Vietnam in April: where it is sunny and where the rains begin
From north to south, Vietnam stretches almost 1,650 km (as of 09/2026, Vietnam Tourism). April weather across that distance varies a lot: Hanoi still gets gray rainy days, while Ho Chi Minh City bakes at around 36 °C (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate).
If you are planning a spring trip, April offers a rare balance. The north has already shaken off the winter chill, but the summer mugginess has not arrived yet. The central coast is entering its best season, and the south is living out its last dry weeks. It is easy to get it wrong: the same month means different things depending on the region.
Below we break down the weather by three regions: where to swim, where it rains, and where to stay.
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Vietnam weather in April: what to know
💡 In short:
- April is a transitional month: the north warms up, the center enters its dry season, and the south sees its dry weather come to an end.
- Swimming is most comfortable in the center and the south: the sea stays warm for almost the whole month.
- Southern beaches are best planned for the first two weeks of April.
To simplify: the north has mild warmth and short downpours, the center is dry with a warm sea, and the south is hot and humid. Pick your region based on what matters more to you: sightseeing, the beach, or mild weather.
The table below shows April averages by city.
City | Daytime, °C | Nighttime, °C | Water, °C | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Hanoi | 30-31 | 22 | no sea | 8-14 |
Halong Bay | 29 | 21 | 24 | 7 |
Da Nang | 30-33 | 24 | 27 | 4 |
Hoi An | 33 | 24 | 27 | 4 |
Hue | 32 | 23 | 26 | 6 |
Nha Trang | 33 | 25 | 27 | 5 |
Ho Chi Minh City | 36 | 26 | 28 | 8 |
Phu Quoc | 34 | 26 | 29 | 7 |
Sources for the figures: Vietnam Tourism, updated 29.08.2026, and Weather & Climate, 1990-2020 averages.
The north: Hanoi, Halong and Ninh Binh
April in the north opens the warm season. The winter chill is gone, and the exhausting summer mugginess has not started yet. In Hanoi, daytime temperatures are around 30 °C, and rain comes as short downpours, mostly in the afternoon (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate).
© Andrea Schaffer from Sydney, Australia · CC BYPhoto: Andrea Schaffer from Sydney, Australia, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), Wikimedia CommonsHanoi works well if you want to walk around the Old Quarter and go on excursions. Morning and evening are comfortable for strolling, while the midday sun is already strong. Take a break during the hot hours and duck into a cafe.
Halong Bay in April has some of the clearest days of the year. The limestone cliffs stand out well against a clear sky, so a bay cruise turns out great (as of 09/2026, Vietnam Tourism). The water here is around 24 °C: a bit cool for a long swim, ideal for a boat trip.
Nearby is Ninh Binh. The rice fields are being prepared for the summer harvest, and a bike ride through Tam Coc takes a few hours. The catch in the north: April still brings occasional rain.
The center: Da Nang, Hoi An and Hue
Central Vietnam in April becomes the best option for the beach. The rainy season is over, the sea is calm, and the air warms up to 30-33 °C (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate). Humidity here is lower than in the south, so the heat is easier to handle.
Da Nang gets little rain in April, and the water stays around 27 °C (as of 09/2026, Vietnam Tourism). My Khe Beach is good for swimming, and the Dragon Bridge draws smaller crowds in the evening than in summer. If you want a city with the sea and trips to the mountains, choose Da Nang: Ba Na Hills and the Marble Mountains are close by.
Hoi An is less than an hour from Da Nang. The Old Town is best explored in the evening, when the lanterns are lit. By the sea, the daytime heat is milder: An Bang and Cua Dai beaches are not crowded yet. Hotels in Da Nang on Trip.com are worth comparing in advance: in April there are more options than in February.
Hue is slightly cooler than other cities in the center. It can have cloudy days and light drizzle, but autumn flooding is still far off. The Citadel and the imperial tombs are more pleasant to visit than in the summer heat.
The catch in the center: the weather in Hue is less predictable than in Da Nang, and a couple of days can turn out gray.
South: Ho chi minh city, nha trang, and phu quoc
In the south, April marks the end of the dry season. During the day in Ho Chi Minh City, the air heats up to 36 °C, and humidity rises toward the end of the month (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate). The first monsoon downpours usually arrive in the last week of April.
© Alexkom000 · CC BYPhoto: Alexkom000, CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), Wikimedia CommonsHo Chi Minh City is worth visiting for its museums and street food. During the hottest hours, you take shelter in air-conditioned cafes and galleries. On the plus side, it gets more sun than other cities: about 241 hours per month (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate).
Nha Trang in April offers a warm sea and sunshine. There is little rain, and the water stays around 27 °C (as of 09/2026, Vietnam Tourism). Mid-April is a good time for diving. Hotels in Nha Trang on Trip.com will come in handy if you want a seaside base for a few days.
Phu Quoc is best booked for the first two weeks of April. By the end of the month the sea gets choppy. The water here is the warmest in Vietnam, around 29 °C, and it rains about seven days a month (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate).
The catch of the south: high humidity persists both day and night. Schedule flights and long walks for the morning.
Holidays: when to book April 2026
In April 2026, two national holidays change prices and schedules. The Hung Kings' Festival falls on April 26, which means a long weekend and a surge in domestic tourism (as of 09/2026, Vietnam Tourism). On April 30 the country celebrates Reunification Day, and on May 1 it observes Labor Day. Together this creates a period from April 30 to May 3.
In practice this means: trains and hotels in tourist cities get booked up in advance. If your trip falls on these dates, book transport and accommodation several weeks ahead. On other days in April, lines are shorter than in winter, and prices are 10-20% lower than in December (as of 09/2026, Vietnam Tourism).
What to pack and how to plan your route
Pack in layers. The north and center are warm but not extreme, while the south is genuinely hot. Bring light cotton and linen clothing, a sweater for evenings and air-conditioned buses, and a compact raincoat or umbrella.
A swimsuit will come in handy: in the center, the sea is at its best in April. Don't forget sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses, UV is high even on cloudy days. Insect repellent is also useful, mosquitoes become more active as the rainy season approaches.
If you have 10 free days, plan your route through the center: Da Nang, Hoi An, and Hue are close together and offer the best weather. Take the south at the beginning of the month, and the north works on any day in April.
If you want to bring back souvenirs, we have a separate article: What you can bring from Vietnam.
⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions
Can you swim in Vietnam in April?
Yes. In the center and south, the water stays at 26-29 °C, swimming is comfortable almost all month. The one exception: in the north, in Ha Long Bay, the water is around 24 °C, so people mostly go boating rather than swimming there (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate).
Where does it rain the least in April?
The fewest rainy days are in the center: in Da Nang and Hoi An there are about four per month. In the north and south, rain is more frequent. If dry weather matters to you, choose Da Nang or Hoi An.
Should I choose Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City for my trip?
It depends on your goal. Hanoi in April is milder: around 30 °C during the day with short downpours. Ho Chi Minh City is hotter, up to 36 °C, but gets more sun. For sightseeing and old quarters, choose Hanoi; for museums and food, choose Ho Chi Minh City (as of 09/2026, Weather & Climate).
In short: what to book
What to choose depends on your goal. If you want beach and sun: take the center, where Da Nang and Hoi An offer the best balance of weather and prices. If you're going for sightseeing: start with Hanoi and Ha Long Bay.
If this is your first trip to Vietnam, choose Da Nang. If you want diving, pick Nha Trang. If you're traveling in late April, keep the holidays in mind and book in advance.
Hotels in Vietnam on Trip.com will show prices across all three regions at once.
A small editorial team writing guides for independent travel. We travel ourselves, but we haven’t been everywhere, so we check prices, opening hours and how to get there against official sources.