Vietnam
Grab, Green SM and cash make Vietnam easier, while local QR still needs planning
Use only evisa.gov.vn for an official Vietnamese e-visa and save the approved PDF offline.
The essentials
What to know before you go to Vietnam
Vietnam now also asks foreign air passengers arriving through major international airports to submit the separate, free Pre-arrival Information form at prearrival.immigration.gov.vn and retain its QR code. Cash in Vietnamese đồng remains essential for small restaurants, markets and transport, while foreign cards work more reliably at larger businesses. Ordinary VietQR codes usually require a compatible bank or wallet, so MoMo is not a practical short-stay tourist recommendation. Book airport rides inside Grab or Green SM, verify the plate and ignore people claiming to be app representatives in the arrivals hall.
Administrative boundaries changed in 2025, so older and newer versions of an address can coexist. Save the Vietnamese venue name and map pin. Weather and flood risk vary sharply by region; follow official warnings before road, rail, boat or hiking plans. Call 112 for national rescue, 113 for police, 114 for fire and 115 for an ambulance.
Emergency operators may speak only Vietnamese.
Ride Hailing
GrabEssential
The easiest visitor default for cars, motorbikes and licensed taxis across Vietnam's main cities and tourism hubs.
Green SMEssential
The electric ride-hailing service formerly called Xanh SM, with cars, motorbikes and dedicated airport options.
Be
A Vietnamese multi-service app for cars, motorbikes, taxis and other transport in many cities.
Mai Linh Taxi
The official booking app for a long-established metered taxi network with broad provincial coverage.
Vinasun Taxi
The official app for a major licensed taxi fleet concentrated in Ho Chi Minh City and southern Vietnam.
Food Delivery
ShopeeFoodEssential
A dominant local delivery service with extensive restaurant coverage and different prices and promotions from GrabFood.
GrabFoodEssential
A practical visitor option inside Grab, with broad national coverage and an officially documented cash checkout.
beFood
Food delivery inside the Be app, useful as a smaller local comparison in supported cities.
Green SM
The Green SM app's newer Food service, with live availability that still needs to be checked by address.
Payments
Moreta Pay
An optional international wallet that can fund and scan supported Vietnamese merchant QR codes without a local bank account.
Messaging
Zalo
Vietnam's dominant local messenger for businesses, drivers, guides, accommodation and personal contacts.
Navigation
Google MapsEssential
The best all-purpose map for Vietnamese places, walking, roads and basic public-transport planning.
Organic Maps
A privacy-focused offline map for walking, saved places and roads when live data is unavailable.
Super Apps
GrabEssential
Vietnam's most useful visitor super app for rides, food, groceries and deliveries through one account.
Transit
MultiGoEssential
Ho Chi Minh City's official public-transport app for buses, Metro Line 1, waterbus links, routes and live arrivals.
Tìm Buýt
Transerco's official Hanoi bus app with English, route planning, live arrivals and offline route information.
Hà Nội Metro
The official app for Hanoi's two operating metro corridors, with digital tickets and foreign-passport registration.
Travel & Booking
Vietnam Pre-arrival InformationEssential
The official free immigration form for foreign air arrivals at Vietnam's participating major international airports.
Vietnam eVisaEssential
The Immigration Department's official portal for eligible travelers applying for a Vietnamese electronic visa.
Vietnam Airlines
The flag carrier's official app for bookings, flight updates, check-in, boarding passes and added services.
VietJet Air
Vietjet's official app for managing flights, check-in, baggage, seats, meals and schedule notifications.
Language
Google TranslateEssential
The most practical Vietnamese tool for downloaded text, camera translation and basic conversations.
Finance
Wise
An optional travel card and currency account for eligible customers, useful for card spending and exchange rather than VietQR.
Intercity Transport
VexereEssential
Vietnam's leading English-capable marketplace for intercity buses, limousine vans, trains and flights.
Vietnam Railways
The official railway booking website for checking and buying Vietnamese train tickets without a mobile app.
Utilities
Thời tiết Việt Nam KTTVEssential
Vietnam's official weather app with forecasts and location alerts for storms, lightning, floods and landslides.
Internet in Vietnam
Mobile internet eSIM Best option when traveling
Guac
RecommendedReliable mobile internet at better prices than most travel eSIMs, with polished iOS and Android apps and support for making and receiving phone calls.
Airalo
One of the biggest travel eSIM brands, with a very large destination catalog.
Holafly
Known for unlimited-data plans in many destinations, at a higher price per gigabyte.
Buying a local SIM card ID registration required
- Bring your passport; the seller registers the prepaid SIM during activation.
- Viettel Super 4G includes 30GB for 30 days and costs around 120,000 VND (~$4.80).
- Starter packs may be sold in convenience stores, but an official carrier shop is safer for registration and activation.
- A travel eSIM is the simpler option and avoids local SIM registration steps.
Avoid pre-activated SIMs sold without an ID check; they can be blocked without warning.
Local carriers
Viettel
Best choice for broad coverage, including rural areas.
MobiFone
Tourist-friendly choice with a straightforward purchase process.
VinaPhone
A solid alternative; compare current prepaid offers before buying.
Frequently asked questions
What are the must-have apps for traveling in Vietnam?
The essential apps for Vietnam are Grab, Green SM, ShopeeFood, GrabFood, Google Maps.
How many travel apps does Vietnam have?
We've curated 26 apps across 12 categories for traveling in Vietnam, including 12 essential apps.
What is the best ride hailing app in Vietnam?
Grab. The easiest visitor default for cars, motorbikes and licensed taxis across Vietnam's main cities and tourism hubs.
Keep exploring
Also traveling in Southeast Asia?
Indonesia
Use official entry portals, keep cash, and match each island with the right app
Cambodia
Use local ride apps, official entry portals, and current border advice
Laos
Compare rides by city, keep Lao kip, and expect the official railway app to be fallible
Myanmar
Check official warnings, plan every route, and keep cash and offline backups
Malaysia
Use Grab widely, treat Touch 'n Go card and eWallet as separate tools, and verify every terminal
Philippines
Register eTravel, keep pesos, and download maps before moving between islands