Sapa in Spring
In spring (March, April and May), Sapa sees average daytime highs around 25°C and overnight lows near 17°C, with 546 mm of rain over about 64 wet days across the season. It is the 2nd-warmest season and the 2nd-wettest season.
Over the season highs climb from about 21°C in early March to 27°C by late May. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time across spring, and the air most often feels muggy.
Spring is Sapa's 3rd-best season to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Sapa's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 25°C
- 2nd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 17°C
- Rainfall
- 546 mm
- 64 wet days
- Avg wind
- 4 km/h
- Travel score
- 5.0
- 3rd-best season
- Months
- Mar · Apr · May
Temperature in Sapa in Spring
Over the season highs climb from about 21°C in early March to 27°C by late May.
A typical spring day in Sapa reaches about 25°C and drops to 17°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is May, the coolest March.
Sapa weather by month
How the three spring months (March, April and May) 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 | 18° / 10° | 82 | 12.4 | 10.8 | 5.3 |
| Feb | 19° / 11° | 73 | 13 | 11.2 | 5.6 |
| Mar | 23° / 14° | 132 | 16.9 | 11.8 | 5.8 |
| Apr | 25° / 17° | 177 | 21.7 | 12.5 | 5.0 |
| May | 27° / 20° | 236 | 25.8 | 13.1 | 4.1 |
| Jun | 27° / 21° | 344 | 28.9 | 13.3 | 3.4 |
| Jul | 27° / 21° | 396 | 29.7 | 13.2 | 3.4 |
| Aug | 27° / 21° | 385 | 28.7 | 12.8 | 3.6 |
| Sep | 26° / 20° | 202 | 22.4 | 12.1 | 4.5 |
| Oct | 24° / 18° | 108 | 17.4 | 11.5 | 5.7 |
| Nov | 22° / 14° | 61 | 10.3 | 10.9 | 6.4 |
| Dec | 18° / 11° | 63 | 10 | 10.7 | 5.9 |
Cloud cover in Spring
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 27% of the time across spring.
Chance of precipitation in Spring
Sapa gets around 546 mm of rain over 64 wet days across spring. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Spring
Most of spring feels muggy — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Spring
Winds average 4 km/h across spring.
Sunrise & sunset in Spring
Daylight runs from about 11 h 30 min in early March to 13 h 18 min by late May. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Spring
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across spring, about 4.8 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Sapa
In spring, Sapa overlaps its monsoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Sapa's monsoon runs May–September, when most of the year's rain falls.
Is spring a good time to visit Sapa?
Our two travel scores rate spring for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
spring is a reasonable time to visit Sapa for sightseeing.
What to pack for Sapa in Spring
From spring's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In spring, Sapa sees daytime highs around 25°C and nights near 17°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 64 days see rain.
UV index in Sapa in Spring
Clear-sky midday UV across spring averages around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Sapa peaks around June 21 at about 13 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 18 at about 5 (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) | 6 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 5 |
| Level | High | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | High |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | High |
| Feb | 8 | Very high |
| Mar | 11 | Extreme |
| Apr | 8 | Very high |
| May | 10 | Very high |
| Jun | 14 | Extreme |
| Jul | 13 | Extreme |
| Aug | 12 | Extreme |
| Sep | 10 | Very high |
| Oct | 8 | Very high |
| Nov | 7 | High |
| Dec | 5 | High |
Air quality in Sapa in Spring
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where spring falls, not just the annual average.
Air quality in Sapa is worst in April — around 70 µg/m³ PM2.5 (unhealthy), about 5.0× the cleanest month (July, 14 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 25 | 33 | 54 | 70 | 28 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 25 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Poor | Unhealthy | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25 | Moderate |
| Feb | 33 | Moderate |
| Mar | 54 | Poor |
| Apr | 70 | Unhealthy |
| May | 28 | Moderate |
| Jun | 15 | Moderate |
| Jul | 14 | Moderate |
| Aug | 15 | Moderate |
| Sep | 18 | Moderate |
| Oct | 22 | Moderate |
| Nov | 23 | Moderate |
| Dec | 25 | Moderate |
Where is Sapa?
Sapa sits at 22.3°N, 103.8°E, 0 m above sea level, in Vietnam. The nearest listed city is Lào Cai, 21 km away.
Topography around Sapa
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Sapa.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Sapa has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 957 m around an average of 1,481 m above sea level; within 16 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,006 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,050 m.
The land around Sapa is covered by trees (56%) and grassland (28%) within 3 km, trees (86%) within 16 km, and trees (84%) within 80 km.
Vietnam travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C / F
- 220 V · 50 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 29% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $5,066
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.4 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 59%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 1.5
- per 100k, 2011
- Road deaths
- 30.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- Moderate
- EF EPI 500
- 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 Sapa (22.3402°, 103.8441°, elevation 0 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.