Climate

It has a tropical monsoon type of climate; from May-Sep the south monsoon starts, and the country is dominated by south to southeasterly winds. From Oct-April, the north monsoon is strong with northerly to northeasterly winds. In between the seasons the winds are light and variable. Vietnam has a single rainy season during the south monsoon (May-Sep). Rainfall is uncommon and light during the remainder of the year. Rainfall is abundant, with annual rainfall exceeding 1000mm almost everywhere. Annual rainfall is even higher in the hills, especially those facing the sea, in the range of 2000-2500mm.

Vietnam Weather Averages

	Average Minimum Temperatures in Vietnam (°C)	Average Maximum Temperature in Vietnam (°C)	Vietnam Average Temperature (°C)	Average Sea Temp (°C)	Average Precipitation/ Rainfall (mm)	Wet Days (>0.1 mm)	Average Sunlight Hours/ Day	Relative Humidity (%)	Average Wind Speed in Vietnam (Beaufort)	Average Number of Days with Frost
Weather in Vietnam in January	13	20	17	-	18	7	1.4	68	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in January
Weather in Vietnam in February	14	21	18	-	28	13	1.4	70	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in February
Weather in Vietnam in March	17	23	20	-	38	15	1.3	76.0	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in March
Weather in Vietnam in April	21	28	24	-	81	14	2.2	75	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in April
Weather in Vietnam in May	23	32	28	-	196	15	4.2	69	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in May
Weather in Vietnam in June	26	33	30	-	237	14	5.0	71	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in June
Weather in Vietnam in July	26	33	29	-	323	15	4.8	72	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in July
Weather in Vietnam in August	26	32	29	-	343	16	4.2	75	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in August
Weather in Vietnam in September	24	31	28	-	254	14	4.3	73	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in September
Weather in Vietnam in October	22	29	25	-	99	9	4.2	69	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in October
Weather in Vietnam in November	18	26	22	-	43	7	3.2	68	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in November
Weather in Vietnam in December	15	22	19	-	20	7	2.1	67	-	0	Average Temperature in Vietnam in December

Graph from: http://www.climatetemp.info/vietnam/

How to Get There?

You can get to Vietnam from land, sky and sea. Airfares to Vietnam are cheap depending on the company because of the money exchange rate. From the nearby countries; Thailand Laos, Cambodia and China, you can get to Vietnam on coach/bus. The cruises there are quite popular as well.

Vietnamese History

Vietnam can date back almost 2700 years to 570 BC in the Hong Bang Dynasty. Since then there have been 22 different dynasties. They are currently in the Socialist Dynasty. The main story starts in 111 BC, when China's Han dynasty conquered north Vietnam's Red River Delta, the ancestors of today's Vietnamese. Chinese dynasties ruled Vietnam for 1,000 years, filling it with Confucian ideas and political culture, but also leaving a tradition of resistance to foreign occupation. In 939 AD, Vietnam achieved independence under a native dynasty. After 1471, when Vietnam conquered the Champa Kingdom in what is now central Vietnam, the Vietnamese moved gradually southward, finally reaching the agriculturally rich Mekong Delta, where they encountered previously settled communities of Cham and Cambodians. As Vietnam's Le dynasty declined, powerful northern and southern families, the Trinh and Nguyen, fought civil wars in the 17th and 18th centuries. A peasant revolt originating in the Tay Son region of central Vietnam defeated both the Nguyen and the Trinh and unified the country at the end of the 18th century, but was itself defeated by a surviving member of the Nguyen family, who founded the Nguyen dynasty as Emperor Gia Long in 1802. There have been 4 Chinese occupance of Vietnam and that is why they are similar in ways.

Government

Vietnam or the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, gained its independance on 2 September, 1945 and is currently a single party constitutional republic or communist party for short. The Communist Party of Vietnam, CPV, currently has 3 million members.

Places of Interest

Some places you can go are: Hanoi, the capital city. Halong Bay where there is some great scenery, Ho Chi Minh City and you can even visit the tunnels that they used in the vietnam war. The Mekong Delta is a beautiful tropical region that is a major tourist destination it also contains the Mekong river which, along with the Red river, is one of the major water systems. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site.

Festivals in Vietnam

Some of the popular festivals in Vietnam are:
Jan 2: The Wrestling Festival in Lieu Doi, Nam Ha
Jan 5: Festival of Dong Da Hill,Hanoi
Jan 6: Festival of Eel-Catching in Pot,Ving Lac district, Vinh Phu province
Jan 10: Festival in Trieu Khuc village, Hanoi
Jan 13: Lim Festival, Ha Bac and the
 Festival of Quan Ho Folk song singing
Jan 15: Festival of Spring, Ba Den mountain.
Feb 15: Festival of Huong Pagoda, Ha Tay and
Spring Festival of Buffalo Fighting, Tay Nguyen Highlands
Mar 10: Festival of Hung Temple
April 9: Giong Festival, Hanoi
April 26: Festival of Queen Su in Chau Doc
May 5: Water Festival, Nha Trang
June 16: Festival of Nghinh Ong, Tien Giang, Ben Tre
July 30: Festival of Lang Ong, Ho Chi Minh City
Aug 9: Buffalo Fighting Festival, Do Son, Hai Phong
Oct 13: Festival of Keo Pagoda, Thai Binh
Nov 22: Festival of Dong Quan in Chan Tien Pagoda, Hanoi


Info from http://www.vietventures.com/Vietnam/vietnam_festivals.asp/

Currency

Vietnam uses the Vietnamese Dong. US$1 is worth 20957.12dong. US money is also accepted there. They have no coins. The notes are 5000, 10000. 20000, 50000, 100000, 200000 and 500000.
Australian and international ATMs are there and money can be withdrawn from them with most cards.