December is winter in Northern Vietnam, the rainy season in the Central Coast, about the dry season with chilly or cold temperatures in the Central Highlands, and the dry season with pleasant temperatures in Southern Vietnam.

In northern Vietnam, December is often the time of dry weather, strong winds, clouds or mild sunshine, pleasant or cold temperatures. Given the presence of the Northeasterly Monsoon in the North in December, typhoons, if any, should not have any affect in the region.

The Central Coast often has rain. But the rain in December tends to be light than in November. In December, rain the Central Coast is mostly caused by the Northeasterly Wind which partly blows inland from the sea and partly through inland. And the sea temperatures in December is much lower than those in November which helps to make lighter rain in the region.

December is that month the Northeasterly Monsoon is strong and has dominant impact on all of Vietnam, be it inland or at sea. It is also due to the blow of the Northeasterly Monsoon that causes dry weather with pleasant temperatures in southern Vietnam, and dry weather with chilly or cold weather in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The Southwesterly Monsoon often stops blowing through these two regions in December.

The sea is rough all over Vietnam in December, and sea exploration tours are not operable in most places. In case of strong typhoons, the sea can be rough all over Vietnam and travel by sea or by air between the islands and the inland is expected to be disrupted.

It is good to know that Vietnam is a narrow country with a long coastline and the country is to be affected tremendously by any change in sea temperatures and/or climate change. This is the reason that the weather patterns in Vietnam nowadays may vary from year to year and could be totally different from the norm.

Recap of Vietnam Weather in 2025

In fact, the weather patterns in Vietnam have been drastically different from the norm this year in 2025. There were floods in the Central Coast of Vietnam in June, in August and in September. There was devastating damage resulted from flash floods, floods and tornadoes caused by typhoon in northern Vietnam in late September and early half of October. In brief, there was flood and typhoons and tornadoes with fatal wind speeds (over 100 kph) which hit northern Vietnam, the Mid of the Central Coast, and North of the Central Coast of Vietnam from late September throughout October... The details of these are listed in our October 2025 weather report.

There were gale-force winds in all over Vietnam which felled trees and destroyed houses, agricultural crops in the North, in the Central Coast, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam through out the summer from June through October.

Southern Vietnam experienced unusual high tides which caused floods in several quarters of Saigon Ho Chi Minh City. The Mekong Delta experienced unusual high flood water of the Mekong River which had been virtually absent for decades!

November 2025 came with extremely strange type of weather at the beginning of the month: wet air in indoors environment - the weather pattern often found in the northern lowland in late March only!

The Central Coast from Ha Tinh through Quang Ngai suffered the worst flood ever known and typhoons with wind speeds of over 100 kph which hammered the whole region for over 5 hours.

Southern Vietnam continued to experience high tidal water and high flood water of the Mekong River.

In the latter half of November 2025, the worst ever encountered disaster hit the Central Coast of Vietnam and the Central Highlands of Vietnam: worst flood ever costing human lives and sweeping away everything from houses, agricultural crops, livestock... The worst period was from 15-November through 23-November. The flood water receded briefly and came back again flooding many regions of Binh Dinh and Phu Yen Provinces. All coastal cities from Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, Ninh Hoa, Nha Trang, Phan Rang... were flooded!

2025 has been anything but a kind year in terms of the weather in Vietnam.

Monsoons in Vietnam in December

In December there are three main monsoons affecting Vietnam:

- The Southeasterly Monsoon which sometimes or rarely blows mostly in northern Vietnam which causes moist air and pleasant temperatures.

- The Northeasterly Monsoon which has impact in most of Vietnam in December causing: cold weather in the North, rainy weather in the Central Coast, dry weather with chilly or cold temperatures in the Central Highlands, dry weather with pleasant temperatures in southern Vietnam.

Due to the strong Northeasterly Monsoon that the sea is rough all over Vietnam in December.

What to expect from your holidays to Vietnam in December, where to go in Vietnam in December?

Taking the general weather conditions in Vietnam into consideration, for those travelers planning trips to Vietnam or those who are on vacation in Vietnam in December, then there are some notes as follows:

- December is a great time to travel in northern Vietnam, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam. It is expected to have pleasant, chilly or mildly cold temperatures in these regions of the country.

Northern Vietnam often has the coldest temperatures in the last 10 days of December and first 10 days of January; and there may be snow or frosts in the far northern mountains.

- Expect long-lasting and but not too heavy rain in the Central Coast of Vietnam.

- If there is a typhoon in December, then it is more likely that the typhoon has impact on the Central Coast of Vietnam or southern Vietnam.

In northern Vietnam, December is a great time to go on trekking adventures, biking tours to the far northern mountains. All trips through the lowland of the North are more likely to experience beautiful weather with mild sunshine, pleasant or cold temperatures. Those who embark on mountain hiking adventures are to marvel at ethereal clouds on the journeys.

Be reminded that the last 10 days of December may be extremely cold. And in case of snow or frosts, then roads are very slippery in Lang Son, Cao Bang, Lao Cai, Lai Chau...

December is in the bird migration season and of course this is among the best time of the year to go birdwatching in the North, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam.

Those who go to the sea are to expect rough sea all over Vietnam. It is more likely that sea exploration tours like scuba-diving, snorkeling... are not to be operable. In case of typhoons, travel between the islands and the inland of Vietnam is to be disrupted.

The beaches in Vung Tau, Long Hai and Mui Ne, Phan Thiet are good options near Saigon Ho Chi Minh City. These beaches are not crowded in December. Expect strong winds and rough sea mostly.

Con Dao Islands, Phu Quoc Island are to have cloudy weather with lovely temperatures of 23-31oC.

Below you can find Paradissa’s reviews and statistics of the weather in different regions in Vietnam in December 2025

1/ Vietnam Weather in the First Decade of December 2025

In the first 10 days of December 2025, northern Vietnam had successive strong spells of the Northeasterly Monsoon which turned the weather into dry and cold a time for the North.

The Central Coast of Vietnam had rain and heavy rain due to the monsoon. Then there was sun and clouds in the region. 

The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam had some rain and pleasant temperatures mostly; cold temperatures in some places in the Central Highlands.

Heavy rain caused flood again in some places in the Central Coast: Binh Thuan (Ham Thuan Bac), Nha Trang,... And landslides on mountain passes connecting the Central Highlands and the lowland: Mimosa, Dran, Prenn, Gia Bac...

Regional weather patterns in Vietnam in the first 10 days of December 2025 :

- Northeast (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Quang Ninh, Halong Bay, Hai Phong...): sun, most clouds, some isolated rain, 13-23 oC ;
- Northwest:  sun, mostly clouds, some rain, 16-26 oC in Hoa Binh, 15-22/23 in Yen Bai, Lao Cai; sun, 13-23 oC in Son La, 9-25 in Dien Bien Phu, 8-21 oC in Lai Chau.
- Lowlands (Hanoi, Ninh Binh...): sun, clouds, 17-26/27 oC.

- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): some sun, clouds, rain, 16/18-26 oC;
- Central Coast from Quang Binh, Quang Tri to Hue: sun, clouds, rain, 20/21-24/26 oC;
- Central Coast from Da Nang, Quang Nam, Hoi An to Quang Ngai: some sun, clouds, rain, 21-25/26 oC;

- Central Coast from Quy Nhon to Tuy Hoa: some sun, clouds, rain, 23-27 oC ;
- Central Coast in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa: sun, clouds, rain, 23-28 oC ;
- Central Coast Ninh Thuan: sun, clouds, isolated rain, 22-30 oC ;
- Central Coast Binh Thuan: sun, clouds, isolated rain, 23-32 oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong): sun, clouds, some isolated rain, 17-27/28 oC in Kon Tum, Pleiku, 19-26 oC in Dak Lak ; sun, clouds, some isolated rain, 17-29oC Lam Dong;

- East of Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh):  sun, clouds, some rain, 22/23-31/32 oC ;
- West of Southern Vietnam ( The Mekong Delta : Long An, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Can Tho, Vinh Long, Chau Doc, Kien Giang): sun, clouds, some rain, 23-31/32 oC ;

Con Dao Islands had sun, clouds, rain 25-29 oC.
Phu Quoc Island enjoyed sun, clouds, some rain, 25-30 oC ;

2/ Vietnam Weather in the second decade of December 2025

3/ Vietnam Weather in the last decade of December 2025

Disclaimer: Vietnam weather summary is for reviews of Vietnam weather by month on the basis as “it is” to the best of our knowledge. Paradissa does not guarantee the accuracy of our monthly reviews of Vietnam Weather. Our Vietnam Weather Reviews by month must not be used for making travel decisions or for any other purposes. Paradissa disclaims any liability in connection with with the use of our information.