Vietnam in January is two countries in one month: the south is dry at 30-32°C by day, while Hanoi tops out near 20°C and Sapa drops to about 6°C at night. Tet falls on 6 February 2027, so the rail rush starts on 23 January.
I live in Da Nang and have run tours across Vietnam since 2023, so every autumn I answer the same January questions: where to swim, what to pack for the north and how to avoid the pre-Tet squeeze. The temperatures below come from climate tables, and the Tet dates from Vietnamese press reports on the 2027 holiday schedule. Your own dates decide how tickets and hotels behave.
Where Is Vietnam Warm in January 2027?
The south is warm and dry: Phu Quoc, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta and Mui Ne. The centre is cooler and wetter, and the north is cold. Here is how I sort the places people ask about.
| Place | Day, °C | Night, °C | Sea, °C | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phu Quoc | 30-31 | 21-24 | 27-28 | 35-37 mm |
| Ho Chi Minh City | 31-32 | 21-23 | no sea | 12-15 mm, 2-5 days |
| Nha Trang | 26-27 | 21-22 | 25 | 40-100 mm, sources disagree |
| Da Nang, Hoi An | 25 | 19 | 23-24 | 82-85 mm, about 12 days |
| Da Lat | 22 | 12 | no sea | about 12 mm over 2 days |
| Hanoi | 20 | 14 | no sea | 20 mm, about 10 drizzly days |
| Sapa | 13 | about 6 | no sea | 65-101 mm, fog |
For swimming, pick Phu Quoc. January and February are its driest months, and the sea is at its coolest of the year but still 27-28°C. Da Nang and Hoi An work in January for walking, food and day trips, but I would not book a beach week there.
Which Beach Resort Is Best in January?
Phu Quoc first, Nha Trang second. Phu Quoc has the steadiest weather and the warmest sea. Nha Trang is a little cooler, with the sea near 25°C, and January rain there runs from 40 to 100 mm depending on the source, so one wet day is possible. The monthly detail is in Phu Quoc weather by month and Nha Trang weather by month .
Mui Ne is dry in January but belongs to kitesurfers: the northeast monsoon blows a steady 20-25 knots from mid-morning, the kite season runs from late October, and the same wind raises chop along the shore. The usual mistake is booking Mui Ne as a calm swimming bay and getting in the water after lunch. Swim early in the morning.
Nha Trang is the pick when you want a real city around the beach, with restaurants and boat trips a short ride away, at the price of a slightly cooler January than Phu Quoc.
Da Lat is the January place for people who have had enough heat. It is dry and cool, about 22°C by day and 12°C at night, with pine hills and coffee farms, so it works as the second half of a sea trip, which is why it follows the beach in our New Year route.
If you want a city and food instead of a beach, take Ho Chi Minh City. January is one of its most comfortable months, dry and without the crushing heat.
Three things usually get in the way of a New Year trip: tickets sell out before the holidays, resorts get pricier in those weeks, and the hop from the sea to the mountains has to be stitched together by hand. You can do all of it yourself. If you would rather not, our New Year 2027 tour to Phu Quoc and Da Lat runs from 30 December to 9 January with five nights on Phu Quoc and five in Da Lat, in one group of up to 15 people. The order follows the weather table above, dry sea first and cool mountains after it. The tour page is in Russian.
What Should You Pack for Northern Vietnam in January?
Pack warm layers. Hanoi is about 20°C by day and 14°C at night, damp, with roughly 10 drizzly days and only about 74 hours of sun in the month. In the Sapa hills it is 13°C by day and about 6°C at night, often foggy, with frost more common than snow.
Every year someone lands in Hanoi in a light jacket because Vietnam is supposed to be warm, and spends the first evening at a market buying a sweater. More detail is in Hanoi weather by month and Da Lat and Sapa weather .
How Much Does Vietnam Cost in January, and What Does Tet Change?
January is high season, and Tet 2027 makes the second half of the month more expensive. Demand and prices on Phu Quoc peak from December to February. At Tet 2026 domestic flights ran two to three times the normal fare and hotels added 30-50%, up to double at beach resorts, and 2027 will likely follow that pattern.
Tet 2027 falls on Saturday 6 February. The government has approved the public holiday as 4-10 February. Vietnam Railways sets its Tet peak from 23 January to 25 February, so the calmest and cheapest dates in January are the first half, after the New Year holidays and before the 20th. The full holiday breakdown is in Vietnam in February and Tet 2027 .
What Closes and What Stays Open During Tet 2027?
On the first three days, 6-8 February, almost all small restaurants, street stalls, local cafes, spas and family shops are closed, along with museums, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, banks, the post office and immigration offices. Hotels with restaurants, international chains and Circle K and GS25 convenience stores stay open, some on shorter hours. Tourist districts keep going: Hanoi’s Old Quarter, District 1 in Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and the beaches of Da Nang and Nha Trang.
If your trip runs into late January and early February, withdraw cash before 4 February, since banks close for the whole holiday, and pick a hotel with its own restaurant. Normal service returns around 11-12 February.
Do You Need a Visa for Vietnam in January 2027?
Russian passport holders enter visa-free for 45 days under Resolution 44/NQ-CP, valid from 15 March 2025 to 14 March 2028. Other nationalities should check the exemption list and the e‑visa rules on the official portal, evisa.gov.vn .
What Is the Verdict for January 2027?
Pick the south for the sea, Phu Quoc or Nha Trang, the centre (Da Nang with Hoi An) and Ho Chi Minh City for sightseeing and food, and go north only with a sweater. The best dates are the first half of the month, before the 20th, while the pre-Tet peak has not started and tickets are cheaper.
You can piece this together yourself with trains and hotels booked directly. The hard part is catching dry weather, beating the Tet prices and not losing a day on connections all at once. If you would rather not hold that in your head, message me in Telegram with your dates, and I will build the route around January weather. You can write in English; the tour page is in Russian, but I answer questions about it in either language.
Frequently asked questions
Is early or late January 2027 better for visiting Vietnam?
Early, before about the 20th. The pre-Tet peak starts on 23 January according to the railway schedule. Tet is on 6 February; the government has approved the public holiday as 4-10 February.
What if Tet train and flight tickets are already sold out?
Shift your dates. Departures peak around 3-5 February and returns around 9-12 February, so travelling outside those days is easier and cheaper. Before Tet 2026 some routes were full three weeks ahead, and most travellers bought four to six weeks in advance.
Can you swim in Mui Ne in January?
Yes, it is dry, but the monsoon wind rises from mid-morning and raises chop, so swim early. For calm sea all day Phu Quoc is the safer pick.
Are restaurants and hotels open during Tet?
Hotels with restaurants and international chains are open, while small local cafes and shops are closed on 6-8 February and banks are closed for the whole holiday. Tourist districts in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Hoi An keep working.
How many rainy days does Da Nang have in January?
About 12 days and 82-85 mm of rain, with 25°C by day and 19°C at night. That is wetter than the south, so go to Da Nang and Hoi An for walking and food.
