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Vietnam SIM cards are a great connectivity option for tourists to Vietnam to actively stay connected throughout their trip while avoiding high roaming charges.
Travelers to Vietnam have many options to stay in touch with people back home and access the Internet during travel, such as using free WiFi, pocket WiFi, or roaming with their primary SIM cards. However, all these options have disadvantages like low security, complicated setup processes, high costs or limited data usage. For travelers seeking a reliable and cost-effective way to stay connected in Vietnam, Vietnamese SIM cards are the optimal choice.
In this article, we will learn everything you need to know about Vietnam SIM cards for tourists, including which type to choose, how much it costs, best sim plans for tourists, top providers, where to buy and how to use.
In short:
Yes. Vietnam SIM cards are convenient and cost-effective when compared to free WiFi and roaming.
Though there is WiFi almost everywhere in Vietnam these days, there are still multiple reasons to buy a Vietnam SIM card. The most important one is to proactive staying connected throughout the trip and saving money on roaming charges.
A Vietnam SIM card is more secure than public WiFi, simpler to use than pocket WiFi device, and cheaper than international roaming.
There are 03 main types of Vietnam SIM cards based on form, function and flexibility:
For most tourists, a prepaid travel data SIM card or eSIM is good for your trip.
In fact, choosing which type depends on your preferences and individual needs.
But experienced travelers often recommend data-only SIM or eSIM for the most convenience and best value. Especially if your phone supports eSIM, then a data-only eSIM plan may be ideal.
With a data eSIM plan, you can still stay in touch with family and friends back home through communication internet-based apps like Telegram, WhatsApp,… and still use the Internet at a good price.
Consider these factors before choosing a Vietnam SIM:
Vietnam SIM cards are incredibly affordable, ranging from 30,000 VND to 300,000 VND (about $1.5 – $13 USD), depending on the specific provider and plan chosen.
For example, you can find easily find 1GB prepaid data SIM plans for as little as 100,000 VND. If you need more data, Vinaphone also offer unlimited data plans for a month at around 300,000 VND.
The best Vietnam SIM Cards for tourists are provided by top 3 major Vietnamese mobile network operators: Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone. They are also top Vietnamese mobile internet providers.
Despite there are also SIM cards offered by small operators and virtual network operators like Vietnamobile, iTel and Wintel, but their coverage and speed is rather limited compared to major ones.
All these mobile internet providers offer prepaid SIM cards for tourists.
Viettel is the leading telecom provider in Vietnam, famous for its widest network coverage (even in rural areas) and competitive prices.
Viettel offers a variety of prepaid tourist SIM/eSIM plans suitable for different needs. If you plan to visit off the beaten path places, then Viettel is your ideal choice.
Carrier | Package Name | Price | Features |
Viettel | TOUR60 | 60,000 VND | – 5GB at Max Speed15-day – Unlimited Internet with good speed |
Viettel | TOUR100 | 100,000 VND | – 30-day Unlimited Internet – The free first 20 mins of each domestic on-net-calls – 20 mins of International calls |
Viettel | TOUR200 | 200,000 VND | – 30-day Unlimited Internet – 100 mins of domestic calls – 20 mins of International calls |
You can buy these packages for Vietnam either before or later arrival. No matter which option you choose, you still need to show passport for registration. This is not favored by most tourists. See more details about tourist SIMs by Viettel.
Vinaphone is the 2nd player in Vietnam’s telecommunications market that occupies 30% the market share. It offers good coverage in Vietnam (3G/4G/LTE) and speed throughout the country.
Like Viettel, Vinaphone also provides plans for tourists with generous data allowances, unlimited minutes and SMS.
50 minutes to call internationally + 50 minutes of calling within Vietnam + 50 SMS + 1GB data / day, used in 15 days, costs 199,000 VND
► See more details about tourist SIM by Vinaphone.
MobiFone is the largest state-owned mobile operator in Vietnam, established in 1993. It provides comprehensive coverage across Vietnam, ensuring reliable connectivity in both urban and rural tourist destinations. In particular, major cities in Vietnam enjoy MobiFone’s near-complete 4G service both indoors and outdoors.
Name | HP2 MobiFone |
Data | 8GB of high speed data |
Calls | Free 40 minutes of calling inside and outside Vietnam |
Price | 109,000 VND |
Validity | 30 days |
How to get | DK HP2 send to 999 |
You can buy Vietnam SIM Cards in 03 ways: online before departure, at the airports upon arrival, and in the city after arrival in Vietnam:
You SHOULD NOT order physical SIM online, but visit any store at Vietnam airports or in Vietnam to get it.
Vietnam SIM cards are sold online on ecommerce platforms like Amazon, eBay or online tourism agencies. However, be aware that your location may not be the supported place to be shipped with the SIM.
If you want to get a Vietnam SIM online, consider buying an eSIM instead, because it does not require you to wait for delivery or present at any counter to get it. It can also be bought from anywhere in the world, allowing you to better prepare for your trip.
The eSIM will be sent to your registered email after 5-10 minutes of making payment. Then, you can install the eSIM via a QR code or manual activation code. When you land in Vietnam, the eSIM will be activated immediately.
Getting SIM cards at Vietnam airports is easy, quick, safe, and allows you to stay connected right upon arrival.
You have two easy options to get SIM cards at airports in Vietnam:
However, there are a few things to keep in mind when buying Vietnam SIM cards at airports:
There is free WiFi at most international Vietnam airports, so you can use it to stay connected there. Then, once you are in the city center, use Google Maps to search for places to buy SIM cards.
You can find Vietnam SIM cards at:
Pro Tip: Research data plans online in advance, and confidently request exactly what you want. This way, you will be prepared to politely decline any upsells and get the best deal on your Vietnam SIM cards.
An eSIM, or embedded SIM, can eliminate the need for a physical SIM card. For tourists visiting Vietnam, eSIM offers a flexible way to stay connected without having to find a local SIM card.
You can buy Vietnam eSIM either directly from Vietnamese mobile operators or eSIM providers. If buying from network carriers, you need to upload passport’s photo and portrait photo for registration, like with physical SIM cards. It is not convenient for travelers at all.
Instead, you should buy eSIM for Vietnam from prestigious eSIM retailers like: Vietnamesim.com, Airalo, Holafly, GetNomad,…
If choosing an eSIM provider, consider Vietnamesim.com which is particularly specialized in Vietnam. Therefore, its packages are really diversifying and competitive compared to others.
Here are some of the most recommended eSIM plans for Vietnam:
Plan | GIGA120 | Viettel eSIM | Vinaphone eSIM |
Data | 3GB/day (90GB/30 days) | 5GB/day | 2GB/day – 5GB/day |
Validity | 30 days | 15/30 days | 7/10/15 days |
Phone Number | Yes | No | Yes |
Hotspot | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Activation | Text KH MAY79K to 8968 | Automatic | Automatic |
Carrier | Itel / Vinaphone | Viettel | Vinaphone |
Validity Starts From | After successful activation | From installation | When connected to Vinaphone |
Outgoing Calls | No | No | Free first 10 minutes for calls to Vinaphone (Total 1000 minutes) |
Sending SMS | No | No | Top-up required to send |
Incoming Calls | Yes | No | Yes |
Receiving SMS | Yes | Yes (cannot register for apps like Grab) | Yes |
As mention earlier, there are 04 mobile network carriers offering prepaid tourist SIM cards in Vietnam: Viettel, Vinaphone, MobiFone and Vietnamobile.
According to experienced travelers, of Vietnam’s mobile carriers, Viettel and Vinaphone are the best, both in terms of coverage and speed.
Below we demonstrate the coverage map and performance of each network to help you get an overview of them:
From the charts, we can see that:
After getting your Vietnamese SIM card, you can have it activated by the staff at SIM shops or do it on your own.
Simply follow the instructions printed on the SIM card package, which usually involves sending a text message to a specific number.
To check your account balance, dial *101# and press call.
To top up your balance, you have two ways:
On average, smartphone users need more than 3GB per month. However, when you are on vacation, you, for sure, will need more data to share images and videos on social media, chat/email, call your friends, etc.
It should be 3 – 5GB if you just need the data for web browsing, email checking, face-timing with your family and friends, and using google Maps. But in case all the things above are needed, a much more data volume should be obtained.
Yes. As long as your phone is unlocked for international use and compatible with the local networks such as Viettel, Vinaphone, getting an eSIM card online or a physical sim card at a local retailer is easy and affordable.
Viettel is a good option for international travelers because it provides the largest coverage in Vietnam. Vinaphone is the second one, as it provides the fastest upload and download speed, and its coverage just comes next to Viettel.
It’s great that you can buy an eSIM online before your departure to keep you connected right after landing in the country. However, it requires you to have an eSIM-compatible handset. If you do not have one, buying a Vietnam sim card at the airport upon your arrival is a good choice. In case you are in the country, you can buy eSIM Vietnam online or buy a physical SIM card at the retail stores of mobile network operators in Vietnam.
If you buy a physical SIM card, it does. It’s also the same if you buy a data eSIM provided by Gigago. Data eSIMs of other providers do not come with a Vietnamese phone number.
Yes, of course. There are many SIM Card kiosks at the airports of Vietnam, including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. After doing your Vietnam check-in procedure, you can head to them and select the one that fits your needs.
When you use the Vietnam tourist eSIM, you are not required to register. >>In case you get a physical SIM, you will need to show your passport to the mobile operator’s staff who will help you to make the registration.