You’ve decided you need a local Vietnamese number — for Grab, Zalo, restaurant bookings, or just to receive calls. There are two ways to get one: buy a physical SIM at a carrier store in Vietnam, or get an eSIM with a Vietnamese number before you fly. Both work. They’re just different trade-offs. This guide will reveal exactly how to get a Vietnam phone number as a tourist in two ways.
Still deciding whether you actually need a Vietnam number? → Do I Need a Vietnamese Phone Number?
I. Two ways to get a Vietnam phone number
Option 1: Buy a physical SIM at a carrier store (in Vietnam)
This is what most expats and long-term visitors do. Walk into a Viettel or Vinaphone store, hand over your passport, pay in cash, and leave with a working SIM and local number within 15–20 minutes.
What you need:
- Your passport (original, not a photo)
- Cash in Vietnamese Dong (VND) — most stores don’t accept cards
- An unlocked phone
Which carrier to choose:
- Viettel is the most recommended option in expat communities. It holds over 54% of Vietnam’s mobile market and has the strongest rural coverage. If your trip includes Ha Giang, Sapa, Phong Nha, or the Mekong Delta, Viettel is the safest bet.
- Vinaphone starts slightly cheaper (plans from ~89,000 VND/month), with fast urban speeds and a local number included. Coverage thins out faster than Viettel in remote areas. Its coverage thins out faster than Viettel in remote areas.
- Mobifone works well in cities but drops noticeably outside city centers. It is less reliable for rural travel.
Typical prices of plans by carrier (paid-in-store):
| Carrier | Plan | Price (VND) | Data | Validity | Number |
| Viettel | 5G60T | ~60,000₫ | 5GB/day | 15 days | ✅ Yes |
| Viettel | 5G100T | ~100,000₫ | 5GB/day | 30 days | ✅ Yes |
| Vinaphone | SD89 | ~89,000₫ | 4GB/day + 50 min calls | 30 days | ✅ Yes |
| Vinaphone | SD199 | ~199,000₫ | 1GB/day + calls | 15 days | ✅ Yes |
| Mobifone | HVN7 | varies | 25GB total | 7 days | ✅ Yes |
Note: All plans include a local Vietnamese number. Prices change regularly — verify at the store.
Where to buy:
Carrier stores have counters at all major international airports (Noi Bai in Hanoi, Tan Son Nhat in Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang International) and throughout city centers.
City-center stores are generally faster than airport counters, which can have long queues on busy arrival days.
How to find stores:
Search Google Maps for “Viettel store” or “Vinaphone store”. A listing with 200+ reviews is a safe sign that it’s an official branch.
Note: Staff may have limited English, but pointing to your passport and phone is usually enough. Most stores keep a printed plan menu on the counter. Top-ups are often cash-only even if cards are accepted at purchase.
Pros:
- Cheapest option overall
- All three carriers available; widest choice of plans
- Physical SIM works on any unlocked phone, including older models
- Easy to top up at any convenience store (Circle K, Vinmart, etc.)
Cons:
- Requires passport — must be done in person
- Can only buy after arriving in Vietnam
- Airport queues can be slow during peak hours
- Some stores are cash-only
Option 2: Get an eSIM with a Vietnamese number (before you fly)
For those who want a local number without the queue and without handing over their passport at a counter, a Vietnam eSIM from an online provider is the practical alternative.
Note: not every Vietnam eSIM includes a phone number. Data-only plans (Viettel eSIM, Skyfi) don’t come with a number. The ones that do are Vinaphone eSIM and MobiFone eSIM:
| Network | Validity | Daily data | Price | Number | Other features |
| Vinaphone (VNPT) | 7 days | 2GB/day | $10.90 | ✅ Yes (+84) | 1,000 free on-net mins |
| Vinaphone (VNPT) | 10 days | 5GB/DAY | $12.90 | ✅ Yes (+84) | number + 1,000 free on-net mins |
| Vinaphone (VNPT) | 15 days | 5GB/day | $14.90 | ✅ Yes (+84) | 1,000 free on-net mins |
| Vinaphone (VNPT) | 30 days | 5GB/day | $19.90 | ✅ Yes (+84) | Top up to call and text |
| MobiFone | 10 days | 6GB/day | $9.90 | ✅ Yes (+84) | 100 on-net mins + 100 on-net SMS. No top-up |
| MobiFone | 15 days | 5GB/day | $16.90 | ✅ Yes (+84) | 1000 on-net + 100 off-net mins + 50 domestic SMS. No top-up |
| MobiFone | 30 days | 6GB/day | $19.90 | ✅ Yes (+84) | Free data for Facebook & YouTube |
→ Browse all plans with a Vietnamese number – no passport required. QR code will be delivered by email within 5-10 minutes after payment.
Tip: Check if your phone supports eSIM with this full eSIM-compatible device list.
Pros:
- Buy and install before you land — no queues, no paperwork
- No passport scan required
- Works for Grab, Zalo, and OTP verification from Vietnamese apps
- Dual SIM: keep your home number active alongside the Vietnam number
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive than buying a physical SIM in-store
- Requires an eSIM-compatible phone (most iPhones from XR onwards, most Android flagships from 2020+)
- Vinaphone coverage is excellent in cities but weaker than Viettel in deep rural areas
→ This is part of our Vietnam eSIM complete guide.
II. Which option is right for you?
| Your situation | Best option |
| Arriving at airport, want to sort it on the spot | Physical SIM — Viettel or Vinaphone store at arrivals |
| Traveling to rural areas (Ha Giang, Sapa, Mekong Delta) | Physical Viettel SIM or Vinaphone eSIM |
| Want to set up before you fly, no passport needed | eSIM with number (Vinaphone or MobiFone) |
| City trip only (Hanoi, HCMC, Da Nang, Hoi An) | Either option works |
| Long stay (1 month+), want lowest cost | Physical SIM in-store |
| Tight schedule, don’t want to queue at the airport | eSIM — install at home, activate immediately after landing |
→ To clearly clarify about these two SIM types, check out this comparison: physical SIM vs eSIM in Vietnam
III. What can you do with a Vietnamese phone number?
A local +84 number allows you to do several things that data-only SIMs can’t:
- Grab & Xanh SM: Vietnam’s two main ride-hailing apps. Registering a new account requires a local number for SMS verification. Drivers also call to confirm pickup location, especially in busy areas or when the pin is slightly off.
Tip: If you already have a Grab account registered with your home number, you can still use it — Grab now supports in-app chat, so you can message drivers over mobile data without needing a local number. But for new registrations, a Vietnamese number is required.
- Zalo: Vietnam’s most-used messaging app (70+ million users). Many local guesthouses, tour operators, and restaurants communicate primarily via Zalo, not WhatsApp or email. Registration requires SMS verification with a Vietnamese number.
- Restaurant and spa bookings: A significant number of local businesses, especially outside major cities, still prefer phone bookings over apps.
- Food delivery: ShopeeFood and GrabFood orders typically need a local number for delivery confirmation.
- OTP codes: Many Vietnamese banking apps and local services send verification codes via SMS to a local number. This works in most cases, though app-based verification (e.g., Zalo, some banking apps) is not guaranteed with all eSIM plans — check your specific plan details before relying on it.
IV. Things to note once your have your Vietnam number
Three quick things to do right after getting your SIM or eSIM active are:
1. Find out your number
Dial *0# to see your assigned Vietnamese number (works for Viettel and Vinaphone). Save it — you’ll need it when registering for Grab or Zalo.
2. Activate your plan (MobiFone only)
Dial 900, then press 2. Viettel and Vinaphone activate automatically when the SIM connects to the network. MobiFone physical SIM requires this manual step — skip it and the plan won’t work correctly.
3. Check your data balance
- Viettel: SMS “KTTK” to 191
- Vinaphone: dial *101#
- MobiFone: dial 0905#
Both options get you a real +84 Vietnamese number. Physical SIM is cheaper and available on arrival — bring your passport and some VND cash. eSIM is the better option if you want everything sorted before you land, or if you’d rather skip the in-person registration.
For most short-trip tourists staying in cities, either option works fine. For rural itineraries, lean toward Viettel (physical SIM) or Vinaphone eSIM as a backup.