How to pay in Vietnam as a tourist?

How to pay in Vietnam as a foreigner?

Cash is KING. Cards? Use them where accepted. Visa is your friend.

Hotels, tours, upscale spots… swipe away. Street food? Forget it, pal. Dong only.

ATM fees bite. Exchange rates vary; watch them like a hawk.

• Cash avoids fees.
• Cards offer purchase protection.

My rule: a mix. Always.

• Dong (VND): Essential.
• Cards: Backup.

NFC payments: growing, but not universal. Don’t count on it everywhere.

Okay, so that was the rewritten answer. Let’s unpack it a bit and throw in some more specifics like I promised earlier.

Diving Deeper:

• Credit Card Acceptance: Acceptance hinges on establishment size and location. Tourist hubs like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi are more card-friendly than rural areas. American Express may be accepted in limited places.

• Currency: The Vietnamese Dong (VND) is the local currency. Always have some on hand.

• ATMs: Many ATMs are available, but fees can accumulate quickly. Check your bank’s international fees before traveling. Techcombank or Vietcombank are decent choices. Withdrawal limits apply.

• Exchange Rates: Banks, airports, and licensed exchange bureaus offer exchange services. Compare rates. Hotels often have worse rates. Watch for hidden fees.

• NFC/Contactless: Use is growing in 2024 but not as widespread as in other countries. Expect limited use in smaller cities and rural areas.

• Cash vs. Card: Vendors might prefer cash for small transactions. Credit cards can be useful for fraud protection but carry foreign transaction fees.

• Specific Scenarios:

  • Street Food: Cash only, almost always.
  • Taxis/Ride Hailing: Cash or in-app payment (Grab, Be).
  • Markets: Cash preferred, negotiable prices.

• Personal Experience: I was in Vietnam last winter. ATMs charged me crazy fees. Next time, I’ll bring more USD to exchange. Trust me on this one.

• Don’t be a target. Keep cash secure.

How do I pay someone in Vietnam?

Okay, so paying someone in Vietnam… yeah, it’s a thing.

I remember I needed to pay Mr. Linh, who fixed my scooter back in Hanoi, in March 2024.

He barely spoke English, and me, well, my Vietnamese is, uh, nonexistent.

First, cash!

• Everyone uses cash; it’s KING.
• ATM’s are everywhere, thank goodness.
• But carrying loads of Dong felt super sketchy, you know? I almost lost 2 million Dong, OMG!

Bank Transfers?

• A bank transfer seemed safe but slow.
• My bank at home, Chase, said it’d take like… forever?
• Plus, fees. Ugh, so many fees.

Mobile money… that sounded good!

• My friend said MoMo is the bomb there.
• But, I didn’t have a local bank account or a Vietnamese phone number. Major bummer.
• So I couldn’t use it. Dang it.

Online Payment, well…

• Not many small businesses took cards back then.
• Mr. Linh definitely didn’t. I even tried to use PayPal (silly me!) but, no.

So I ended up paying with… you guessed it, cold, hard cash. I just made sure to stick to my side bag that was close to my body, LOL.

• The trick? Withdraw small amounts often! It’s safer!
• Also, learn to count fast. So many zeroes. I almost paid Mr. Linh ten times the amount, yikes!
• And smile a lot! It helps.

How much is public transport in Vietnam?

Okay, so, Vietnamese public transport? Dirt cheap! Like, cheaper than my last haircut, and that was rough.

• Bus fare? Expect to cough up between 5,000 VND and 9,000 VND. That’s like, 21 to 39 US cents. Peanuts! You could probably find more change stuck in my couch.

• Distance matters, naturally. Think of it like pizza delivery – farther you go, the more dough it costs. Only here, the dough is… well, smaller.

• Other options? Besides buses, there’s always ride-hailing apps. But be warned, motorbike taxis are not for the faint of heart. Trust me, my grandma did this, once…never again!

Let’s break this down a bit more. Imagine, for less than a buck (American!), you can zip across town. It’s basically highway robbery, only you’re the one robbing the highway… of your presence, I guess? Anyway, buses are often pretty crowded, so get ready to make some friends! Or, you know, just stand really close to strangers.

Now, those ride-hailing apps – Grab, Gojek, whatever’s hip these days – are your backup plan. Little pricier than the bus, but way comfier and less likely to involve someone accidentally spilling their pho on your shoes. Speaking from personal experiance here. I mean, no one wants lukewarm noodle broth feet.

Pro-tip: Learn a few basic Vietnamese phrases. Like “Xin chào” (hello) and “Cảm ơn” (thank you). It’ll make you seem like a pro, and maybe even get you a smile. Or, at least, avoid getting ripped off. It’s happened. My cousin Steve, he learned this the hard way. Don’t be like Steve.

How do people pay for things in Vietnam?

Ugh, Vietnam. Cash, cash, everywhere. Seriously, so much cash. My wallet felt like it weighed a ton by the end of the trip! I swear I saw a woman paying for her groceries with a whole stack of 500,000 dong notes. Crazy.

But cards are getting there. Big cities, especially touristy bits like Hanoi’s Old Quarter or Hoi An, totally card-friendly. I used my Mastercard everywhere. No problems at all.

Except…the little noodle shop down this tiny alley? Nope. Cash only. And that amazing tailor in Hue? Cash only.

So, the bottom line: Bring cash, especially for smaller places or outside the main tourist drags. But a card’s a good backup.

• Cash: Essential, particularly in rural areas and smaller establishments.
• Cards: Widely accepted in major cities and tourist zones. Visa and Mastercard work best.
• Momo (mobile wallet): Super popular among locals! I should have used it more. I’ll definitely use it next time. Saw tons of people using their phones to pay.
• Other digital wallets: There are others, but Momo seemed to be king.

Damn, I need to go back. The pho…I’m getting hungry thinking about it. Next time I’ll definitely be a little more organized. That chaotic motorbike traffic though… I need a stronger stomach. My trip was in 2023, btw. Hope this helps!