If you want to make a plan to ensure you remain connected and reachable while away on your travels, here’s the lowdown on Wi-Fi in Vietnam.
We all know that Wi-Fi is almost as important as accommodation and food when travelling. Whether you need to stay in touch with your loved ones, or make your friends at home jealous with social media updates of your adventures, Wi-Fi is the key to doing this in an affordable way. Plenty of travellers – including
this traveller who visited Vietnam on behalf of Elite Daily – report being able to survive entirely from Wi-Fi while travelling in Vietnam.
Here are some top tips about Wi-Fi in Vietnam to help you with your internet connectivity needs.
1. Cities are Wi-Fi heaven
All major cities in Vietnam – from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City – and everywhere in between, are havens of free Wi-Fi. Cafés, restaurants and hotels of all star ratings offer free Wi-Fi as par for the course.
2. Internet cafés
If you want to access the internet and need a computer too, Vietnam’s cities have an abundance of internet cafés. There are even quaint versions of internet cafés in smaller towns and villages, so there’s usually an option for accessing Wi-Fi in Vietnam unless you travel to a very remote region. If you’re unsure where to look for an internet café, head for a local Post Office, which almost always have adjoining internet cafés. Prices can start from as little as 5,000 Dong per hour – approximately £0.15 (GBP) or $0.20 (USD). Alternatively, look on the
cybercafe.com website in advance of travelling if you want to track down an internet café ahead of time.
3. Download apps
There are various apps that can help you connect to public Wi-Fi points wherever you travel. If a local business or public facility offers free Wi-Fi and they’re part of the app’s network, you’ll be automatically connected to Wi-Fi via these apps. This saves you having to connect to Wi-Fi every time you enter a new shop, café or hotel.
Wiman is a good option, as it has almost 250,000 free Wi-Fi networks across Vietnam.
4. Buy a SIM card as back-up
If you want to ensure you can connect to the internet via your mobile when you’re out of range of a decent Wi-Fi connection, buy a local SIM card. As long as your phone is unlocked, you’ll be able to access mobile data easily and it’s very cheap to add more data allowance if you need to. A pre-paid SIM card with 7GB, valid for a month, costs around 70,000 Dong – which is around £2.30 (GBP) or $3 (USD). There’s definitely no need to use your phone network’s data, which will likely cost you a lot of money though roaming. If you’re travelling to remote regions, be aware that mobile phone network coverage can be patchy.
Viettel is said to be the best network for rural areas.
Our local guides will give you the best advice on Wi-Fi in Vietnam when you travel with us at
Mr Linh’s Adventures.