Because of its geography, the climate in Vietnam varies greatly from north to south. Tropical monsoons occur from May to October. It is almost totally dry throughout the rest of the year.

Tropicals and washable cottons are worn all year. Rainwear is essential during the rainy season.

Vietnam shares borders to the north with the People’s Republic of China and to the west with Laos and Cambodia. The South China Sea lies to the east and south. The land is principally agricultural with a central tropical rainforest.