Dealing with the weather in a foreign country is always a challenge. Handling the heatwave in a tropical country like Vietnam poses a real obstacle, especially in the most crowded city of all—Ho Chi Minh City! Below are our survival tips for traveling under the burning sun in Ho Chi Minh City.
How Hot is Ho Chi Minh City?
The weather in Ho Chi Minh City is hot and humid all year round, with only two seasons: raining season and the dry season. But even when it’s raining, the sun can be scorching hot nonetheless.
Because of the high humidity, it can feel much warmer than it is. Exposure to the sun for a long time can lead to dizziness, headache, sunstroke, and dehydration. Therefore, preparing some tips to survive the heat in Ho Chi Minh City is always wise.
Prepare An “Anti-Heat” Kit
Leave all of you beautiful sweaters and thick coats at home. There is no chance that you would pull it out to wear. Check out the Travel Tips: Things to Bring to Ho Chi Minh City to pack the quintessential for your Ho Chi Minh trip.
Walking around the streets of this city, you might see that all the locals try to cover their bodies as much as possible. You may feel uncomfortable wearing them, but a camisole or a tank top is not recommended unless you want some lovely sunburns. Wear a lightweight jacket or a thin scarf to protect your precious skin from direct sunlight.
You should also wear enough sun cream, a good pair of sunglasses, and a hat. You should also consider wearing a face mask to protect yourself from pollution and heat.
Grab An Iced Drink
We all know that we should drink enough water every day. To survive the heat in Ho Chi Minh City, you should pay more attention to that. We highly recommend you bring your water bottle whenever you intend to spend a long time outdoors.
Look for iced drinks if you want something even more satisfying to quench your thirst. Many convenience stores and street vendors sell refrigerated beverages. Iced Vietnamese coffee, iced tea, sugarcane juice, and orange juice are some fresh options from the sidewalk stalls. It would cost you VND 5,000 – 20,000 to cool down your thirst.
Find A Spot with Air Conditioners
After several hours of walking under the burning sun, you surely want to sit down and take a rest under an air-conditioner. Ho Chi Minh City offers many tea houses, coffee houses, bubble tea shops, and apartment stores where you can pay a short visit to rejuvenate.
Jump into A Pool!
There are numerous Swimming Pools in Ho Chi Minh City. Just 30 minutes in the cool water would help a lot. Note that during the peak of the dry season, the pools can get packed with people.
Find a hotel in Ho Chi Minh City with a great pool below:
Take a Night Tour
Don’t get us wrong – nights in a tropical city are still hot. However, it is much more tolerable than having the sun shining directly on you. Taking the night city tour means you might have to skip some prominent attractions that open during the day, but you can still enjoy yourself to the fullest. You can try out street vendors, shop at night markets, or party till the sun rises.
Escape to The Ocean
When you think you cannot survive the heat in Ho Chi Minh City any longer, the last solution is running to the beaches! They are where the sun is not unbearably hot, and the breezing wind gently blows.
Find out The Best Beaches Near Ho Chi Minh City
Summary of How to Survive the Heat in Ho Chi Minh City
Knowing how to survive the heat in Ho Chi Minh City is crucial to fully enjoying your vacation. Wear appropriate clothes and apply suncream to protect your skin from overexposure to the sun. Whenever you feel dehydrated or tired, immediately grab an iced drink or hide in a place with an air conditioner. If you cannot take it, head for the pools or beaches.