Vietnam Mountain Stay

Mai Chau weather and best time to visit Mai Chau (Expert guide)

Mai Chau is a land where culture and scenery harmonize. This land has everything for leisure and wellness: from light adventures, beautiful sceneries, friendly local people to the captivating culture of Thai and Muong people and relaxation. Explore more about the best time to visit and Mai Chau weather for a smartly planned trip.

Brief facts of Mai Chau

Mai Chau location

160km from Hanoi with 3,5 hours driving to the Northwest of Vietnam, Mai Chau is one of the first names in mind to discover Vietnam’s mountains. This is a small district of Hoa Binh province and home to Thai and Muong people.

How long to stay and what to do in Mai Chau

Famous for the charming valleys surrounded by green fields, Mai Chau is ideal for a 2- 3 day trip from Hanoi. Also, Mai Chau is the first stop of the Vietnam Northwest mountainous loop and the center of the famous “traveler triangle”: Mai Chau – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh.

It is not too touristy with small villages surrounded by peaceful rice fields. And this is the best place for biking and light hiking activities. It is also very nice to find peace of mind away from the hassle of the city.

Mai Châu weather & Best time to visit Mai Chau

Mai Chau has a specific topography. The mountains divide thư town into different small valleys with two big rivers on two sides namely Black River and Ma River giving it a unique climate. Affected by the Feuhn winds from Laos in Summer, and cold weather from Son La and China in winter, Mai Chau has a “humid subtropical, dry winter” climate (Köppen classification: Cwa).

The temperature in the coldest months falls between 0 °C (32 °F) or −3 °C (27 °F) and 18 °C (64 °F). Due to the hot and dry atmosphere from Laos in the summer, the highest temptation in Mai Chau can reach 39°C. (103 °F)  In real feel, it could be like 45°C (113 °F)  or higher.

There are 158 rainfall days, and 1799mm (70.83″) of precipitation is accumulated within a year in Mai Chau.

There are 4 seasons in a year: Spring ( March to May), Summer (June to August), Autumn (September to November) and Winter ( December to February). Because of the difference between seasons, visit Mai Chau at different times of the year could create different experiences.

When is the best time to visit Mai Chau?

It is very difficult to define when the best time to visit Mai Chau is. As mentioned before, Mai Chau weather is quite comfortable to come any time of year. But I recommend you to visit in the autumn and the spring (from March to May and from September to November).

The reason is that, during these seasons, the weather is not so hot and very comfortable with less humidity. Also, from cycling along the rice paddies to hiking into unspoiled villages, this is the time when you can enjoy outdoor activities the most.

Also, while spring is the time for festivals, fall is the time for harvesting. Both occasions give you a chance to explore the traditional life of local people. Parties, ceremonies, and friendly local people trust me, nothing is better than that.

You can check the detailed temperature below

Mai Chau weather by season

Mai Chau weather in winter from December to February

The first month of the winter, December, is still a pleasant month here with the average temperature ranging between max 22°C (71.6°F) and min 14°C (57.2°F). It is getting colder when Christmas comes, and make it perfect to be a place for your Christmas Eve and New Year party.

January is the coldest month of the year in Mai Chau when the temperature could reach down to below 5°C (41°F). It could be colder in some of the mountainous areas of Mai Chau. The winter comes with the windy weather, and remember to keep yourself warm. The highest temperature during the day of this time is about 20 °C (68°F). But even on the coldest day of the winter, the sunshine hours of Mai Chau in January normally is about 6.1 hours per day. The humidity is about 79% and there are around 7,1 days raining during this month.

In February, the weather is more comfortable than in January. This is the last month of winter here. The average temperature ranges between min 14°C (57.2°F) and max 21°C (69.8°F). February and March, with an average of three hours of sunshine, are months with the least sunshine in Mai Châu.

Mai Chau weather in Spring from March to May – the best time to visit Mai Chau

In March, it is getting warmer. Actually, March is a moderately hot month in Mai Châu with temperature in the range of an average low of 17°C (62.6°F) and an average high of 24°C (75.2°F). The rain falls for 13 days and regularly aggregates up to 48mm (1.89″) of precipitation.

But due to the high humidity and wet climate, the way to come here could be covered in mist. So please be careful when going on your own explore the town or villages.

In April, the same as March is getting hotter and hotter. The average temperature ranging between min 20°C (68°F) and max 28°C (82.4°F) and the rain falls for 13 days. Throughout April, 107mm (4.21″) of precipitation is accumulated.

In the last month of Spring – May – Mai Chau turns into a real tropical valley. The average temperature ranging between min 23°C (73.4°F) and max 31°C (87.8°F).

Mai Chau weather in Summer from June to the end of August – high heat and humidity

The monthly temperature of June is in the range of an average high of 31°C (87.8°F) in the day and an average low of 24°C (75.2°F) at night. The village enjoys 5 hours of sunshine during 13 hours of daylight. This is the longest time of daylight during the year. The heat and humidity are considered very high. In June, the rain falls for 18 days and reaches 282mm (11.1″) distributed.

July continues the same temperature as June with average temperature fluctuating between 31°C (87.8°F) and 24°C (75.2°F). This is the hottest month of the year and the UV index is very high (around 12).

The tropical rainy season remains consistent in August with the same daytime high temperature of 31°C (87.8°F)  and the same night temperature low of 24°C (75.2°F). This means you can enjoy an average temperature of 27.5°C (81.5°F). As the days shorten, you get 5 hours of sunshine during 13 hours of daylight. August is the month with the most rainfall. Rain falls for 21 days and accumulates 359mm (14.13″) of precipitation.

Traveling during this period may be considerably hot. If you travel to Vietnam during summer, you may consider going to destinations whose topography is higher to take the climate advantages such as Ta Xua or Ha Giang.

Mai Chau weather in Autumn From September to November – the second best time to visit Mai Chau

The Autumn comes with September enters. The weather becomes more comfortable with average temperature fluctuating between 23°C (73.4°F) and 30°C (86°F).

You gain an extra hour of sunshine so that you can enjoy 6 hours of sunshine during 12 hours of daylight. The humidity drops as the do the amount of rainfall.  The rain falls for 16 days and regularly aggregates up to 247mm (9.72″) of precipitation.

October brings cooler days and nights, less humidity, and a considerable drop in rainfall. The temperature is the same as September, with temperature in the range of an average high of 28°C (82.4°F) and an average low of 21°C (69.8°F). Yes, another autumn month is coming.

November marks the end of fall with nearly perfect weather. The average temperature is 21°C (69.8°F). The daytime high is 25°C (77F) and drops only to 17°C (63°F) at night. 30mm of rain is scattered over seven days. The humidity index is low and the region maintains 5 hours of sunshine per day.

Final thoughts on best time to visit Mai Chau

Mai Chau blooms at its best in autumn and spring, when the weather is absolutely pleasant. Travelers can enjoyably savor the breathtaking beauty of rice paddies, explore deep into the jungle, the villages without worrying about heat strokes.