If you’re wondering whether you should get a Vietnam eSIM for your trip, I can honestly say it made my life so much easier. I travelled across Vietnam in late April and early May for just over two weeks, visiting places like Sapa, the Ha Giang Loop, Bai Tu Long Bay, Ninh Binh, Hue, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta. Having an eSIM meant I landed with data ready to go – no queueing at airport kiosks, no comparing plans when you’re jetlagged, and no risk of losing my home SIM card.
We used Airalo, the same provider we had tried before in Mexico, Canada, Thailand and France. It had worked well on all our previous trips and Vietnam was no exception.
Why I prefer using a Vietnam eSIM
I love eSIMs because I can set everything up before the trip. I installed mine at home in Brisbane a few days before flying and didn’t have to think about it again. The moment the plane landed in Hanoi, it activated and I had data straight away.
I also don’t use data heavily when I’m travelling. I’m very much in the moment and don’t share things while I’m living them. If I want to send photos to my family or friends, I usually do it in downtime from the hotel or while we’re on the move between places. For the rest of the trip, I only need my phone to work when I need it to work – and the eSIM delivered perfectly.
You can check if your phone is compatible here.
The Airalo plan I chose
I picked the 5 GB / 30-day plan. The 15-day option didn’t suit my itinerary and there wasn’t anything in between. I preferred the longer validity to avoid having to top up, which isn’t always possible with an eSIM.
It was also a great deal. Considering my usage – no heavy streaming and no long video calls – those 5 GB felt unlimited. It even came out cheaper than other options I compared at the time, like Simify and Holafly.
Even better, Airalo runs on Viettel, the country’s top mobile network provider. Since the eSIM uses Viettel’s infrastructure, I expected it to be reliable, and it really was.
Installing it was extremely smooth, and because I did everything at home, there was no time wasted at the airport. Once it was active, I could even hotspot my connection, which always comes in handy when travelling as a couple.
Coverage and speed across Vietnam
Whenever I needed the eSIM to work, it worked.
I didn’t spend time checking signal strength or speed in every remote spot – that’s not how I travel – but I don’t remember having any issues. It never went offline when we were looking for a place on Google Maps, organising a Grab, or reaching tour operators on WhatsApp.
Here’s how it felt across the country:
- Cities (Hanoi, Hue, Hoi An, HCMC): fast and reliable
- Sapa & Ha Giang Loop: Maybe there were short dropouts at times, but nothing I can clearly remember
- Bai Tu Long Bay: no service – but nobody had service there, regardless of their provider
Real-life ways we used the eSIM
We relied on the eSIM mostly for:
- WhatsApp to coordinate tours and transport
- Grab in the cities
- Google Maps to navigate
- Google Translate on the Ha Giang Loop
- Hotspotting between devices
Having data from the moment we landed even saved us from being late to our first food tour. It made the whole trip easier.
The one downside of using an eSIM in Vietnam
With an eSIM, you can’t make local phone calls. But honestly, it wasn’t an issue at all:
- Every tour operator we used communicated through WhatsApp
- Grab doesn’t require calling anyone
- Hotels and homestays usually have excellent Wi-Fi
Unless you specifically need to call local numbers, you won’t miss this feature.
Should you choose a Vietnam eSIM or buy a local SIM card?
It depends on your travel style and the length of your trip.
A Vietnam eSIM is perfect if:
- You want a no-fuss experience
- You like landing with data ready to go
- You’re visiting for a short trip
- You mainly use WhatsApp, Maps, Grab and translation apps
- You don’t want to remove your home SIM card
A local SIM card might be better if:
- You’re staying long-term
- You want the absolute cheapest plan
- You need to make local calls regularly
For a two or three-week trip, I now always choose an eSIM. And if we were going to Vietnam again, we’d pick Airalo again without hesitation.
Have you used a SIM or an eSIM in Vietnam? Share your experience in the comments below!
