Visas, borders and practical travel in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos
Planning
When to go: seasons across the region
There is no single good month for all three countries. Northern Vietnam is cold and grey when the south is dry and hot; central Vietnam floods in autumn when Laos is at its most comfortable. This page shows the overlap and the trade-offs.
Contents
The month chart
Our reading of the cited seasonal data: filled = generally comfortable and dry, half = workable with trade-offs, empty = heavy rain, flooding, storms, smoke or extreme heat likely.
The chart is a summary, not a forecast. Rains arrive early or late, and a dry month can still bring a storm. Use it to see where the countries line up: roughly November to February works across most of the region, with the cold north of Vietnam and flood-prone centre as the exceptions in the early part of that window.
Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — weather and climate; Travelfish — Cambodia weather (independent guide); Travelfish — Laos weather (independent guide) · last checked .
Vietnam: north, centre and south
North. The tourism authority describes April to June and September to November as the dry, sunny periods, June to August as stormy, hot and humid, and December to March as cool to cold, misty and cloudy. January lows can reach 10°C in Hanoi's region, and Sapa occasionally sees snow in January.
Centre. The rains run later here. Hue is dry from March to August and wet from September to February; Hoi An is dry from February to August and wet from September to January, with flood risk from September to November; Nha Trang is wet from September to December. Hue ranges from about 15°C in January to 35°C in July. Da Lat, in the highlands, is the exception, with rain from April to October.
South. Dry from December to April, wet from May to November with heavy afternoon downpours, and around 30°C all year. Phu Quoc is stormy from July to September.
Typhoon season along the coast normally runs from May to November, according to the UK Foreign Office, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, flooding and disruption to transport.
Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — weather and climate; UK Foreign Office — Vietnam safety and security · last checked .
Cambodia: dry, hot, wet
The dry season runs from November to April. November and December are the cooler end; March and April are hot and dusty, with Phnom Penh and Siem Reap reaching around 38°C in April. The rains start in May, peak from July to September and taper off in October.
The wet season has an upside: the Tonle Sap lake rises and the stilt villages around it are at their most striking. The downside is road travel, which slows on rural routes.
Sources: Travelfish — Cambodia weather (independent guide) · last checked .
Laos: cool, hot and smoky, wet
November to February is the cool dry season, with daytime highs around 28°C in Luang Prabang and 31 to 32°C in Vientiane. March and April are hot, reaching 38°C and above in Vientiane. The rains run from May to October and peak in August, when Vientiane averages about 450 mm and Luang Prabang about 347 mm.
From mid-February to late April or early May, field burning fills the northern valleys with smoke. Views from viewpoints disappear and people with sensitive eyes or lungs notice it. The UK Foreign Office also notes that regional air pollution can aggravate heart and respiratory conditions, and that dengue cases rise in the rainy season.
River travel is easiest in November and December, when the water is high enough for boats without the strong currents of the peak rains.
Sources: Travelfish — Laos weather (independent guide); UK Foreign Office — Laos health · last checked .
Matching a route to the season
- November to February, all three countries: start in the south of Vietnam or in Cambodia and finish in Laos; leave northern Vietnam for the end of the window if you dislike cold drizzle.
- March and April: good for the central coast; the north of Vietnam turns dry and sunny from April; hot in Cambodia; smoky in northern Laos.
- May to August: central Vietnam is dry and the beaches work; the south of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos are in their rains, and the north of Vietnam turns stormy from June.
- September to November: the north of Vietnam is clear; central Vietnam is the place to avoid because of flood risk.
Wet-season travel in the south means a heavy shower most afternoons and a dry morning. Floods and typhoons are a different matter: build a spare day into any coastal or mountain leg.
Common questions
Questions readers ask
Is there one month that is good everywhere?
December and January come closest, but northern Vietnam is cold then and the tail of the central Vietnam rains can linger. No month is ideal for every region.
When is the smoke season in Laos?
From mid-February to late April or early May, caused by field burning. It is worst in the northern valleys.
When does flooding hit Hoi An?
The flood risk is highest from September to November, during the central Vietnam rainy season.
How hot is Cambodia in April?
Around 38°C in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Plan temple visits for early morning.
Related
Read next
Getting across
Getting between
Flights, buses and boats between the three countries, with journey times and the new Cambodian airports.
Planning
Health and safety
Health risks, medicine rules, road safety, methanol, unexploded ordnance and common scams in the three countries.
Countries · Vietnam
Vietnam
Route length, regional seasons, entry options and fixed costs for travelling Vietnam on your own.
Countries · Cambodia
Cambodia
Route length, seasons, entry options, the new airports and fixed costs for travelling Cambodia on your own.
Countries · Laos
Laos
Route length, seasons, entry rules, kip-only payments and fixed costs for travelling Laos on your own.
Independent travel handbook
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Start here: the guide to entry rules, border crossings, money and seasons across the three countries.
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