Ho Chi Minh City · Month comparison
March vs February
February ranks #1 overall vs March at #4. Tết transforms the city — the driest month of the year meets Vietnam's biggest festival.
March
#4 of 12 months
Strong option
Post-Tết calm with excellent dry-season weather before the heat peaks in April.
- ↑Still firmly in dry season with 15mm of rain — excellent weather for rooftop bars, walking the French Quarter, and day trips
- ↑Post-Tết calm: crowds have dispersed and the city returns to normal operating rhythm with lower prices than peak
February
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Tết transforms the city — the driest month of the year meets Vietnam's biggest festival.
- ↑Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) typically falls in February — the most spectacular festival in Vietnam; flower markets, firecrackers, and the entire city in red and gold
- ↑9 sunshine hours a day and only 5mm of rain: the driest and sunniest month of the year
| Factor | March | February |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 8 | 9 |
| Value score | 5 | 4 |
| Crowd score | 5 | 7 |
| Events score | 5 | 10 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 35°C | 34°C |
| Monthly rain | 15mm | 5mm |
| Daily sunshine | 8hrs | 9hrs |
March trade-offs
- ↓Temperatures begin climbing toward 35°C; the combination of heat and humidity makes afternoon outdoor walking uncomfortable
- ↓Some popular restaurants and cafés remain closed in early March if the owners extended their Tết holiday
- ↓Shoulder between Tết peak and Easter/spring-break influx: some activities still on reduced schedule
February trade-offs
- ↓Tết week means many restaurants, shops, and services close for 3–7 days — plan around this or embrace the shutdown
- ↓Hotel prices spike sharply around Tết; book 2–3 months ahead for any decent accommodation
- ↓Tết holiday creates domestic travel surge: bus stations, airports, and markets are chaotic in the week before the new year
Scores compare months within Ho Chi Minh City. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →