Lie in the region known as Indochina, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam are among the most amazing places to travel to in Asia. All devoutly Buddhist, a trip to Vietnam Cambodia, and Thailand is the trip of a lifetime for anyone with a sense of adventure. Knowing when to go is the key to any trip, and with very different climates across the three nations, you need to make sure you time your trip to get the best of all three worlds.

Best Time to Visit Vietnam

Vietnam is a long country and has three very specific climatic regions from North to South which are affected by two separate monsoon systems. And since the climate of Vietnam can vary from one region to the next, depending on the time of year, it means that there is no really bad time to visit Vietnam.

Best Time to Visit North Vietnam

March to April and September to November is the best time to travel to North Vietnam when the skies are clear and there is virtually no rain. The typical monsoon season in the north of Vietnam is from May to August, during which most of the rains occur.

It is still possible to visit northern Vietnam from December to February, as the northeast “monsoon” winds from Siberia and Tibet bring cool weather, making the region dry and humid.

Autumn is one of the best times to travel to North Vietnam.

Best Time to Visit Central Vietnam

Famous for its coastal beaches and glorious waters, central Vietnam is best visited from February to August, when the Truong Son mountain range protects the region from the wet southwest monsoon and the rains that hit South Vietnam. This central area of the country remains relatively dry from February to August, with bright sunny days and slightly chilly nights.

Best Time to Visit South Vietnam

The south of Vietnam, around Saigon and the Mekong Delta, is best visited in the dry season, from November to April, when the vegetation is still lush and green and there is little to no rain. The skies are clear and bright, and the waters of the Mekong run clear and calm, the perfect time for taking a river trip.

Best Time to Visit Cambodia

Cambodia has one of the simplest weather systems in Asia, with just two very distinct and defined seasons, wet and dry. The whole country is subject to the same weather patterns throughout due to the uniformity of the land from north to south.

The dry season in Cambodia runs from October to April, while the wet season runs from May to October. In the wet season, the country is hit by the southwest monsoon, which brings around 75% of the country’s annual rainfall, and it makes travel in many areas of the country hard to impossible.

The dry season, from October to April, is the best time to explore the ancient ruins of Angkor.

For anyone planning a Cambodia tour, the best time to travel is in the dry season, from October to April, when the country reveals its real wonders. The cooler temperatures and milder weather allow for better travel, and you can explore the ancient ruins of Angkor without being knee-deep in mud. It is also the best time to head to the remarkable Tonle Sap Lake or enjoy the sights of the amazing Phnom Penh.

Best Time to Visit Thailand

Thailand has one of the most varied climates in the world, with three defined seasons, and the weather patterns vary from region to region depending on the time of year. There are even climatic differences between the east and west of the peninsula, which means you must plan carefully to be able to visit all three regions in one trip.

Best Time to Visit Bangkok and Chiang Mai

The best time to visit northern Thailand is from September to February, when the northern region has its dry season, and before it gets into the hot season in late February. And for northeastern and central Thailand, the best time to travel is from October to February, as the dry season is generally shorter than in the far north. With two defined periods in these regions, the best time to travel to Chiang Mai or Bangkok is from October to February, to make the most of the dry season in both regions.

Best Time to Visit Thailand Beaches

If you are looking for a beach holiday, or a few days of relaxing, then Thailand’s peninsula has some of the best beaches in the world. But the climates and weather patterns are completely different from one side of the peninsula to the other.

Enjoy your leisure time at the beach of Thailand.

The east coast, on the Gulf of Thailand, has its dry season from December to February, while the west coast, on the Andaman Sea, has its dry season from November to March. And while there are two different times for the dry season, there is an overlap from December to February where you can visit both sides of the peninsula and enjoy the dry seasons before it gets too hot.

Best Time of Year to Visit Vietnam Cambodia and Thailand

In order to make the best of the three countries’ weather systems, and enjoy the best weather in all three places, it is recommended that the best time to travel would be from January to March. This would allow you to experience the best of all three countries within their dry seasons, and not have to push out into the hotter seasons in Thailand to accomplish your trip.

Conclusion

With a variety of climates in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, it would appear at first to be hard to combine a trip to all three places. However, with similar dry seasons across the region of Indochina, only changing in the length and dates, it is possible to make a once-in-a-lifetime trip and experience the very best of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand together.

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How to travel from Cambodia to Vietnam?

Lying side-by-side in Indochina, traveling from Cambodia to Vietnam can be done in several ways, flight, self-driving, bus, or cruise.