Vientiane in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Vientiane sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 18°C, with 34 mm of rain over about 5 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs climb from about 29°C in early December to 33°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels humid.
Winter is Vientiane's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Vientiane's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 18°C
- Rainfall
- 34 mm
- 5 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 6.5
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Vientiane in Winter
Over the season highs climb from about 29°C in early December to 33°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Vientiane reaches about 30°C and drops to 18°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Vientiane
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 14 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
Vientiane weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 17° | 11 | 1.7 | 11 | 6.9 |
| Feb | 31° / 19° | 15 | 2.2 | 11.4 | 5.4 |
| Mar | 34° / 22° | 36 | 6.2 | 11.9 | 3.5 |
| Apr | 35° / 25° | 75 | 11.9 | 12.4 | 2.4 |
| May | 33° / 25° | 262 | 23.4 | 12.8 | 2.2 |
| Jun | 32° / 26° | 316 | 25.1 | 13.1 | 2.2 |
| Jul | 32° / 26° | 372 | 26.5 | 13 | 2.4 |
| Aug | 31° / 25° | 401 | 27.5 | 12.6 | 2.4 |
| Sep | 32° / 25° | 300 | 24.7 | 12.1 | 2.7 |
| Oct | 31° / 24° | 101 | 11.9 | 11.6 | 4.2 |
| Nov | 30° / 21° | 22 | 3 | 11.2 | 5.8 |
| Dec | 29° / 18° | 8 | 1.2 | 10.9 | 7.2 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 68% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Vientiane gets around 34 mm of rain over 5 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels humid — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 hours in early December to 11 h 36 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 4.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Vientiane
In winter, Vientiane overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Vientiane sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Vientiane's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is winter a good time to visit Vientiane?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a reasonable time to visit Vientiane for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.
What to pack for Vientiane in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Vientiane sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 18°C. Pack light clothes. Worth having: sun protection. About 5 days see rain.
UV index in Vientiane in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Vientiane peaks around August 11 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 15 at about 7 (very high).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Level | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8 | Very high |
| Feb | 10 | Very high |
| Mar | 12 | Extreme |
| Apr | 10 | Extreme |
| May | 11 | Extreme |
| Jun | 13 | Extreme |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 11 | Extreme |
| Oct | 10 | Extreme |
| Nov | 8 | Very high |
| Dec | 7 | Very high |
Air quality in Vientiane in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Vientiane is worst in March — around 56 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 3.4× the cleanest month (July, 16 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Vientiane's WHO annual average of 25.8 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 23 | 32 | 56 | 53 | 23 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 19 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Unhealthy | Poor | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | Moderate |
| Feb | 32 | Moderate |
| Mar | 56 | Unhealthy |
| Apr | 53 | Poor |
| May | 23 | Moderate |
| Jun | 17 | Moderate |
| Jul | 16 | Moderate |
| Aug | 17 | Moderate |
| Sep | 17 | Moderate |
| Oct | 19 | Moderate |
| Nov | 18 | Moderate |
| Dec | 19 | Moderate |
Where is Vientiane?
Vientiane sits at 18.0°N, 102.6°E, 174 m above sea level, in Laos. The nearest listed city is Tha Bo, 13 km away.
Topography around Vientiane
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Vientiane.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Vientiane has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 33 m around an average of 171 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 74 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,487 m.
The land around Vientiane is covered by artificial surfaces (53%) within 3 km, cropland (36%) and trees (34%) within 16 km, and trees (57%) and cropland (34%) within 80 km.
Laos travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C / E / F
- 230 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 23% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $2,325
- 2025
- Happiness
- 5.5 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 35%
- of population, 2024
- Road deaths
- 17.9
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Lower middle
- World Bank
- English
- Low
- EF EPI 461
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Vientiane (17.9667°, 102.6°, elevation 174 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.