SIM card or eSIM, and how to use Grab
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Maps, rides and translation all need data in Ho Chi Minh City. The main thing is to have it working the moment you land.
eSIM: buy before you fly
If your phone supports eSIM, this is the easiest route. Buy it before the trip, scan the QR code, and data switches on when you land. No airport queue, and your home SIM stays in so you still get verification texts.
Physical SIM: buy at the airport
If your phone doesn't do eSIM, carrier booths near baggage claim sell tourist SIMs and staff will set it up for you.
- Carriers: Viettel, Vinaphone, Mobifone
- Viettel has the widest coverage.
- You'll need your passport.
Put your home SIM in a small bag with your passport. That's where a lot of them get lost.
Setting up Grab
Download Grab and register with your home number before you leave. Registering after you arrive can be a hassle with verification texts.
- Payment: cash, or a foreign card added in the app. A card means no worrying about change.
- GrabCar: a regular car. Use this with luggage or two or more people.
- GrabBike: a motorbike. Cheap and fast for short solo trips. The driver brings a helmet for you.
When you take a Grab
- Check the license plate matches the app before getting in.
- Set the pickup at a building entrance or main road. Drivers struggle to find pins inside alleys.
- Drivers usually call in Vietnamese. A chat message in the app like "I'm at the gate" is enough.
Other ride apps
- Xanh SM: green electric taxis, as common as Grab in Ho Chi Minh City.
- Be: a Vietnamese app, sometimes a little cheaper than Grab.
Many people install a couple and compare fares.
Source: VnExpress International
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