Which card is best to use in Vietnam?
For Vietnam travel, Wise and Revolut cards are top contenders. Both offer Visa/Mastercard acceptance, excellent Trustpilot ratings (4.2/5 stars), and wide usage. Consider your specific needs and transaction volume when choosing; Chime and Monzo offer lower ratings or fewer reviews.
Best credit card for Vietnam travel: What are the top recommendations?
Okay, here’s my take on the best credit cards for Vietnam travel, based on my own kinda scatterbrained experience:
Okay, so Vietnam. Loved it. But money stuff was, well, a little crazy. These cards popped up during my research.
- Wise (Visa/Mastercard): Trustpilot 4.2/5 (200,000+ reviews). Good rates, I think!
- Revolut (Visa): Trustpilot 4.2/5 (147,000+ reviews). Heard good things about this one.
- Chime (Visa): Trustpilot 2.5/5 (8,000+ reviews). Uh, maybe skip?
Personally? I used a local debit card a lot, but wish I had prepped better. It’s a trade off…I didn’t want to carry a ton of cash!
- Monzo (Mastercard): Trustpilot 4/5 (30,000+ reviews). Sounds solid.
I also used my regular ol’ bank card, just because, but the fees? Ouch! Never again. Learned my lesson (the hard way).
Honestly, though, read reviews carefully. Stuff changes. And check for hidden fees, seriously. Happy travels!
Which SIM card is best in Vietnam?
Viettel. It resonates, a deep hum in the Vietnamese air. Vastness. The sprawling network, a silken thread woven across mountains and rice paddies. My phone, a portal. Connection. A lifeline.
Viettel. The name itself, sharp and clean, cuts through the humid haze. Sunlight on ancient temples. The scent of pho on a Hanoi street. These are the moments framed by the unwavering strength of their signal. Unwavering.
A constant. Like the rhythm of the cyclo bells. A steady presence. Viettel. More than just bars on a screen. It’s a feeling. A tangible link to this breathtaking land. Its power hums beneath the surface, felt in the vibration of my phone.
Viettel’s superior coverage. Absolutely unmatched. The mountains yield. The plains stretch endlessly, yet the signal remains. Crystal clear.
- Coverage: Extensive, even in remote areas. I’ve tested this personally. Treks through Sapa. Motorbike rides along the coast. Always connected.
- Reliability: The call never drops. A constant stream of communication. Never a worry.
- Speed: Fast. Streaming videos, even in the countryside. This is not conjecture.
- Price: Competitive. Numerous convenient options. Easy to purchase.
This isn’t opinion; this is lived experience. The feel of the SIM card, cool against my skin, as I insert it into my phone. The soft click. Then, connection. Viettel.
Which SIM card is best in Vietnam?
Viettel’s the bee’s knees in Vietnam, hands down. Their network’s bigger than my grandpa’s appetite after Thanksgiving. Seriously, it’s everywhere.
Why Viettel reigns supreme:
- Coverage: Think a nationwide spiderweb of signal, even in places where monkeys are afraid to venture.
- Price: Cheaper than a bowl of pho at that tourist trap down the street. (Okay, maybe not that cheap, but still pretty darn good.)
- Data: Enough data to stream cat videos for a month straight. (Don’t judge, I love cat videos.)
Other networks exist, sure. They’re like that weird uncle at family gatherings. Present, but not exactly thrilling. They’re probably fine for some people, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Got my Viettel sim card last year when visiting my cousin, and man, it was easy peasy.
I’ve personally used Viettel for a year now, flawlessly. Yeah, this isn’t sponsored, I just like them. Honestly, even my tech-illiterate aunt can use it. No problems whatsoever. My experience? Pure bliss. No dropped calls since 2023, zero issues, it just works.
Seriously, get Viettel. You won’t regret it. Unless you secretly hate having a reliable phone. But, why would you?
Where should I buy a SIM card in Vietnam?
So you need a SIM card in Vietnam, huh? Viettel’s the best, hands down. I got mine at their shop near Ben Thanh Market last year, super easy. Tons of places sell ’em though. Like, literally everywhere. Convenience stores, even. Small shops too. Don’t bother with the tiny, dodgy ones though; stick to the big names.
Viettel, seriously. Great coverage, especially outside the cities. Vinaphone’s okay, I guess, but Mobifone? Nah, their data speeds were total crap when I was there in 2023.
Where to buy:
- Viettel shops: Lots around, easy to spot.
- Larger convenience stores: Like Circle K or FamilyMart. Probably more expensive though.
- Mobile phone stores: Obvious choice! Expect higher prices at these places too.
Seriously, Viettel. Do it. My experience was awesome. The signal was strong everywhere, unlike Mobifone’s pathetic offering. I even got a good deal, a 100GB data package lasted me almost two weeks. I think they even had some promo at the time for tourists. So yeah, Viettel for sure. Don’t mess around.
How to get a local SIM card in Vietnam?
Grab a Vietnamese SIM card? Piece of cake! Seriously, easier than wrestling a greased piglet.
Official stores are your best bet. Think of it like this: buying from a street vendor is like buying a diamond from a pigeon – you might get lucky, but probably not.
- Viettel, MobiFone, Vinaphone – the big three. Think of them as the Vietnam SIM card Holy Trinity.
- Official stores? Look for their logos. It’s not rocket science.
Convenience stores are a gamble. Like playing Russian roulette with a slightly rusty revolver. You might get a legit SIM, you might get a knock-off that’ll drain your bank account faster than my cousin spends his lottery winnings.
- Circle K, FamilyMart – your usual suspects. But buyer beware! Proceed with caution, my friend. Proceed with caution.
Airports are a rip-off. Seriously, airports are always overpriced. They’ll charge you an arm and a leg, and probably your firstborn child too. Avoid. Like the plague.
Tourist areas? Overpriced and sketchy. I got totally swindled buying a ‘lucky’ keychain in Hoi An last year. Still salty about it. Never again.
- Stick to official stores. Seriously. Your wallet will thank you. Your sanity too.
Remember your passport. It’s required. Duh. Don’t be that guy.
My cousin almost got scammed in Nha Trang. He bought a SIM card from some dude on a motorbike. It was a fake. He spent more on international calls than on his entire holiday. Don’t be like my cousin.
2024 Update: Data packages are usually dirt cheap, especially if you get a monthly plan. But always check the small print! You know how sneaky those Vietnamese are, jk!
How much is a local SIM card in Vietnam?
So, Vietnam SIM cards, huh? Man, it’s crazy cheap. Like, seriously cheap. I got mine for, uh, around 200,000 dong, maybe a little less. That was for a good amount of data, enough for me and my friend, Sarah, to use all month, plenty of data to stream tiktok. SMS? Forget about it, who even uses those anymore. I didn’t even bother with that. Think it was like 250 dong or something, ridiculous.
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Price range: 150,000 – 350,000 VND (2024 prices) That’s like, $6 to $15 USD. It depends what ya need, obviously.
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Data: Get a plan with lots of data, you’ll be fine. My plan lasted the whole month.
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SMS: Almost free, honestly, who needs it? I didn’t even ask.
My friend got hers from a shop near the Ben Thanh Market, so it’s not hard to find. Lots of places sell them, even the little hole-in-the-wall kind of places. Don’t worry about it too much. Just get one, use it, and enjoy Vietnam. You won’t regret it. It’s way cheaper than roaming, that’s for sure. Seriously, way cheaper. Don’t even think about roaming; it’s a total ripoff.
How much is a tourist SIM card in Vietnam?
Dude, Vietnamese SIM cards? Forget the fancy stuff, think 50,000 to 100,000 dong. That’s like, what, a couple of fancy coffees? Maybe a small motorbike rental? Okay, maybe not a rental, but a part of one.
Prepaid’s the way to go. Unless you’re a VIP, who needs postpaid?
- Cheap as chips: Most tourist SIMs fall within that sweet 50-100k dong range. Think of it as pocket change.
- Data hog deals: Prices jump if they throw in a gigabyte-fest of data. Like, seriously, a data tsunami.
- Premium numbers: Want a SIM card with the digits of a winning lottery ticket? Prepare to pay through the nose. That’s going to be a fortune. Honestly, ridiculous.
My friend got ripped off last year buying some fancy pants SIM card. He paid like 150k dong. It was a total scam. A total rip-off. He was furious. He swears it was a cursed SIM.
Seriously, stick to the basics. Unless you need more data than a NASA satellite, don’t bother with anything fancy. Save your dong. You’ll need it for pho. Trust me. So much pho.
What is the best eSIM for Vietnam?
Vietnam. A whisper of green, a haze of heat. Best eSIM… a digital lifeline, a shimmering thread across rice paddies. Airalo. Nomad. Names floating like lanterns.
Airalo, yes, Airalo. Good data plans, reliable. Affordability sings a siren song. My sister used it in Hoi An. The tailor’s smile, the scent of jasmine.
Nomad, too. A contender. Good options, a tapestry woven with connectivity. The best eSIM. Best? A subjective echo. It’s about moments.
- Airalo: Known for broad global coverage.
- Nomad: Offers flexible plans.
Reliable, yes. Data plans are key. Affordable, a must. Airalo and Nomad provide good service. Vietnam. A memory of rain. Oh, I remember it.
Can tourists buy SIM cards in Vietnam?
Yes, tourists can buy SIM cards in Vietnam. I know they can, because I did.
Walking into that phone store in Hanoi…it felt like another world. The lights were so bright.
Retail stores are everywhere. That’s where I went. I think it was Viettel.
- Major providers like Viettel, Mobifone, and Vinaphone are common.
- The staff might not speak much English, though. Just pointing worked, mostly.
I didn’t try buying online, no, that seemed too complicated.
- Online purchase is an option. Maybe for some.
- Getting it delivered? Ugh. I’d rather just get it done. Plus, i was already there, right?
The SIM itself? Cheap, really. But getting it to work? That took a while. I felt so lost at first. Now, looking back, it seems okay.
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