When my taxi rolled up to Aleenta Phuket Phang Nga Resort & Spa, a luxurious beach hideaway north of Phuket—and far from Thailand's overcrowded beach towns like Patong—I was a shell of a human, on the verge of burnout. My body was teetering toward a full system shutdown; my gut was a mess. My under-eye bags could double as carry-ons.
How to get your cell phone connected in Vietnam: eSIMs, wi-fi and mobile networks
27.12.2024 - 11:39 / lonelyplanet.com
Dec 25, 2024 • 9 min read
You only need to spend a few moments in Vietnam to realize that the country is on an upward trajectory. The words "Made in Vietnam" are becoming ubiquitous on electronics and clothing worldwide as the nation flexes its manufacturing muscle, funding a local tech revolution.
Along historic boulevards in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), you’ll see fruit sellers accepting payments by phone, commuters hailing rides on rideshare apps and hungry workers summoning steaming bowls of pho soup via GrabFood.
Whether you plan to bask on Phu Quoc’s beaches, hang out in historic Hanoi or Hoi An, or head for the hills in the rugged mountain ranges of the northwest, a smartphone is the one essential piece of kit to pack.
However, there are a few things you need to know to ensure you stay smoothly connected as you travel from Cham temple to bustling market to bia hoi (fresh beer) stand to hidden cave to jungle hiking trail. Here’s what you need to know about using your cell phone, finding an eSIM, accessing wi-fi and finding the right service provider for your trip to Vietnam.
You’ll want a working cell phone in Vietnam to check maps, confirm bookings and coordinate with tour operators and public transport providers, as well as sending and receiving emails, texts and social media messages. The good news is that most foreign phones will work in Vietnam.
The usual caveats apply – if you plan to use your home phone, it needs to be unlocked so it will work with local networks. If your mobile is locked into your home network, you’ll either have to use international roaming, which can be ruinously expensive, or buy a second phone to use with a local SIM. Fortunately, Chinese- and Vietnamese-made Android-based smartphones are cheaply available in Vietnam.
Almost all of Vietnam’s population has access to 3G or 4G coverage, and mobile operator Viettel launched Vietnam’s first 5G network in October 2024. However, this doesn’t mean 100% of the country has a phone signal – head into the mountains or Vietnam’s national parks and the signal bars can quickly drop to zero.
Looking at the country as a whole, Vietnam ranks 43rd in the world for mobile speeds according to Speedtest – that’s faster than Hong Kong, Thailand and the UK, but not as fast as the United States and much of Europe. The three largest networks are state-owned Viettel, and smaller operators Mobifone and Vinafone. Some are better than others for specific parts of the country; Viettel has the best nationwide coverage.
Whichever network you pick, it’s important to think about how many gigabytes of data you will need per day. If you rely heavily on Google Maps to get around and spend a lot of time on social media or streaming services, look for a
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