Autumn in Vietnam

Autumn in Vietnam, from September to November, is widely regarded as the most comfortable and rewarding season. For long-haul visitors, autumn is often considered the best time to visit Vietnam thanks to its balance of favourable weather, cultural life, and travel comfort.

Explore below to see what makes autumn the ideal season for travelling through Vietnam.

Weather Autumn in Vietnam

It is not unreasonable when autumn lasting from September to November is the high tourist season in Vietnam. This period of time gives the most pleasant climate of the year especially in Hanoi and Northern Vietnam. According to Weather Spark, the areas feature cool but also sunny weather ranging from 20-31°C (69-89°F).

Autumn is considered to be the most romantic time in Hanoi. Travelers can enjoy a lot of specialties like green young rice (Cốm), dracontomelon (edible fruit named Sấu), blackboard trees (Hoa Sua), etc. Beyond the capital, the northern highlands turn golden at harvest time, offering spectacular landscapes that attract photographers, travellers and the like. This can be described as a calm, almost other-worldly “heaven on earth,” an ideal escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

The Central and the South of Vietnam are lesser favored in autumn. The regions must experience plenty of rainfall. The temperature range of both areas has least variation of 30 degrees Celsius. Traveling to the Central and the South in autumn still brings its own unique experience.

Best places to visit in Vietnam in Autumn

Hanoi

Hanoi is one of the most amazing places to visit in autumn for individuals, couples and families. Visiting Hanoi in autumn can save travelers from both the sweltering heat of the summer and the chilly winds of the winter. The city capital offers a variety of historical sites and local landmarks that worth a visit. Some of the featured places in Hanoi are Sword Lake and Old Quarter.

The old quarter is famous for 36 iconic streets named after the products sold by the residents. You can go shopping and admire the old architecture of houses in this area. Sword Lake, situated in the heart of the city, has a gorgeous scenery view with historical value that will take your breath away. On certain days, if you’re lucky, you may come across public gatherings, cultural performances, or seasonal celebrations nearby, giving you a genuine glimpse into local life rather than a staged tourist experience.

Halong Bay

If you are a sea lover, a Halong Bay cruise won’t disappoint you. It is a world UNESCO site and comprises of hundreds of small islets. The beautiful view and splashing sound of sea will transport you to another world in no time. It is one of the most popular destinations in Vietnam throughout the year but autumn is the best time to visit thanks to cool and sunny climate. You can enjoy a lot of exciting activities such as rock climbing, scuba diving and hiking, etc. In addition to cruising, kayaking, and hiking, travellers may notice Vietnamese women dressed in traditional-style costumes offering portrait photos in scenic spots.

Sapa

Sapa in Vietnam

In autumn, Sapa reveals some of its most captivating landscapes, as rolling mountains and terraced rice fields turn rich shades of gold. Crisp air and clear skies enhance sweeping views of mist-draped valleys, while the harvest season brings warmth and life to the hillsides. The contrast between golden paddies, deep green forests, and distant blue peaks creates a calm, almost timeless atmosphere, making Sapa an ideal retreat for nature lovers

Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is located in the Northern region of Vietnam and boasts of its magnificent landscape and scenery. It has limestone cliffs across rice fields and provides a rural setting that is serene. Some of the activities to explore are bike-riding through the rice fields, temple-hopping, visiting Thung Nham bird garden or strolling in the evenings, which are all suitable in cool autumn.

Hoian Ancient Town

Hoi An Old Town shimmers at night with lantern light.

Located in central Vietnam, Hoi An is renowned for its remarkable heritage of ancient Japanese houses and Chinese temples. Hoian has attractive Thu Bon river and waterfront area with amazing restaurants and lively bars where visitors can enjoy a variety of cuisine and drink. Boats can also be hired for fishing or just to explore the neighboring areas. During the autumn nights, visitors can buy lanterns and release them to the river, which is such a romantic and exciting activity.

Nha Trang Beach city

Nha Trang is a coastal city located in the southern region of Vietnam. The city is known for its long beach stretch, offshore islands, and diving sites. The city center is well developed with luxurious hotels and lively bars which never bore tourists. Nha Trang is also home to Vinpearl land which has the world’s longest over-water cable car and a grand amusement park with water slides that are wonderful for family vacations in Vietnam. The pleasant atmosphere and the soothing water in autumn make the trip more perfect.

Mekong Delta

Cai Rang Floating Market

Mekong Delta is situated at the southernmost point of Vietnam. It has a maze of rivers, swamps, and islands. Floating market is one of the most featured things you have to witness since residents here make their living majorly on boats. Visiting Mekong Delta is appropriate for any season, you can take a Vietnam Mekong cruise and pass by Khmer pagodas and villages surrounded by rice paddies. The bio-diversity across this area is hard to be missed.

Festivals in Autumn in Vietnam

Mid-Autumn, full moon Festival

In 2026, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on 25 September.

According to the Vietnamese customs and traditions from the past to the present, the Mid Autumn Festival (Trung Thu) is held on middle (15th) of 8th month (lunar calendar).  In Asian folk tales, the Mid-Autumn moon is often linked to stories of loved ones separated by fate yet connected by the same moonlight. Because these stories revolve around family bonds and longing, the full-moon night gradually became a symbol of reunion. Over time, this belief shaped the Mid-Autumn Festival into a meaningful occasion when families come together, share mooncakes, and reconnect.

With a long history in Vietnamese culture, Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the significant traditions of Vietnamese people. It is a festival of friendship day, the season of happiness, the occasion of reunion and love for family.

Con Son – Kiep Bac Festival

From the 15th to 20th of the eighth lunar month annually, visitors from all over the country pilgrimage to the land of Con Son – Kiep Bac (Chi Linh city, Hai Phong province) to be immersed in the festival of traditional ritual, which is preserved over the centuries.

The ceremony takes place with the procession of solemn, drums and dragon dance. Memorial speech recalls the great contributions of Tran Quoc Tuan with 3 great victories of the war against the Mongol invaders.

After a memorial procession on the Six Heads river (Song Luc Dau), the festival replays the battle by boat of the war against the Mongol invaders. This is a content of traditional ritual with historical victory at Con Son – Kiep Bac.

Buckwheat flower (Tam Giac Mach) Festival

Buckwheat flower in Ha Giang

The flower season starts from the end of the ninth to the end of the tenth lunar month. During this time, a 3 day long festival will be organized in many districts (Quan Ba, Yen Minh, Dong Van and Meo Vac) in Ha Giang province. The festival is to honor a unique culture’s value of Dong Van stone highland through the image of triangle circuit flower. There are many interesting culture activities during the festival such as exhibition about the flower and products made from triangle circuit flower, triangle circuit’s wine festival, etc. Also, this is an occasion for tourists to experience characteristic entertainments of the ethnic people.

Kate Festival

Another great festival that you can enjoy in autumn is known as Kate festival. This is the biggest and crowded festival for Cham ethnic people in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan province. The festival is held on the first day of the seventh month of the Cham calendar and normally lasts for 3 days to show gratitude towards national heroes, ancestors, kings and gods of Cham people.

People are known to participate in the event wearing traditional dresses, singing traditional songs along with dancing according to the tune. The variety of colors, enthralling music and mesmerizing dance show are enough to make you fall in love with the land’s culture.

Keo Pagoda Festival

Keo Pagoda Festival

Keo pagoda, located in Nam Dinh city, is the most ancient pagoda in Vietnam with 400-year-old architecture. During the 8th to 16th day of the ninth lunar month, there has a festival to mark the birthday of Duong Khong Lo, who was a Buddist sage that reached nirvana. The festival consists of events like boat races, literary recitations and trumpet and drum competitions. Being a part of this event can truly be a unique experience.

In summary, the colorful celebrations and climatic features in autumn should be enough to lure tourists to visit Vietnam every year. You surely will have the great ambiance of diversified culture, cuisine and historical sites that will leave long memories after your visit.

Seasonal Specialties of Vietnam

Autumn in Hanoi is not only felt through cooler air but also tasted and seen in its seasonal specialties. During this time, travellers can enjoy green young rice (cốm), a delicate autumn delicacy made from early-harvested rice, lightly fragrant and traditionally wrapped in lotus leaves.

Cốm, a must-try food when visiting Hanoi in Autumn

Alongside it is sấu (dracontomelon), a tart local fruit often used in drinks and dishes that perfectly balances the richness of autumn flavours. The season is also marked by the subtle presence of hoa sữa (blackboard tree flowers), whose distinctive scent fills the streets in the evenings. Together, these seasonal elements create an atmosphere that defines autumn.

Conclusion

With pleasant weather, golden landscapes, and rich cultural celebrations, autumn presents Vietnam at its most balanced, making it an ideal season for both exploration and moments of escape.

Read more:

• Best places to visit in Vietnam in Spring
• Best places to visit in Vietnam in Summer
• Best places to visit in Vietnam in Winter

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