Best time to visit Vietnam and Cambodia: a month-by-month guide for one combined trip

This guide does the opposite. It shows month by month which parts of a combined Vietnam and Cambodia trip work, which do not, and how to order the route so the weather fits the calendar rather than fighting it.

The short answer: best months by travel priority

Late January to early April is the best overall window for a trip covering all three Vietnamese regions plus Cambodia. Outside Tet week, every region is dry or drying, temperatures are manageable in the south and central areas, and the north is warming. March is the single strongest month inside that window.

November to mid-January works best for north Vietnam plus the south and Cambodia, but only if central Vietnam is skipped or kept flexible. Hanoi and Halong Bay are at their finest in November. Cambodia is green and cooling. The south is drying out. Hue and Hoi An are the weak link.

If one priority matters more than the rest:

• Weather everywhere: March, or late January to February if you skip the north.
• Budget: May and June, before Vietnamese school holidays peak.
• Smallest crowds: May, June and September, with the caveat that September is wet in Cambodia and central Vietnam.
• Beaches: central Vietnam May to August; Phu Quoc and Cambodia's islands November to April.
• Photography: September and October for northern rice terraces; green-season Angkor for full moats and reflections.
• Festivals: November for Bon Om Touk, late January or February for Tet, mid-April for Khmer New Year.
• Heat-sensitive or older travelers: December to February for Cambodia and the south; late February to April for Hue and Hoi An.

Why one answer doesn't fit both countries

Vietnam and Cambodia sit under the same monsoon system, but local geography splits it into four different effects. That is why competing advice ranges from "November to February" to "late February to early March" to "October to April." None of those answers is wrong. Each one assumes a different route.

Cambodia: one country, one simple cycle

The dry season runs November to April. November to January is cool by local standards, with Siem Reap nights around 21-23°C. Heat builds from March and peaks in April, when average highs reach 35-36°C and individual days can touch 38-40°C.

The wet season runs May to October, with the heaviest rain in September and October. Rain usually arrives as short, heavy afternoon storms rather than all-day drizzle. The coast at Kep, Kampot and Koh Rong follows the same pattern, with rougher seas and reduced boat schedules in the wet months.

South Vietnam: Cambodia's twin

Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta follow nearly the same calendar as Phnom Penh. Highs sit at 31-35°C year-round, so the difference between seasons is rain, not temperature. December to March is dry and slightly less humid. April is the hottest month. May to November brings almost daily afternoon downpours that rarely last more than a few hours.

Central Vietnam: the reversed season

Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang are dry and hot from February to August. Rain, floods and typhoons arrive from September to December, with the highest risk in October and November. Da Nang records roughly 600 mm of rain in October against about 25 mm in March.

This region is the reason "November to April" misleads. A traveler following that advice in November lands in Hoi An during its wettest, stormiest month.

North Vietnam: a real winter

Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa have four seasons. December to March is cool and grey, with Hanoi highs around 19-20°C and a fine drizzle locals call mua phun. Sapa can drop near 0°C and occasionally sees snow in January. Summer from June to August is hot, humid and stormy. October to November and April to May are the sweet spots.

The practical rule: if central Vietnam is on your route, your best window narrows to late January through April. If it is not, November through February opens up.

Month-by-month guide for a combined trip

November and December

Verdict: excellent for Cambodia, the south and the north; poor for central Vietnam.

Cambodia is at its best in November: green after the rains, with cooling temperatures and clear skies returning. The south dries out through the month. The north is excellent in November and cooling through December. Central Vietnam carries real flood and storm risk in November and stays drizzly in December.

Prices climb sharply from about 20 December. Bon Om Touk, the Cambodian Water Festival, usually falls in this window and fills Phnom Penh's riverside hotels.

January and February

Verdict: ideal for Cambodia and the south; cold in the north; central Vietnam improves from late February.

Cambodia and southern Vietnam are dry, with highs of 30-32°C, as comfortable as either place gets. Central Vietnam starts drying out from mid or late February. The north is cold, damp and often hazy, with Hanoi's winter air pollution at its worst.

Tet falls in this window in most years. Read the festivals section before booking anything.

March

Verdict: the best single month if central Vietnam matters.

Every region is dry or nearly dry. Peak-season crowds thin out. Halong Bay is warming but may still be misty. Cambodia is hot, with highs around 34-35°C, though early starts make it manageable. Hoi An's beaches are calm and the old town is at its most photogenic.

April

Verdict: excellent for central and northern Vietnam; punishing in Cambodia and the south.

Sapa is in bloom and the north is pleasant. Cambodia and southern Vietnam are at their hottest, with Siem Reap averaging 35-36°C and 38-40°C days possible. Khmer New Year falls mid-month, and Vietnam's 30 April to 1 May long weekend triggers the country's biggest domestic travel rush after Tet.

May and June

Verdict: the shoulder value window.

Rain starts in Cambodia and the south, usually as short afternoon storms. Central Vietnam's beaches enter their best months. The north turns hot and wet. Prices are low, but Vietnamese summer school holidays begin in June and domestic beach demand rises.

July and August

Verdict: good for central Vietnam, mixed elsewhere.

Central Vietnam is still strong, especially the beaches at Da Nang and Quy Nhon. Cambodia and the south see regular afternoon storms. The north has peak rain and typhoon exposure. Domestic beach crowds peak, and European summer demand keeps some prices up.

September and October

Verdict: the weakest combined window, but a strong north Vietnam trip.

Cambodia has its heaviest rain. Central Vietnam enters storm and flood season. The north is lovely, with Hanoi's best autumn weather and the rice harvest turning the terraces gold around Sapa and Mu Cang Chai. A north-only trip in October is one of the best value experiences in the region. A full-country trip is not.

Master month-by-month matrix

Month	Hanoi / Halong	Sapa	Hue / Hoi An	HCMC / Mekong	Siem Reap / Phnom Penh	Cambodian coast	Overall
Jan	Cool, damp, hazy	Cold, possible frost	Mild, drizzly	Dry, warm	Dry, cool nights	Dry, calm seas	Good (skip north)
Feb	Cool, warming	Cold, warming	Drying late month	Dry, hot	Dry, warming	Dry, calm	Good
Mar	Warming, misty	Mild, blooming	Dry, pleasant	Hot	Hot, dry	Dry, calm	Excellent
Apr	Warm, pleasant	Mild, blooming	Dry, hot	Hottest month	Very hot	Hot, dry	Good (heat)
May	Hot, wet starts	Mild, wet	Dry, beach season	Wet afternoons	Wet afternoons	Wet starts	Mixed
Jun	Hot, wet	Wet	Dry, beach season	Wet afternoons	Wet afternoons	Wet	Mixed
Jul	Hot, wet, storms	Wet	Dry, beach season	Wet afternoons	Wet afternoons	Wet, rough seas	Mixed
Aug	Wet, typhoon risk	Wet	Dry, beach season	Wet afternoons	Wet afternoons	Wet, rough seas	Mixed
Sep	Autumn clears	Harvest gold	Storm season starts	Wet	Heaviest rain	Wet, rough seas	Poor (except north)
Oct	Best autumn	Harvest gold	Flood risk peaks	Drying	Heaviest rain	Wet, improving	Poor (except north)
Nov	Excellent	Cooling	Flood risk high	Dry	Dry, green	Drying	Good (skip centre)
Dec	Cool, grey	Cold	Drizzly	Dry, warm	Dry, cool	Dry, calm	Good (skip centre)

When not to go: the honest list

This section answers "when should you not go to Vietnam" directly. No month is closed, but several windows carry real costs.

• Mid-October to late November, if Hoi An and Hue are essential. This is peak flood and typhoon risk. Hoi An's Old Town floods in most years, and storms can close the Hai Van Pass and cancel flights. The severe central Vietnam floods of late October 2025 displaced thousands in Hue and Hoi An.
• Tet week, if you want normal services. Many family-run restaurants and shops close for 3-7 days. Trains and buses sell out. Some hotels add surcharges. The disruption runs from roughly 5 days before to 5-7 days after the holiday.
• April, if you are heat-sensitive and Angkor is the priority. Angkor days often involve 10-15 km of walking on exposed stone.
• 20 December to 5 January, if budget matters. Prices sit at their annual high and Angkor sunrise is at its most crowded.
• August to October in north Vietnam's mountains and on Halong Bay, without flexibility. Typhoon warnings lead authorities to suspend all cruises, sometimes for several days. Typhoon Yagi closed Halong and damaged Hanoi in September 2024.

Even September works for a north-only trip or a green-season Angkor visit. The question is never "is this month bad," but "is this month bad for the route I want."

Festivals and holidays that change the calendar

For each event, confirm Cambodian dates against the annual royal decree before booking.

Event	Country	Usual period	Next date	Effect on travel
Bon Om Touk (Water Festival)	Cambodia	Late Oct to late Nov	Expected 23-25 Nov 2026	Huge crowds in Phnom Penh; riverside hotels full
Tet (Lunar New Year)	Vietnam	Late Jan or Feb	6 Feb 2027; 26 Jan 2028	Closures, sold-out transport, surcharges
Khmer New Year	Cambodia	14-16 April	Mid-April 2027	Water-throwing, Angkor busy, some business closures
Hung Kings + 30 Apr-1 May	Vietnam	Mid-April to 1 May	Mid-April 2027	Biggest domestic travel peak after Tet
Pchum Ben	Cambodia	Sep or Oct	Sep or Oct 2027	Pagodas busy, some domestic disruption
Christmas and New Year	Both	20 Dec-5 Jan	Annual	Annual price peak
China's Golden Week	Vietnam (resorts)	1-7 Oct	Annual	Da Nang, Nha Trang, Halong, Phu Quoc fill up
Korean Chuseok	Vietnam (resorts)	Around mid-Sep to early Oct	Around 15 Sep 2027	Same resort cities affected
Hoi An lantern evening	Vietnam	14th day of each lunar month	Monthly	Year-round reason to time a Hoi An stay

Crowds and prices season by season

Prices in Vietnam are quoted in VND with USD in parentheses, using an assumed rate of about 26,000-26,500 VND per USD. Cambodia's tourism economy runs on USD, so its prices are in dollars.

Period	Crowd level	Vietnam mid-range hotel (per night)	Cambodia mid-range hotel (per night)	Book ahead
20 Dec-5 Jan	Peak	1,800,000-3,000,000 VND ($70-115)	$60-100	3-4 months
Tet week	Peak domestic	1,500,000-2,500,000 VND ($57-95)	Normal	3-4 months
Feb-Mar	High	1,200,000-2,000,000 VND ($45-75)	$45-75	6-8 weeks
Apr (outside holidays)	Medium	1,000,000-1,800,000 VND ($38-70)	$40-70	6 weeks
May-Jun	Low	900,000-1,500,000 VND ($35-57)	$30-55	4-6 weeks
Jul-Aug	Medium-high	1,100,000-1,800,000 VND ($42-70)	$35-60	6 weeks
Sep-Oct	Low	900,000-1,500,000 VND ($35-57)	$30-50	4 weeks

Two reference points. A 2-day, 1-night mid-range Halong Bay cruise runs roughly 3,500,000-6,000,000 VND ($135-230) per person, with holiday surcharges on top. Angkor Pass prices do not change by season: $37 for one day, $62 for three days, $72 for seven days.

Tet surcharges and Vietnamese domestic holidays push prices up independently of the Western peak. A hotel that is cheap in late January can double in the days around Tet.

At Angkor in peak season, skip the Angkor Wat sunrise scrum and visit Ta Prohm early instead, while the tour groups are still at breakfast.

How to route the trip by season

The order of the route matters as much as the month. These rules replace a single "best route."

• November to mid-January: start in the north (Hanoi and Halong in fine autumn weather), fly over or shorten central Vietnam, then finish in the south and Cambodia as they dry out.
• Late January to March: start in Cambodia while temperatures are lowest, move to southern Vietnam, then travel north through central Vietnam as it dries and Hanoi warms.
• April to August: central Vietnam becomes the anchor. Do Angkor early in the trip and early in the day.
• September and October: go north-heavy, with Cambodia as a short green-season add-on. Keep central Vietnam days flexible or replace them.

Getting between the two countries

Route	Mode	Duration	Indicative cost	Notes
HCMC to Siem Reap	Flight	About 1 hour	From $80	Direct
Hanoi to Siem Reap	Flight	About 1 h 45	From $120	Direct
HCMC to Phnom Penh	Bus via Moc Bai-Bavet	6-7 hours	450,000-650,000 VND ($17-25)	Cheapest option
Chau Doc to Phnom Penh	Mekong boat via Vinh Xuong	About 5 hours	From $30	Scenic in high water
Ha Tien to Kep	Land via Xa Xia-Prek Chak	1-2 hours	Low	Best for Kampot and Kep

Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport opened in 2023 about 50 km from town, roughly an hour by shuttle or taxi. Phnom Penh's Techo International Airport opened in September 2025 about 30 km south of the centre; the old airport no longer handles commercial flights.

Check which border crossings accept each country's e-visa before committing to a land route. Buy a multiple-entry Vietnam e-visa if the route goes Vietnam, Cambodia, then back into Vietnam.

Experiences that only happen in certain seasons

Some of the best reasons to travel in the "wrong" season are seasonal experiences.

• Tonle Sap floating villages (Kampong Phluk, Kampong Khleang): best at high water, roughly August to December. Boat access becomes limited as levels drop in March to May.
• Prek Toal bird sanctuary: best December to March.
• Angkor in the green season: full moats and reflection pools, moss on the stones, and far fewer visitors.
• Mekong Delta flood season: August to November in An Giang and Dong Thap.
• Northern rice terraces: golden in September and early October around Mu Cang Chai and Sapa. Ha Giang has buckwheat flowers in October and November.
• Sapa in bloom: March and April, with occasional snow in January.
• Central beaches at their calmest: May to August.
• Phu Quoc and Cambodia's islands: best November to April, with Phu Quoc's rough-sea months roughly July to September.

Health, safety and comfort by season

• Heat: March to May in Cambodia and the south. Plan Angkor sightseeing from sunrise to about 11:00, rest through midday, and treat heat exhaustion as a real risk.
• Typhoons and floods: central Vietnam September to December, north Vietnam July to September. Monitor Vietnam's national hydro-meteorological forecasts. Halong cruise suspensions are mandatory when warnings are issued.
• Dengue: rises during the rainy season in both countries, and Cambodia has large outbreaks in some years. Repellent matters at dawn and dusk.
• Hanoi's winter air pollution: November to March, with PM2.5 often in the unhealthy range. This matters for anyone with respiratory conditions.
• Rainy-season hazards: wet, steep temple stairs and slippery Old Quarter pavements.
• Insurance: check that your policy covers weather disruption and cancellation.
• Vaccines: consult a travel clinic for advice specific to your itinerary.

Timing advice for older and heat-sensitive travelers

• Best windows: December to February for Cambodia and the south. Late February to April for Hue and Hoi An. November or late March for Hanoi.
• Avoid: Tet logistics, April at Angkor, and Hanoi's pollution peaks for those with respiratory issues.
• Mobility: Angkor Wat's top level (Bakan) has steep stairs and closes on Buddhist holy days.
• Pacing: build in rest days after long-haul flights before starting the sightseeing.

How long you need, with sample routes by month

Plan 12-14 days minimum (about 9-10 in Vietnam, 3-4 in Cambodia) and 18-21 days for a relaxed pace. Under 10 days, choose either the south plus Angkor or Vietnam only, rather than rushing both.

Season	Days	Route order	Shortened or skipped	Why
Nov to mid-Jan	16	Hanoi → Halong → HCMC → Mekong → Siem Reap	Central Vietnam	North at its best, Cambodia dry
Late Jan to Mar	18	Siem Reap → Phnom Penh → HCMC → Hoi An → Hanoi	Halong if short on time	Cambodia cool, central drying
Apr to Aug	15	Hoi An → Hue → HCMC → Siem Reap	North Vietnam in Jul-Aug	Central beaches at their best
Sep to Oct	14	Hanoi → Sapa → Halong → Siem Reap	Central Vietnam	Autumn north, green-season Angkor

The Hue to Da Nang train over the Hai Van Pass is a dry-season highlight, but storms in October and November can disrupt it.

Entry rules to sort out before any season

Check official portals at publication, since rules change often.

• Vietnam: e-visa valid up to 90 days, $25 single entry or $50 multiple entry. Visa exemptions exist for many European and Asian nationalities, with durations that have changed recently.
• Cambodia: e-visa about $36 including fees, or visa on arrival at $30, plus the online e-Arrival form. Many Cambodian prices and visa fees are quoted in USD.
• Multiple-entry tip: buy a multiple-entry Vietnam e-visa if the route goes Vietnam, Cambodia, then Vietnam again.

FAQ

Q: Is November a good time to visit Vietnam and Cambodia? Yes for Cambodia, the south and the north, which are among their best weather of the year. Central Vietnam (Hue, Hoi An) is the exception: November carries the highest flood and storm risk, so keep those days flexible or fly over them. Bon Om Touk crowds fill Phnom Penh around 23-25 November 2026.

Q: Is October a good time to visit Vietnam? It is excellent for Hanoi, Halong Bay and the northern mountains, with harvest scenery. The south is still drying out, and central Vietnam is entering its wettest, stormiest period. Combine it with Cambodia only if a wet Angkor is acceptable.

Q: What is the weather like in Vietnam in December? Three different climates. The north is cool (about 15-20°C, grey, sometimes hazy), the central coast is mild and often rainy, and the south is dry and warm (about 23-32°C). Christmas and New Year push prices to their annual peak.

Q: What is the best time to visit Ho Chi Minh City? December to March: dry, slightly less humid, and still hot. April is the hottest month, and May to November brings almost daily afternoon downpours that rarely last more than a few hours.

Q: How long does it take to visit Vietnam and Cambodia? Plan 12-14 days minimum and 18-21 days for a relaxed pace. Under 10 days, choose either the south plus Angkor or Vietnam only, rather than rushing both.

Q: When should you not go to Vietnam? Avoid central Vietnam from mid-October to late November, the week around Tet (next: 6 February 2027) if you need normal services, and the 20 December to 5 January peak if budget matters. Typhoon season can also cancel Halong cruises between July and October.

Q: Can you visit Angkor Wat in the rainy season? Yes. Rain usually arrives as afternoon storms, mornings are often clear, crowds are thinner and the moats are full. Expect slippery stairs and muddy paths at outlying temples, especially in September and October.

Q: Should I visit Vietnam or Cambodia first? It depends on the month. From late January to March, start in Cambodia before the heat builds and travel north through Vietnam. From November to mid-January, start in north Vietnam and finish in the south and Cambodia.