By Ray Riches*

When you ask any tourist about Việt Nam, one thing they will always remember about visiting HCM City is the heat. Ask an expat living in HCM City, and the comments about the heat are somewhat different. Mid-March to mid-May are hell on earth for heat in HCM City.

In almost every country around the world, the concept of hot and cold comes with the seasons. It is hot in summer and cold in winter. However, in HCM City, spring is the hottest time of the year, with unbearable constant heat that seems to eat away at your spirit and motivation until the summer rain arrives.

In the south of the country, essentially, there are two seasons. There is the wet season that runs from May to November and the dry season that covers the winter period.

Ray meets local people on a ferry in HCM City on a hot day in March. Photo courtesy of Ray Riches

But the weather is not that simple in this region. At the end of the wet season is the coolest period of the year. With the sun furthest away from the country, night time temperatures drop to the low 20s, and daytime temperatures hover around 30 to 33°C. All up, it is rather pleasant.

After Tết, the sun begins its pilgrimage back towards the equator, and the temperatures begin to rise. By the middle of March, there is a crossroads of conditions that brings total disdain for being outside in the daytime.

The hot direct sun brings temperatures above 35°C, and this is the only time of the year that you may see thermostats touching 40°C.

With a lack of cloud, the direct sun is like a microwave beam cooking you from the outside to your inner core.

A group of Indian tourists in HCM City. VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Đạt

Real temperatures in the city can actually reach 50°C. On a bicycle, you get the direct sun baking everything, including your clothes. Then, the black heavy road collects that heat and radiates it upward, giving the rider a second dose.

Last week, riding in District 12, I recorded a road temperature of 48°C, with the recorded city temperature being 35°C.

This period, lasting around eight weeks, is broken by the one thing that brings relief, the rain. The summer season in the south is known as the wet season, and it is the rain that brings balance to the sweltering heat of HCM City.

The wet season in the tropical climate is like a block of ice in hot coffee and is often as regular as clockwork.

Every day around 3pm, the heavens open, and a heavy shower smashes the city. But rather than being frustrated by the rain, most locals welcome it with open arms as it is the circuit breaker that drops the heat down to a pleasant level.

Riding at the end of the wet season will be the best in the year round. Photo courtesy of Ray Riches

Sure, HCM City is also known for its flooding and poor water management, but in reality, nobody really cares about getting wet shoes and pants. It is a small price to pay for the comfort of not having this heat that we suffer from March to May.

While this past dry season has been littered with some strange weather patterns due to storms further to the north, it has been a comfortable and enjoyable period with no need to use the air-conditioning at night, and bicycle riding has been a lot of fun.

Yesterday, that changed for me when I left home at 6am for a nice four-hour ride. By 9.30am, I was riding in 43°C direct sunlight, and my body struggled to cope with the unrelenting impact of the sun on my skin and body.

For expats, things like running and bicycle riding again become night time pursuits. Most ensure they are back inside by 8am at the latest to ensure they are not caught by the heat.

When I say heat, there are also significant health warnings that come with being caught in it for long periods. Dehydration, heart stress and heat stroke are just a few of the issues that are very common for people caught for extended periods in these temperatture.

A dirt track near HCM City flooded after a rain storm in July. Photo courtesy of Ray Riches

This is why you see local motorbike riders wearing heavy sweaters, hoods, and long pants in this heat. For decades, local people have learned to cover up in the heat to reduce the effects of direct sunlight, and it works.

So, if you are outside in HCM City from now until mid-May, cover up, minimise the time outside, reschedule your movement to after sunset, and don’t let the blistering spring heat affect you in your travels around HCM City and southern Việt Nam. I am now looking forward to May and the onset of the rain that will bring normality back to the city. VNS

(*Ray lives in HCM City and works as a teacher and freelancer. Apart from teaching, he is a keen runner and bicycle adventure rider. He has visited many parts of the country by bicycle and loves the smaller parts of this beautiful country. After ten years in Việt Nam, Ray has a love and passion for the smaller things and enjoys sharing his experiences with people all over the world.)