Every travel plan should include a SIM Card and Data Plan. The good news is that getting a SIM Card and staying connected while traveling in Vietnam is simple. Here are some of our observations on getting a SIM Card when you visit Vietnam.
Why do you need a SIM Card in Vietnam?
Because, well, why not? SIM Cards in Vietnam are so inexpensive that ignoring one would be a terrible option.
Although Wifi is available practically everywhere in Vietnam from the moment you land: airport, public Wifi, coffee shops (yes, most of them can give you Wifi when you ask for it without buying a coffee, except Starbucks), it is always suggested that you be connected at all times. When you’re out and about, a smartphone with a data plan will come in handy for hailing a Grab bike or car, using Google Maps in the countryside, or communicating with local Vietnamese who don’t understand English.
So, please obtain one Sim Card for you. Let us see which one you can choose!
What is the best SIM Card Provider for tourists in Vietnam?
There are numerous SIM card providers in Vietnam, but this article will only cover the three most reputable ones: Viettel, Mobifone, and Vinaphone. It’s fine to choose at random from these three, but depending on your travel plan and the areas you visit, it may be worth considering. Before we go into specifics for each provider, have a look at our quick summary in the table below.
| Provider’s name | Pros | Cons | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Biggest coverage Fast Speeds Cheap price Free Roaming in Laos and Cambodia | Not much | National-wide trip Trip from Vietnam to Laos and Cambodia |
 | Fast Speeds Lager coverage and stable connection in big cities Cheap Price Good client service | Coverage is weak in remote or mountainous areas No Free Roaming | Trip in big cities likes Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Can Tho, Da Nang |
 | Large coverage Fast Speeds Cheap Price | Coverage is weak in mountainous ares No Free Roaming | National-wide trip |
As you can see from the summary, Viettel appears to be the winner. If you intend to travel to a remote place, particularly a hilly area in the north like Sapa or Fansipan, the Viettel signal will always work flawlessly. However, if you stay in the big cities, all of the options are great; just pick the one that is most convenient for you.
Where to buy a SIM Card for tourists in Vietnam?
SIM cards are widely available in Vietnam, from street vendors to convenience stores to official merchants. However, since you are a tourist, it is recommended to get a Vietnamese SIM card either at the airport or at one of the official stores of the mobile network providers. This will allow you to relax and enjoy your entire vacation. Who wants to spend half a day activating a SIM card?
Here are some instructions for getting a SIM card at airports, official outlets, and alternate options if you need one.
Buy a tourist SIM card at airports
There are two benefits to purchasing your Vietnam SIM card at the airport:
- They register and activate SIM cards for visitors hundreds of times per day, so they can get it set up properly for you quickly and efficiently.
- You can instantly use Grab (or another ride-hailing service available in Vietnam) to catch a ride from the airport, saving you money and time.
As soon as you exit the baggage claim area at any of Vietnam’s international airports, you’ll notice plenty of SIM card stalls. Each mobile carrier sets the price of a SIM card and data plan, thus the pricing supplied should be about the same. Check out a few different stalls to be sure you’re getting a good deal.
Depending on how long you plan to remain in Vietnam and how much mobile data you need, a Vietnamese SIM card and prepaid data package should cost between VND 150,000 and VND 350,000 (US $6.50 and $15). Most kiosks accept credit cards; don’t bother going to the ATM beforehand. If necessary, you can ask the staff to register or cut the SIM for you; they are really helpful.
Pre-order a Viettel SIM card and pick up at Tan Son Nhat Airport
We suggest using Viettel SIM card for travelers in Vietnam because it has great coverage and strong signal. You can now pre-order a Viettel SIM card to pick up when you arrive at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City. This saves time from waiting in line at the stalls.
Pre-order a SIM Card and let it delivered to your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City
If you’re on a tight schedule with a travel agency and don’t have time to look around the SIM Card stores at the airport or on the streets. Don’t worry, we’ve got a solution: Klook allows you to pre-order Mobifone a SIM card and have it delivered to your hotel (Currently available for Ho Chi Minh City only). All you need to do:
- Indicate your hotel name, address , flight number with your complete name and/or booking confirmation at checkout
- The SIM card will be sent to your hotel front desk before your arrival
- Show your passport to the front desk staff to verify and collect your SIM card
Buy a tourist SIM card at providers’ offices
If you missed out on purchasing a SIM card at the airports, you can visit the offices of the above-mentioned carriers to obtain a tourist SIM card. Because they are large corporations, you can readily locate their offices in both urban and rural regions. They are well-built offices with a logo and company identity.
You may find their store location here for your convenience:
Viettel: https://vietteltelecom.vn/cua-hang (Province/City – District – Find store button)
Vinaphone: https://vinaphone.com.vn/ho-tro/diem-giao-dich (Province/City – District – Commune), a table will show with links to maps
Mobifone: https://www.mobifone.vn/ho-tro-khach-hang/vi-tri-cua-hang (Name of the Store, you can skip this – Province/City – District – Find store button), you can select language English in the upper right corner
Buying a SIM Card at a Travel Agency or Hotel
We do not recommend you to buy SIM card from travel agency, hotel or local shop.
- You may pay higher price (of course)
- If your SIM card is not legally registered to you when you acquire it, it may be turned off at any time during your vacation to Vietnam.
- Employees in tiny travel agencies around Hanoi and Saigon frequently lack experience activating tourist SIM cards or just cannot be bothered to do so properly.
If you purchase your SIM card from an unauthorized location, it will still work, but only for a short time. Visit a proper store to avoid the stress of getting cut off.
Tips: If you bought your SIM card in a store and want to check if it was correctly registered to you, text “TTTB” to 1414. Within a few minutes, you should receive a text containing your full name, date of birth, and passport number.
How to use Vietnam SIM Card?
- If you purchase an eSIM, you will receive instructions for installation and use.
- If you acquire a physical SIM card in Vietnam, ask the salesman to place it into your phone and walk you through the process of selecting a 4G plan. If a Nano-SIM card is required, the size will be adjusted correspondingly. There is no requirement for an activation code. Your SIM card is activated immediately.
Vietnam Tourist SIM Card pricing for your reference
As previously said, simply ask the employees at SIM Card outlets to recommend the best SIM card for your trip. However, if you want to take a deeper look, here are some SIM Card price ranges.
Viettel Tourist SIM Card
| Data | Domestic calls | International calls | Validity | Price |
| 1 GB | 20 mins | 10 mins | 5 days | VND 100,000 ~ US $4,5 |
| 2 GB | 40 mins | 20 mins | 10 days | VND 200,000 ~ US $9 |
| 3 GB | 60 mins | 30 mins | 15 days | VND 300,000 ~ US $13 |
| 5 GB | 100 mins | 50 mins | 25 days | VND 500,000 ~ US $22 |
- When you purchase a Viettel tourist SIM card, you simply pay for the data plan; however, it cannot be topped up.
- When you reach the high speed limit, the data switches to 3G.
- International calls are to 25 countries only.
- Data overage charge is VND 9.76 per 50 KB.
- A Viettel Tourist SIM does not include SMS texting.
- The Vietnam tourist sim cards are mostly sold at Vietnam international airports and large Viettel stores.
Furthermore, you can consider purchasing a Viettel standard SIM card, however you must handle data plan registration yourself.
| Data | Price | Activation Code | Overuse | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1GB | VND 5,000 ~ US $0.22 | ST5KM | unlimited @ 128 kbps | + Valid until 24:00 of the registration date, + not auto renew |
| 1GB | VND 5,000 ~ US $0.22 | ST5K | unlimited @ 128 kbps | + Valid until 24:00 of the registration date, + Auto renew |
| 2GB | VND 10,000 ~ US $0.45 | ST10K | unlimited @ 128 kbps | + Valid until 24:00 of the registration date, + Auto renew |
| 3GB | VND 15,000 ~ US $0.7 | ST10K | unlimited @ 128 kbps | + Valid until 24:00 of the registration date, + Auto renew |
| 3GB | VND 70,000 ~ US $3.2 | MIMAX70 | unlimited @ 3 Mpbs | +Valid until the final date of the month. |
| 4GB | VND 30,000 ~ US $1.4 | ST30K | unlimited @ 256 kbps | + Valid until 24:00 of the 7th date, + Auto renew |
+ For activation, text the code to 191.
+ To stop auto-renewal, text HUY CODE to 191 and confirm with Y.
+To check Viettel data balance, text KTTK to 191.
*Prices and packages are subject to change; please contact the Viettel Staff for the most up-to-date information.
Vinaphone Tourist SIM Card
| Data | Validity | Price |
| Unlimited | 7 days | VND 200,000 ~ US $9 |
| Unlimited | 15 days | VND 250,000 ~ US $11 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | VND 300,000 ~ US $13 |
- “Vinaphone’s Vietnam SIM card unlimited data” indicates a maximum of 1 GB of high-speed data per day before being throttled to 3G rates.
Like Viettel, you can also buy a regular SIM Card of Vinaphone and register for Data packages:
| Data | Price | Activation Code | Overuse | Notes |
| 1GB | VND 5,000 ~ US $0.22 | DATA D5 | VND 75/MB | + Valid until 24:00 of the registration date |
| 2GB | VND 10,000 ~ US $0.45 | DATA D2 | VND 75/MB | + Valid until 24:00 of the registration date |
| 3GB | VND 15,000 ~ US $0.7 | DATA D3 | VND 75/MB | + Valid until 24:00 of the 3rd date |
| 4.8GB | VND 30,000 ~ US $1.4 | DATA BIG70 | VND 75/MB | + Valid Until 24:00 of the 7th date |
+ For activation, text the code to 1543.
+ To stop auto-renewal, text HUY {D5/D2/D3/BIG70} to 888.
+To check Vinaphone data balance, text DATA to 888.
Mobifone Tourist SIM Card
| Data | Validity | Price |
| 6GB* + 60′ Local Calls & 100‘ Local SMS + 30′ international calls to certain countries | 30 days | VND 250,000 ~ US $11 |
| 10GB | 30 days | VND 200,000 ~ US $9 |
| 10GB + 15’ Free Calls to Korea | 30 days | US $10 |
Mobifone regular SIM Card options and how to register for Data
| Data | Price | Activation Code | Overuse | Notes |
| 1GB | VND 5,000 ~ US $0.22 | D5 | VND 75/MB | + Valid until 24:00 of the registration date |
| 8.8GB | VND 30,000 ~ US $1.4 | HD120 | VND 75/MB | + Valid for 30 days |
+ For activation, text the code to 9084.
+ To stop auto-renewal, text HUY {CODE} to 999.
+To check Mobifone data balance, text KT DATA to 999.
Useful tips when using Vietnam SIM Cards
- Make sure your phone is unlock and can use abroad
- Keep an eye on your data consumption and conserve it for crucial tasks like checking maps and making video calls. It’s inconvenient to have 4G converted to 3G while trekking or in a rural area.
- Getting a SIM card before leaving the airport, or pre-ordering one and sending it to the hotel front desk, is always a wise idea.
- Please download Google Translate on your phone before traveling if you need assistance with the language.
- Ask the merchant to insert a SIM card for you because they would know how.
- Mobifone is typically suggested in big cities, however Viettel is the finest in isolated places.
- A SIM card may be purchased in almost any retailer. If a Nano-SIM card is required, the size will be adjusted correspondingly.
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