Most trips to Vietnam run the length of the country: Hanoi and Ha Long Bay in the north, Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang in the centre, Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta in the south. Coverage is good in the cities and along the main routes, and your phone does much of the work, from booking rides to translating menus. Vietnam is not part of the EU's Roam Like at Home area, so a European SIM normally pays roaming for each day of use.
Below: which apps work, which one does not, and which numbers to keep at hand.
Key facts for Vietnam
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: Wintel, VinaPhone, MobiFone (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: police 113, fire 114, ambulance 115; search and rescue 112
- Embassies: in Hanoi, with consulates in Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang for some countries
Getting around with apps
Grab is the most widely used app for cars, motorbike taxis and food delivery, and it shows the fare before you book; local apps such as Be and Xanh SM do the same. Booking through an app avoids haggling over fares at airports and stations.
The app that is blocked
Since mid-2025, Vietnamese telecom operators have been ordered to block Telegram. WhatsApp, Zalo, Messenger and most other apps work normally, so if you rely on Telegram groups for your trip, move them to another app before you go.
Ha Long Bay and the northern mountains
On Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises, the signal is good near the coast and weaker among the outer islands. In the far north, on the Ha Giang loop and around Sapa, mountain roads have long stretches with weak signal, and landslides can close them in the rainy season. Download offline maps, and check that your licence and travel insurance cover motorbikes before renting one.
Typhoons on the central coast
Between September and November, typhoons and floods hit the central coast around Hue, Hoi An and Da Nang. Follow local warnings, keep your phone charged, and confirm boat trips and flights before setting off.
Paying: cash and QR codes
Cash in dong is still common for street food, markets and small shops, and local QR payments are everywhere. Cards are accepted in hotels, malls and a growing number of restaurants.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM is set up before departure by scanning its QR code, and the plan's days start counting when it first connects in Vietnam. Grab, maps and translation apps then run on its data, and your own number stays reachable for texts and bank codes.
Vietnamese prepaid SIMs are sold at the airports and in operator shops, and they are registered with your passport.
Consular protection: who to call in Vietnam
- 113 is the police, 114 the fire service and 115 an ambulance; 112 is national search and rescue.
- These lines usually answer in Vietnamese only. If you can, ask your hotel or someone nearby to call for you, and use the phrases in the app.
- Embassies are in Hanoi, and some countries also have consulates in Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- If you are an EU citizen and your country has no embassy or consulate in Vietnam, the embassy of any other EU country must help you on the same terms as its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- Emergency phrases in Vietnamese are ready to show on screen in the app.
Questions travellers ask about Vietnam
Does Telegram work in Vietnam?
Operators have been ordered to block it since mid-2025. WhatsApp, Zalo and Messenger work normally.
Will the emergency operator speak English?
Usually not. Ask your hotel or someone nearby to help, or show the Vietnamese phrases in the app.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Vietnam?
Wintel on most plans, and VinaPhone or MobiFone on some, with 4G, and 5G where available.
When is typhoon season?
On the central coast, mainly from September to November.
The short version
Install the eSIM and Grab before you fly, move any Telegram groups to another app, carry some dong, check your motorbike cover, and save 113 and 115.
Related reads:
Ready to stay connected without surprises?
Activate your eSIM in seconds and travel connected in 200+ countries and territories.
See plans