Vietnam, needless to say, is not a strange name to the whole world especially tourists thanks to its victorious history profound patriotism and wonderful landscapes. Like any other countries, Vietnam has its own currency system which you might feel confused travelling using your own money without having exchanged to Vietnamese money. If you are wondering to go but still do not know much about it, here are some clues that can help you fulfill your confusion!
From the North to the South, from the East to the West, the official currency in Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND). Although a handful of places, not that many, will accept payment in US dollars, most people would much prefer to be paid in Dong, so it is important to keep a good supply of local currency while travelling in Vietnam. According to the last update, one dollar is around 22,700 or 23,000 VND.
Conveniently, you usually exchange currency at the airport. And it is the same for Vietnam, too. You are highly recommended to exchange at the airport and use those Vietnam Dong to enjoy such a life here! However, if you have not done yet, other places to exchange are those gold shops, at the bank or your hotel front desk. Each shop will display the value of US dollars or any other currency in front of the store. You just make sure it is in a reasonable price and go on!
Previously, besides using banknotes, the currency system of Vietnam also accepted coins. However, since 2014, coins have not been accepted but only banknote. Therefore, generally at the moment, Vietnamese banknotes vary from 1,000 to 500,000 VND. Notes are available in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 2 and 1 thousand, even 500 Dong note. What’s more, for simplicity’s sake people often leave off the ‘thousand’ when quoting prices. One point needed to notice is that when purchasing and having to pay using cash, you should take a careful look at those banknotes in order to avoid giving the incorrect amount of money due to the fact that the 10,000 looks a little bit like the 200,000 note and the 20,000 note is quite similar to the 500,000 one! You might loss a big sum of pocket if you make such mistakes. So make sure to be serious when doing the payment!
Whenever travelling abroad, tourists are always concerned about the safety of their money, and that’s why so many people prefer using credit card instead of carrying around cash in their pocket so as not to attract those bad guys like thieves! Nevertheless, honestly, it would be quite difficult to use cards at the market or in the food stall just to pay for a 30,000 VND bowl of Pho or 100,000 VND for a shirt, wouldn’t it? However all most the restaurants, supermarkets, hotel or luxury shops accept credit cards.
Here comes some good news for you! Thankfully Vietnam’s ATM network is expanding rapidly, and it is rare to visit a town that does not have an ATM facility of some kind. Most ATMs will accept Visa and Mastercard debit or credit cards – but be wary of high charges from your bank if you make a withdrawal on a credit card. The Plus network is also widely supported but there are a couple of banks that do not accept Plus cards so you may need to shop around. In case you are worried about having your own bank cards stolen, a highly recommended option is to arrange a pre-paid credit card before you leave home. Many provider issue special cards for travelers, with favorable exchange rates and insurance against theft or loss, offering a convenient and safe way to carry your money in Vietnam.
To sum up, in Vietnam, we actually prefer using Vietnam Dong and paying by cash unless to reach those luxurious places. The only thing you need to do now is to arrange and pick up your luggage. Don’t forget to exchange your money and be careful with your backpack wherever you go!