December is the beginning of the dry season in Ho Chi Minh City, and it’s a great month to visit. It’s actually the first of three great months to visit HCMC because of the relatively cooler temperatures and low chance of rain.
I’ve been in Ho Chi Minh City for the past two Decembers, and along with January and February, the city is always very active and comfortable for exploring on foot. If you’re researching visiting Ho Chi Minh City in December, I’ll go over what you need to know.
Every photo and video in this article was taken by me during December in Ho Chi Minh City.
Is December a Good Time to Visit Ho Chi Minh City?
December is a great month to visit Ho Chi Minh City. The rainy season will have just ended in November, and it’s before the temperature begins to heat up in March and April. Beginning in December, you’ll have a few months here of really great weather in HCMC — not too hot, and a rare chance of rain.
December, January, and February are what I personally consider the best months to visit HCMC.
Ho Chi Minh City Weather in December
The rainy season in Ho Chi Minh City usually lasts from May until November. But if you’re planning a visit to HCMC during these months, the rain is not nearly as bad as the wet season in central Vietnam, like Da Nang and Hoi An, when it can rain all day for days on end. In HCMC, it’s a lot of on-and-off showers.
With the rainy season in HCMC winding down in November, where you can expect about eight days of rain, in December, you can expect about three days. Then in January and February, even less (expect about one day). There are some lingering gray skies in Ho Chi Minh City in December, as you can see from my photos.
December has highs of 31°C (88°F) and lows of 22°C (72°F), with about 20 mm of rain spread over three days. Here’s a table of year-round weather in HCMC so you can see how December compares to other months. As you can see, December through February are great, with March and April being good, too — just hotter.
| Month | Avg. High | Avg. Low | Days of Rain* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 32°C (89°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 1 (5 mm) |
| Feb | 33°C (91°F) | 23°C (73°F) | 1 (5 mm) |
| Mar | 34°C (93°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 2 (10 mm) |
| Apr | 34°C (94°F) | 26°C (79°F) | 4 (32 mm) |
| May | 34°C (93°F) | 26°C (79°F) | 12 (110 mm) |
| Jun | 33°C (91°F) | 25°C (77°F) | 16 (159 mm) |
| Jul | 32°C (90°F) | 24°C (76°F) | 17 (159 mm) |
| Aug | 32°C (89°F) | 24°C (76°F) | 16 (147 mm) |
| Sept | 32°C (89°F) | 24°C (76°F) | 17 (166 mm) |
| Oct | 31°C (88°F) | 24°C (75°F) | 17 (164 mm) |
| Nov | 32°C (89°F) | 23°C (74°F) | 8 (70 mm) |
| Dec | 31°C (88°F) | 22°C (72°F) | 3 (20 mm) |
Is Ho Chi Minh City Crowded in December?
December is the beginning of the peak tourist season in HCMC. But being a city of over 9 million people, it’s always busy. The only time I’ve ever found HCMC to not be busy is during Tet, when locals travel out of town to visit family, and a lot of businesses close (here’s how locals celebrate Tet).
In December, expect all of HCMC’s popular attractions to be at their busiest — the Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum, the Saigon Central Post Office, and others. But like I said, these attractions maintain steady popularity year-round.
Here’s a video I filmed in Ho Chi Minh City in December in front of the Ho Chi Minh Statue in District 1. It was cloudy that day, but it didn’t rain.
I filmed this video in a very central area of Ho Chi Minh City. I’m in front of the Ho Chi Minh Statue, which is in front of the People’s Committee Building. Right next to me is the Rex Hotel (Agoda / Booking). This is a great location to stay in Ho Chi Minh City. You can read more about HCMC’s best areas here.
Any Special Festivals or Events in December?
Ho Chi Minh City has big New Year’s Eve celebrations. I’ve been in HCMC on New Year’s Eve for the past two years (plus other times prior), and a lot goes on. The city launches fireworks over the Saigon River, and sometimes in other areas around the city. Locals will also be setting off their own fireworks and firecrackers.
I’ve lived in neighborhoods around HCMC during New Year’s, and someone was always launching their own fireworks off in the street.
Nguyen Hue Street and the rest of the central/downtown area of District 1 become packed. The police close off certain streets, and everyone gathers around Nguyen Hue to watch the fireworks over the Saigon River. There are also live shows, music, and other performances in the area.
If you’re planning on visiting HCMC in December, especially for New Year’s Eve, you should look at hotels several months in advance. I remember in early December one year, I was trying to help travelers find hotels and rooftop restaurant reservations for New Year’s, and nearly every decent place was booked.
