minh City, up to + 31 ° C. Compared to December, in January in Nha Trang the weather conditions are much better: the sea is + 22 ° С, the air during the day is + 27 ° С, precipitation decreases sharply. It is dry, cloudy and cool in Hanoi, about +13 ... + 19 ° С.
Weather in February
The weather in Vietnam in February in the central region of the country is improving and is more suitable for a beach holiday: the sea is brighter and warmer, the evenings are already a little warmer. In the northern part it is still cold and damp, in Hanoi +15 ... + 20 ° С, cloudy, although there is little rain. In the resorts of the south (Phu Quoc, Phan Thiet, Nha Trang) and in Ho Chi Minh, the temperature in February is the same as in January.
You can read more about the weather and seasons in Vietnam in this review. Have you decided to relax in Nha Trang? Read about the weather at this resort.
Tours to Vietnam in winter
As an example, let's see how much tours to the resorts of Vietnam cost for the winter of 2020-2021. for flights from Moscow and for double occupancy:
- On the december 2020 year you can find tours to Vietnam for 11 nights at a price of 35 thousand rubles per person.
- IN January 2021 Tour prices are traditionally increasing, the difference in cost between the beginning of December and the end of January can be 15-30%. This is due to improved weather conditions and an increased demand for tours during winter holidays and vacations.
- IN February 2021 year, the cost of vacation in the resorts of Vietnam on a voucher increases by another 10-15% compared to January.
But these prices for tours are not fixed - you can almost always find last-minute tours at a lower cost.
Prices are current at the time of publication. They change hourly both upward and downward.
Prices for tours to Vietnam
Prices in Vietnam in winter
The only drawback of winter vacations in Vietnam is the higher cost of hotels and services. Prices rise with the approaching New Year holidays. Usually this applies to tourist cities and towns: Nha Trang, Mui Ne, Hoi An, resorts in Fukuoka. The most reasonable prices in the first decade of December. From the middle of the month until the onset of Catholic Christmas, they rise first by 20%, closer to the New Year by 50% and more. However, in winter, the cost of exotic fruits and food practically does not differ from the prices in summer - on the contrary, in supermarkets you can find a sale, for example, of tangerines, there are Christmas discounts.
Hotel prices
How much do hotels cost in winter 2020-2021? At the end of December, in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, you can rent a double room in a two-star hotel with good reviews from $ 11 per night (Blue River II Hotel), and further from the center - from $ 5 in general. 11 $ - starting price in Fukuoka in winter for hotels and bungalows practically on the seashore, of course, if you book in advance! In Nha Trang, hotels near the beach can be found from $ 9 per night for two (Tuyet Mai Hotel 2 *), many hotels in the price range of $ 8-15.
To find accommodation, we recommend using the convenient Roomguru service - it compares prices and finds the best option.
- Find a hotel in Nha Trang →
- Find a hotel in Mui Ne →
- Find a hotel in Fukuoka →
Food prices
Food is a little different from city to city - the same applies to pricing. If the south of the country is very cheap, then in the megalopolises and in the north everything is more expensive. Read more about the peculiarities of Vietnamese cuisine, where we compare prices for dishes in different cities of the socialist republic. So, for example, com there (rice with meat and vegetables) costs about 25 thousand dongs, soup pho bo with beef and noodle soup - 20-25 thousand dongs, ban mi (baguette with filling) - from 7 thousand dongs. Fruits also very cheap and sold in abundance - check them out in our detailed article where you will find Vietnamese names, descriptions, tips, photos and prices.
You can find out the names of dishes in Vietnamese, see photos and descriptions, as well as prices in the article "Food in Vietnam: Prices and Dishes", written on the basis of our experience. We also have materials about drinks and coffee in Vietnam.
Other expenses
In shopping malls and shops in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, seasonal sales are often organized, but in small shops with local products (silk, pearls, leather goods, coffee, clothing, jewelry) you can bargain. Thinking about souvenirs for yourself and loved ones? Read what you can bring from Vietnam.
The fare on public transport is quite low - only 3-10 thousand VND, and on intercity buses it depends on the distance.
In general, travel is inexpensive if you stick to smart economy. Calculate how much money you need to travel to Vietnam on your own, or read our report on a trip to this country to find out how much we spent in 1.5 months of living and traveling there.
Reviews of tourists about winter vacations in Vietnam
Based on the numerous reviews of tourists about Vietnam, we can say that this country promises a pretty good beach holiday with a rich excursion program. Theft occurs, but not to a greater extent than in other tourist destinations. To avoid unwanted excesses, it is better to keep your valuables in a safe and not to carry too large amounts with you. The locals are calm and friendly people, although some tourists are annoyed by the periodic requests of merchants to buy something (however, the sellers are completely unobtrusive).
Traffic in cities is intense, traffic is dense, and the rules of the road are understood here in a peculiar way. Crossing the street on a pedestrian crossing is quite dangerous: bikers do not stop, but strive to go around pedestrians. We recommend crossing busy streets boldly and at a constant speed, raising your hand up, thereby asking drivers to slow down. The main thing is not to panic, not to move in jerks and not to stop, so as not to provoke an accident.
Vietnam is an unusual country: 42 oddities and peculiarities that surprised us.
It is worth being prepared that the climate of the south, center and north is very different. While relaxing in the south in T-shirts, when traveling to the north, you should stock up on a warm jacket. We also recommend that you check the availability of hot water and heaters in the room upon check-in, since it is quite cool in the north at this time (in Hanoi and Halong in January it was very cold in hotels without a heater).
Remember that in Asian countries there is a risk of catching, for example, Dengue fever (however, this rarely happens), so just in case, we advise you to get insurance. Travel insurance →
In general, a beach vacation in Vietnam in winter, according to reviews of tourists and our personal opinion, is inexpensive and pleasant. In December, January and February, you can enjoy the warmth, sunbathe and swim well, eat plenty of fresh seafood and exotic fruits at reasonable prices, and enjoy the local attractions.
