August is an “in-between time” that will still let you see and explore much of Vietnam despite occasional weather-related hiccups. Let’s walk through the best time to visit Vietnam and what the country has to offer this Vietnam in August.
Vietnam weather in August
Because the long elegant, thin “silk ribbon” of Vietnam extends 1650 km North to South. The weather in Vietnam can be drastically different from region to region. The North will enjoy its last month of summer in August. With lovely sunshine and heavy showers that soak the land but bring out the lush beauty of vegetation. Central Vietnam will see the end of its monsoon season, so expect moderate rainfall. Southern Vietnam is still in the middle of that season and as a result suffers from rain and storms interspersed with dry, sunny hours.
Crowds & Costs
Vietnam in August is the tail end of tourist season. So crowds and costs will be drastically lower compared to the previous months. However, if you’re planning on taking a cruise in Halong Bay Vietnam holiday packages (Daily Tour) or indeed any large body of water. This might not be the season for you given the rains and storms. If you want to try your luck, plan alternative activities in advance.
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Where to go in Vietnam in August
Ninh Binh
“Where to visit in Vietnam for the first time?” As mentioned above, the high rainfall helps plant life thrive. Vietnam’s national resources are often lovingly described as “golden forests and silver seas”. Traveling to Ninh Binh this season will put you among verdant trees and rice paddy fields on either side of the river, and the lotuses are in bloom. The region’s world-famous karst formations remain as imposing and mystical as ever. For the culinary adventurers, the best things to do in Ninh Binh Chinese mystery snails (known in Vietnamese as “Ốc Đá” (stone snail). Because they cling to the limestone cliff faces and resemble stones) are in season. Goat meat and burnt rice (actually a kind of savory puffed rice cake) are perennial favorites in Vietnam must try food.
Nha Trang
The rain may still linger in Central Vietnam, but Nha Trang suffers the least from it in Vietnam in August. Dry and cool days with gentle sunshine are the rule. Take this opportunity to relax on the most beautiful beaches in Vietnam. Then bathe in its clean waters, and visit many of the city’s jewels – the islands dotting its seas. You can have fun for the whole family at VinWonders theme park. Go diving in a whopping 36,000m2 area (the largest area in Vietnam) with the Vinpearl Diving Club. Or hit the links at the Vinpearl Golf Nha Trang 18-hole course.
Ho Chi Minh City
Hanoi may have been immortalized in poetry and music with its famous autumns. But Ho Chi Minh City is no slouch. It also turns golden in Vietnam in August – in the trees, the sunlight, and the blooming flowers. The beauty of autumn in Saigon is subtler but no less memorable. Take the time to explore this unsleeping city with some best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City. Such as sampling its vibrant food scene, enjoy the best Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurant in Saigon Food tour. Go to some best place to get Tailored Clothing in Ho Chi Minh City. Observe the pieces of history preserved in one of the most modern cities in Vietnam. With building such as the War Remnants Museum, Saigon Central Post Office, the Notre Dame Basilica or the Municipal Theater.
What to do in Vietnam in August
Participate in outdoor activities at Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park
August is the tail end of the dry season in Phong Nha-Ke Bang, so hurry to one of the best time to visit North Vietnam if you can. Its massive karst formations boast over 300 caves of various sizes, carved by rivers running through limestone mountains and melting them down. You can explore the caves, go kayaking and zipline on its waterways, stroll through the Botanical Garden, traverse the primeval forests, and much, much more.
You can join the Ha Giang Loop tour (3 days and 2 nights) and choose the best time to visit Ha Giang Vietnam.
Green turtle nesting season in Con Dao
In Vietnam in August, travelers to Con Dao can be part of a magnificent, (mostly) once-in-a-lifetime experience. This is when the endangered green turtles crawl onto the beaches of Con Dao, lay their eggs, and return to the sea. Once their eggs have hatched, the babies follow suit. Park rangers sit vigil to make sure the mothers can nest safely, and return the hatchlings to the ocean in the mornings – in some cases, visitors can do the releasing! A turtle tour in Con Dao is an entertaining, thrilling, and unique experience that teaches the importance of conservation firsthand.
Learn how to cook in the Saigon cooking class
In a city with an exciting food scene – indeed, food is almost a love language for the Vietnamese, for whom the question “Have you eaten [rice]?” is a perfectly acceptable way to say hello -, there would be an overabundance of culinary experiences. One of the best things to do in Ho Chi Minh City is many tour operators offer opportunities to learn, travel, and make authentic food at the same time. You can visit farms, understand their production process, and enjoy fresh wraps, rolls, and salads made from farm-to-table vegetables.
Some tours will pick you up in cyclos (xích lô, a very Vietnamese way of getting about) and take you shopping at the Ben Thanh Market for the ingredients of your feasts. Beyond the city, a day trip to one of the best places to visit in South Vietnam Cai Rang Floating Market will allow you to shop in a unique environment. You can find more in South Vietnam 1 week itinerary if you want to enjoy the riches of the Mekong Delta, “the granary of Vietnam”.
August Events & Holiday
Ghost Festival
Ancestor worship is a very common folk belief, and most people subscribe to it to varying degrees. For important spiritual events, the Vietnamese light incense on their altar and invite their ancestors to return and partake in food offerings. Therefore, deceased people without family or descendants would be very hungry and thirsty indeed. On the full moon of the seventh lunar months, people would set out offerings on little tables in the street or their yards so the ghosts could eat as well – a little bit like a soup kitchen for the unmounted dead. Some believe that the seventh month is particularly unlucky, so people are encouraged to go vegetarian and do good deeds to counter the effects.
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Vu Lan Festival
Concurrent with the Ghost Festival is Vu Lan – a day for children to pay respects to people who have raised them and nurtured them, in their past lives, the next lives, and beyond. Filial piety is very important in Vietnamese culture, and parents are almost always offered a measure of respect and love. This is a major holiday for Vietnamese Buddhists, but most of the population has taken Buddhist practices into their beliefs to a degree. A relatively recent ritual is to pin roses on lapels – red ones for people whose mothers are alive, and white for those whose mothers are gone.
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Hon Chen Festival
In the third and seventh lunar months, the people of Hon Chen pay respects to the Mother Goddess Thien Y A Na. The trademarks of this holiday are processions of people dressed in colorful traditional clothing, holding flags and incense to welcome the Goddess, as well as street carnivals. There are even spiritual rituals held on boats that accompany the festivities, and dragon boats will cruise the Huong River – Hue’s famous lifeline.
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Vietnam in each month
Learn about detailed weather information for each area in Vietnam for 12 months & seasonal tourist destinations.
Frequently Asked Questions about Vietnam in August (FAQs)
What is Vietnam like in August?
Vietnam in August can be markedly different in weather between regions. The North will enjoy the last month of summer in August with pleasant sunshine. There will be showers but there will be lush vegetation. Central Vietnam will end the monsoon season so moderate rainfall is expected. The South is still in the middle of the season and often suffers from rain alternating with dry and sunny weather.
Is it a good time to visit Vietnam in August?
Vietnam in August is the end of the tourist season, so the number of tourists is crowded and the cost will decrease sharply compared to previous months. However, if you are planning to take a cruise in Ha Long Bay or cruise any river in Vietnam. This is probably not the season for you due to the amount of rain and storms that occur. If you want to try your luck, plan other alternative activities.
Vietnam in August is an excellent month to travel to Vietnam. While planning is crucial to avoid getting your fun ruined by inclement weather. There are still many opportunities to enjoy the country.
