Ha Long Bay vs Ho Chi Minh City: which to choose?
Side by side for the month you pick: real weather, how good a time it is, holidays and festivals, rough costs and getting there.
Ha Long BayPhoto: Marina Lobato / Unsplash
Ho Chi Minh CityPhoto: Tron Le / UnsplashThat month: November
Ha Long Bay
Goodpleasant and dryHo Chi Minh City
QuieterWeather
Ha Long Bay
25° / 20° · 45 mm rainHo Chi Minh City
31° / 24° · 155 mm rainHolidays & festivals
Ha Long Bay
- Vietnam Culture Day Nov 24
Ho Chi Minh City
- Vietnam Culture Day Nov 24
Getting there
Ha Long Bay
Pick where you fly fromHo Chi Minh City
Pick where you fly fromRough daily cost
Ha Long Bay
$25 budget · $60 mid-rangeHo Chi Minh City
$25 budget · $60 mid-rangeOur homestays
Ha Long Bay
None here yetHo Chi Minh City
None here yetBest time to visit
Ha Long Bay
Visit from October to December for cooler, drier weather and fewer crowds. Avoid the heavy rains and heat of summer. Spring is warm with occasional showers, while summer is hot and wet with monsoon rains.Ho Chi Minh City
December to April offers warm, dry weather ideal for sightseeing. May to November is rainy with heavy monsoon showers, making outdoor activities challenging but fewer crowds and lower prices.Top things to do
Ha Long Bay
Cruise Ha Long Bay · Sung Sot Cave · Ti Top IslandHo Chi Minh City
War Remnants Museum · Ben Thanh Market · Notre-Dame Cathedral BasilicaFood to try
Ha Long Bay
Seafood on the boats · Bánh cuốn · Chả mựcHo Chi Minh City
Pho · Banh Mi · Bui Vien StreetRough daily costs are AI estimates per person, in US dollars, for a place to stay, food and getting around. Flight times are rough: worked out from the straight-line distance, for a non-stop flight. Average daily high and monthly rain over the last ten years, from weather records by Open-Meteo