March is spring in Northern Vietnam, the dry season with pleasant temperatures in the Central Coast and in the Central Highlands, the dry season with high temperatures in Southern Vietnam.

1/ Monsoons in Vietnam in March

Vietnam has a tropical monsoon climate and the monsoons do have great impacts on the weather in different regions in the country. In March, Vietnam is under the influence of two or three monsoons:
- The Northeasterly Monsoon: The wind could either originate from Tibet or Siberia. The monsoon causes rough the sea in all of Vietnam from the North to the South in March. But the wind is weak inland and could affect mostly the northern regions of the country. The Northeasterly Monsoon normally blows through the inland of Vietnam but it could blow into the inland from the sea in March. In the latter case, the northern regions of Vietnam could undergo moist day with fog.

- The Southeasterly Monsoon: This is the predominant summer monsoon in northern Vietnam. In March the wind is mostly weak. This wind is humid as it blows inland from the sea. The wind could be in conflict with the Northeasterly Monsoon which causes light drizzles, moist air in the northern regions.

- The Southwesterly Monsoon: This monsoon causes rain in Southern Vietnam and in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Due to the foehn effect, this same wind causes dry and high temperatures in the Central Coast and in the far northwest of Vietnam (Dien Bien, Son La, part of Hoa Binh and Lai Chau). In March, the wind normally does not blow yet. But to the end of the month there could sometimes be weak spells of this wind.

2/ Regional Weather Patterns in Vietnam in March

Under the impact of the seasonal monsoons, different regions in Vietnam have different weather patterns:
- The North could undergo dry and cold weather when the Northeasterly Wind is strong and dominant; or moist and foggy weather if the Northeasterly Wind is weak or in conflict with the weak Southeasterly Wind. The North could also have sunny days with lovely temperatures if the Southeasterly Wind is dominant.

- The Central Coast of Vietnam and the Central Highlands of Vietnam have lovely dry days, often sunshine with often pleasant temperatures.

- The South of Vietnam is in the dry season with warm temperatures: The Northeasterly Monsoon is too weak and the Southwesterly Monsoon is yet to arrive, the sun gets strong.

Given the general weather conditions, the weather in northern Vietnam is suitable for all kinds of travel activities: bicycle tours in the delta, adventure trekking tours in the mountains, sightseeing tours in the cities… It is a great time for sightseeing tours, beach holidays, nature tours and adventure tours in the Central Coast and Central Highlands of Vietnam. While in Southern Vietnam, it is best for beach holidays. 

Since the Northeasterly Monsoon still impacts the sea all over Vietnam in March that it is not a great time for water sport activities like scuba diving, snorkeling...

3/ Below you can find more details about the weather in Vietnam in March 2023

First week of March, 2023

Except for slightly warm temperatures in some cities/provinces in southern Vietnam including Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong… the rest of the country enjoyed great weather conditions: pleasant sunshine, lovely temperatures, beautiful breezes. 

The Northeasterly Monsoon was still at work at the sea was rough meaning boat trips around the Cat Ba Island, boat trips to the Ly Son Island and boat trips around the Con Dao Islands and Phu Quoc Island experienced rough sea waves.

In northern Vietnam the weather was perfect for mountain biking, mountain trekking trips, city adventure tours… In the mountain tops in the North, rhododendron flowers were blooming!

The regional weather was as follows:
- Northeast : sun, 16-27oC ;
- Northwest : clouds, sun, some isolated regional drizzles, 16-27oC mostly , 16-31oC in Dien Bien ;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam : sun, clouds, 18-27oC ;
- North of the Central Coast :  clouds, sun, 17-24oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van : sun, clouds 17-27oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van : sun, some isolated rain, 18-27oC ;
- South Central Coast  (Quy Nhon – Nha Trang): some rain, clouds, sun 20-28oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Phan Rang-Thap Cham to Phan Thiet : sun, 19-31oC ;
- Central Highlands : sun, 15-31oC ;
- Southern Vietnam :   sun, 21-33oC mostly, 21-35oC in Ho Chi Minh City.

Second week of March, 2023

The second week of March 2023 started with brief rain in northern Vietnam which lasted for almost a day. Then it turned sunny, windy and pleasant in the North. The Central Coast was having the best time of the year, so were the Central Highlands. And the South was having good weather mostly, except for some slightly high temperatures in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Bien Hoa.

The second week in March 2023 was a great time for adventure holidays in most of Vietnam, great time for beach vacations in the Central Coast and South of Vietnam. Those embarking on trekking adventure tours to mountain peaks in the Far North should be having an amazing time getting lost in the forest of rhododendron blossoms!
The regional weather was as follows:
- Northeast : sun, short light rain, 17-29oC ;
- Northwest : sun, some isolated rain, 18-29oC mostly , 18-31oC in Son La, 18-33 in Dien Bien ;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam : sun, clouds, 18-28oC, 18-30oC in Hanoi ;
- North of the Central Coast :  clouds, sun, 19-26oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van : sun, clouds 18-29oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van : sun, 19-27oC ;
- South Central Coast  (Quy Nhon – Nha Trang): some isolated rain, clouds, sun, 21-28oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Phan Rang-Thap Cham to Phan Thiet : sun, 20-31oC ;
- Central Highlands : sun, 17-31oC ;
- Southern Vietnam: sun, 21-32oC mostly, 22-35oC in Ho Chi Minh City.

Third week of March, 2023

At the end of the second week there was a spell of the Northeasterly Wind hitting Vietnam which turned the weather in the North back into winter weather for a couple of days. Then it turned lovely again in the North with mild breezes, mild sunshine and pleasant temperatures.
The third week of March started with the newly arrived cold wind blowing through the North of Vietnam and the Central Coast. Winter vibe prevails in northern Vietnam while the Central Coast had some light rain at first.
The regional weather was as follows:
- Northeast : clouds, isolated rain, 17-26oC ;
- Northwest : clouds, sun,  some isolated rain, 18-28oC mostly, 18-32oC in Dien Bien ;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam : clouds, sun, 21-28oC ;
- North of the Central Coast :  sun, clouds, 20-27oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van : sun, clouds 21-29oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van : clouds, sun, 21-28oC ;
- South Central Coast  (Quy Nhon – Nha Trang): clouds, sun 22-29oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Phan Rang-Thap Cham to Phan Thiet : sun, clouds, 22-32oC ;
- Central Highlands : sun, clouds, 16-32oC ;
- Southern Vietnam:  sun, 23-32oC mostly, 23-34oC in Ho Chi Minh City.

Fourth week and last days of March, 2023

The fourth week of March 2023 started with part of northern Vietnam and part of the Central Coast of Vietnam under impact of a high temperature (low-pressure) air trough to the Northwest of the country. The temperatures were high slightly but quickly dropped to the norms. Still, it is unusual to have this kind of heat wave affecting several regions in Vietnam in March!

Regional weather during the first heat wave in Vietnam in 2023
- Northeast :  sun, 22-35oC ;
- Northwest : sun, 21-36oC i n Lao Cai ; 20-34oC in other places ;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam : sun mostly and dry, 23-36oC ;
- North of the Central Coast :  clouds,  sun 23-36oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van : sun, clouds 24-357-39oC in Quang Binh ; 24-34oC in other places ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van : sun, 23-33oC ;
- South Central Coast  (Quy Nhon – Nha Trang): sun, 21-32oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Phan Rang-Thap Cham to Phan Thiet : sun, clouds, 23-32oC ;
- Central Highlands : sun, 21-37oC ;
- Southern Vietnam:  sun, 23-35oC mostly, 25-36oC in Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong and Bien Hoa.

Generally speaking, the whole of Vietnam enjoyed great weather conditions of mild sun and pleasant temperatures. Adventure tours were favorable in the far northern mountains, sightseeing tours and beach holidays should provide great experiences in the Central Coast, in the Central Highlands and in the South of Vietnam.

Island vacations on the offshore islands such as Cat Ba Island, Co To Island, Quan Lan Island, Ly Son Island, Phu Quoc Island and Con Dao Islands should do just well under great weather conditions!

On 24-March there was a spell of the cool Winter Monsoon in Vietnam making the temperatures in drop in all over the country putting an end to the heat strike. A renewed spell of the cool wind was on 28-March. There was light rain in various regions in Vietnam in the last 7 days of the month.

The regional weather after the arrival of the cool winter monsoon was as follows:
- Northeast : clouds, rain, sun, 18-22oC ;
- Northwest : clouds, sun, 18-28oC mostly, 19-32oC in Dien Bien ;
- Lowlands in Northern Vietnam : clouds mostly, some isolated rain, 18-24oC ;
- North of the Central Coast :  clouds,  isolated rain, 18-26oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the north of Hai Van : clouds , isolated rain, 23-31oC ;
- Mid Central Coast to the south of Hai Van : sun, clouds, 23-30oC ;
- South Central Coast  (Quy Nhon – Nha Trang): sun, 23-32oC ;
- South Central Coast ( Phan Rang-Thap Cham to Phan Thiet : sun, clouds, 23-33oC ;
- Central Highlands : sun, clouds, isolated rain, 18-33oC ;
- Southern Vietnam:  sun, 24-34oC mostly, 25-35oC in Ho Chi Minh City, Tay Ninh, Bien Hoa, Binh Duong.