It’s no secret that we are crazy about Vietnam; after numerous visits over the last 2 years, we have even decided to call Saigon home for a while.

In addition to delicious food, friendly people, and stunning scenery, one other reason that we love Vietnam is the availability of super fast and extremely affordable mobile data. It means we can work on our blog without interruption from anywhere in this beautiful country.

We would highly recommend that you purchase a Vietnam SIM card at the airport as soon as you arrive in the country. But with 4 different mobile carriers – Viettel, Vinaphone, MobiFone, and Vietnamobile – and dozens of different data plans to choose from, picking the right SIM card for your trip to Vietnam can be overwhelming and confusing.

We wanted to figure out which was the best Vietnam SIM card for travelers like ourselves, so we made a point to try all of the providers during our various trips around the country.

After traveling the length of 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 definitively say that our favorite Vietnam SIM card provider is Viettel; they have the best mobile network in Vietnam.

So if you’re in a rush and don’t want to read the entire article…

The best Vietnam SIM card: Viettel

But if you still have questions about where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam, why we prefer Viettel, and how much it is going to cost, then read on!

Complete Guide to Vietnam SIM Cards

Do You Need a SIM Card in Vietnam?

Just about every hotel and restaurant in Vietnam offers free wifi so there is really no need to purchase a SIM card in Vietnam. However, we find it incredibly useful for utilizing ride-hailing apps like Grab to get around in the city, for Google Maps when we are driving a motorbike in the countryside, and for Google Translate if we want to communicate with anyone who doesn’t speak English.

It’s also so cheap to purchase a prepaid SIM card in Vietnam so there is really no reason not to get one.

Where to Purchase a SIM Card in Vietnam

There are literally thousands of places to purchase a tourist SIM card in Vietnam. Every travel agency offers them as do many local stores and even some hotels.

We have found that it is best to purchase a Vietnamese SIM card either in the airport or at one of the official stores of the mobile network providers. More on that below.

Buying a Vietnamese SIM Card at the Airport

The easiest place to buy a SIM card in Vietnam is at the airport. You’ll find dozens of kiosks selling SIM cards as soon as you exit the baggage claim area in any of Vietnam’s international airports.

The easiest place is to buy a SIM card in Vietnam is at the airport.

The price of a SIM card and data plan is fixed by each mobile carrier so the prices offered should all be roughly the same. Feel free to check at a couple of different sales kiosks to make sure you’re getting a fair price.

A Vietnamese SIM card and prepaid data package should cost you between 150,000-350,000 VND ($6.50-$15 USD) depending on how long you’re going to be staying in Vietnam and how much mobile data you want.

A Vietnamese SIM card and prepaid data package should cost you between 150,000-350,000 VND ($6.50-$15 USD)

There are 2 advantages to buying your Vietnam SIM card at the airport:

1. They register and activate SIM cards for tourists hundreds of times per day so they are quick and efficient and getting it set up properly for you.
2. You can immediately use Grab (or one of the other ride-hailing services available in Vietnam) to get yourself a ride from the airport which will save you money and hassle.

Also, most of the kiosks in the airport are happy to take a credit card payment for your new Vietnamese SIM card so you don’t even need to worry about going to the ATM first.

We prefer Viettel as it has the largest network and offers excellent coverage all over Vietnam. The next best options are MobiFone and Vinaphone with Vietnamobile a distant fourth place.

Buying a SIM Card at a Travel Agency or Hotel

You’ll likely be tempted to buy a SIM card at one of the hundreds of tiny shops and travel agencies around town advertising them. Our advice is to NOT buy your SIM card from a travel agency or local shop.

Our advice is to NOT buy your SIM card from a travel agency or local shop.

In 2016 the government began strictly enforcing a policy that requires every mobile SIM card be registered to the person using it. If your SIM card is not properly registered to you when you purchase it, you run the risk of randomly having it shut off during your trip to Vietnam.

Employees in the small travel agencies around Hanoi and Saigon often don’t have very much experience activating tourist SIM cards or they just can’t be bothered to do it properly.

The result is that you’ll have a non-functioning SIM card after a few days. You’ll either have to go back to the travel agent to have it replaced or just throw it away and buy a new SIM card.

If you do purchase your SIM card at a local shop and want to see if it was properly registered to you then text “TTTB” to 1414. You should get a text back within a few minutes that includes your full name, date of birth, and passport number.

Buying a Vietnamese SIM Card at the Telecom Office

If you have already left the airport without a SIM card then you should head directly to one of the branch offices of the telecom companies. Luckily, Viettel has offices that are conveniently located in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Remember to bring your passport with you as they will need it to register your new SIM card.

Where to get a SIM Card in Hanoi

If you’re staying in the old quarter in Hanoi you’ll find a Viettel store located at the northwestern corner of Hoan Kim Lake.

Viettel Hanoi: 53 Lương Văn Can, Hàng Trống, Hoàn Kiếm, Hà Nội, Vietnam

There is actually a second Viettel store located on the other side of the lake, but the customer service seems to be much better at the one mentioned above.

Where to get a SIM Card Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)

If you’re in Hoi Chi Minh City there is a Viettel store located just south of Bui Vien Street, about a 15-minute walk from Ben Than Market

Viettel Ho Chi Minh City: 166 Đường Trần Hưng Đạo, Phường Nguyễn Cư Trinh, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

How Much Does a SIM Card Cost in Vietnam?

One of the best parts about buying a Vietnam SIM card is it is incredibly cheap! For less than $20 USD you can have an entire month of practically limitless high-speed data.

Prices vary depending on what deals Viettel, MobiFone and Vinaphone are running at any given time but you can expect to pay 150,000-350,000 VND ($6.50-$15 USD) for a SIM card and data package.

How Much Does a Viettel SIM Card Cost?

First, you’ll need to buy the SIM card itself which should cost you 50,000-60,000 VND (~$2.50 USD). Once the SIM card has been activated and registered you can add credit and purchase a data package.

Viettel offers the following packages for tourists (all plans are for 1 month):

Don’t worry about figuring out how to do all this. If you’re purchasing your SIM card at the airport or the Viettel shop then whoever sells you the SIM card should be able to set everything up for you. And they’ll likely speak at least a little English.

Calling and Texting on Your New SIM

Some data packages include SMS or call time while others do not. Most people in Vietnam have WhatsApp so you likely won’t need to actually call anyone.

If you do think you’ll be making local phone calls make sure you get a data package that includes some call time. Or you can simply add some additional credit to your SIM and pay-as-you-go for your calls and texts.

Here are the current rates for calling and texting with Viettel:

• Local calls (within Vietnam): 1,800 VND/minute
• Local SMS (within Vietnam): 300 VND/text
• International calls: 3,600 VND/minute
• International SMS: 2,500 VND/text

Viettel vs. VinaPhone vs. MobiFone vs. Vietnamobile

As mentioned above, there are 4 mobile carriers that offer SIM cards in Vietnam – Viettel, MobiFone, Vinaphone, and Vietnamboile. But which is the best mobile network in Vietnam?

Of Vietnam’s mobile carriers Viettel has the largest mobile network and most customers.

Viettel has the largest mobile network and most customers.

Vinaphone has the second-best coverage map, but we have always had trouble with our SIM cards when we have purchased Vinaphone. MobiFone has great coverage in the city but starts to get a little spotty if you start to get off the beaten track. We have always had a great experience with MobiFone, but if you’re planning on being out in the countryside, it might not be the best choice.

Vietnamobile has little to no coverage outside major cities and even though it is the cheapest you should avoid it at all costs.

Vietnamobile has little to no coverage outside of major cities and even though it is the cheapest you should avoid it at all costs.

In addition to having great coverage in both northern and southern Vietnam, Viettel has conveniently located stores in both the Old Quarter of Hanoi and District 1 in Saigon.

Viettel is the clear winner for the title of “Best Vietnam SIM Card Provider“.

Recharging/Topping-up Your Vietnam SIM Card

If you’re staying in Vietnam for less than a month it’s unlikely you’ll need to renew your data package. However, you may find yourself in a situation where 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-off vouchers. Just buy the desired amount and load it onto your phone. It’s probably easiest to just have whoever sold you the voucher to load it onto your phone. But if you prefer to do it yourself just open up the phonecall screen on your cell phone and type *100*{voucher-code}# and press enter.

If this sounds too complicated you can also use the online service Recharge.com. You enter your Vietnamese phone number, select how much money you want to add and pay with PayPal or credit card. There is a $1 USD surcharge but we think the convenience makes up for the additional cost.

Have you been to Vietnam? What do you think is the best Vietnamese SIM cards?

SHARE THIS ON PINTEREST