Sim Card in Vietnam For Tourists [2019 UPDATE]

When traveling abroad, most of the travelers want to keep in touch with their family, friends or colleges via email, Facebook. However, in some urgent cases, a direct phone call is always the best choice. What should you do to solve this problem especially when you travel to Vietnam???

Getting a SIM card in Vietnam for travellers and expats has never been this easy!

The SIM card is one of the very first things travelers need to consider. You can easily find out Vietnam SIM card immediately when you first set foot on Noi Bai international airport of Hanoi, as usual, and reliable. Vietnam local tour company will provide you a full guide to Vietnam SIM card to help you have a smooth Vietnam vacation.

Photo: internet

1. Mobile Providers Vietnam

As of 2019, At the airport that there are many mobile internet providers available on the Vietnam market. But, there are 3 major GSM network operators in Vietnam:

• Viettel
• Vinaphone
• Mobifone

You must know that here are the 3 mobile internet providers in Vietnam in order of what we trust the most. Viettel is the mobile network we recommend you, most importantly if you travel from North to South. There are websites to verify the coverage of the 4G network on a map and Viettel is the the one with the best coverage in Vietnam.

Like we said, there will be other company options. Sometimes they might have a better deals but the above ones are the most trusted with best network all around Vietnam from North to South.

USEFUL TIP: Make sure your phone is unlocked.

Best SIM card in Vietnam for off the beaten tracks

You sure should avoid Mobifone if you’re heading to off the beaten track destinations. We’ve compared it on the coverage map for 4G and it is terrible. Again, Viettel or Vietnamobile will have better coverage and Viettel is better if you plan to keep the same SIM for Cambodia and Laos. Viettel removed roaming charges for both Cambodia and Laos in early 2017 so you can be roaming in all three countries. 

If anyone still has updates on the workability of this, do share it with us!

Photo: internet

2. Where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam

A Vietnamese SIM card can be found anywhere on the streets on carts, at any phone shop, credit kiosk and at the airport on arrival. If you are travelling to Vietnam, it is recommended to get your SIM card at the arrivals at the airport as all the packages are friendly for travellers. To avoid the hassle, just get your SIM as you land since it is so cheap, it’s not like you are going to save 50$US if you buy it in the city centre.

For your convenience, we can assist you to buy sim cards when using the Vietnam tour packages we provide.

Note that if you are buying from a legit or half legit place to buy a SIM card in Vietnam, you will need to have your passport. If you are a resident or looking for a long term number, they might also ask a visa, place of residence and/or place of work, because they might ask for it! This usually happens at official stores of MobiFone, etc. For a tourist SIM card when you land, you will only need to provide your passport.

How to top up credits for a SIM card in Vietnam

It’s simple to top up your credits if you need to add minutes to your unlimited data package without minutes. You can buy credit anywhere and the vendor might sort the process out for you or point at the back of the scratch card to tell you to do it yourself. Instructions on what to do are clear and in English.Where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam.

3. How much is a tourist SIM cards in Vietnam in 2019

Price for each type of SIM cards is not much different. For a SIM card without credit balance and Internet data fluctuates from VND 50,000 to VND 100,000 (around 5$). The cost for a 1 – minute local call is just from VND 1,000 and VND 250 for local SMS. 

For a 1 – minute international call and SMS is about VND 5,000 and VND 2,500 respectively. [1$ is approximately equal to VND 23,000, with other currencies, you can take a look at Vietnamese currency to see how another currency is converted into.]

The cost for Internet data speed is around VND 70,000 (around 3$) for one month with 3G data. You can feel the very good speeds in the urban areas. 4G/LTE in Vietnam is currently launched and its price is just slightly higher.

How to pay: It is not necessary to show your documents when you pay for SIM cards. You can pay directly in cash (Vietnamese money – VND). Almost every store selling SIM cards do not accept dollars or other currencies, except for airports. Therefore, you should change your money into VND before.

Photo: internet

4. How to Use Vietnam SIM Cards

To use a SIM card, you have to charge credit into SIM. You can purchase a thing to charge at places that you buy SIM card, normal stores or supermarket. 

How to charge:“*100*numbers from recharge cards#” and then enter button “call”. You can check your balance with dial “*101#” then “call” (for the main account) and “*102#” then “call” (for bonus account). In order to use the Internet (3G/4G), you have to subscribe to this service by syntax. 

You should ask sellers for this, depending on which type of SIM card you use. Actually, SIM is convenient for you to contact your service providers, if you do not have a habit of using the Internet too often, you can go to coffee shops or restaurants when you travel to famous attractions in large cities of Vietnam such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Nha Trang, Can Tho…which almost provide free WIFI.

5. Some Useful Tips When You Buy Vietnam SIM card

• Vietnamese is the official language in Vietnam. Only a few locals speak English, so it is easier for you to use Google Translate as you communicate with sellers.
• When buying a SIM card, you should ask for help about how to install or use the card.
• You can go to the official store of network operators so as to receive better assistance if necessary.
• Mobifone or Vinaphone is highly recommended in big cities because of their easy procedures and cheaper costs. Viettel is best when you also travel to remote areas.

Safety using your mobile phone in Vietnam

Happy Internet surfing on your mobile or tablet but remember to avoid to use your phone close to the road as they are a lot of scooter thieves that will eye you and try to grab it! Common sense travel, hold your phone tight with both hands and don’t flash it away from you.

If you have any other questions, please let us know. We are always ready to assist you 24/7, looking forward to helping you have a perfect journey to Vietnam.

VIETNAM TYPICAL TOURS

Hotline: 0084-974-861-652

Email: info@vietnamtypicaltours.com

Website: vietnamtypicaltours.com