Guide · Connectivity
Vietnam SIM and eSIM — what to get in Da Nang, where, and how it is activated
There are three ways to have data in Vietnam: a local physical SIM, an eSIM, or roaming on your home carrier. This page, current as of 2026-08-25, sets out which of the three a Da Nang traveller ends up choosing, what activation requires, and where people choose wrong. Plan prices and data allowances change constantly from product to product, so they are not written here.
Updated 2026-08-25
Three methods — what you save and what you pay for
- Local physical SIM — works with any handset. In exchange you take your home SIM out and keep it somewhere safe, and calls and texts to your home number will not reach you. You need the pin that opens the SIM tray.
- eSIM — a profile is downloaded instead of a card being swapped. Your home number stays live while data runs on the local network. In exchange the handset has to support eSIM and must not be carrier-locked.
- Roaming on your home carrier — nothing to activate and the number stays the same. In exchange the cost structure is different, and over a stay of several days it usually compares poorly with a local SIM or eSIM.
For a short trip where you must keep receiving verification texts on your home number, roaming or an eSIM is the easier answer. For a longer stay with heavy data use, a local SIM or eSIM wins.
Three things to check before choosing an eSIM
- Whether the handset supports eSIM — support depends on the model and on the region it was sold in. Check that an add-eSIM item appears in your settings before you travel.
- Whether the handset is carrier-locked — a locked device cannot load another carrier's profile.
- Whether you will have internet when you install — downloading an eSIM profile requires a connection. On arrival, with no data, installation is blocked, so the safe order is to install before departure and activate once you are there.
Many eSIM products cannot be reinstalled once the profile is deleted. Tidying up by removing a profile can cost you the remaining validity.
Local carriers — you will be choosing among three
- Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone are the main networks.
- In urban areas all three are fine. The differences show up in mountainous and outlying areas.
- They sell separate prepaid products aimed at visitors, and whether the seller is an official store or not changes both the activation procedure and what happens if something goes wrong afterwards.
If you plan day trips out of Da Nang to Hoi An or Ba Na Hills, it is worth checking coverage. That said, this site does not measure real-world speed or coverage, so we do not rank the networks.
Activation requires your passport
Vietnam requires prepaid lines to be registered to a named person. You present your passport at activation, the seller registers the details, and the line then goes live.
A seller who activates a line immediately without checking your passport may not be following the official procedure. Lines like that can be cut off later, and there is no counter to go back to when they are.
Documentation requirements can change. The notices of each carrier are the source.
Where to buy — airport, town, or online before you go
- Booths in the arrivals area at Da Nang airport — you are connected as soon as you land. The convenience can cost you worse terms than in town, and on a late-night arrival the booth may be closed.
- Official stores in town — a wider choice of products and somewhere to return to if there is a problem. In exchange you drop your bags at the hotel and go out again.
- Buying an eSIM online before departure — you receive a QR code at home, install it in advance and activate on arrival. The advantage is having data live the moment you land.
For a late-night arrival, do not depend on the airport booth. Install an eSIM before you travel, or have your transport to the hotel arranged in advance.
Do not read unlimited at face value
Products described as unlimited often carry a separate cap on full-speed data. Past that cap the connection stays up but the speed drops sharply.
Whether the cap is per day or across the whole validity period also differs from product to product. If you plan to watch a lot of video or tether a laptop, check that condition first.
Whether tethering (hotspot) is permitted varies by product. Check before buying if you intend to share with the people you are travelling with.
Data only, or a local number as well
- Data only — internet and nothing else. With no local number you cannot receive calls or texts.
- With a local number — usable when a restaurant booking or a call with a driver is needed.
- Ride-hailing apps generally let you contact the driver inside the app, so data alone is enough to get around.
If you have to receive bank or service verification texts while travelling, you need a setup that keeps your home number live. Pulling the physical SIM out will not receive them.
What to pack for this
- A SIM tray pin — needed if you are using a physical SIM. People damage trays substituting a paper clip.
- A case for your home SIM — losing the card you took out makes the trip home more troublesome than it needs to be.
- The eSIM QR code — if it exists only on the screen of the phone you are installing to, you cannot scan it. Print it or keep it on another device.
- A power bank — constant maps and translation drain a battery quickly.
FAQ
- Is a physical SIM or an eSIM better in Vietnam?
- If your handset supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked, the eSIM is easier. Your home number stays live while data runs locally, and there is no card to lose. If the handset does not support it, use a physical SIM.
- Can I buy a SIM at Da Nang airport?
- Telecom booths have operated in the arrivals area. Opening hours and the products carried can change, so they are not written here. For a late-night arrival, do not depend on the booth — prepare an eSIM before you travel.
- Do I need my passport to activate a line?
- Yes. Vietnam requires prepaid lines to be registered to a named person. A seller who activates immediately without checking your passport may not be following the official procedure, and such lines can be cut off later.
- Can I keep my home number?
- With an eSIM or with roaming, yes — the home number stays live. Swapping in a physical SIM means calls and texts to your home number will not reach you, which is decisive if you need banking verification messages while you travel.
- It says unlimited — is it really unlimited?
- Many products carry a separate full-speed cap. Past it the connection stays up but the speed drops sharply. Check whether the cap is daily or for the whole period, and whether tethering is allowed, before buying.
- Can I install an eSIM before I leave home?
- Most products separate installation from activation. Installation needs an internet connection, so installing before departure and activating on arrival is the safe order. Activation timing rules differ by product, so follow the seller's instructions.
- Which carrier is best?
- Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone are the main networks, and in urban areas all three are fine. This site does not measure real-world speed or coverage, so we do not rank them. If you are heading into outlying or mountainous areas, check coverage separately.
- Can several of us share one line?
- Whether tethering is permitted varies by product. Even where it is, the battery drains fast and the connection drops as the devices spread out. One line each is simpler.
Not verified
- · Plan prices and data allowances — they differ by product and change constantly
- · Opening hours and products carried at the Da Nang airport telecom booths
- · Real-world speed and regional coverage by carrier — this site does not measure them
- · The list of handsets that support eSIM
- · The current documentation requirements for activating a prepaid line
Not stated by the official source. We do not fill these in with estimates.
Related
Source
- · Plans and activation requirements come from the official notices of Viettel, Vinaphone and MobiFone
- · eSIM support comes from the official notices of your handset manufacturer
- · Roaming charges come from the official notices of your own carrier