May is beginning of summer in Northern Vietnam, the dry season with hot temperatures in the Central Coast, the beginning rainy season with pleasant temperatures in the Central Highlands, and in Southern Vietnam.
In northern Vietnam, May is relatively dry with bright sunshine mostly and with lovely or warm temperatures. The Central Coast has mostly strong sun, dry and hot weather.
The Central Highlands is in the rainy season with often lovely sunshine or clouds, daily short-lived rain (for 30-60 minutes) and pleasant temperatures. Southern Vietnam also starts enjoying the rainy season from May with daily short-lived rain and pleasant temperatures mostly.
The sea is calm all over Vietnam in May and sea exploration tours are operable in most places.
Monsoons in Vietnam in May
In May there are three main monsoons affecting Vietnam:
- The Southeasterly Monsoon which blows mostly in northern Vietnam which causes moist air and pleasant temperatures.
- The Westerly Wind as known locally in the Central Coast of Vietnam, which is actually the Southwesterly Wind coming from the Bengal Bay or the Equator and is a foehn wind, is still weak and tends to influence the Central Coast and part of the Northwest of Vietnam.
- The Southwesterly Wind, which comes from the Equator, is a moist wind and is to cause daily short-lived rain and pleasant temperatures in the Central Highlands and in Southern Vietnam.
What to expect from your holidays to Vietnam in May, where to go in Vietnam in May?
Taking the general weather conditions in Vietnam into consideration, for those travelers planning tours to Vietnam or those who are on vacation in Vietnam in May, then there are some notes as follows:
- May is a good time to travel to northern Vietnam where spring and summer weather prevails : sunshine, windy, pleasant or sometimes slightly warm temperatures. It is mostly dry in northern Vietnam in May which is good for all kinds of outdoor activities. It is good to know that on warm days, drink enough water to avoid dehydration. Also, the sun may be strong on some days and it is advisable to avoid biking or hiking in mid day in the places without sun shade.
May is not really a good time for bird watching in northern Vietnam given that migratory species have left the region. Some species may have been in the period of nesting and mating already.
Those who go to the sea are to expect calm sea all over Vietnam. It is more likely that sea exploration tours like scuba-diving, snorkeling... are to be operable.
- The Central Coast of Vietnam is to experience the dry season with pleasant or warm temperatures. It should be great for beach holidays in the region.
For those who plan trips to the Central Highlands, expect sun, and dry weather mostly and daily short-lived rain which lasts for half an hour only. The temperatures are pleasant or chilly in places with high altitudes and slightly warm temperatures in places with low altitudes.
Those planning holidays to Southern Vietnam in May, then you are likely to have warm or pleasant temperatures. It is cloudy weather mostly and sometimes bright sun.
The beaches in Vung Tau, Long Hai and Mui Ne, Phan Thiet are good options near Saigon Ho Chi Minh City. These beaches may be very crowded at weekends or during public holidays.
Con Dao Islands, Phu Quoc Island are to have cloudy or sunny weather with lovely or slightly warm temperatures of 28-32oC. The sea is mostly calm.
Below you can find Paradissa’s reviews and statistics of the weather in different regions in Vietnam in May 2025
1/ Vietnam Weather in the First Decade of May 2025
In the first decade of May in 2025, northern Vietnam had some morning with rain, but mostly with sun and clouds; the temperatures were pleasant. The Central Coast had mostly dry weather with pleasant or slightly warm temperatures. The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam had some rain with pleasant or warm temperatures.
Regional weather patterns in Vietnam in the first 10 days of May 2025 :
- Northeast (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Quang Ninh, Halong Bay, Hai Phong...): some sun, clouds, rain, 23-33C ;
- Northwest: sun, clouds, rain, 23/24-33oC in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai; sun, clouds, 22-32oC in Son La, Dien Bien Phu; clouds, isolated rain, 17-27oC in Lai Chau.
- Lowlands (Hanoi, Ninh Binh...): windy, sun, clouds, some rain, 25-33oC.
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): sun, clouds, 27-34/35oC;
- Central Coast from Quang Binh, Quang Tri to Hue: sun, clouds, 26-34oC;
- Central Coast from Da Nang, Quang Nam, Hoi An to Quang Ngai: sun, clouds, 26-34oC;
- Central Coast from Quy Nhon to Tuy Hoa: sun, clouds, 27-33oC ;
- Central Coast in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa: sun, clouds, isolated rain, 26-33oC ;
- Central Coast Ninh Thuan: sun, clouds, some isolated rain, 26-33oC ;
- Central Coast Binh Thuan: clouds, some isolated rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong): clouds, rain, 22-34oC in Kon Tum, Pleiku ; sun, clouds, rain, 23-33oC Dak Lak ; clouds, rain, 19-29oC Lam Dong;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh): sun, clouds, rain, 27-34/35oC;
- 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, rain, 26-34oC;
Con Dao Islands had sun, clouds, rain 27-32oC.
Phu Quoc Island enjoyed sun, clouds, rain, 26-31oC ;
2/ Vietnam Weather in the second decade of May 2025
In the second decade of May 2025, there was a new spell of the Northeasterly Wind causing heavy rain and pleasant temperatures in the North and in the North of the Central Coast of Vietnam.
The Central Highlands and southern Vietnam had entered the rainy season with heavy rain causing temporary floods in streets in Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Dong Nai.
Regional weather patterns in Vietnam in the second 10 days of May 2025 :
- Northeast (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Quang Ninh, Halong Bay, Hai Phong...): some sun, clouds, rain, 15/17-27/29C ;
- Northwest: clouds, rain, 19-28/29oC in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai; clouds, rain, 17/18-28/29oC in Son La, Dien Bien Phu; clouds, rain, 18-24oC in Lai Chau.
- Lowlands (Hanoi, Ninh Binh...): clouds, rain, 20-29oC.
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): sun, clouds, rain, 21-34oC;
- Central Coast from Quang Binh, Quang Tri to Hue: clouds, rain, 21/22-33/34oC;
- Central Coast from Da Nang, Quang Nam, Hoi An to Quang Ngai: clouds, rain, 26-32/34oC;
- Central Coast from Quy Nhon to Tuy Hoa: sun, clouds, rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Coast in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa: sun, clouds, rain, 24-30oC ;
- Central Coast Ninh Thuan: clouds, rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Coast Binh Thuan: clouds, rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong): clouds, rain, 23-33oC in Kon Tum, Pleiku ; clouds, rain, 22-33oC Dak Lak ; clouds, rain, 19-28oC Lam Dong;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh): clouds, rain, 27-34/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): clouds, rain, 26-33oC;
Con Dao Islands had clouds, rain 27-33oC.
Phu Quoc Island enjoyed clouds, rain, 27-31oC ;
3/ Vietnam Weather in the last decade of May 2025
In the third decade of May 2025, there was rain in most of Vietnam. The temperatures were pleasant in most of the country. Successive spells of the cool Northeasterly Wind in the mid of this decade brought rain all over the North and the North and Mid of the Central Coast.
There was heavy and torrential rain in the North, in the North of the Central Coast, in the Central Highlands and in southern Vietnam. Several places in Ha Tinh were flooded. Open sewers might cause accidents in Binh Duong and Dong Nai.
Regional weather patterns in Vietnam in the third 10 days of May 2025 :
- Northeast (Lang Son, Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Quang Ninh, Halong Bay, Hai Phong...): clouds, rain, 18/19-28C ;
- Northwest: clouds, rain, 21-28/29oC in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai, Lao Cai; clouds, rain, 19-27oC in Son La, Dien Bien Phu; clouds, rain, 16-24oC in Lai Chau.
- Lowlands (Hanoi, Ninh Binh...): clouds, rain, 21/22-28oC.
- North of the Central Coast (Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh): clouds, rain, 21/22-28/29oC;
- Central Coast from Quang Binh, Quang Tri to Hue: clouds, rain, 26-32oC;
- Central Coast from Da Nang, Quang Nam, Hoi An to Quang Ngai: clouds, rain, 26-32/34oC;
- Central Coast from Quy Nhon to Tuy Hoa: sun, clouds, rain, 27-33oC ;
- Central Coast in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa: clouds, rain, 24-30oC ;
- Central Coast Ninh Thuan: clouds, rain, 26-32oC ;
- Central Coast Binh Thuan: clouds, rain, 26-31oC ;
- Central Highlands (Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong, Lam Dong): clouds, rain, 22/23-32oC in Kon Tum, Pleiku ; clouds, rain, 23-31oC Dak Lak ; clouds, rain, 19-27oC Lam Dong;
- East of Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Tay Ninh): clouds, rain, 26-32oC;
- 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): clouds, rain, 26-32oC;
Con Dao Islands had some sun, clouds, rain 27-32oC.
Phu Quoc Island enjoyed clouds, rain, 26-30oC ;
28-May-2025
19:00 Rainfalls in 13 hours: Dào San (Lai Châu) 225.3mm, Tam Thanh (Phú Thọ) 209.8mm, Tân Minh (Lạng Sơn) 172.6mm, Giáp Đắc (Hòa Bình) 138.6mm, Vạn Bình (Khánh Hòa) 135.8mm, Mỹ Xuân (Bà Rịa Vũng Tàu) 156.6mm,… In 24 hours: Tam Thanh 209.8mm (Phú Thọ); Tân Minh 180.9mm (Lạng Sơn); Yên Bình 136.2mm (Yên Bái); Cách Linh 119.3mm (Cao Bằng); Tam Đa 106.2mm (Tuyên Quang); Đồng Lạc 2 100mm (Bắc Kạn); Bản Hồ 1 83.8mm (Lào Cai); Tân Pheo 138.6mm (Hòa Bình);...
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.
