North, centre, south: Vietnam weather and when to go

Vietnam is long. There is no single best month for the whole country, so plan the region, not the date. North (Hanoi, Ha Long, Ninh Binh, Sapa) Four real seasons. December to February is grey and cool, and genuinely cold in the mountains, so bring a jacket. May to August is hot, humid and stormy. The best windows are October to November and March to April. Centre (Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Quy Nhon) Dry and hot from roughly February to August, which is the beach season. September to November is the wettest stretch, with the biggest storms, and low streets in Hoi An can flood. If you are going then, keep your plans flexible. South (Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Phu Quoc) Warm all year. December to April is dry. May to November is the wet season, but that usually means one heavy downpour in the afternoon, not rain all day. It rarely ruins a trip; it just changes your timing. A compromise: February to April works reasonably well from top to bottom. One thing to check before booking: Tet, the lunar new year. The dates move each year. Many shops and family businesses close for several days, and trains, buses and flights sell out weeks ahead.