Over the years of living in a tropical country coming from a non-tropical one, I was very affected by the heat and humidity that exists here in Vietnam. For almost all of the year I would be in trouble if I was trying to do something outside as I would sweat like mad and be very uncomfortable. It seemed as though the only thing that brought me relief was to either be in a body of water like the ocean or a swimming pool, or be inside with the air conditioning blasting.
However, in 2025 it is now coming close to June and I have my doors open with the air con off most of the day. So what changed? Has the temperature not been that bad yet this year, or am I actually getting used to it?
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The above is how I have imagined that Vietnam looks from space almost every day of the year outside of December and January. It is VERY hot and humid here and while the locals walk around with trousers, hats, and even jackets, if I have so much as a cotton shirt on, I am going to sweat almost immediately. I had taken to wearing sport shirts almost all the time because the moisture doesn't show up on them as clearly as with cotton, but even then I was normally quite uncomfortable.
This year though, I haven't been complaining at all and I also believe that it is still very hot.
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At first I was thinking that maybe May isn't actually one of the hot months and this would make sense because we are still in the Northern hemisphere and May in my home country is still quite mild. But the I looked at at number of charts and saw that the really bad months in Da Nang tend to be July and August and right now, we are right on part with that level.
So the question is: Have I actually changed as far as my tolerance for high temperature is concerned?
It is called acclimation and it is a phenomenon that I didn't really believe in until recently and it is just you "getting used to" how something is over time. I have been here for 6 years and this is the first year that I have been able to comfortably walk around in the daytime without fear of coming back home looking like I just went for a swim when it is actually just my own sweat.
I still don't wear heavy cotton shirts though, that for me would be a great way to end up wet.
If you come from the west, I don't think that most people are really prepared for how brutally hot and humid this country - and the others around it - actually are. Imagine the hottest day you can remember in summer with the cicadas screaming and everything just seems miserable... that is 2/3 of the year here.
Did I actually get used to it? Well i think the answer to that is both yes and no. I know understand what the temperature is going to be like but I also make clothing decisions based on what I know the weather is going to be like. Wearing sport shirts that are made out of synthetic materials is a must, because our regular t-shirt material that we use in the west is basically an insulator and you are looking for the opposite of that in a climate like this. These days almost every shirt I wear is made of this sort of material. On the days that I get bold and wear one of my super-nice-looking cotton T-shirts, even if it is night time, I end up regretting it.
The same lack of being prepared for extreme changes in climate can be seen in reverse. When I hear about Vietnamese people traveling to Europe for example, in one particular situation it was a girl with a Swedish husband, in all the photos she was wrapped up in a sleeping bag outside while everyone else was wearing shorts. It cuts both way this weather knife does, and for the most part Vietnamese people from this part of the country anyway, are completely unprepared for weather that you and I likely consider light-jacket weather.
I hope that I am getting used to it, but i think the likelihood of me just being smarter about my clothing is definitely helping.
I also wonder... April and May are supposed to be the hottest months in the Philippines. The temperature during these months would be around 35 if not more. However, May is ending but the highest in my city is below 35. The temperature has been tolerable, but the humidity is crazy. It's been 70-80+% lately, so the heat index ends up in the danger zone. XD
I think a big part of why I feel this way is because I am not a sun worshipper. I do not lay out to get a tan and if I am out I seek shade. I'm not ready to carry a sun umbrella with me everywhere that I go but I do stay out of the sun as much as possible. Humidity? Well there is nothing that can be done about that. it's nearly 80% here all year round.
Same... Despite being born in such a country, I dislike going out in the sun. Well. Maybe I enjoyed it as a child, but it wasn't that bad back then. Anyway, stay hydrated!!! 😎✨
Here in the Philippines, the temperature keeps on rising. Most of the time, the heat index can reach up to 42 degrees worst higher. Which can be classified as a danger for both residents and animals. Most of the schools suspends classes when the 42 degrees mark is broadcasted. This is where we can see how climate change can affect us, the ozone layer we keeps on damaging will eventually take a toll on us someday. The extreme heat we are feeling today is just one of the early signs that we are experiencing an adverse effect of human activities.
It's hot here in my place but in the evening there always a rain so I think it's just balance. I don't go outside starting 9 am until 3pm those are the hottest.
You’ve found your groove with the heat. After six years, it makes sense that you’re more used to the heat, and choosing the right clothes just makes it easier.😊 It’s not that the weather got milder, it’s that you got smarter and tougher. 😍
This is very true, because here in my area also its very hot and sometimes the weather is unpredictable.
I feel you. It's super hot these months in the Philippines. It's like we are living in an oven. I'm glad you are getting used to it.
Your blood thins out apparently and why in cooler climates you will feel the cold more compared to someone who lives there. They on the other hand will struggle with the heat so it works both ways.
It's getting hotter each year. This is global warming getting worse and while we can't really do anything about it, we can try some ways to stay out of the sun and remain cool all throughout summer. Just like what you mentioned in your post, be smarter about our choice of clothing. Great suggestion!
In the months of April, May, and June, we usually spend time on beaches, streams, water falls, pools because these are the hottest months. The Philippines and Vietnam are close and Vietnam is just an hour later than the Philippines and are both positioned near the equator, so hot days are expected at some period. The heat index here can even rise until above 40 degrees celsius that even schools suspend classes.
The best place to stay during these months besides beaches and other bodies of water is Baguio City or the countryside if you can't afford to go there. In the countryside, trees and plants around keep the temperature cool giving you fresh breeze that I guess much healthier than any airconditioner could give.
I think your body already adapted with the weather, plus the smart clothing choices made you feel a little comfortable now. Congrats on that milestone and I hope you begin enjoying the tropics!
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