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Vietnam Vietnam Currency Guide

The currency of Vietnam and how to prepare for payments — all on one page.

Currency

Vietnamese Dong

VND · ₫

Checking rates

Check with your bank app or card issuer before you go

The rate and fees you actually pay differ by bank and card issuer.

Payment Tips to Remember

Always pay in the local currency

If a terminal asks whether to charge in your home currency, always choose the local currency. Choosing your home currency triggers DCC (dynamic currency conversion), which adds a hidden markup.

Set up a travel card before you fly

Prepaid multi-currency travel cards let you convert money in the app beforehand and pay like a debit card locally. Fees are usually lower than cash exchange counters, and you can freeze the card instantly from the app if lost.

Airport exchange counters: last resort

Airport counters are convenient but tend to offer some of the worst rates. If you need cash, exchange via your bank's app before departure or consider withdrawing from a local ATM.

Check ATM fees on screen

Local ATMs may add their own operator fee. Check the fee shown on the confirmation screen before proceeding. If the ATM offers conversion to your home currency (DCC), choosing the local currency is usually better.

Keep some small cash

Every country has places that don't take cards — markets, tips, small transport. Carrying a small amount of cash in separate places keeps you covered.

Cards for Abroad

Explore the Wise multi-currency card

One account holding 40+ currencies, converting and paying at mid-market based rates. Handy for multi-country trips — no need to exchange for each currency separately.

Learn more

Local data

Get an eSIM for Vietnam before you go

Activate mobile data with a QR code instead of swapping SIM cards. Buy it before departure and switch it on the moment you land.

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Check prices and availability on the booking sites.

City Guides in Vietnam

Da Nang

Beach resorts on one side, a working city on the other, with Hoi An and Ba Na Hills within reach.

Nha Trang

A beach town where the sand and the city sit side by side, so you can walk between them.

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City, located along the lower Saigon and Dong Nai rivers, is Vietnam's largest city and has served as a political and economic hub since French colonial times. It is also a major collection point for rice grown in the Mekong Delta.

Đồng Hới

Dong Hoi is a city in Vietnam's Quang Binh Province, serving as a gateway for travelers heading to Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, 50 km to the west. It's about a 6-8 hour bus ride from Hanoi.

Hanoi

Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, is a historic city on the Red River Delta that served as the seat of successive dynasties. It lies 1,720 km north of Ho Chi Minh City.

Nha Trang

Nha Trang is a city on Vietnam's south-central coast. Visit Po Nagar, Nha Trang Cathedral, and Long Son Pagoda, then unwind on Hon Tre Island.

Vũng Tàu

Vung Tau is a coastal city in southern Vietnam near Ho Chi Minh City, known as the center of the country's crude oil production. Before 2012, it also served as the capital of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province.