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 don’t want to read the rest of this 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

Quick Tips for Buying a SIM Card in Vietnam

• Viettel is the best Vietnam SIM card provider
• The easiest place to buy a SIM card is at the airport when you first arrive in Vietnam
• Make sure you bring your passport when you go to purchase a SIM Card
• Make sure to have your cell phone unlocked for international use before you leave your home country
• Expect to pay between 150,000-350,000 VND ($6-$15 USD) for a SIM card and prepaid data package depending on how long you’re staying in Vietnam and how much data you want

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. However the one that I recommend is SASCO Travel. They have a kiosk right inside the airport and you can buy it online with your credit card. It is fast and pretty convenient.

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.