March is spring in northern Vietnam, dry season in the Central Region, the Central Highlands and the South of Vietnam. March is the peak tourist season in Vietnam as the country receives the least amount of rainfall compared to the other months of the year.
1/ Winds in March & Absence of Winds in March
1.1 Winds in March
In March, the cool Northeasterly Wind either from Siberia or the Gobi Desert tends to be weakened and less cold. Each spell of cold wind coming into the North of Vietnam often is in conflict with the easterly wind or southeasterly wind. The two latter winds tend to be warm and moist and when these winds meet, there are light rains in the Northeast and lowlands of northern Vietnam. The rains in these regions in March are normally too light for raincoats.
The Cool Northeasterly Wind, if present, may cause isolated rain or showers in the Central Coast of Vietnam.
The Northeasterly Wind in March is often weak and does not have impact in the Central Highlands and South of Vietnam.
But at sea, the wind is strong enough to cause rough waves which may disrupt or affect tours around islands, and transports by boat between offshore islands and the inland of Vietnam.
1.2 Absence of Winds in March, High Temperature Regions (Low Pressure Air Troughs)
At the end of March, there may be times that the Northeasterly Wind is too weak to have any impact in Vietnam. Part of the North may have the Southeasterly Wind. But the Central Coast, the Central Highlands and the South of Vietnam may have no prevalent winds.
It often happens that at the end of March the sun is strong in the Northern Hemisphere, and the air over the southwest of China (Yunnan), over Myanmar, Laos and Thailand is heated more. There are low-pressure air troughs (high temperature air regions) formed. These high temperature air regions tend to have impact in parts of Vietnam causing dry weather and heat strikes (above 36oC). The impacts are more visible if the region does not have a prevalent wind at the time.
As the result of the above factors we may find days with dry air and high temperatures in:
- parts of the Northwest of Vietnam (Son La, Dien Bien, Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Hoa Binh),
- part of the Central Coast (Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and possibly Hue),
- part of the Central Highlands of Vietnam (Kon Tum, Gia Lai),
- part of Southern Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai, Binh Duong, Tay Ninh).
Countryside in Hai Phong (northern Vietnam) on a rainy day in March
2/ The Northeast and lowlands of North Vietnam
The Northeast and lowlands of North Vietnam may also have some days with extremely wet environment indoors which is quite uncomfortable for households without air drier. This happens because of low temperatures indoors and high humidity due to the easterly and southeasterly winds. The humid warm air meets cold surface (walls, floors…) indoors which makes it wet. When there is a renewed spell of cold wind, the air is cool and dry again, it is also dry and comfortable indoors. The temperatures in March are 12-30oC in the Northeast, 17-32oC in the lowlands.
3/ The Northwest of Vietnam
The Northwest of Vietnam including part of Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau Provinces are affected by the foehn wind with sunny, dry weather and higher temperatures than the rest of the North. The higher temperatures may also be attributed to the absence of winds and/or the formation of low pressure (high temperature) air troughs resulted from the sun heating the air over southwest of China (Yunnan) and over Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. If it is the air troughs, then Lao Cai along with the above-mentioned provinces is to have high temperatures and dry air.
In March temperatures are still pleasant mostly in this region, 16-34oC. The temperatures are higher in Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau than in Hoa Binh, Yen Bai and Lao Cai.
It is possible but not often that the cold wind (northeasterly wind) is strong and has influence in the Northwest, then it would cause torrential short-lived rains in some areas.
Sunny weather in Bac Ha (Lao Cai, Vietnam) in March
4/ Adventure in northern Vietnam in March
Looking at the weather pattern in March, it is certain that this is the best time for adventure travel in North Vietnam. There are some days you may encounter light rains in Lang Son, Cao Bang, at Ba Be National Park, Ha Giang and in Sapa, but mostly they are light rains which do not normally last more than 2 days. This is the best time for mountain-climbing in the Northwest as the temperatures are good, the sunshine is not too bright and you’ll get lots of wild flowers on your treks!
Those who embark on car adventure or cycling tours, motorcycling tours in the Northwest will mostly enjoy the weather with bright sunshine most of the time. It may be warm at mid day sometimes, but mostly very pleasant..
Sunny weather is the norm in March in Xin Man, Ha Giang, Vietnam
5/ The Central Region of Vietnam (Central Coast of Vietnam) in March
The temperatures tend to get high in the North of the Central Region, and the South of Vietnam in March. Quang Binh and Quang Tri (North of the Central Region) can have some days with temperatures reaching 36-37oC. The province is hot due to the foehn wind or due to absence of winds happening at the same time with a low pressure air trough (high temperature air region) which is often found over southwest of China (Yunnan) and/or Myanmar, Laos, Thailand.
If you go trekking at Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, then make sure you bring enough water and have a sun hats with you. This is a good time to go to the Nhat Le Beach as it is warm with bright sunshine, and not too crowded.
Except for Quang Binh, the rest of the Central Region including Hue, Da Nang Beach, Hoi An, Quy Nhon Beach, Tuy Hoa Beach, Nha Trang Beach, Ninh Chu Beach and Mui Ne Beach enjoys sunny weather with pleasant temperatures of 22-32oC.
6/ The Central Highlands of Vietnam
The Central Highlands may have a few warm day at mid day, but mostly from 17-34oC. It Is normal the air is chilly in the morning and in the afternoon in the Central Highlands due to high altitudes. In Da Lat the temperatures are cooler, 16-26oC. March is in the middle of the dry season and the Central Highlands do not normally have rains.
As mentioned above, there may be air troughs or high temperature air regions in March which may cause days with strong sun and high temperatures (above 36-37oC) in Kon Tum and Gia Lai.
7/ The South Vietnam
In South Vietnam, the provinces further inland or densely populated like Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Binh Duong and Tay Ninh (South of Vietnam) tend to have the highest temperatures which could reach 36-38oC. The rest of South Vietnam including Vung Tau and the Mekong Delta tends to have sunny weather with temperatures from 26-35oC.
It is getting warmer in most of South Vietnam in March, but not the warmest and the temperatures are still very tolerable. Those who go to the beaches will have good time and those who go for adventures in the Mekong Delta will enjoy the nice weather, too.
