Vietnam SIM Cards and eSIMs: Complete Guide for Travelers

I’ve been using SIM cards and eSIMs in Vietnam and Southeast Asia for years. I thought putting together a guide to Vietnam SIM cards for travelers would be helpful.

Vietnam’s three main service providers are Viettel, Mobifone, and Vinaphone. I’m on a monthly Vinaphone plan that gives me 5 GB of data daily, refreshes at midnight, and costs 120.000 VND monthly (less than $5 USD). I’ve been using Vinaphone since 2018 and have no complaints.

You can get an eSIM through Airalo below or pre-order a physical SIM card to pick up at your Vietnam airport of choice.

In this guide to Vietnam SIM cards and eSIMs, I’ll use my years of experience to walk you through the different options: short trips, long stays, living in Vietnam, how to pay, and personal tips.

If you’re in Vietnam trip planning mode, here are my articles on visas, common FAQs, and the best times to visit Vietnam. If you have any questions about Vietnam SIM cards, ask them in any of my free Vietnam travel planning groups on Facebook.

Buying an eSIM for Vietnam

First, you’ll need to know if your phone is eSIM compatible. You can check with this Airalo article. You can double-check with this article. Your phone will also need to be carrier-unlocked. This article explains how to know if your phone is unlocked.

If your phone is eSIM compatible, you can buy it before your trip to avoid dealing with it after landing in Vietnam. I’ve used Airalo for eSIMs many times, and I think it’s great. I’ve used it in Vietnam and in Thailand without issue.

Airalo eSIM prices vary, depending on the amount of data and length of the plan. Currently, they’re as little as $4 USD for 3 days and 1 GB of fixed data. For 15 days and 5 GB of fixed data, it costs $10.50. This is a pretty good deal. If you’re only using Google Maps, chat apps, and other “normal” things, this will be enough. If you stream or watch YouTube often, it will drain quickly.

The unlimited data plans are more expensive across the board. Seven days of unlimited data is currently $27 USD.

Personally, I would pick a fixed-data plan, then use hotel/restaurant Wi-Fi when inside so the data doesn’t drain. This will be cheaper overall.

To use Airalo, download their app, and the setup will walk you through the whole process. You’ll connect to one of Vietnam’s three big service providers: Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone.

You have two options when using an Airalo eSIM for your Vietnam trip:

1. Download and set up your Airalo eSIM before your trip, then switch to your Airalo eSIM provider in your phone’s network settings when you land in Vietnam.
   
2. Upon arrival in Vietnam, connect to the airport’s free Wi-Fi, then download and set up an Airalo eSIM. You can do this from the airport after arriving in Vietnam, but you may be tired from the trip. I’ve done this when landing in Thailand, and it takes about 10 minutes to set up.

The Airalo eSIM plans have top-up packages. So you can always start with a smaller plan, then add more data if needed. It’s simple.

→ The downside of an Airalo eSIM is that you will only get data, not a local Vietnam phone number. However, if you’re concerned about staying in touch with family or friends, this will not affect your current WhatsApp account.

→ Important: If you intend to use the Grab app in Vietnam (you should!), you need a phone number to set up your account. But you can do that with your current phone number before your trip. You don’t need a local phone number to set up a Grab account. I’d do that before your trip.

→ Short trip in Vietnam: If you’re only traveling in Vietnam for a week or two, and don’t mind not having a local phone number, then you can use Airalo. It works great for data. You’ll be able to explore the city, stay connected, and use Google Maps, Google Translate, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, etc. You just won’t be able to set up any new apps that require a local phone number.

→ Longer stays: If you’re staying in Vietnam on a longer trip, I recommend getting a phone plan with a local phone number. Why? Some companies, service providers, or apps you’ll use in Vietnam may require a local number.

→ Here’s a strategy for that: buy the cheapest Airalo eSIM before your trip so you’re connected upon arrival in Vietnam. Then, you can ignore all the airport kiosks. Once settled in the city, head to an official Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone store for a real plan. Bring your passport.

You can also buy Vietnam eSIMs through GetYourGuide. These have good reviews, but I’ve always used Airalo.

Buying a Vietnam SIM Card (Airport Pick-Up)

If your phone is NOT eSIM compatible or you prefer a physical SIM card with a phone number immediately, you can get one at the airport.

Physical Vietnam SIM card prices also vary depending on length and data. These start at around $5 USD.

→ If you’re going this route, I would pre-order a SIM card through Klook. The reviews are good, and you’ll know what you’re paying upfront by doing it this way. No airport haggling after a long flight. You’ll also be able to pay with a credit card, which isn’t always possible at random airport kiosks.

You can pre-order and pick up at Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, or Phu Quoc airports.

→ Short trip in Vietnam: If your trip to Vietnam is only a few days or a week, pre-ordering a SIM card through Klook is the easiest way to get connected (other than going the eSIM route).

→ Longer stay in Vietnam: Like my above advice for eSIMs, if you’re staying in Vietnam on a longer trip, I recommend getting on a long-term plan from an official Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone store.

→ Here’s a strategy for longer stays: pre-order the cheapest Vietnam SIM card from Klook for airport pick-up so you’re connected shortly after your arrival. Then, later, go to a local and official store in whatever city you’re in and get an official plan from Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone. Bring your passport.

Vietnam SIM Cards and eSIMs for Long-Term Travel or Living

To summarize some of the above, if you’re heading to Vietnam on a longer trip (or prefer an official plan with a local number) or to live in Vietnam for a while, you should plan on going to an official Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone store.

You can find these easily by using Google Maps and typing in Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone. Since a lot of repair shops sell services, they’ll likely pop up on Google Maps, too. So make sure they’re official stores, like in my picture above. For reference, here’s that Viettel store in Da Nang.

→ eSIM and SIM card strategies for longer stays:

1. Buy an Airalo eSIM before your trip so you’re connected when you land. Then, after you’re settled, head to an official store.
   
2. Pre-order a physical Vietnam SIM card from Klook and pick it up at the airport so you’re connected. Then, after you’re settled, head to an official store.

You will need to bring your passport to get a plan. You cannot bring a friend’s passport and get a SIM card for them, too.

As I mentioned in the intro, I’ve been on a Vinaphone (VNPT) plan for a long time. I started using their service in 2018 and haven’t had any issues. I’ve never used Viettel or Mobifone, but they’re part of the big three.

I personally signed up for Vinaphone at an electronics store in Ho Chi Minh City called Thế Giới Di Động (official website). They’re a chain store with many locations in Vietnam. I went to this location in District 1 near Bui Vien Walking Street.

You’ll need to bring your passport.

This was the Vinaphone plan I bought a few years ago. It might be more expensive by now, but it’s still likely a great value.

I spent 270.000 VND on the SIM card and the first month’s bill, and it’s been 120.000 VND per month ever since. I get 5 GB of data every day that refreshes at midnight. For reference, 120.000 VND is less than $5 USD.

A week before the bill is due, I get a text message reminding me to “top up” or add money to my account.

You can do this in most cell phone stores and convenience stores, like WinMart, 7-Eleven, and FamilyMart. Tell the staff that you need to “top up” your cell phone; they’ll ask for your phone number and provider; you give them the money, and they’ll add it to your balance. It’ll then automatically be deducted.

You can also purchase scratch-off cards from cell phone stores and cell phone repair shops. You can buy them in different denominations: 50.000, 100.000, 200.000 VND, etc.

I scratch off the code and enter the Vinaphone top-up code in the phone dialer: *100*CODENUMBER# CALL. It runs the code and adds the amount to my balance. When my bill is due, the amount gets pulled from my balance. This is all very easy when you get the hang of it. It becomes a monthly habit.

Here’s a tip: with both the convenience stores AND scratch-off cards, you can add multiple months’ worth of money at one time so you can forget about it for a while.