The short answer: come between November and April. That is the dry season — sunny, calm on the west coast, and rarely more than a few rainy days a month. December to March is the sweet spot. April and May are the hottest months. From May to October the south-west monsoon brings heavy rain and rough seas on the west coast, but also lower prices, fewer people, and the only time the waterfalls really run.
Phu Quoc is warm all year: the monthly average stays between about 26 °C and 29 °C. What changes is the rain and the sea.
Phu Quoc weather month by month
Averages from the island’s weather station (WMO 48917, in Duong Dong), 2016–2024. Rainy days are days with at least 1 mm of rain.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Rainy days | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 °C | 23 °C | 47 mm | 5 | 75% |
| February | 31 °C | 23 °C | 37 mm | 4 | 74% |
| March | 32 °C | 24 °C | 84 mm | 5 | 75% |
| April | 33 °C | 25 °C | 145 mm | 9 | 76% |
| May | 33 °C | 26 °C | 290 mm | 16 | 80% |
| June | 32 °C | 26 °C | 324 mm | 17 | 82% |
| July | 31 °C | 25 °C | 500 mm | 21 | 84% |
| August | 31 °C | 25 °C | 493 mm | 20 | 83% |
| September | 30 °C | 25 °C | 585 mm | 22 | 84% |
| October | 31 °C | 25 °C | 345 mm | 19 | 83% |
| November | 31 °C | 25 °C | 175 mm | 14 | 79% |
| December | 31 °C | 24 °C | 73 mm | 7 | 73% |
About 3,000 mm of rain falls in a year, and more than three-quarters of it between May and October. The station record has gaps, so treat the rainfall figures as a good guide rather than exact totals.
The dry season: November to April
- November is the changeover. The rain eases through the month, the sea calms down, and prices have not yet reached their peak. A good gamble, especially in the second half.
- December to March is the best weather of the year: little rain, blue skies, flat water on Long Beach and Bai Khem, and the clearest sea for snorkelling around the An Thoi islands. It is also the busiest and most expensive time — book well ahead, especially for Christmas and New Year.
- April is hot and still mostly dry, with the first afternoon storms late in the month. Good value after the peak.
Watch for Tết. The Vietnamese Lunar New Year (around 6 February in 2027) fills the island with domestic travellers for a week or more; prices jump, ferries and flights sell out, and some local businesses close. The 30 April and 1 May holidays and 2 September are busy too.
The rainy season: May to October
The south-west monsoon arrives in May. It rarely rains all day: the usual pattern is a heavy downpour or storm, often in the afternoon or overnight, then sun again. July to September is the wettest stretch, and September is the single wettest month.
What changes for you:
- The west coast gets rough. Long Beach, Ong Lang and Bai Dai face the monsoon, so expect waves, murky water and more rubbish washing up. The east and south coasts — Bai Sao, Bai Khem, Ham Ninh — are more sheltered.
- Boat trips get cancelled. Island-hopping and snorkelling tours, and the ferries to the mainland, are called off when the sea is too rough. Do not put a ferry crossing on the day before an international flight.
- The island is green and the waterfalls run. The waterfalls and streams are mostly dry from December to May; late June to November is the time to see them.
- Prices drop and the beaches empty. Resorts discount heavily, and you will have far more of the island to yourself.
The best time for…
| If you want… | Go in |
|---|---|
| Calm, clear sea on the west coast (Long Beach, Ong Lang) | December to March |
| Snorkelling and island-hopping | December to April |
| The best beaches in the south (Bai Khem, Bai Sao) | November to April; they stay calmer than the west coast in the rainy season too |
| Starfish at Starfish Beach | Dry season, roughly November to April |
| Waterfalls and a green island | Late June to November |
| Low prices and few crowds | May to October, avoiding public holidays |
| Theme parks without the queues | Weekdays outside Tết and the summer school holidays |
What to pack
- Dry season: high-factor sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses — the sun is strong even in January. Light layers for air-conditioned buses and boats.
- Rainy season: a light rain jacket or poncho, quick-drying clothes, sandals you can wade in, and a dry bag for boat trips. Insect repellent all year, more so in the wet months.
Deciding where to base yourself? In the rainy season the south and east coasts are the calmer choice — see where to stay on Phu Quoc.
Which beach suits which season: see the best beaches on Phu Quoc, compared. Planning the days: see our 3, 5 and 7-day itineraries.
Climate figures: our averages of NOAA’s Global Summary of the Day for the Phu Quoc station (WMO 48917), 2016–2024; the 2025 record was incomplete and is not included. Checked 12 October 2026.
