January is the driest month on Phu Quoc and one of the sunniest: on average it rains on only about five days, the sea on the west coast is flat, and the days are hot and mostly cloudless. The New Year crowds thin out after the first few days, which makes the middle of January one of the best times of the whole year to come. Towards the end of the month, keep an eye on the calendar: Tet, the Lunar New Year, falls on 6 February 2027, and the island fills up again in the days before it.
January weather
| January | |
|---|---|
| Average high / low | 31 °C / 23 °C |
| Rain | 47 mm, about 5 days with rain |
| Humidity | 75% |
| Sunshine | about 250 hours in the month |
| Sea temperature | around 27–29 °C |
| Sunset | about 17:55 (early January) to 18:10 (end of the month) |
Temperature, rain and humidity: the island’s weather station in Duong Dong (WMO 48917), 2016–2024 averages; sunshine: Vietnam’s building climate standard. The sea temperature is an estimate from unofficial sources.
The north-east wind of the dry season keeps the west coast calm, from Long Beach up to Ganh Dau, while the south-east beaches such as Sao can be breezier — good news for kitesurfing. With little rain to stir up the water, the sea around the An Thoi islands is at its clearest from now until March.
Crowds
- 1–4 January is still holiday season. Over the 2026 New Year holiday the island received 175,797 visitors, 29,888 of them from abroad (An Giang provincial portal).
- Mid-January sits between the two holiday peaks. The weather is at its best, and while it is still high season for international visitors, especially on the Russian charter flights, there is no holiday rush.
- The end of January in 2027 is the run-up to Tet (see below), when domestic travel builds.
The island is busier every year: in 2025 it received 8.14 million visitors, 1.86 million of them international (Nông nghiệp và Môi trường, January 2026), and the authorities expect more in 2026. Book well ahead for any dates near a public holiday.
Tet 2027: what to know
The Lunar New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán) is Vietnam’s biggest holiday. In 2027 New Year’s Day falls on Saturday 6 February, and the official public holiday runs from Thursday 4 to Wednesday 10 February (Ministry of Home Affairs, notice of 9 October 2026). Over Tet 2026 the island received 92,994 international visitors in nine days, and on 14 February 2026 the airport handled 50 international flights in a single day, a record (An Giang provincial portal).
If your January trip runs into early February:
- Flights and ferries to and from the mainland sell out in the days before Tet and in the week after it. Book early, and do not plan a tight connection.
- Prices rise for rooms and some services, and a few family-run restaurants and shops close for several days.
- The festive side is worth seeing: flower markets, decorations, lion dances, and fireworks on the night of Lunar New Year’s Eve. See our Tet on Phu Quoc guide.
What to do in January
- Islands and snorkelling. The best month to spend a day on the water: island-hopping tours, snorkelling, scuba diving, or the cable car to Hon Thom and the Aquatopia water park.
- Sunsets on the west coast, with clear skies most evenings — see the best sunset spots.
- Walks and the north. Dry trails for hiking and the Ganh Dau trail; the waterfalls, though, are mostly dry.
- Golf in dry weather — see golf on Phu Quoc.
- Seafood at the floating restaurants of Ham Ninh or in town — see where to eat seafood.
Health and safety
- Sun and heat. Long, cloudless days: use sunscreen, cover up on boats, and drink plenty of water.
- Mosquitoes. Dengue cases rose sharply in An Giang province in early 2026, so it is not only a rainy-season risk; use repellent. See hospitals and medical care.
- Boats. Wear a life jacket for every crossing, and choose an established operator — see the safety notes on island-hopping tours.
For the rest of the year, see the month-by-month weather guide and Phu Quoc in December.
Weather: station averages, see sources. Visitor figures: An Giang provincial authorities and press reports. Holiday dates: Ministry of Home Affairs.
