Field guide · 2026
Typhoon season in Vietnam: a travel preparation checklist
Typhoon season in Vietnam usually runs from June to November, and storms are most common from July to October. If you travel in that window, you do not need to cancel. You need a plan. This checklist shows when storms hit, where to read official warnings, and what to get ready before you fly.
When storms usually hit
Vietnam is affected by about 6 to 8 tropical cyclones a year. About 4 to 6 of them make landfall. The busiest months are July to October, with around two storms a month on average.
The place matters as much as the month. Landfalls are most frequent on the northern coast, from Quang Ninh to Thanh Hoa, and in the northern delta. They are least frequent in the far south, from Lam Dong to Ca Mau. A trip to the Mekong Delta carries a lower storm risk than a trip to Ha Long Bay in September.
Storms can also come late. Typhoon Damrey hit central Vietnam in early November 2017 and killed more than 100 people. So a November trip to the central coast still needs the checklist.
Sources: Wikipedia, Tropical cyclones in Vietnam (climatology and landfall statistics), opened July 2026.
Where to read official warnings
The main source is the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, known as NCHMF, at nchmf.gov.vn. It has an English version. Its menus include a tropical cyclone section, storm surge and wave maps, and seasonal and monthly outlooks. It also posts marine weather forecasts for the sea.
NCHMF watches storms in the South China Sea and works with the Japan Meteorological Agency and the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center. When a storm threatens land, Vietnam uses a risk scale of five levels, set by a Prime Minister decision. A higher level means a more dangerous storm.
Check the bulletin each morning in the week before you leave. Then check it again at your hotel. Local TV and your hotel desk will pass on the same warnings, often in Vietnamese first.
Sources: National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, nchmf.gov.vn (English home page); Wikipedia, Tropical cyclones in Vietnam.
What the law asks of residents and visitors
Vietnam's Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control was passed on June 19, 2013, and took effect on May 1, 2014. It sets risk levels for each kind of disaster. Officials use those levels to decide how to warn people and how to respond.
For storms, the law lists measures such as moving people out of dangerous areas, calling boats to anchor, and limiting access to flooded roads and waterways. Households and individuals are expected to follow evacuation instructions from the authorities. As a visitor, treat a local instruction to move, stay in, or stay off the water as binding. It is for your safety.
Sources: Law No. 33/2013/QH13 on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, English text at english.luatvietnam.vn (Articles 18, 26 and 34).
Documents and money
Storms can close airports and cancel ferries. Prepare for a delay before it happens.
- Keep your passport, visa and booking papers in a sealed waterproof bag.
- Store scans of each document in your email or a cloud folder you can open on a phone.
- Save your embassy's contact details and your insurer's phone number.
- Read your travel insurance terms. Check whether a named storm or an airline cancellation is covered, and keep receipts.
- Carry some cash in small notes. Card machines may fail when power is out.
Power, phone and supplies
Storms often cut power and mobile signal. A short outage is a nuisance. A long one is a problem if you are unprepared.
- Charge your phone and a power bank before the storm arrives.
- Pack a small torch and spare batteries.
- Download offline maps and your hotel's address in Vietnamese.
- Fill a bottle with drinking water and keep snacks that need no cooking.
- Keep any medicine you take every day in your hand luggage, with a few spare days of supply.
Sources: Editorial practical guidance; the evacuation and shelter duties come from Law No. 33/2013/QH13 (Articles 26, 29 and 34).
Transport plans
Book flexible fares when you can. Airlines often let you change flights when a storm is forecast, but the rules differ, so read your fare terms. Leave a spare day before any flight home or any onward ticket.
Sea and river travel is the first to stop. The law lets authorities tell boats to anchor and keep people away from dangerous waterways, so island trips and boat tours can end with little notice. Choose a hotel on higher ground and away from the shore for storm days, and ask the staff what they do when a warning is issued.
If a storm is close, stay put. Do not drive or ride a motorbike through flooded streets. Wait for the all-clear from local authorities.
Sources: Law No. 33/2013/QH13, Article 26 (response measures for storms and floods); editorial practical guidance.