It’s no secret that we are fascinated by Vietnam. After many visits over the past two years, we even decided to temporarily call Saigon home.
Besides the delicious food, friendly people, and stunning scenery, another reason we love Vietnam is its super-fast mobile data and extremely affordable prices. This means we can work on our blog from anywhere in this beautiful country without interruption.
We strongly recommend that you purchase a Vietnam SIM card at the airport as soon as you arrive in Vietnam. But with 4 different mobile operators (Viettel, Vinaphone, MobiFone) and dozens of different data plans to choose from, choosing the right SIM card for your trip to Vietnam can be overwhelming and confusing. tangled.
We wanted to find out which Vietnam SIM cards are best for travelers like us, so we decided to try all the providers during multiple trips around the country.
After traveling all over Vietnam, from the terraced rice fields of Sapa in the far north to the white sand beaches of Phu Quoc in the far south, we can safely say that Vietnam SIM card providers love Our favorite is Viettel; They have the best mobile network in Vietnam. Vietnam.
So if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to read the whole article…
Best Vietnamese SIM: Viettel
But if you still have questions about where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam, why we like using Viettel, and the prices, keep reading!
Do I need a SIM card in Vietnam?
Most hotels and restaurants in Vietnam provide free wifi, so there is almost no need to buy a SIM in Vietnam. However, we found it useful when using ride-hailing apps like Grab in the city, using Google Maps when driving a motorbike in the countryside, and using Google Translate if we wanted to communicate with others. speaking English.
Buying a prepaid SIM card in Vietnam is also very cheap, so there is no reason not to buy one.
Where to buy SIM in Vietnam
There are thousands of places to buy tourist SIMs in Vietnam. Every travel company offers this service, as do many local shops and even some hotels.
We find it best to buy a Vietnam SIM card at the airport or at your mobile network provider’s official store. Let’s introduce it in detail below.
Buy Vietnamese SIM at the airport
The most convenient place to buy a SIM in Vietnam is at the airport. As soon as you step out of the baggage claim area at any international airport in Vietnam, you will see dozens of kiosks selling SIM cards.
The easiest place to buy a SIM in Vietnam is at the airport.
Prices for SIM cards and data plans are set by each mobile service provider, so the prices offered will be roughly the same. Please check out a few different sales kiosks to ensure you are getting a fair price.
A Vietnam SIM card and prepaid data plan will cost 150,000-350,000 VND (6.50-15 USD), depending on how long you are in Vietnam and how much mobile data you need.
Prepaid SIM cards and data plans in Vietnam cost around 150,000-350,000 VND (6.50-15 USD)
There are 2 advantages when buying a Vietnamese SIM at the airport:
- They register and activate SIM cards for travelers hundreds of times every day, so they get you set up correctly quickly, and efficiently.
- You can immediately use Grab (or one of the other ride-hailing services available in Vietnam) to pick up a car from the airport, saving you money and hassle.
Plus, most airport kiosks are willing to accept credit card payments for your new Vietnam SIM card, so you don’t even need to worry about going to an ATM first.
We prefer to use the telecommunications network because it has the largest network and provides good coverage throughout Vietnam. The next best options are MobiFone and Vinaphone,
Buy a SIM card at a travel agency or hotel
You may want to buy a SIM card from one of the hundreds of small shops and travel agencies advertising in town. Our advice is not to buy a SIM card from a travel agency or local store. Our advice is not to buy a SIM card from a travel agency or local store.
In 2016, the government began strictly enforcing a policy requiring every mobile SIM card to be registered in the user’s name. If you do not register your SIM correctly at the time of purchase, you risk having your card accidentally deactivated during your trip to Vietnam.
Employees of small travel companies around Hanoi and Saigon often do not have much experience activating tourist SIMs or are lazy to do it correctly.
As a result, your SIM card will become unusable after a few days. You’ll have to go back to your travel agent to have it replaced or throw it away and buy a new SIM card.
If you bought a SIM card at a local store and want to see if it has been registered correctly, text “TTTB” to 1414. You will receive a text message within a few minutes including your full name , your date of birth, and passport number.
Buy Vietnamese SIM at the telecommunications department
If you leave the airport without a SIM card, you should go straight to one of your telco’s branches. Luckily, Viettel has convenient offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Remember to bring your passport as they will need it to register your new SIM card.
Where to buy a sim in Hanoi
If you are in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, you will find a Viettel store at the Northwest corner of Hoan Kim Lake.
Viettel Hanoi : 53 Luong Van Can, Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam
There is actually a second Viettel store across the lake, but the customer service at the store mentioned above seems to be much better.
Where to get SIM in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)
If you are in Ho Chi Minh City, there is a Viettel store on the south side of Bui Vien Street, about 15 15-minute walk from Ben Thanh market.
Viettel Ho Chi Minh City : 166 Tran Hung Dao Street, Nguyen Cu Trinh Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
How much does SIM cost in Vietnam?
One of the best things about buying a Vietnamese SIM card is that it is extremely cheap! For less than $20, you can get nearly unlimited high-speed data for an entire month.
Prices vary depending on the offers Viettel, MobiFone and Vinaphone are running at any given time, but you can expect to pay 150,000-350,000 VND ($6.50-15) for the SIM card and package data.
How much does a Viettel sim cost?
First, you need to buy the SIM card itself for 50,000-60,000 VND (about 2.50 USD). Once your SIM card is activated and registered, you can top up and purchase data plans.
Viettel offers visitors the following packages (all packages are valid for 1 month):
| High-speed data (LTE/4G) | price |
| 5GB | 90,000 VND (about 4 USD) |
| 8GB | 125,000 VND (about US$5.50) |
| 15GB | 200,000 VND (about 9 USD) |
| 30GB | 300,000 VND (about 13 USD) |
Don’t worry about how to do it all. If you buy your SIM card at the airport or Viettel store, the SIM card seller will be able to set everything up for you. They can speak at least a little English.
Make calls and text messages with your new SIM card
Some data plans include text messages or talk time, while others do not. Most people in Vietnam use WhatsApp so you probably don’t need to call anyone.
If you really think you want to make local calls, make sure you get a data plan that includes some minutes. Alternatively, you can simply add some extra points to your SIM card and pay for calls and texts based on usage.
Below are the current calling and texting rates with Viettel:
- Local calls (domestic): 1,800 VND/minute
- Local SMS (within Vietnam): 300 VND/message
- International calls: 3,600 VND/minute
- International SMS: 2,500 VND/message
Viettel vs VinaPhone vs MobiFone
As mentioned above, there are currently 4 mobile carriers in Vietnam providing SIMs: Viettel, MobiFone, and Vinaphone. But which mobile network is best in Vietnam?
Among Vietnam’s mobile operators, Viettel has the largest mobile network and the most customers.
Vinaphone has the second-best coverage, but when we bought Vinaphone, we kept having problems with the SIM card. MobiFone has good coverage in cities, but if you start going off-road, the signal gets a bit noisy. We had a great experience with MobiFone, but if you’re planning on traveling to the countryside this may not be the best choice.
Vietnamobile has very little coverage outside of major cities and although it is the cheapest, you should avoid it at all costs. In addition to wide coverage throughout North and South Vietnam, Viettel also has convenience stores in Hanoi’s Old Quarter and District 1 of Saigon.
There is no doubt that Viettel has won the title of “Best SIM card provider in Vietnam”.
Top up/recharge your Vietnam SIM
If you are in Vietnam for less than a month, you may not need to renew your data plan. However, you may find that you need to call or text someone locally and you don’t have any credit on your phone.
Most convenience stores (including 7/11 and Vinmart) sell scratch coupons. Just buy the required amount and download it to your phone. The easiest way is probably to ask the coupon seller to download it to your phone. But if you want to do it yourself, just open your phone screen and enter *100*{coupon code}# and press Enter.
If this sounds too complicated, you can also use the Recharge.com online service. You enter your Vietnamese phone number, select the amount you want to deposit and pay with PayPal or credit card. There’s a $1 surcharge, but we think the convenience more than makes up for the added cost.
Frequently asked questions about Vietnam SIM cards
Which SIM is best to buy in Vietnam?
In our opinion, the best SIM in Vietnam is Viettel. They are the Vietnamese mobile network operator with the largest network and best coverage area.
Where can I buy a SIM in Vietnam?
There are dozens of small shops selling SIM cards across Vietnam, but the best place to buy one is at the airport when you first arrive in the country or at your mobile provider’s store – we prefer Use your mobile telecommunications network more.
How much does SIM cost in Vietnam?
The SIM card itself costs around 50,000 VND (about US$2.50). Typically, you’ll buy a Vietnam SIM card as part of a mobile data plan, which will give you 5GB – 30GB of data for between 150,000 – 300,000 VND ($6.50 – $15).
Can I buy a SIM card at Hanoi airport?
Correct. There are many ticket kiosks at Hanoi airport selling SIM cards.
Can I buy a SIM card at Ho Chi Minh airport?
sure! There are dozens of SIM counters at Saigon airport from all Vietnamese mobile operators. (We prefer Viettel)
Have you arrived in Vietnam yet? Which SIM do you think is the best in Vietnam?
Are you planning a trip to Vietnam? if there is any problem. Please contact us. We are happy to help
