Planning a trip to Vietnam and looking for the best way to stay connected in Vietnam? The cheapest way is a local prepaid sim card, the easiest way is an e-sim card for Vietnam. This is a complete guide for buying a sim card for Vietnam with everything you need to know: where to buy a sim card, the best e-sim cards for Vietnam, up to date prices as per August 2023, the best 4G/5G network in Vietnam, my recommendation and even information about international sim cards for Vietnam.
Since 2009 I visited Vietnam more than 10 times. The first thing I do when arriving to a new country is looking for the best way to get internet on my phone. In most cases, especially for longer trips I buy a prepaid sim card on arrival in Vietnam, for shorter trips I prefer an e-sim card. As I am also aiming to travel to every country in the world you can already find more than 200 sim card guides on Traveltomtom from all over the world: Singapore, Bali, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Italy, USA, New York, Sydney, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Canada, Dubai, Turkey, Europe, Asia and many more.
Therefore when planning you next trip abroad come check out Traveltomtom for the latest prepaid and e-sim card advice for your destination. Bookmark me!
My recommendation
Traveltomtom recommends a Viettel sim card for Vietnam. Viettel has very affordable prepaid sim cards for tourists and they have by far the best 4G/5G network and fastest data speed in Vietnam.
When you are visiting Vietnam for just a couple days it is easier and faster to just get an e-sim card for Vietnam online. Prices already start from just $4.5 USD and for $21 USD you already get 10 GB data, see below for more info.
Another great way of staying connected when traveling abroad is a global sim card with data. Although slightly more expensive these international sim cards can be used in multiple countries, so perfect if you are traveling all over Southeast Asia. Check out my article about the best global sim cards with data for traveling abroad in 2023 and pick the one that suits your trip or have a look at my recommendations for the best sim card for Asia in 2023.
Best e-sim cards for Vietnam
Want to arrange everything online? No more visiting a store or swapping sim cards! The easiest way to stay connected when traveling to Vietnam in 2023 is an e-sim card. You order an e-sim card on the internet, receive a QR code in your email including instructions, follow the instructions, apply the settings and you are all set.
Check out the following e-sim card deals for Vietnam:
- 1 GB data for 7 days = $4.5 USD
- 2 GB data for 15 days = $7 USD
- 3 GB data for 30 days = $9.5 USD
- 5 GB data for 30 days = $13 USD
- 10 GB data for 30 days = $21 USD
- 20 GB data for 30 days = $32 USD
Click here to order a Vietnam e-sim card directly online.
The above data-only e-sim cards for Vietnam are from from Cu Chi and they operate on the 4G/LTE networks of Viettel and Mobifone. Phone calls and texting are NOT supported.
On another website I found a couple other Vietnam e-sim card deals, including probably the best e-sim card deal for Vietnam I have seen on the internet:
- 6 GB data for 10 days = $17.90 USD
- 60 GB data for 15 days = $19.90 USD
- 4 GB data for 30 days = $24.90 USD
- 8 GB data for 30 days = $34.90 USD
Click here to directly order one of the above e-sim card deals for Vietnam.
As you can see there is a e-sim card for Vietnam with 60 GB data for just $19.90 USD. Seems like the best deal ever. But there is however, a catch! The Vinaphone 4G/LTE network is not bad, but the 4G/LTE network from Viettel is much much better. If you stick to the standard tourist destinations or cities in Vietnam, this is a great e-sim card for tourists.
You can also still buy a physical prepaid sim card for Vietnam on the internet. This sim card will be shipped to your home address before your trip. For example $29.90 USD will give you 12 GB data for 30 days. Click here to order a prepaid Vietnam sim card directly online or get more info and see more sim card deals.
Visiting Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park is highly recommend when traveling to Vietnam, a great off the beaten path tourist destination. No need to tell you that driving down a motorcycle from North to South was a dream trip, but that was already more than 10 years ago. Vietnam is an amazing country for backpackers, but also has some great hidden gems and amazing luxury hotels for people that are not traveling on a budget.
Why buying a Vietnam sim card
Asia is much more modern than you may think and there is WiFi EVERYWHERE in Vietnam! So why buying a sim card for Vietnam? Well, there are multiple reasons, but the most important one is to stay connected while traveling in Vietnam.
Without an internet on your phone you will lose connection as soon as you walk out of the hotel. Meaning getting an Uber/Grab on the streets becomes challenging, as well as getting direction or finding nearby places and friends. Staying connected makes traveling to Vietnam so much more convenient. Think about translation apps, banking issues, emergencies, etc.
But above all buying a sim card in Vietnam or getting an e-sim card avoids high roaming charges. International roaming fees are still outrageous and overseas roaming plans limit your data speed. Vietnam prepaid sim cards or e-sim cards are cheap. Welcome to Asia, some things are very cheap and so are local prepaid sim cards and e-sim cards for Vietnam.
Mobile Internet Providers Vietnam
Let’s first see which providers sell prepaid sim cards for tourists. There are 3 main mobile internet providers in Vietnam:
- MobiFone
- Viettel
- Vinaphone
On top of that you have a couple small operators that offer sim cards like Vietnamobile, but their network is limited to the big cities only. Not worth it for tourists! More about the 4G/5G network in Vietnam later. Something very important, because there is a huge difference between the mobile internet operators.
Also love to recommend you a great boutique hotel in Ho Chi Minh City: The Myst Dong Khoi. Totally worth spending a couple bucks extra and still affordable for those traveling to Vietnam on a budget.
Where to buy a sim card in Vietnam
All I can say is get it done as soon as you land. If you want to buy a local prepaid sim card in Vietnam then the easiest way to get connected is at the airport on arrival in Vietnam. On the international airports in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City there are endless opportunities for buying a Vietnam prepaid sim card. In case you missed the opportunities at the airport there are mobile phone stores everywhere in the big cities. Finding a Vietnam data sim is really easy, finding the best one is a challenge!
I recommend you to buy a sim card for Vietnam at the International Airport in either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. At these sim card stores you can pay by international credit card, there is no need to get cash first. Also these people know exactly what they are doing and they can give you the best advice, speak good English and it goes fast. Make sure your sim card with data is working before you walk away.
Buying a sim card in Ho Chi Minh City
Finding a prepaid sim card in Ho Chi Minh City is as easy as buying bananas. You will see the 4G signs everywhere! Buying a Vietnam sim card in an official mobile internet provider shop is already a mess, then you can imagine what it is like in any kind of tour agency/information shop.
My advice: don’t even be bothered! Buy your Vietnam sim card at the airport when you arrive. Normally I don't advice travelers to buy a sim card at the airport as those are always more expensive, but saving $2 is NOT worth the hassle in this case! In the city they will try to overcharge you anyway and you can even haggle for the price of the sim card.
Buying a sim card at Saigon Airport Ho Chi Minh City
There are many opportunities for getting your Vietnam sim card upon arrival at Ho Chi Minh City Airport. There is already a kiosk before you even go through customs. After customs there are about 6 different sim card stores as well and all of them sell pretty much the same sim card plans for tourists, but for different prices. After you picked up your bags and you step into the arrival hall there are again about 5 different sim card stores.
As soon as you walk down the stairs after customs in Ho Chi Minh Airport you will walk up to seemingly endless tourist information shops which are all selling Vietnam sim card packages for tourists. On your left you have the Vinaphone, Viettel and Mobifone shops all next to each other.
It is literally impossible to miss the sim card stores at Ho Chi Minh City Airport. Most of them are open 24 hours and you can pay by international credit card.
Buying a sim card at Hanoi Airport Noi Bai
At the International Arrival Hall 2 all the mobile phone operators have a store. They are located on both sides at the end, it is impossible to miss them. They only close for a couple hours at night, operating hours from 6 am till 2 am. Rule of thumb is that for around $10 you will get about 20 GB data on prepaid sim cards for tourists sold at Hanoi Airport. That said, in the city you will get double data for the same price.
Above: tourists buying a Vietnam sim card at one of the many mobile phone shops at Noi Bai Airport Hanoi.
Online
As mentioned before you can also order your sim card for Vietnam online. If you want a physical sim card then check out the international sim cards for Vietnam. These travel sim cards with global coverage will be shipped to your home address. It is plug and play and you are online as soon as the plane lands.
Then there are the e-sim cards. E-sim cards for Vietnam can only be ordered online. Recommended resellers for Vietnam e-sim cards are Airalo and SimOptions.
Cheap domestic flights in Vietnam
Prices prepaid Vietnam sim cards in 2023
Prices for Vietnam sim cards at the airports and in the city differ from shop to shop! But in all honesty we are talking about a couple dollar more or less, nothing that is going to hurt your wallet. Trust me the price is NOT that important when choosing a mobile internet provider in Vietnam! So what is important? Keep on reading...
As per August 2023: $1 USD = 23,735 VND and 10,000 VND = $0.42 USD
Viettel prepaid sim card
As I said before there are endless opportunities, packages and prices available. I filtered out the best Viettel prepaid sim card for you below.
Viettel Only Data - VND 30,000 = $1.3
- 7 GB data
- valid for 7 days
- Hotspot: YES
Viettel Data & Call - VND 120,000 = $5.2
- 2GB daily 4G internet
- 60 minutes calling
- 30 days valid
- Hotspot: YES
- To register dial: *098*172#
The above two Viettal prepaid sim cards are the ones that I recommend for your trip to Vietnam. These are the up to date prepaid packages as per August 2023 you can also find on the Viettel website.
I also found many other offers, see the picture above. It is up to you which data packages suits you the most. All the above data packages for Viettel are valid for 30 days and you can use a hotspot.
Mobifone prepaid sim card
Mobifone tourist sim card - VND 200,000 = $9
- Unlimited 4G internet
- No calling, no texting
- 14 days valid
- Hotspot: YES
Mobifone tourist sim card - VND 220,000 = $10
- Unlimited 4G data
- 100 minutes calling, no texting
- 30 days valid
- Hotspot: YES
Note: with the above Mobifone sim cards it was not specified if 4G was unlimited up to certain amount or not. On the Mobifone website you can find more information about their prepaid sim cards and top ups.
Vinaphone prepaid sim card
Vinaphone Data & Call - VND 220,000 = $10
- 2GB daily 4G internet
- 100 minutes calling
- 30 days valid
- Hotspot: YES
Well as you can see on the picture above they offer a wide array of prepaid sim card packages in Vietnam. Regardless if you buy yours at the airport or in the city, it is hard to choose when it comes down at the price. I told you already though that the price is NOT important, well what is important? THE NETWORK COVERAGE!
On the pictures below you will see some more Vietnam prepaid sim card deals I was offered.
As you can see again different packages, different prices.
Cheap bus and train tickets in Vietnam
No more bargaining and fighting with street vendors for your bus tickets. Find all the transportation options for traveling in Vietnam online at 12Go Asia. This search engine for boats, busses, private vans, flights and trains let you book your tickets online. Fixed prices, easy, reliable and convenient!
Try it out below. They give you time tables, prices, trip duration and more. Even domestic flights can be found, and from my experience even cheaper than other flight search websites.
Powered by 12Go Asia system
Best 4G/5G network in Vietnam in 2023
So now here comes the most valuable information for buying a sim card for Vietnam: the mobile internet network coverage! Let's have a look at the 4G/5G coverage maps in Vietnam and determine which sim card is the best for traveling in Vietnam.
Is there 5G in Vietnam? Yes, there is, but as per August 2023 there is only 5G in the big cities in Vietnam.
Mobifone 4G/5G network coverage map
Vinaphone 4G/5G network coverage map
Viettel 4G/5G network coverage map
Looking at the above comparison of the network coverage maps of all the mobile internet operators in Vietnam, we can clearly see that Viettel has by far the best 4G/5G network in Vietnam in 2023. As I have been traveling extensively around Vietnam over the past years I can confirm that in most places off the beaten path there is only a Viettel phone signal available. That said in the major tourist destinations in Vietnam you will mostly find a signal of the other operators too.
But trust me for long bus rides and motorbike rides and traveling off the beaten path in Vietnam you want a Viettel sim card.
RELATED: 20 things to know when you travel to Vietnam.
Best sim card for Vietnam in 2023
My conclusion is probably already clear for you. Buying a sim card for Vietnam is very easy but finding the best deal is nearly impossible! Every phone store sells you something different for a different price, but when we compare the prepaid sim card deals and e-sim cards and volumes of the packages pretty much come down to the same and most important it is not going to break the bank. Prepaid sim cards and e-sim cards for Vietnam are cheap.
It is a very simple conclusion that Viettel is the best sim card for traveling int Vietnam in 2023.
Why I recommend a Viettel sim card for traveling in Vietnam:
- Viettel has the best 4G/5G network in Vietnam
- A Viettel sim card will cost you on average about $2 USD - 47,000 VND
- For $1.3 USD - 30,000 VND you can already get 7 GB data for 1 week
- For $5.2 USD you get 60 GB for 1 month
Buying a Viettel prepaid sim card at the International Airport of Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi is very simple as there are stores everywhere. You might pay $2 USD or so more than in the city center, but it is very convenient to get connected straight on arrival.
However, the e-sim cards of Cu Chi also operate on the Viettel network, so when asking me I would personally advice you to order an e-sim card for Vietnam. You arrange everything online within just a couple minutes and for $21 USD you get 10 GB data for 30 days.
Order a sim card for Vietnam online
If buying a sim card in Vietnam sounds like too much hassle and your phone is not e-sim card compatible you can also still order an international sim card for traveling in Vietnam on the internet. These pre-activated sim cards will be shipped to your home address before your trip and you put them in your phone in the plane. As soon as you land you are online. Plug and Play!
Check out the following international prepaid sim cards for Vietnam:
1. AIS SIM2FLY - $19.90
- 6 GB data
- NO calls, NO text
- Valid 10 days
2. True Move TRAVEL SIM ASIA - $19.90
- 6 GB data
- NO calls, NO text
- Valid 10 days
3. Three Data Pack 10 GB - $24.90
- 10 GB data
- NO calls, NO text
- Valid 30 days
Click here to order an international prepaid sim card for Vietnam directly online.
These international sim cards are valid in 70 - 120 countries around the world. Personally I recommend the Three Data Pack sim card. I have used it multiple times in the past, also for traveling in Europe.
However, nowadays when I travel to Vietnam I always use an e-sim card. I mostly order an e-sim card for Vietnam through Airalo, but recently I just visited Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi and I used the Vinaphone e-sim card with 60 GB for $19.90 USD. I was perfect timing to review this e-sim card at the same time and I had no issues whatsoever and fast data speed. You can order this e-sim card for Vietnam through SimOptions.
Looking for a prepaid sim card or e-sim card that covers all countries in Asia? Click on the link and I show you my Asia sim card comparison for 2023.
My experiences buying a sim card in Vietnam
Just to prove a point and for my experiences I also once bought a Mobifone sim card to see if it was really that much of a difference. I mostly stayed around Ho Chi Minh, the Mekong Delta, but I also traveled to the Quang Binh Province.
I ended up at a friendly guy at the Ho Chi Minh Airport at one of the many mobile phone shops asking constantly: ‘you buy sim card now?’. I roamed around many different phone shops for information and was basically done with all the sales people hassling me... buy now? You want? LOL.
When I explained him I only wanted data and would travel in Vietnam for about 9 days this firendly guy said: try this Mobifone sim package, specially for you.
VND 100,000 = $4.3 USD
- 12GB data - 4G speed
- Unlimited data - 3G speed
- No calling, no texting
- Valid 30 days
I decided to put Mobifone to the test as it has the weakest 4G/5G network in Vietnam!
So was I satisfied with it? Not really!
The internet speed was alright. I never really had problems watching Instagram stories or streaming videos on Facebook or TikTok. But when I entered buildings the signal got pretty weak sometimes and in my hotel room (I stayed at Grand Hotel Saigon) I had just 1 bar 4G sometimes. Which was pretty annoying.
In the rural areas of Quang Binh there was often NO signal and sometimes I only had 3G. For most of my trip to Vietnam the Mobifone sim card worked lets say ok. However, next time though I will buy again a Viettel prepaid sim card for traveling in Vietnam! Especially when visiting again in 2023 I want to try their 5G network in Vietnam.
I wrote many guides for buying tourist sim cards and e-sim cards and I know what to expect and what to look for. Vietnam is a different piece of cake, prepare yourself for an intense journey if you travel to Vietnam. Haggling is part of the culture and when you go to a market or even a shop never buy something for the original price unless it is printed on it, but even then you should haggle.
Traveling to Vietnam is always a good idea, I love the country, but also be prepared to fight for your right or get ripped off! But, whatever you do, do it with respect.
I thought I had seen it all after writing guides for buying a sim card in Thailand or tourist sim cards in Indonesia. Unlike most places around the world prices for sim cards in Asia are not fixed. Thailand just has too many packages available, Indonesia simply is a mess, but what to say about Vietnam? Oh god!
Welcome to the jungle! Finding the best sim card for tourists in Vietnam almost felt like mission impossible! Good thing: data sim cards in Vietnam are very cheap. So I wouldn't be bothered so much. Just make sure you get yourself a sim card or e-sim card from Viettel.
Let me know if you have any questions about traveling to Vietnam, Im happy to help you or check out my blog with everything you need to know when traveling to Vietnam.
Also if this Vietnam blog was helpful for you would you like to help me a little in return? Please share the link of this article somewhere on the internet, that would mean a lot to me. Every tweet on Twitter, pin on Pinterest or post in a Facebook Group helps me a lot. A small thing for you to do, which can make a big difference for me.
Curious what it looks like trying to visit every country in the world? Go check out my Instagram account @traveltomtom and follow along. As of August 2023 I have visited more than 155 countries, so still a long way to go.
Enjoy your trip to Vietnam!
Some links in this article about the best ways to stay connected when traveling to Vietnam are affiliate links. If you buy any of the products after using an affiliate link I earn a small commission. This is at absolutely no extra cost to you!