I topped up my cell phone plan today in Da Nang, and I thought putting together a guide on Vietnam SIM cards for travelers would be a good idea.
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.
Since you’re in trip planning mode, read my Vietnam travel FAQs and visa guide. If you have any questions about Vietnam SIM cards, contact me in my Vietnam travel planning Facebook groups: Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang & Hoi An.
Airport SIM Cards & Words of Caution
Many booths sell SIM cards in Vietnam’s airports. However, most are not official Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone locations. They are generally all independent resellers in the airports.
By purchasing a SIM card at the airport, you risk getting an unofficial or unregistered SIM card that may not be what you thought it was when you bought it. There are countless stories online of people who’ve purchased SIM cards at airports in Vietnam only to have them randomly deactivated sometime later. It’s not exactly common, but it happens.
For short stays, I’d worry less about it. For a longer stay, I’d only use an airport SIM as a crutch to get into the city and get an official, real plan from Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone. More on this below.
Unfortunately, most airport sellers are probably legitimate, but a few bad apples spoil the bunch.
Thankfully, data and SIM cards are not expensive in Vietnam. Generally, you’ll pay less than $10 to $15 USD to get up and running. So, if you buy a dud or get flimflammed, it’s not a huge loss.
Depending on the length of your Vietnam trip, I have several thought-out strategies and plans for you.
Get an eSIM for Vietnam
Is my phone eSIM compatible? Check if your phone is eSIM compatible with this Airalo article. You can double-check this article here.
Your phone will also need to be carrier-unlocked. You can find out if yours is here.
If your phone is eSIM compatible, you can buy it before your trip and avoid many potential headaches. I recommend Airalo. I’ve used their service many times, and I think it’s great.
To use Airalo, download their app, and the setup will walk you through the whole process. You’ll be connected with one of Vietnam’s three big service providers: Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone.
You have a couple of choices in doing this for your Vietnam trip:
- 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. You’ll be connected. OR…
- Upon arrival in Vietnam, connect to the airport’s free Wi-Fi, then download and set up an Airalo eSIM.
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 now to get it out of the way.
→ Short trip in Vietnam: If you’re only traveling in Vietnam for a few days and don’t mind not having a local phone number, then you can just use Airalo. It works great for data. You’ll be able to explore the city, be connected, and use Google Maps, Google Translate, WhatsApp, 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 in Vietnam you may use will ask for/require a local number to use.
→ 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.
Physical 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.
→ 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.
Klook is a travel and service aggregator, so it connects you with one of the third-party SIM airport resellers. The risk of being swindled still exists, but it is less likely.
→ 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 worth the risk of getting stuck with a dud. After all, they’re only less than $10 USD.
→ 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. There’s no risk of it cutting off early, and as I said, many airport SIM cards are unregistered/unofficial, so you may run into problems when trying to top up (add more time) or if you need support.
→ Here’s a strategy for that—pre-order the cheapest 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.
eSIMs & SIM Cards for Longer Trips/Living in Vietnam
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), you should plan on going to an official Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone store inside the city.
→ The eSIM and SIM strategies for longer stays:
- Buy an Airalo eSIM before your trip so you’re connected when you land. Then, after you’re settled, head to an official store.
- Pre-order a physical SIM 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. You cannot bring a friend’s passport and get a SIM card for them too. You may get lucky in this regard, but more likely, everyone must be present with their passport.
As I mentioned in the intro, I’ve been on a Vinaphone 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/cell phone store in Ho Chi Minh City called thegioididong. They’re a chain with many branches. I went to this location in District 1 near Bui Vien. You’ll need your passport.
This was the plan I bought:
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’ve had this plan for almost two years now.
I get a text message about a week before my bill is due. It reminds me to “top up.” To do so, I purchase scratch-off cards (pictured below) or a top-up at WinMart. You can buy the scratch-off cards from a number of places. Cell phone stores can have them. Places that look like mom-and-pop convenience stores sometimes have them. You can buy them in different denominations.
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, it is then pulled from the balance.
