Old Quarter RevieweSIM and SIM cards for Vietnam
You need data from the first hour: the Grab app, maps, translation and your hotel address in Vietnamese all depend on it. There are three ways to get it, and the one sold hardest at the airport is the most expensive.
Option 1: an eSIM, set up before you fly
If your phone supports eSIM, this is the calm option: buy a Vietnam data plan at home, scan the code, and your phone connects by itself when the plane lands. No queue, no passport photocopy, no counter negotiation. Check your phone model supports eSIM, most flagships since 2020 do, and keep your home SIM active on the second slot for bank codes.
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Option 2: a SIM at the airport
Counters in the arrivals hall sell tourist SIMs in minutes. They work, and they charge for the convenience: expect noticeably more than in town for the same data. If you buy here, agree the total price and the data amount in writing before your passport changes hands, and check the phone shows 4G before you walk away.
Option 3: an official carrier store in town
The cheapest honest route. Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone run official stores across the Old Quarter and the city. Vietnamese law requires SIMs to be registered to an ID, so bring your passport; staff register it on the spot. A local SIM also gives you a Vietnamese number, which helps with Grab and deliveries.
How much data do you actually need?
Maps, messaging, Grab and social posting use roughly 1 GB in three busy days. Video calls and uploading Reels multiply that fast. For a one week trip, most visitors are comfortable with 5 to 10 GB and hotel Wi-Fi for the heavy uploads. Next: the airport guide for the ride into town, and travel insurance for the other pre trip essential.