Vietnam sim card in Hanoi – what and where to get

Which is the best SIM card to get in Hanoi and Where to get Vietnam sim card in Hanoi? Learn with us in this post.

We must say that you cannot travel abroad without mobile data as it makes everything so much easier.

Hanoi is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Vietnam. Its Old Quarter, Water Puppet Show, Ho Chi Minh Complex, and specialties make it one of the most desired destinations in Vietnam. Now imagine going to this incredible city and not having an internet connection. Wow, you cannot do it, right?

Don’t worry! We are here to help you learn about how to find the best affordable prepaid Vietnam sim card in Hanoi, to keep you stay connected without paying excessive roaming costs.

1. What is the best SIM card to get in Hanoi

As clearly mentioned in the Vietnam SIM Card guide,

  • The best mobile network operator in Vietnam: Viettel, followed by Vinaphone:
    • Viettel has the biggest 4G coverage. If you’re going to be traveling all over Vietnam, this is your best choice.
    • VinaPhone also has great coverage. Unless you plan to go to some remote areas in the north, it should be in good use.
    • Mobifone has the smallest coverage of the three. It’s especially weak in the northern part of the country. But if you only plan to stay in the major cities, this will work fine
  • Recommended travel sim: Data-only
  • Best Vietnam SIM for travelers: prepaid with a data plan
  • Best Vietnam travel SIM card form: eSIM

2. Helpful tips before buying a Vietnam sim card in Hanoi

  • Make sure that your phone is CARRIER-UNLOCKED and can be USED ABROAD.
  • To top-up Vietnam SIM card, buy a top-up card from your SIM mobile operator and dial *100*code-on-top-up-card#
  • To check your data, dial *101#

3. Where to buy Vietnam sim for Hanoi

You can find it easy to buy a SIM Vietnam in Hanoi, consisting of:

  • Buying online,
  • Buying upon arrival, and
  • Buying in the city.

3.1 Buy Vietnam sim for Hanoi online

No one likes wasting time on their travels searching for a shop only to find it’s closed or has terrible prices. Save yourself time by buying your SIM card from an online store, which offers cheap tourist SIM cards for Vietnam that you can buy before your trip. This SIM type to be bought online is called eSIM.

This is the single option in which you will have your Vietnamese sim on your phone before you go. It will save you time and you can enjoy your trip to Hanoi straight away and have internet from the moment you land, something very useful if you are in a hurry and need to get a cab quickly – and there are no long contracts to sign or subscriptions to pay. You also can keep your WhatsApp number from your country.

However, to use an eSIM for Hanoi, Vietnam, you are required to have a carrier-unlocked eSIM compatible device which is well listed here.

Several online stores offer travel eSIMs for Hanoi, Vietnam, including Holafly, Gigago, and Airalo, of which Gigago seems to be the best thanks to its following advantages over the others:

  • The eSIM Vietnam offered by Gigago is the cheapest eSIM for Vietnam (7GB for 8 days costs US $10, 10GB for 16 days costs US $12, 15GB for 30 days costs US $15, and 120GB with certain FREE CALLS* for 30 days costs US $19.
  • Gigago eSIM Vietnam is covered by Vinaphone, the mobile operator with the best upload and download speed in Vietnam (as reported by OpenSignal in March 2022)
  • You will have a Vietnamese phone number to receive calls and SMS which is not contained in eSIM of any other provider.
  • Also, Gigago offers 24/7 customer support in English and Vietnamese, so you will not have any inconvenience when communicating with an advisor if you have issues

However, VietnameSIM will require you to text to activate your data plan which is not required by other eSIM providers.

Check out the best eSIM data plans.

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3.2 Buy Vietnam Sim Card at Hanoi Airport

If your phone is not eSIM compatible, you are advised to buy a physical SIM card after landing at Noi Bai (Hanoi) Airport and completing your immigration procedures.

Getting a Sim card at the Hanoi Airport is nothing difficult. You can easily the numerous tourist information desks that sell SIM card packages of major mobile operators in Vietnam (Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone) at the arrival area in the international terminal 2 of the airport where you will land.

Price of Vietnam SIM Card at Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi):

  • The exact cost of a Vietnam sim card to be bought at the Hanoi airport varies, depending on what deal is available from each mobile company.
  • But the most common plan costs around VND 200,000 ($9USD) for about 7GB of data that you can use for 7 days. All three mobile companies have something like this on offer. There are also plans with talk time added on as well.
  • Keep in mind that the prices you get at the airport are around 30 – 40% higher than the equivalent plan you can get in town. So if you don’t mind waiting, you can go to Viettel, Mobifone, or Vinaphone store in the Old Quarter or anywhere in downtown Hanoi and get the same amount of data for less than 135,000VND for 7GB of data.

Good to know:

  • SIM card store hours: the mobile shops at the airport operate from 6 am to 2 am daily, so you cannot get the SIM if you are landing beyond this time.
  • You will need to show your passport for a subscription.
  • You can make payment by your credit card, or you can exchange your money for Vietnam Dong at the currency exchange shops in the arrival hall to buy your sim at the airport.
  • You will have the English-speaking staff help you insert the SIM and register.

How to find the SIM card stores at Noi Bai airport:

  • After you pick up your luggage, exit the customs gate, and you will be in the arrival hall (you’re still inside the terminal building)
  • The sim card shops are located on both ends of the arrival hall, so you can either turn left or turn right, and walk towards either of the two ends of the hall, and you will see their shops
  • Like this:
Map of Vietnam sim card stores at Noi Bai airport, Hanoi, gigago
Map of Vietnam sim card stores at Noi Bai airport, Hanoi
  • The SIM Card shops will have clear signs with their names visible in big letters. This is what MobiFone sim card store looks like.
Buy Vietnam sim card at Hanoi Airport
Buy Vietnam sim card at Hanoi Airport

â–º Full details about buying a SIM Card for Vietnam at Noi Bai airport can be found here.

3.3 Buy Vietnam Sim Card in Mobile Stores in Hanoi town

This way is recommended for those who don’t have an eSIM compatible device and leave Noi Bai airport without a data SIM for Vietnam or have their data used up when they are in the city.

There are 2 addresses that you can visit for a Vietnam SIM card in Ho Chi Minh City:

  • Official stores of mobile network operators in Vietnam, and
  • Mobile shops/vendors (not recommended).

3.3.1 Buy Sim card at Official Mobile Network stores

You can find many official stores of Viettel, Vinaphone, and Mobifone in Hanoi downtown and other areas.

Price:

  • The price of a SIM Card is normally VND 50,000 ~ 60,000, and you need to top up for calling credit and registering a data plan (around VND 100,000).

Good to know:

  • SIM card store hours: the mobile shops at the airport operate from 8 am to 0 pm daily, so you cannot get the SIM if you are landing out of this time.
  • You will need to show your passport for a subscription.
  • You will need to make payment in cash or by bank transfer.
  • Ask the staff to help you insert the SIM and register, please keep in mind that their English is often not good.

How to find Official Mobile Network stores in Hanoi

Thanks to the technology, it’s now very easy to find a Vinaphone/Viettel/Mobile store in Hanoi via Google Map app.

  • Visit your Google Map App, and type Vinaphone/Viettel/Mobile store
  • You will see the list of nearby stores
  • Click on the Direction icon to know how to reach there.

Otherwise, you can see the list of major Official Mobile Network stores in Hanoi below:

>> Viettel

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(Updated September 2022, from https://vietteltelecom.vn/cua-hang)

>>Vinaphone

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In addition, there are also many Vinaphone agents which can be searched here.

>>MobiFone

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(Updated September 2022, from https://www.mobifone.vn/ho-tro-khach-hang/vi-tri-cua-hang)

3.3.2 Buy Sim Card at Mobile Shops/Vendors in Hanoi

These places are not our recommendations, but if you are in an emergency and do not have an eSIM-compatible device, just use it. Those shops/vendors are easy to find anywhere.

The sim card prices offered by those shops/vendors are often higher than those offered by the official stores. In many cases, they often overcharge foreigners.

👉So, we have guided you through what and where to get a Vietnam sim card in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. We hope this guide has been helpful for you.

If you are in Ho Chi Minh City, check out our guide on What and where to buy a Vietnam sim card in Ho Chi Minh City.