Vietnam is a country in the “cannot miss” list for those who are interested in photography when travelling. Besides, Vietnam has very different weather between North and South. If you want to take the best pictures of the natural beauty of Northern Vietnam, this topic will give you more information about the best time to plan your better trip.

The mountains of Northern Vietnam are known for some top destinations such as Ninh Binh, Mai Chau, Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Yen Bai, among others. Unlike other destinations, the main scenery here is the mountainous terrain and terraced rice fields. Therefore, the best time to visit and photograph here is directly related to both the weather and the cycle for planting and harvesting rice. While the weather determines how comfortable your trip will be, the cycle of planting and harvesting rice will help you capture great photos of the mountain terraces.

Located in a tropical monsoon climate country, Northern Vietnam has four seasons including spring, summer, autumn and winter. And because of location and elevation, the weather in the northern Vietnam mountains is cooler than the rest of the country throughout the year.

Spring season in Vietnam

Spring weather (from March to May)tends to be pleasant. The weather is warm and humid with drizzling rain sometimes. It is the season of preparation in terraces. The farmers will clear, repair and prepared them for planting. If you want to take some photos of the rice terraces, this time is not suitable. However, you can enjoy the festive atmosphere of Tet holiday and have other topics for photographs such as flowers blooming in Moc Chau from March to April or butterfly season at Cuc Phuong National park (Ninh Binh) in April.

Summer season in Vietnam

The summer occurs from June to August with hot, humid weather and high rainfalls. As soon as the rains fill the terraces with water, the farmers begin planting. Then the rice-filled terraces will be lush and spectacular in July and August. It would be a gorgeous time to have a nice terrace photo, but unfortunately, it’s also the peak of the rainy season with high rainfall and storms. The roads in the mountainous area become more dangerous.

Autumn season in Vietnam

From September to October in Autumn is the best ideal time to have a photo trip to Northern Vietnam. The weather is cool and dry with light breezes. The average temperature is from 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, very suitable for your outdoor activities. You can find a combination of stunning landscapes, villages, markets and people working in the terrace fields because it’s during the rice harvest. All make a colourful and lively picture.

Ta Phin

The best places that you can admire a fantastic view of yellow terraced rice fields are tam Coc (Ninh Binh), Mai Chau, Sapa, Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai). At that time, you can enjoy Ban Gioc waterfall’s stunning view because this waterfall will not be as thunderous as in the rainy season (from April to August); or take beautiful photos in Ha Giang in buckwheat flower season from September to November. You should bring adequate gears and equipment for your hiking trip to the mountainous area.

Winter season in Vietnam

For winter in the North of Vietnam (from November to March), it’s cold and dry. The temperature is low, and there may be snow in mountainous areas such as Sapa, Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Cao Bang. It’s not a good time to visit the terraces because they remain brown and stubble-filled during the winter. But if you are interested in snowy scenery, this will be one of your destinations.

Sapa in winter

So with the landscape and weather, the best time for photography in the mountains of Northern Vietnam will depend on your interests. With these pieces of information, you can easily plan for your photography trip to the Northern mountains of Vietnam.

Recommended tours for you:

• 9 Days North Vietnam tour 2023/2024 of cultural and natural highlights
• Vietnam discovery tour 2023/2024 of highlights from North to South
• Northeast Vietnam soft adventure tour

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