One of the questions that many people ask is what is the best time to visit Hoi An? What they usually mean is “When is the best Hoi An Weather?”. The problem is of course that with weather, the word best is often subjective. So here is a rough guide to what you can expect weather-wise throughout the year. Of course, because we are talking about the weather, this might not be perfect every year, but it will give you an idea of what to expect at least.
March – May
Often quoted as the best time to visit Vietnam in general, March to May is also an excellent time to visit Hoi An and boasts arguably the “best” Hoi An weather. It is mostly dry with sunshine and usually not too hot. Well, not as hot as it can get anyway (about 28 – 33 degrees Celsius). The humidity is usually at a tolerable level as well, making it what many people would view as the perfect beach weather. It can still get remarkably hot though, so bring your sunscreen.
June – August
Hot and humid is the order of the day here. If you like your Hoi An weather tropical, then this is the season for you. It doesn’t rain an awful lot so you can be confident in all of your tours and excursions, but you might need to make sure you know where the nearest aircon is as the heat can get pretty intense in the middle of the day. Hot and sticky with lots and lots of sunshine. Temperatures of around 35oC are normal here, but can feel a lot higher with the added humidity. Perfect for lying around the pool with a cold beer, with a dip to cool you down any time you get too hot.
September – November
This is the beginning of the monsoon season, so you can start to expect a bit of rain. In September the rain will be in short, infrequent bursts, and for the most part the weather will be warm and dry. It will be a little cooler than the summer months of June – August so a little more comfortable. As you go through September to November, the temperature slowly drops from around 32o C to around 27o C while the rainfall increases in both intensity and frequency. By the end of November you can expect a few days of flooding around Old Town and its surrounding area. The road outside the hotel will also sometimes flood for a day or so at this time as the government empties reservoirs upstream and the river bursts its banks. In 2022, the road flooded for a single day, and we organised a free boat service to ferry guests around. The next day it had gone and everything was dry again. The flooding is usually not extensive, and should not be a reason to not come to Hoi An at this time.
Although not weather-related, it should be noted that 2nd September is Vietnamese independence day and a popular public holiday. Book hotels early for this time and make sure you get a visa well in advance as they might be more difficult to obtain.
December – February
Apart from Christmas and New year, December, for many, might not be the ideal time to come to Hoi An. It can get quite cold (for South East Asia anyway — 20oC – 25oC), so you should bring some warm clothing. It also rains. A lot. And this isn’t a few short bursts in the evening, this can be drizzle, showers, and downpours. To be fair, some people like the December weather. It is certainly not hot, and there will be days where the sun comes out and you can wander around without getting covered in sweat, but December has, by far, the most rain and the least sun of any month in Hoi An. Christmas and New year are fun in Hoi An, though, and the festive season lasts a while. The people in Hoi An certainly know how to enjoy themselves. If you like cooler days and nights and don’t mind some overcast skies and a bit of rain, then December might be your month.
As you go through January and February, the rain decreases and the hours of sun increase. While the temperature does increase a little, it is still quite cool, so warm clothing is still advised. For some people, January and February is the ideal time to visit Hoi An, as it is much, much drier than September to December, but is still very cool (around 26o C in the day — yes, that is cool).
Be aware, though, that Tet — Vietnamese Lunar New Year — is somewhere in January or February (it is not a fixed date) and many hotels will fill up quickly over this holiday. Loud karaoke also becomes a regular pastime everywhere in Vietnam during this holiday.
So what is the best time to visit Hoi An?
Hoi An is beautiful all year round, and will welcome you whenever you decide to come. So really, the answer is simple: It’s up to you.