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Are you a beach bum or an adventure lover? It does not matter that you are interested in a relaxing trip, a cultural trip or an adventurous one, Vietnam has it all. Owing to gorgeous natural landscapes, paradise beaches, dynamic cities and unique culture, Vietnam can offer you a vacation with various possibilities.

The Best Time to Visit Saigon – The Comprehensive Guide

When is the best time to visit Saigon is a question for many tourists visiting Vietnam. You will find the answer as below.There are few cities in the world that set imaginations flaring as much as Saigon in the South of Vietnam. The diverse perceptions of smoky temples, cosy cafes, crazy traffic, sky-scraping buildings and an aptitude for business have all been shaped from its turbulent history. Saigon has undergone many transformations over its past, from war with the Khmer through the war with France, to war with North Vietnam and eventually reunification under a new flag and a new name. With such a rich blend of culture, history and modernity, it’s no wonder that so many international tourists have Saigon firmly in their sights when visiting Vietnam.Saigon City HallFor those tourists, it’s certainly worth a bit of research to find the best time to visit Saigon, as the city finds itself in the deep south of Vietnam and has a completely different weather system from the centre and the north. Being much nearer to the equator, Saigon has some of Vietnam’s most interesting weather, and its unpredictability can either be a source of great amusement or great frustration. Unlike the four seasons of Hanoi, Saigon features two and they are named for the two levels of rain that distinguish both halves of the year, the wet and dry seasons. In our guide to the best time to visit Saigon, we will talk you through both of these seasons and their various pros and their cons.Dry SeasonWhen? (Late November to Mid-April)Is it the best time to visit Saigon?                             AbsolutelySaigon’s weather patterns are split almost exactly down the middle, meaning you have six months to make use of the city’s dry season. Fairly indisputably, at least in terms of temperature and rainfall, the best time to visit Saigon for most is between the months of November and March. This is when the chaos of the wet season is forgotten and entire days can be spent outside without constantly checking new surroundings for potential places to run for cover. Unfortunately, this is one of the coldest times to visit Hanoi and one of the wettest times to visit Hoi An, meaning that two or three separate trips to Vietnam would be necessary to see all three major attractions at their best.Why?Long, sunny days with very little rain.Why Not?Higher prices during peak season, especially at Vietnamese New Year (Tết).Saigon at nightTemperatureBeing close to the equator, Saigon sees very little fluctuation in its temperatures, with numbers within 3 degrees of each other on average all year. As you might imagine, they’re always consistently high, averaging 30°C (86°F) in the wet season and 27°C (81°F) in the dry. While this might be good news for you and your easily packable suitcase, spare a thought for the locals of Saigon, many of who go through this unrelenting cycle of sweat for the whole of their lives. The occasions where Saigon turns it down happen mostly in the dry season; January and December can reach a comparatively freezing 22°C (72°F) in rare instances, but don’t be expecting this to happen a lot as this phenomenon is usually after one of the very rare humidity-reducing rainstorms. In general, visiting Saigon between November and April is the best time to enjoy life outdoors. You will still be craving the sprinkle of cooling water that falls from some café awnings, but this is the most comfortable it gets in Saigon, so it’s best to get exploring!RainfallOverall, rainfall shouldn’t be in your consideration if you’re travelling during the heart of the dry season. Any time between December and April is a very safe bet, with as little as 10mm of rain drizzling across each month of January, February and March. December has four times this amount with 40mm, but this is still nothing to be concerned about. The fringes of the dry season provide the most unsettled weather. April provides a few snapshots of what is to come later in the year with the occasional sporadic storm, but November is certainly the black sheep of the dry season, providing more rain than all five other months put together as it attempts to climb down from six months of torrential downpours.Those magical months of January, February and March only contain 6 days that feature rain between them; that’s an average of 2 days per month for readers struggling with maths. This is a staggeringly low amount that might even count as a drought in other countries. The Saigonese don’t worry though, as they know exactly what’s coming later in the year. Again, the only time you should be worrying yourself is during November, when 13 days out of the month promise to put a mild dampener on your trip. If travelling in November is unavoidable, save it for the end of the month when most of those days have expelled their rain already.Sunshine HoursSunrise in SaigonWith barely a threat from rain, the sun during the first three months of the year is a very brazen picture in the sky, shining for 5 or 6 hours a day with barely a raincloud to disturb it. While this is great news for travellers who want to work on their tans within the first 3 minutes of stepping off the plane, it is less ideal for locals, who subscribe more to the idea that skin looks better when pearly white rather than golden brown. To this end, the dry season is when you will see the most of Vietnam’s famed ‘street ninjas’, young-to-old women who don invariably flowery protective clothing to block out as much of the sun from their skin as possible, with just a small slit for their eyes remaining. In contrast, November and December have some of the lowest sunshine hours, with 4 per day being the average. Though this provides a bit more of a grey atmosphere, you will still have plenty of time to work on that tan, and with Westerners’ often flippant approaches to skin protection, it’s probably a good job that mother nature is doing it for us.What to Bring• For all those clear days when the sun is bouncing off the reflective glass of Saigon’s ever-growing central business district, you’ll want some sun cream, but also a camera to capture the city sparkling across the shimmering Saigon River.• Make sure to stack up on đồng, as money goes a lot quicker during the peak dry season than it does in the wet. Hotels and tours are usually more expensive because of greater interest, so take more rather than less, just to be sure. Vietnamese New Year comes around February time and lasts for about a week; most shops will be closed while proprietors spend time with their families, and the ones open will jack their prices up.• Light, airy clothes are really the only ones you’ll be needing while in Saigon during the dry season; coats, lots of pairs of jeans and heavy shoes will only weigh you down. Smaller, lighter clothes will leave a lot of space in your bag for souvenirs, and Saigon is certainly a city to go shopping.Things to doJoin a walking tour or head out for solo explorationThere really is no better time in the year to just walk. With (relatively) moderate temperatures and very little threat from the rain gods, you are free to explore Saigon’s main attractions by foot. There are many routes to follow to find places like the Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the city’s wealth of pagodas, all the while taking in the sights and smells of a city with the constant buzz of activity running through its sprawling veins.Stroll around the Botanical GardensSaigon is not really known for its green spaces as a lot of these are French creations and were removed after independence to make way for the expanding skyline. However, a bastion of nature remains in the Botanical Gardens, which also features a zoo and several walking paths. Other parks like Tao Dan and Hoa Binh are available, but these are largely concrete entities dotted with small patches of grass - certainly less appealing on a hot day in the dry season.The Botanical Gardens in SaigonGet spiritual at Suoi Tien Amusement ParkHave you even made it to Asia if you don’t do at least one wacky activity? The Suoi Tien Amusement Park has you covered in this regard, as here, you will never be far from a gigantic statue of Buddha’s ever-watching face. This is a water amusement park located on the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh that’s centered around Buddha; his face is in a permanent state of nirvana while staring at all the happy families playing in the water. Around the park, you can find dragons and whimsical-looking temples, all accessible at the very low price of 100,000 VND ($5).Suoi Tien Amusement ParkHead up to the Skydeck at the Bitexco Financial TowerIf you want the perfect skyline photo on one of those many days at the start of the year with nothing but clear skies, then getting the lift to the 49th floor of Saigon’s second tallest building, the Bitexco Financial Tower, is a good idea. From the Skydeck here you can pay 200,000 VND ($10) for a panoramic view of Vietnam’s sprawling second city, which can visibly stretch for miles across the flat plains if the pollution isn’t too bad.Check our best tours to discover Saigon: Foody Tour in Ho Chi Minh & Mekong Delta, Best Ho Chi Minh Tour with local floating market 4 days, or Ho Chi Minh visiting & beach relaxation 7 days.The Bitexco Financial Tower at nightWet SeasonWhen? (Late April to Mid-November)Is it the best time to visit Saigon?                          Definitely not, but it has its charmsWith all the merriment and joy to be found during the dry season in Saigon, it’s easy to assume that the city just shuts up shop for the wet season, happy with its work over the last 6 months and ready for a period of extended hibernation. There is still half of the year to go, however, and Saigon plugs away under deluges of rain, undisturbed by a ferocity that the city has grown accustomed to over its long history. Though it’s hard to claim that the wet season is a better time to visit Saigon than the dry, the period between April and November is actually still a perfectly fine time to visit if proper research is done and precautions are taken.Why?Lower prices and rains that only last an hour or two.Why Not?Highest temperatures year-round, highest rainfall year-round and cloudy days.TemperatureThe stability in the temperature brought about by Saigon’s proximity to the equator is a full-year phenomenon. You will feel only the slightest difference in the perennial onslaught of heat, which increases maybe 2 or 3 degrees during the wet season to an average of 29°C (84°F). The air feels a lot cooler during one of Saigon’s iconic wet season rainstorms because of the break in humidity, offering widespread relief from the sometimes-stifling temperatures. For all intents and purposes though, life goes on unperturbed in Ho Chi Minh City.RainfallThe real show in Saigon between April and November is in the sky. Rain falls in staggeringly large quantities and it is a fairly common spectacle, at least a handful of times, to see locals hauling their flooded bikes through streets that have become gushing rivers. It really is a sight to behold; the wet season rains are shamelessly entertaining in their brutality. Even the locals can’t help but crack a smile when they drive their motorbikes, legs up to handlebar-level, trying best to keep balance amid a fresh sea and the warped tangle of cheap plastic raincoats.Late April offers a precursor to the wet season before May kicks it up a level and provides the city with more rain than the entire dry season combined, with 140mm. This rises to 180mm in June and then to its apex in July, with 190mm of rain falling over 23 days out of 31. Rain levels then dance around this area for a couple of months before climbing down to 160mm in October and 120mm in November, just before the dry season provides some much needed relief. This dour outlook is enough to put off even hardy travellers, but it is important to note that rains are usually afternoon affairs, lasting between 1 and 3 hours as clouds release a torrent of water before relenting. As long as you can find some indoor entertainment for those hours, you will not leave Saigon disappointed.Sunshine HoursIt doesn’t take much beyond simple common sense to determine that all that rain means not much sun. While the rain can be tolerated, even enjoyed, and the temperature change between the dry season is minimal, the grey and cloudy days of the wet season are probably its biggest drawback. They’re not always firing on all cylinders, but clouds like to hang around during Saigon’s wet season just to keep the threat of rain alive, even if they don’t always deliver.From 6 hours per day in the dry season, the start of the wet season sees clouds congregate and sunshine hours drop down to 4 per day. This persists for the majority of the wet season, sometimes rising to around 5 hours per day, but usually steadfast at 4. While extended periods in the city can start to feel a bit gloomy during this time, short trips don’t make much of an impact on your mood and Saigon can still be enjoyed on a 2, 3 or 4-day visit. The Reunification PalaceWhat to Bring• An umbrella or a raincoat, for obvious reasons. Umbrellas double as protectors from the sun and you will see many of them held above Vietnamese heads for the entirety of the wet season, as well as much of the dry.• Again, you can’t go wrong with a camera. Some of the scenes in Saigon during the wet season are truly remarkable and you will certainly need photographic evidence if you want to relay the stories to your friends and family.• A waterproof bag is a good idea if you get caught out in the rain. Even 20 seconds outside during the climax of a storm can soak you to the bone as well as endanger all of your valuables. Leave what you can at your accommodation and take only the necessities.• With all the wading through water you’ll be doing, you might want to consider some good footwear, but maybe ones that you don’t mind getting ruined. Flip flops often snap under the pressure of water flow and locals tend to stride through the flooded streets barefoot as a result.Things to doNothingNot quite the miserable assessment that it sounds. Sitting in a café and watching the pandemonium of a city under constant attack from above is frankly, unmissable. Despite the strength of Saigonese rainstorms, there is a wonderful calm that descends on the city, a perfect accompaniment to Vietnamese coffee under the security of a waterproof awning. Entire days can be spent people-watching in Vietnam and there is no better time to see how the locals cope and thrive than the wet season.Cafe in SaigonGo Shopping at Ben Thanh MarketThe Vietnamese love of markets is well documented. A history of communal gathering between vendors selling the same product gave rise to entire streets and entire sections of markets known for selling one product. Ben Thanh Market has a huge variety of goods on sale, as does An Dong and the Russian Market; most importantly though, they are all indoors and graced with the presence of large fans – perfect for the many days during the wet season where stepping outside is simply not an option.Ben Thanh MarketStroll around the MuseumsIt’s almost certain that Saigon developed its impressive repertoire of museums to provide tourists with something to do during the 6 months of rain. Saigon’s history is a long and eventful one and its museums tell every aspect of the story of the city. The is probably its most famous and notorious because of its portrayal of the American War and its graphic pictures of the devastation caused by Agent Orange. There is no shortage of museums regarding the war, but many other aspects of Vietnamese culture can be explored through the Ao Dai Museum, Southern Vietnam Women Museum and the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine Arts.Ho Chi Minh City Museum of Fine ArtsRead more: What to eat in Saigon, The best time to visit Tam Coc, The best time to visit Halong Bay, The best time to visit Hoi An

The Best Time to Visit Halong Bay

At this point in time, everything that could be said about Halong Bay has probably been said. The expansive stretch of limestone karsts jutting from placid waters reaches for 1,553km² from North-Eastern Vietnam into the Gulf of Tonkin, consisting of around 2,000 tree-topped islands that create a scene and atmosphere unlike anywhere else on earth. It is not the mere numbers that turned Halong Bay into a UNESCO World Heritage Site 1994, it is also for the feeling of stepping back in time, of sailing through pre-historic waters, of treading through ancient caves and of visiting islands that have remained steadfast through millions of years of activity.Cruise in Halong Bay with V'Spirit Cruise When is the Best Time to Visit Halong Bay? Many people say the south and north of Vietnam are like two completely separate countries, not least for the different food, people, dialects and approach to life, but also for the weather. Halong Bay’s weather patterns differ greatly from those in the south and middle of the country; perfectly sunny days in Halong Bay can happen at the same time as flash flooding in Ho Chi Minh City, while a clear and cool day in Da Nang could occur simultaneously with a tropical monsoon in Halong Bay.  There is much greater fluctuation in the northern weather of Vietnam than the south, which is in a constant yearly battle between wet and dry. Halong Bay gets wet, absolutely, but has many other weather systems that add diversity and a completely different climate to the region. The best time to visit Halong Bay varies on factors like weather, activities, peak season versus off-season, prices, availability etc. Taking all of these factors into account, Incredible Asia Journeys is proud to present to you our conclusive look into the best time to visit Halong Bay. Halong Bay Overview Spring  When? (Early March to Mid-May) Is it the Best Time to Visit Halong Bay?              Certainly one of them, yes. Spring in Halong Bay heralds the start of the tourist season in the region. April 2018 saw a staggering increase of 25% for international arrivals to Vietnam from the same period last year, while May saw a 20% increase, and most of these tourists make room for Halong Bay in their Vietnam itineraries. There’s no denying that Halong Bay is a premier tourist destination, and spring, being one of the best times to visit Halong Bay, is certainly one of the most profitable times for tour companies operating in the region. Why?  Near perfect weather in Halong Bay, with great visibility and relatively cool days. Why Not? Tourist high season – more expensive tours and more crowded attractions. The Sky Though the mist of winter still hangs over Halong Bay on those March mornings, it doesn’t stick around for too long into spring, usually dissipating by April and bestowing unto visitors the perfect Halong Bay scene. 8 hours of sunshine per day is the average during the spring months, meaning that photos will be largely unblemished by any dark clouds and time out on the sundeck should be maximised.  Sunset in Halong Bay in Spring The Heat Average temperatures soar from 20°C (68°F) in March to 28°C (83°F) in May, with lows of 18°C (64°F) and highs of 30°C (86°F) in between. May averages just one degree below the hottest month of June, and the Mother Dragon’s preparation for the oppressive heat of summer can be felt towards the final weeks of May. A swim is a good alternative to sitting in the baking sun, as water temperatures are a cool 27°C (80°F). The Rain The placid clouds around Halong Bay in March and April pose very little threat to tourists’ good times. Both months hover around the 55mm level of precipitation, with at least some rain making an appearance on 26 days out of 61. However, the wrath of the wet season begins towards the middle of May, when 55mm shoots up to 170mm in the blink of an eye. Only 14 of the days in May feature rain, but they feature it with much more ferocity than the previous two months. The Tourists While tourist numbers are high during the start of spring, they dip dramatically towards the end, precisely because of the monsoon-related reason mentioned above. Overall international tourism to Vietnam dives towards the latter days of May as clouds congregate and sporadic deluges become more and more common. Arguably, this is the best time to visit Halong Bay for two reasons: off-peak cruises starting in May are much cheaper and you will have a lot more space to yourself on the boat and on excursions; and photo opportunities of dark, rolling clouds make perfect snapshots of South-East Asia’s temperamental weather system. What to Bring As far as clothing is concerned, you shouldn’t need anything other than light, airy clothes. Nights only dip as low as 18°C in spring, so save the woolly pyjamas for winter. Lots of sun cream for all of those days spent out on the sundeck and on various beaches soaking up the 8 hours of sun per day. An umbrella, both for the Western purpose of rain deflection and the Asian purpose of sun ray deflection; an umbrella could be your best friend in Halong Bay. Halong Bay from Cruise's Sundeck Summer When? (Late May to Late September) Is it the Best Time to Visit Halong Bay?           For fish, perhaps, not for humans. Usually linked to the idea of good times and long days outdoors, summer in the West is just a little different to summer in Northern Vietnam. The only reason that you would spend long days outdoors in Halong Bay during summer is if you felt like learning to swim on the sundeck. In other words, it’s wet. Very wet. While it may not be the best time to visit Halong Bay for the weather, trips to the World Heritage site during this time can offer you a very unique perspective into rural life during the storms. Why? Smaller crowds, better prices, lots of time for contemplation. Why Not? Long periods of torrential rain and sweltering temperatures. Halong Bay in Summer The Sky Here’s the first positive for the start of the off-season: sunshine hours remain fairly constant at an average of 7 per day over the course of summer. While most visitors would expect more cloud coverage during the wet season, clouds tend to roll in, shed their incredible watery hauls and roll out pretty quickly. This still means plenty of time for sunbathing and some amazing photos of blue skies with mischievous storm clouds in the background. August is one of the months year-round with the lowest sunshine hours at 6 per day, but this is not much of a change from the months with the most blue skies, such as June, which features 8. The Heat One of the big kickers during the wet season; the heat brought on by summer is universal, but the heat brought on by a Vietnamese summer can be overbearing. 32°C (89°F) is the regular high reached in August, which can be somewhat stifling, and lows of 24°C (75°F) at the start and the end of the season is the best that you can hope for. However, one of the wonders of the rain is that temperatures do plummet during and after a storm, leading to much cooler weather around Halong Bay as the clouds above it part ways. The Rain In reality, the rain is one of the few things stopping summer from being among the best times to visit Halong Bay. It is a phenomenon that puts a lot of people off visiting Halong Bay and Vietnam in general, but the rain gets a much worse reputation than it deserves. Deluges of rain are, in actual fact, unabashedly fun; there are few feelings more liberating than standing out in a Vietnamese rainstorm and soaking in the sounds and the tranquil atmosphere, amplified many times by the natural splendour of Halong Bay. You will certainly have a wealth of opportunities to try this out, as August reaches about 265mm of rainfall over the course of 16 days. June is the driest month of summer at a relatively barren 172mm, but if you have/decide to visit Halong Bay during summer, you should try your best to be open-minded and embrace the wonder of the Descending Dragon’s rainy nature. The Tourists As you might imagine, most international tourists are put off by the wet season without fully knowing how it works. Domestic tourists are more well-informed and head to Halong Bay during early June once the school year is finished. There are still plenty of beautiful days to be savoured at this time and domestic tourists like to take advantage of the dip in overseas interest. Day tours are very popular with the Vietnamese but there are always quite a few cabins left on the overnight and 3 day, 2 night tours, giving you a chance to claim a fantastic price on an off-season promotion. Tourists in Halong Bay in Summer - Kayaking in Halong Bay What to Bring Depending on how much you want to live like a local, you need to bring either an umbrella or a Vietnamese rain poncho, preferably both considering the power and amount of rain that will be falling. A book, for any extended periods of time that you have to spend in your cabin. A camera. Halong Bay carries an ethereal beauty before, during and after a rainstorm and you’ll want to capture those moments while you can. Cruises that go to Halong Bay: Aphrodite Cruise , Carina Cruise , Flamingo Cruise , Hera Cruise , LaFairy Cruise , Rosa Cruise , Paradise Luxury Cruise , Phoenix Cruiser and V'Spirit Cruise . Autumn When? (Late September to Early December) Is it the Best Time to Visit Halong Bay?           If you can withstand the mass tourism, absolutely. The rainclouds make way for the tourists during autumn in Halong Bay, who again descend on the region in search of picture-perfect weather and comfortable excursions out on the water, on beaches and in the caves. They find it, too, as autumn is absolutely the best time to visit Halong Bay for its perfect weather. It is the shortest period in the year, so it is likely to be full of tourists who are trying to cram in a Halong Bay holiday before the mist of winter rolls in. Why? Amazing weather, great photo opportunities and a good atmosphere. Why Not? Prime season for tourists, queues form for the more popular caves and islands. The Sky Bright and blue for most of the time during autumn, Halong Bay shines during this season with 7 to 8 hours of sunshine per day and very little threat of rain. The sun ducks behind the cloud during the latter stages of November, preparing itself for a more shrouded winter. Excursions to islands with beaches like Titop and Ban Chan become very popular for people looking to claim a tan, and the sundeck becomes a number one spot on the cruise as Halong Bay’s weather graces even the whitest skin with a chance of becoming golden brown. Halong Bay in Autumn with bright and blue sky The Heat The rain clouds wash away the last of Halong Bay’s summer heat, clearing the way for a cool and less humid autumn. Temperatures fall from 28°C (82°F) to about 22°C (72°F) over the course of September to November, making kayaking expeditions and climbs to the tops of caves and peaks much less of an energy-sapping experience. Much like spring, the lowest temperature reached in autumn is 18°C (64°F), which is certainly not uncomfortable for Western tourists, but Asian tourists used to higher temperatures might want to consider a thin sweater. The Rain Having shed 80% of its yearly rainfall during the summer months, Halong Bay is in a more placid mood come October, when the 190mm of rainfall becomes 54mm. If this isn’t shocking enough of a comparison from the 265mm that falls just two months prior, then consider that November gets a paltry 12mm and is the second driest month in the year. Again, this spells fantastic opportunities for excursions and time on the sundeck, as barely even the threat of light rain draws guests out of their cabins and out into the clear blue sky. The Tourists Always the biggest drawback of the perfect weather; the tourists come in droves during autumn, creating queues for caves, overcrowding floating villages and taking up places on the cruise’s sundeck. This is usually the time when tour companies advise alternative trips to any of Halong Bay’s satellite bays, Lan Ha Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, both stunning examples of the same labyrinthine karst scenery, sandy beaches and mysterious caves, but without the tourist hordes. What to Bring Breezy clothes are again the best to bring for the warm-but-not-too-warm months. Flip flops are also a good idea to fully soak up the relaxed atmosphere that enraptures Halong Bay. Days are long and bright, so remember sunglasses, sun cream and a hat. While excursions are likely to be crowded, you can opt to spend that allotted time on the sundeck by yourself, so bring a book and plenty of cocktail cash for your own private party. Check our best tour to Halong Bay: Halong Bay 2 Days 1 Night , and Halong Bay 3 Days 2 Nights. Things to bring when cruising in Halong Bay Winter When? (Early December to Late February) Is it the Best Time to Visit Halong Bay?            Definitely not, but there’s joy to be had.    The topography of Halong Bay during winter bestows a very Jurassic atmosphere on the area. This is because of the famous fog that encircles the bay, seeping through gaps between forested mountains and settling around cruise paths, shrouding all of Halong Bay in a thick haze, limiting vision but maximising the sense of wonder felt by the few passengers who take the opportunity to see it. Why? The ethereal beauty that befalls Halong Bay, and the lack of tourists there to see it. Why Not? It’s colder and mistier than ever before. The Sky Realistically, you’re going to get some fog on any overnight tour of Halong Bay during winter. Some tour companies claim that this is the best time to visit Halong Bay because of the eerie atmosphere that the fog creates, and, while it does have its charms, it gets tiresome before long and generally pales in comparison to the clear skies of spring and autumn. However, 5 hours of sunshine per day during this period is pretty standard, meaning there is still a good chance that you’ll get decent time on the sundeck, even if you can only see the silhouettes of shrouded peaks in front of you. Halong in the Winter The Heat This is an area of some dispute depending on where you’re from. Averages for winter dip below the 20°C mark, with temperatures more regularly reading about 18°C (64°F) with very little variation between December and February. This is quite an acceptable temperature for most westerners, who doggedly arrive in Halong Bay in their flip-flops and shorts, determined to make the most of their holiday even in mildly cold weather. Vietnamese and other Asian tourists like to take a more conservative approach, donning many layers of clothing to keep what they consider a bitter chill at bay. Nights can reach as low as 14°C (57°F), meaning long evenings out on the sundeck might need to withdraw to the bar or cabin sooner than expected. The Rain The fury of the summer rains have long passed Halong Bay and the land of the Descending Dragon is in a much more docile mood come December. If 23mm of rainfall sounds like a dry experience, then wait until January, when monthly rainfall falls to an arid 3mm. It’s safe to say that you won’t need much in the way of wet weather gear, but be aware that January’s minimal rain still falls over the course of 10 days, providing a third of the month with something you would class as speckles of moisture in the cloud rather than rain. The Tourists What tourists? While Halong Bay is far from deserted during the winter, you’ll see notably fewer cruises on the water, and not just because you can’t see your own feet in the fog. You will have a lot more freedom on excursions to islands and around fishing villages, as even the guests who tour Halong Bay opt for a warmer, contemplative stay in the cabin. Caves remain relatively warm during winter so it’s still possible that visits to Thien Canh Son and Me Cung will be mildly busy, but nothing like the rush to claim their naturally cool air during the hot weather of spring, summer and autumn. Winter is most definitely the off-season, giving you the opportunity to claim great deals on cruises, and splashing out on a luxury cruise might be an idea considering how much time you will spend on board during the winter. Tourists in Halong in Winter What to Bring Personal entertainment like a book, laptop and deck of cards would be a good idea for those long days on the boat. A camera, to capture the majesty of Halong Bay fog and for the hazy sunrise and sunset that happens each day. Some cold weather gear, maybe just a few thin jackets and comfortable closed shoes for when the sun descends behind the limestone karsts. Some History The steep angles and sheer rock faces of Halong Bay’s islands and mountains were created in primordial times, about 500 million years ago. Movement in the tectonic plates pushed limestone spires from the ocean floor high into the sky, and here they still stand, as proud sentries over the lapping waters of Halong Bay. Rain erosion began to take its toll on the islands about 70,000 years ago, contouring them into distinctive shapes and bringing about some of the wonderful legends told by locals living on Halong Bay’s waters for generations. The earliest years of habitation in Halong Bay stretch back about 200 centuries. The initial activities of fishing and fruit collection were supplemented by the creation of pottery, stone tools and the ability to trade with other cultures around Vietnam and China. Vung Vieng Fishing Village Floating villages like Vung Vieng and Cua Van became hubs of fishing trade, quickly growing to the point where colourful residential houses developed connections via bamboo walkways. Small shops, schools and even police stations popped up around the anchored villages and, once tourism started in the region, these communities became very popular for the idyllic, uncomplicated existences in which they operated. Tourism started as far back as the 19th century under French occupation, with exclusively French expeditions to Halong Bay bringing back many wonderful stories of the area to Hanoi. President Ho Chi Minh and his Russian cosmonaut friend Gherman Titov visited the area in 1962, launching it into the national limelight after the president named one of Halong Bay’s now-famous islands after his fellow communist.  Some Legend 20,000 years of human habitation in Halong Bay has given rise to some wonderful, whimsical stories about the formation of its islands and caves. ‘Ha Long’ translates to ‘descending dragon’, named for the Mother Dragon and her children who defended the area against naval invaders by firing clumps of emerald out of their mouths to sink enemy ships. Upon hitting the water, these emeralds became the limestone karsts dotted around Halong Bay, and are today a constant reminder of the Mother Dragon’s power and love for her homeland, something that crops up in a multitude of other ‘Dragon vs China’ tales from around the country. Thien Cung Cave The habitation of caves also brought about several of its own legends, owing to the many different shapes of stalagmites and stalactites formed over tens of thousands of years. Thien Cung Cave is perhaps the most imaginative example of this, featuring the Dragon King and his human wife, May, whose week-long wedding ceremony was attended by one of every animal in the animal kingdom as well as a few gods. The couple raised a staggeringly large family within the cave, eventually splitting the family down the middle when May decided to take 50 of their 100 kids to new lands while the Dragon King remained behind with the other 50 to improve the lives of the mortals in Halong Bay. Along with the stone remains of all of their wedding guests, Thien Cung Cave is littered with stalagmites imaginatively said to resemble the Dragon King and his offspring. Almost half of the 2,000 islands of Halong Bay are named in similar fashion and locals are happy to share with you the stories of the ones that they remember. Bai Tu Long Bay - Child Dragon Some Prestige Halong Bay’s more recent international recognition is due to the largely unchanged nature of the region over its thousands of years of human habitation. Floating villages operate much in the same fashion that they did when they became established 20,000 years ago, and the hardy cliffs speckled around the bay still offer much scope for exploration and scientific discovery. It was inducted into UNESCO’s World Heritage list in 1994 for the outstanding nature of its limestone towers, and again in 2000 for its fascinating and otherworldly cave systems. Halong Bay’s incredible preservation over millions of years earned it its first accolade in 1962 from the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism and its most recent in 2012, when it joined the Amazon Rainforest, Iguazu Falls and Table Mountain as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature.