Viettel tourist SIM Card: Types, Price, Where to buy
Viettel Tourist SIM Card is among the most favorite options to choose among travelers to Vietnam thanks to its diversifying plans, affordability, and high speed.
Viettel is the leading mobile carrier in Vietnam, owned and operated by the Ministry of Defence. For tourists, it offers a lot of traveler-tailored SIM plans with multiple data allowances, validity periods and lots of customized features. However, as there are other major mobile operators available in Vietnam, choosing the one that fits your needs may be confusing.
In this article, we will introduce everything you need to know about Viettel SIM cards for tourists, from why choosing Viettel over others, how much a Viettel tourist SIM card costs, where to buy, to how to activate, how to top up and alternatives, if any.
Table of Contents
I. Why choose a Viettel Tourist SIM card?
There are 04 main reasons to choose a Viettel tourist SIM card :
1. Reliable and extensive coverage
Viettel is the most extensive network in Vietnam, offering 3G/4G/LTE coverage across the country, including both urban areas and remote regions.
No matter where you travel to in Vietnam, from bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh city, lush mountains of Sapa to pristine beaches of Danang, Viettel has you covered.
As you can see in the image, Viettel provides the best 3G coverage across Vietnam, even in rural areas. While 4G coverage is the strongest in the north and south, it is still expanding in central provinces.
Tip: With Viettel SIM cards, you can enjoy FREE ROAMING in Laos, Cambodia.
2. High Internet Speed
According to Opensignal’s report in 2023, Viettel has the most consistent experience in Vietnam compared with its competitors like Vinaphone and MobiFone.
This network carrier wins the 4G availability and 4G coverage experience awards, meaning that you will enjoy strong 4G signals in most locations throughout Vietnam.
3. Flexible and affordable data plans
Viettel tourist SIM cards stand out for their flexible data plans and affordability, catering to different tourists’ needs and budgets. Using it, you can also save money instead of your home carrier’s roaming services.
Whether you are a light social media user or need to stream videos, Viettel has a plan for you.
► You can see a detailed comparison between Viettel SIM plans and others in our article about mobile operators in Vietnam.
4. Convenience and ease of purchase
Getting a Viettel tourist SIM is easy and quick. You can buy a Viettel SIM card at their stores in most major cities, telecommunication shops, or vendors in Vietnam.
However, be aware of scams when purchasing Vietnam SIM cards from vendors, including Viettel SIM.
II. Which types of Viettel tourist SIM cards are available for tourists?
Viettel offers different types of SIM card plans to suit different needs.
Here is the breakdown of common options:
- Prepaid vs. Postpaid: Prepaid plans allow you to pay for what you use upfront and top up as needed, making them ideal for people on short trips. Postpaid plans involve a contract as well as monthly bills.
- Data only vs. Data with voice and text: You should choose a data only plan if you mainly need internet access. You can still stay connected with people back home via voice apps like Telegram, WhatsApp,…. On the other hand, choose a plan with voice and text if you need to make analog calls and send SMS messages during your trip.
- Validity periods: Prepaid plans by Viettel come with various validity periods from 5, 7, 15, 30 to 150, 180, or even 360 days.
- Physical vs. eSIM: Viettel both offers physical SIM cards and eSIM for tourists.
- Physical eSIMs are easily available at airports, Viettel stores, convenience stores, etc.
- eSIMs are digital SIM embedded directly in eSIM-supported phones. They allow instant activation and eliminate the need for a physical SIM card.
For most tourists, a prepaid Viettel SIM card/eSIM with data package is a convenient, cost-effective choice.
Tip: You should get a prepaid Viettel SIM card and put money on it for convenience.
III. How much does a Viettel tourist SIM card cost?
A basic Viettel SIM card, without any credit or data, typically costs about 50,000 VND (about $2). However, you need to add credit to your account to activate the data plan and start using the internet.
Viettel also offers various 4G data plans to suit different needs and budgets, ranging from 250,000 to more than 1,000,000 VND/SIM depending on the data allowance and validity.
In general, the price of a Viettel SIM card varies by some factors, like the phone number associated with the SIM, plans registered with the SIM like V120, V150,…, and the place to buy.
IV. Best Viettel Tourist SIM card Options
Viettel Mobile offers 02 categories of prepaid SIM cards that a foreign tourist can buy in Vietnam:
- Usual Viettel SIM cards (used for both locals and tourists-alike), and
- Viettel tourist SIM cards (for tourists only).
Below we give a more detailed breakdown into their noticeable packages:
| Plan name | Plan type | Data amount | Features | Validity | Price |
| V90B | Usual | 45GB (1GB/day) | – Free 10 minutes/call in-net calls, – Free 50 minutes/call for out-net calls | 30 days | 90,000 VND (approximately $3.5) |
| V120B | Usual | 30GB (1.5GB/day) | – Free 10 first minutes/on-net-call – 30 minutes off-net calls | 30 days | 120,000 VND (approximately $4.5) |
| V160B | Usual | 120GB (4GB/day) | – Free 10 minutes/call in-net calls, – Free 100 minutes/call for out-net calls | 30 days | 160,000 VND (approximately $6.5) |
| V180B | Usual | 180GB (6GB/day) | – Free 10 minutes/call in-net calls, – Free 100 minutes/call for out-net calls | 30 days | 180,000 VND (approximately $7) |
| TOUR60 | Tourist | 5GB at Max Speed | – Unlimited Internet at good speed | 15 days | 60,000 VND (approximately $2.5) |
| TOUR100 | Tourist | Unlimited internet | – Free the first 20 minutes of each domestic on-net-calls – 20 minutes of international calls | 30 days | 100,000 VND (approximately $4) |
| TOUR200 | Tourist | Unlimited internet | – 100 minutes of domestic calls – 20 minutes of international calls | 30 days | 200,000 VND (approximately $8) |
Note: These plans are subject to change. You should double check on Viettel’s website before making a purchase.
V. Where to buy a Viettel SIM card?
Tourists can easily get a Viettel SIM card from different places, which are:
- At the airport upon arrival in Vietnam
- Official Viettel stores,
- Other telecommunication shops, hotels, convenience stores
- Online through Viettel’s website.
1. At the airports
You can easily find Viettel’s kiosks in most major international airports in Vietnam, such as Noi Bai airport (Hanoi), Tan Son Nhat airport (Ho Chi Minh city), Danang airport (Danang), etc.
Most kiosks are located in the arrival hall, near the baggage claim area.
► You can check for details on buying a SIM card at Vietnam airports:
2. Buy in official Viettel stores
This is the most warranted way to get an authentic Viettel SIM Card. You can easily find the official stores of Viettel by searching Google Maps for the keyword “Viettel Store”. Then follow the map and look around to find the shops with Viettel logo.
Alternatively, you can also visit the official website of Viettel and look for addresses of Viettel stores nearby: https://vietteltelecom.vn/cua-hang
3. Telecommunication shops, hotels
On Vietnam streets, you can easily find telecommunication service shops providing SIM cards of different network carriers.
Besides, hotels, resorts and other accommodations in Vietnam also offer the option to buy tourist SIM cards directly on-site. This can be a convenient option, particularly if you are already settled into your hotel and don’t want to go out of your way to find a SIM shop.
4. Online from the official Viettel website
You can also buy a Viettel SIM card online through the official website of Viettel. This helps save your time and effort on searching for a store to buy. However, it requires you to present a passport or portrait photo for registration.
All what you need to do is to go to this website address https://vietteltelecom.vn/en, then choose the number you like, select a package that fits your needs, and wait to be shipped to your accommodation.
VI. Viettel eSIM – Alternatives to Viettel Tourist SIM card
As mentioned earlier, Viettel offers both Viettel SIM cards and eSIM plans for tourists. If your phone supports eSIM technology, it is worth considering this option.
Benefits of choosing a Viettel eSIM:
- You can buy and activate your eSIM online either before or during your trip, from anywhere in the world. No need to search for a SIM store or wait for SIM delivery.
- You can get eSIM within 5-10 minutes after payment, scan the QR code to set up and get activated right upon arrival in Vietnam.
- You can retain your primary SIM card to receive calls and texts as usual (as soon as you turn on roaming), allowing you to manage multiple numbers and plans on one device.
- You can avoid roaming charges and enjoy competitive rates for voice, data, and messaging services while traveling in Vietnam.
Where to buy Viettel eSIM?
While you can buy Viettel eSIM directly from Viettel, this often requires passport registration, which may not be ideal for tourists.
For a smoother experience, consider buying eSIM plans using Viettel services from reputable eSIM providers. They offer an easy and hassle-free process without requiring any personal documents.
We recommend travel Viettel eSIM plans by Vietnamesim.com for their reliable service, competitive pricing and user-friendly platform. Besides, there are also more other eSIM plans for Vietnam travel on their online eSIM shop, pick up the suitable plan, make payment, wait 3-5 minutes to get the eSIM profile shipped to your email, and install it instantly.
But, remember to check your phone’s eSIM compatibility before purchase.
VIII. How to activate and top up a Viettel SIM card for tourists?
Activating a Viettel SIM card is quick and easy. If buying from Viettel stores or SIM shops, the staff there will help you set up and activate the SIM card.
In case you have to activate the Viettel SIM card by yourself, you just need to turn off your phone, insert the SIM card, turn on the phone, check for a welcome message from Viettel announcing automatic activation. Sometimes, you just need to try to access the Internet to test if it is activated automatically.
If your SIM card does not activate automatically, check the instructions described on the SIM card package.
To recharge your account, you can buy scratch cards or use online payment methods.
If it is difficult to activate the SIM card, just contact Viettel’s hotline or visit a Viettel Store for help.
To sum up, obtaining a Vietnam tourist SIM card, particularly from Viettel, is a practical and essential step for international travelers visiting the country. With a range of affordable plans, extensive coverage, and reliable network quality, Viettel offers a compelling option for staying connected during your travels in Vietnam.