Tourism Seasons by Country

Pick a country to see its tourist season month by month — high season, shoulder season and low season — along with any festivals that affect prices, crowds or closures that month.
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Vietnam

Month Season Description
January January is a balanced month: the south is dry and accessible, the centre is recovering from rains, and the north is cool and relatively quiet. International visitor volume is moderate and prices are fair, though Chinese New Year (late January or February) creates a brief spike in Chinese-market hotels in Hanoi and Ha Long Bay.
February February is dominated by Tet — Vietnam's Lunar New Year. The country essentially shuts down for 3–7 days: train and bus tickets are virtually impossible to obtain for weeks beforehand as 90 million Vietnamese travel simultaneously; many restaurants, museums, and tour operators close; and hotels that remain open charge peak festival prices. Foreign travellers caught in Vietnam during Tet should book everything — transport and accommodation — at least a month in advance. June and September are quiet international shoulder months with the best walk-in hotel deals.
March Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.
April Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.
May Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.
June February is dominated by Tet — Vietnam's Lunar New Year. The country essentially shuts down for 3–7 days: train and bus tickets are virtually impossible to obtain for weeks beforehand as 90 million Vietnamese travel simultaneously; many restaurants, museums, and tour operators close; and hotels that remain open charge peak festival prices. Foreign travellers caught in Vietnam during Tet should book everything — transport and accommodation — at least a month in advance. June and September are quiet international shoulder months with the best walk-in hotel deals.
July Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.
August Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.
September February is dominated by Tet — Vietnam's Lunar New Year. The country essentially shuts down for 3–7 days: train and bus tickets are virtually impossible to obtain for weeks beforehand as 90 million Vietnamese travel simultaneously; many restaurants, museums, and tour operators close; and hotels that remain open charge peak festival prices. Foreign travellers caught in Vietnam during Tet should book everything — transport and accommodation — at least a month in advance. June and September are quiet international shoulder months with the best walk-in hotel deals.
October Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.
November Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.
December Vietnam has multiple overlapping high seasons driven by regional weather and origin markets. March–May is peak season for the central coast (Hoi An, Danang, Hue) and south (HCMC, Phu Quoc): accommodation at Hoi An's famous Ancient Town fills up and rates rise 40–70%. July–August sees a massive surge of French, Australian, and domestic tourists; guesthouses along the Ha Long Bay coast and in Sa Pa need booking 4–6 weeks ahead; overnight trains Hanoi–HCMC sell out 2–3 weeks in advance. October–December is the golden window for the north: Ha Long Bay cruises, Sa Pa trekking villages, and Hanoi's Old Quarter are packed; Christmas and New Year in Hanoi or HCMC see prices spike 50–80% and hotels fill completely. Reunification Day (30 April) and International Workers' Day (1 May) create a 4-day national holiday — the entire domestic transport system is saturated and advance booking is essential.

Festivals & events

Tet (Lunar New Year) Closures
Jan–Feb · approximate dates

Vietnam's biggest holiday. Widespread closures for up to a week and transport booked out; dates late Jan–Feb.

Reunification Day & Labour Day Book ahead
Apr–May

Back-to-back national holidays (30 Apr–1 May) trigger a domestic travel peak; book ahead.

Hue Festival Celebration
Apr · approximate dates

Biennial arts and heritage festival in the old imperial capital, with royal re-enactments. Usually April.

Da Nang International Fireworks Festival Celebration
Jun–Jul

Weeks of international fireworks competition over the Han River in Da Nang. Usually June–July.

Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration
Sep · approximate dates

Lantern festival with mooncakes and lion dances, lively in Hoi An. Lunar dates, usually September.