Ho Chi Minh City in January

December through April is peak season for good reason — temperatures hover around 80°F instead of the face-melting 95°F of summer. The humidity drops just enough that walking doesn't feel like swimming through soup. But here's the thing about peak season: everyone knows it's peak season. Hotel prices double, restaurants fill up, and the backpacker district becomes a zoo. If you can handle heat, May and November offer better deals and fewer crowds. Rainy season (May to October) isn't as bad as it sounds. Rain usually hits hard for an hour in the afternoon, then disappears. Streets flood briefly, then drain. Pack an umbrella and embrace it — the city looks different in the rain, more atmospheric. Tet (Vietnamese New Year) shuts down the entire city for a week, usually in late January or February. Everything closes except tourist restaurants charging triple prices. Either plan around it or lean into the quiet streets.