At Hanoi Airport, travelers can easily purchase prepaid SIM cards for their stay in Vietnam. Among the available options, Viettel stands out as the largest and most reliable mobile network provider in the country. Known for its strong coverage not only in major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang but also in remote and rural areas, Viettel is often considered the most dependable choice for those planning to move around the country.
One popular package includes 25 GB of high-speed data with a validity of 15 days for just 200,000 Vietnamese Dong (less than 8 US dollars). This represents excellent value, especially when compared with tourist SIM prices in other countries. For example, in Turkey, a similar package usually costs around 40 US dollars, while in the United Arab Emirates, tourist SIMs can reach up to 80 US dollars for comparable data allowances.
The stark difference highlights Vietnam as one of the most affordable and tourist-friendly destinations for mobile data. For visitors who rely on internet access for navigation, communication, and staying connected on social media, these SIM card packages provide both convenience and outstanding value for money.
SIM Cards in Vietnam
Vietnam’s major mobile operators are Viettel, Vinaphone, and Mobifone (together covering ~85% of subscribers) All offer prepaid (“SIM”) plans with 4G/LTE (and growing 5G in cities). Viettel has the widest coverage (excellent in cities and rural areas), Vinaphone is a close second (great in urban areas, good rural), and Mobifone is generally reliable in cities but patchier in remote regions. (Vietnamobile is cheaper data-only but very limited outside big cities.)
Tourist SIM Cards
Tourists can buy tourist SIM bundles (preloaded data + calls) at airports or kiosks. These are ready-to-use (often pre-registered) and valid from a few days up to ~30 days. Major examples:
|
Provider (Tourist SIM) |
Data (GB) & Extras | Validity | Price (VND) |
|
Viettel |
1 GB + 20 min local + 10 min intl
5 GB + 100 min local + 50 min intl |
5 days
25 days |
100,000 (~$4.5)
500,000 (~$22) |
| Vinaphone | Unlimited (throttled to 1 GB/day) | 30 days |
300,000 (~$13) |
| Mobifone | 10GB | 30 days |
200,000 (~$9) |
These plans include local minutes (and limited international minutes). For example, Viettel’s tourist SIMs (sold at international airports and big Viettel stores) range from 1 GB/5 d (100k VND) up to 5 GB/25 d (500k VND). Vinaphone offers “unlimited” data at 1 GB/day (throttled thereafter) for 7/15/30 days (e.g. 30 d for 300k VND). Mobifone’s tourist bundles include 6–10 GB for 30 days (200k–250k VND). Vietnamobile provides simple daily unlimited plans (~50–100k VND) aimed at short-stay city travellers.
Special offers: Occasionally providers run promotions (e.g. bonus data or partner packages), but generally tourist SIM prices are fixed by law. All tourist SIMs must be registered (passport required), but airport kiosks often handle this for you on purchase.
Long-Term (Expats/Residents) Plans
For stays over ~30 days, use a regular prepaid SIM (or postpaid contract). There are many data top-ups and bundle options. A typical long-term plan is on the order of 30 GB per month for ~100,000–150,000 VND (≈$4–6). These prepaid bundles can be renewed every 30 days via app, USSD code or refill card. Larger packages exist: for example, one report cites a 1-year Viettel plan with “unlimited” data for ~950,000 VND (≈$40), and Vinaphone offers similar annual bundles (e.g. ~500 GB/year for ~$8/month, prepaid yearly).
Unlike tourist SIMs, long-term SIMs can be refilled and offer flexibility (custom data, add-ons, etc.). They typically require registration at an official store with passport (as required by lawBoth Viettel and Vinaphone have English-language apps (My Viettel, My VNPT) to manage plans and top-ups; Mobifone’s app is more limited.
|
Long-Term Plans |
Data | Validity | Price (VND) |
|
Viettel/Vinaphone prepaid |
30 GB | 30 days |
~100,000–150,000 |
Network Coverage & Quality
Vietnam has widespread 4G/LTE coverage, especially in urban and tourist areas, and 5G is rolling out in major cities (Hanoi, HCMC). Coverage ranks as Viettel: Excellent (city) / Best (rural); Vinaphone: Excellent (city) / Good (rural); Mobifone: Good (city) / Fair (rural). In practice, Viettel is regarded as the most reliable across the country, including mountains and islands. Vinaphone is nearly as good in cities but slightly weaker in remote areas. Mobifone is fine in towns but can drop out in the countryside. Vietnamobile has spotty rural signal and is best avoided outside major cities.
Typical urban 4G speeds are around 30–70 Mbps on Viettel, 25–50 Mbps on Vinaphone, and 20–40 Mbps on Mobifone. 5G is currently available on Viettel and Vinaphone in a few cities. Travelers should note that coverage drops off in mountainous or remote regions (e.g. Ha Giang, Sapa, Central Highlands, some islands), so plan accordingly (Viettel is safest for cross-country travel).
Where to Buy SIM Cards
You can buy SIMs in Vietnam at several places:
- Airports: Major airports (Hanoi Noi Bai, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh Tan Son Nhat, etc.) have official kiosks for Viettel, Vinaphone, Mobifone, etc. Buying here is the fastest (often pre-registered), but prices may be slightly higher.
- Official Stores: Viettel/Vinaphone/Mobifone branches are common in cities. Staff will register your SIM on the spot (passport required) and help you pick a plan.
- Convenience Shops: Circle K, 7-Eleven, VinMart and similar stores sell SIM cards (often blank or with basic bundles). They can be convenient for quick purchase or top-up, but variety is limited. Note: truly unregistered SIMs are illegal – stores must register your passport, so be cautious of unofficial street vendors.
- Online Pre-order: Services like Klook or KKday allow ordering a SIM (or eSIM) before travel, with pickup at airport or delivery to your hotel. eSIMs can also be bought online (Airalo, Nomad, etc.) and activated upon arrival.
In short, airport and official stores are safest for tourists. Always insist the agent registers the SIM with your passport and shows the confirmation message.
Activation & Registration
Vietnamese law requires every SIM to be registered to a real ID (passport for foreigners). In practice:
- Buy the SIM at an airport kiosk or official store.
- Present your passport. The staff will photocopy or scan it and register the SIM to your name.
- Receive SMS confirmation. Within minutes you’ll get a text confirming registration. Without this step, the SIM can be blocked (unregistered SIMs are often deactivated in 1–3 days).
- Activate/Top-Up Plan. Insert the SIM, restart the phone, and follow instructions to activate your chosen data/call package (or dial a code). (At the airport, staff often do this for you.)
Keep your passport handy for registration. All providers insist on it: “SIMs must be registered with your passport by law”.
Price Comparison (Vietnam vs. Turkey/UAE)
Vietnam offers very affordable SIM data by international standards. A basic SIM costs only 50,000 VND ($2.50) and a data bundle typically 150,000–300,000 VND ($6.50–$15). For example, Viettel’s tourist pack above (5 GB for 25 days) is 500k VND ($22).
By contrast, tourist SIMs in some other countries are pricier. In Turkey, a Turkcell “Tourist Welcome Pack” gives 20 GB for 30 days at 349 TRY (about $12–13) – comparable per-GB cost. In the UAE (Dubai), however, data is much more expensive: e.g. 21 GB for 7 days costs AED 150 (~$41). Thus, Vietnam’s mobile data tends to be cheaper than Gulf countries and on par with other Asian destinations.
Tips for Tourists (Using Data Efficiently)
- Use Wi-Fi whenever possible. Vietnam has free Wi-Fi in most hotels, cafés, malls and restaurants. One guide advises: “To save your data, make use of free Wi-Fi as much as possible”.
- Download Offline Maps: Apps like Google Maps allow offline region downloads. This saves data when navigating cities or remote roads.
- Control Background Data: Disable automatic updates and background app refresh. Turn off video auto-play on social media or news apps.
- Pre-download Media: Download videos, guides or songs on Wi-Fi before travel. Consider using data-compression browsers or apps.
- Top-Up Strategically: Monitor usage (e.g. *102# on Viettel/Vinaphone to check data). If you use a lot of video/streaming, consider buying social-media or YouTube add-on packs from your operator (they’re often cheaper for those apps).
- Power Bank: Carry a charger/backup battery. Heavy data use (GPS, streaming) drains phones quickly. (This was noted as a general travel tip.)
By planning ahead (e.g. securing data packs at arrival and switching to Wi-Fi when possible), tourists can stay connected at low cost without running out of data.