Vietnam SIM card for tourists 2026: airport or eSIM?
Where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam, what the counter asks for, coverage in Hanoi, and when an eSIM installed before you fly is the better buy.
Short answer: A tourist SIM card in Vietnam is bought at a counter after you land in Hanoi; a ONE eSIM plan for Vietnam is installed at home on Wi-Fi, works the moment you land and leaves your own SIM and number in place. Both work in every city in this guide.
Landing in Hanoi and wondering whether to queue for a SIM card? This is how buying one works in Vietnam in 2026, what the counter will ask you for, and when an eSIM bought before you fly is the better deal.
Where to buy a SIM card in Vietnam
Viettel, Vinaphone and Mobifone sell tourist SIM cards at counters in the arrivals halls in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, and in their shops in every town. The card is registered to your passport, often with a photo taken at the counter. Packs are sold by the number of days and usually include some local minutes.
Tourist SIM card or travel eSIM?
| SIM card in Vietnam | ONE eSIM Our price | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Airport counter or a shop | On this site, in a minute |
| When it works | After the counter and the swap | The moment you land |
| Your home number | Out of the phone | Stays in for calls and texts |
| Paperwork | Often a passport and a form | None |
| Validity | Sized by the month | From one day; top up when you need |
| If it fails | Back to the shop | Refunded in full before installation |
An eSIM is a plan downloaded onto a phone that supports it, which is every iPhone since the XS and most Android flagships since 2020. You install it on Wi-Fi at home, keep the line switched off, and turn it on when the plane lands in Hanoi. The plan starts the first time it connects, not when you buy it.
Coverage in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang and beyond
Both a local SIM and a travel eSIM run on the same networks in Vietnam, so coverage is about the operator, not the kind of SIM. Our plans name their operator and whether it runs 3G, 4G or 5G; each plan card shows its best generation. In Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hoi An and Ha Long you will have a full signal from any of them.
FAQ: SIM cards and eSIMs in Vietnam
- Is a Vietnamese SIM card registered to my passport? Yes. Vietnam requires every SIM to be registered to the user’s identity, and the counter does it when you buy.
- Which Vietnamese network has the widest coverage? Viettel has the largest network, including the mountains in the north. Plans name their operators before you buy.
Before you fly
- Check your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked (our device page lists every model).
- Buy the plan a few days before the trip and install it on home Wi-Fi; the QR code arrives by email in minutes.
- Keep the travel line off until you land, then turn it on with data roaming enabled for that line only.
- Leave your home SIM in for calls and texts; set the eSIM as the mobile data line.
Read next