#1Hot
Ho Chi Minh City
- Day
- 30.4°C
- Sea
- -
- Sun
- 3.3h
- Rain days
- 9
Your December weather guide
Weather in Vietnam in December
December is a good month for Vietnam if you choose your destination around the weather you want. Head south for warmth: Ho Chi Minh City reaches 30°C by day, while Phu Quoc averages 28°C and suits travellers who want time in the sea. Hanoi is a different proposition at 21°C, better for those who prefer milder days. The catch is that December is not rain-free, and northern evenings need warmer clothing.
Long-term climate averages, not a forecast · 1991-2020
- Average daytime high
- 26.6°Cacross 3 destinations
- Average night-time low
- 20.7°Cafter dark
- Sea temperature
- 28.5°Cwarm enough to swim
- Rainy days
- 8days1 mm or more
Vietnam, month by month
Turn up the warmth
Warmest places in Vietnam in December
Ranked by average daytime high. The full comparison is in the table below.
Vietnam destinations ranked for December
All 3 places we track in Vietnam, ordered by daytime high.
Scroll sideways for more weather, down for more places. Click a heading to sort.
| # | Destination | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ho Chi Minh City | 30.4°C | 22.6°C | - | 3.3 h | 9 | 13 h 30 min |
| 2 | Phu Quoc | 28.3°C | 25.2°C | 28.5°C | 4.0 h | 9 | 13 h 24 min |
| 3 | Hanoi | 21.0°C | 14.2°C | - | 3.8 h | 7 | 12 h 18 min |
3 destinations shownClimate averages, not a forecast.
December climate overview
Daytime highs across Vietnam in December run from 21.0°C (Hanoi) to 30.4°C (Ho Chi Minh City). In Ho Chi Minh City about 99% of December days reach 25°C. Nights average 20.7°C; the coldest 10% of nights in Hanoi fall to 10°C or below.
Rainfall in December
Expect around 8 rainy days (1 mm or more) in December, with Hanoi the driest (7 days) and Ho Chi Minh City the wettest (9 days). The wettest December at Ho Chi Minh City between 1991 and 2020 was 2005 with 176 mm; the driest was 2004 with 2 mm.
Sea temperature
The sea averages 28.5°C around Vietnam in December. That is comfortable for swimming.
Sunshine and daylight
Around 3.7 hours of sunshine a day on average, out of 11.4 hours of daylight (sunshine estimated from cloud cover).
December against the rest of the year in Vietnam
December is the 11th warmest month of the twelve in Vietnam. It is 1.4°C cooler than November and 0.3°C cooler in January. The hottest month here is May (31°C) and the coolest January (26°C).
Which part of Vietnam in December?
- Most sunshine: Phu Quoc, 4.0 h a day.
- Driest: Hanoi, about 7 rainy days.
- Warmest sea: Phu Quoc, 29°C.
- Hottest: Ho Chi Minh City, 30°C by day.
- Coolest (better for walking and cities): Hanoi, 21°C.
What to pack for Vietnam in December
Based on the averages: summer clothes for the day; a rain jacket - roughly 8 wet days; swimwear - the sea is 29°C.
Similar weather elsewhere in December
Within 1.5°C of Vietnam's December daytime average: Singapore (28°C, sea 28°C), Bali (28°C, sea 29°C), St Lucia (28°C, sea 28°C), Koh Samui (28°C, sea 28°C), Aruba (27°C, sea 27°C). See the full ranking for December.
Choose the south for heat and warm water
Ho Chi Minh City is the hottest choice, so plan for heat rather than assuming December will feel cool. Light, breathable clothes make sense, with breaks from walking around midday if you find hot weather tiring. Nights average 23°C, so the warmth continues after dark. Phu Quoc is slightly less hot by day, but its 25°C nights offer little cooling. Its sea averages 28°C, making it the clearer choice if warm-water swimming is your priority, though sea temperature alone does not tell you about swimming conditions. Both destinations average 9 rainy days, so leave some flexibility in outdoor plans rather than expecting an entirely dry holiday.
Choose Hanoi for milder days, but pack layers
Hanoi suits travellers who would rather walk in mild weather than manage southern heat. Its average daytime temperature of 21°C is comfortably above London's December average of 8°C, but that comparison can hide the need for layers. Hanoi nights average 14°C, so bring a jumper or light jacket for evenings rather than packing only summer clothes. With 7 rainy days, it is not a completely dry option either. The national daytime average of 27°C is less useful for packing than your actual itinerary: a trip combining Hanoi with the south needs clothing for both warm afternoons and noticeably cooler nights. Choose the south instead if consistent warmth matters most.
A little more detail
Vietnam in December FAQs
Plain answers, grounded in the averages.
Where is the hottest place in Vietnam in December?
Ho Chi Minh City is the warmest of the 3 places we track in Vietnam in December with an average high of 30.4°C; Hanoi is the coolest at 21.0°C.
Is the sea warm in Vietnam in December?
The sea averages 22°C or more at Phu Quoc (29°C) in December.
Is the sea warm enough for swimming in December?
Phu Quoc's average sea temperature is 28°C, so the water is warm rather than chilly. It is a good fit if sea swimming matters to your holiday, but check local conditions before entering the water; temperature does not establish safety.
Will I need a jacket in the evenings?
For Hanoi, a jumper or light jacket is sensible because nights average 14°C. Southern evenings are much warmer: Ho Chi Minh City averages 23°C and Phu Quoc 25°C, so light clothing is the more useful starting point there.
Can I expect sunshine every day?
Do not plan on uninterrupted sunshine. Vietnam averages 3.7 hours of sunshine and 8 rainy days in December. That leaves a reason to keep outdoor plans flexible, rather than treating warm daytime temperatures as a promise of clear skies.
About these averages
ERA5-Land climate reanalysis via Open-Meteo (11 km grid), 1991-2020
Averages computed from daily values at 3 destination points.Records are the highest and lowest daily values in that 30-year period, not all-time records. These are climate averages, not a forecast for your trip. How we measure holiday weather
- Hot · 25°C+
- Warm · 20°C to below 25°C
- Mild · 15°C to below 20°C
- Cool · below 15°C