You are planning a vacation to Vietnam this year and wondering what is the wisest way to spend your money? There are a few things you should know in advance to know more about Vietnam currency as well as plan your budget for your unforgettable Vietnam tours 2024.
How much money should you bring to Vietnam
Most travelers book their Vietnam tours 2024 with Vietnam tour companies. Normally, a private travel package to Vietnam includes accommodation with daily buffet breakfast if you stay at Superior three-star hotels and above, excursions and lunches. You should book and pay your package months before departure to ensure availability of good services. For international wire transfer, the banking service charge is US$35 per transaction. Bank fee for using credit card is often three percents. Most companies allow you to pay a deposit at booking decision and the remaining balance can be settled on arrival by cash/credit card. If you plan to spend a big amount by credit card, you are highly recommended to contact your bank before your departure date for Vietnam. Some banks refuse the payments and list them as suspicious transactions.
After having your trip organized by a reliable company, you will just need to pay for extra services, such as excluded meals, laundry, massage, tipping, shopping, etc. It is hard to give an advice for the exact amount as this is totally based on personal interests and finance. For example, some may happy to enjoy a simple dinner with Banh My at only US$1 while a luxury French fine dinning restaurant may cost up to hundreds of dollars.
What is the best currency to use in Vietnam
There is a very common question: what is the best currency to use in Vietnam? My answer is definitely local currency – Vietnam dong. The following choice is US dollar which is a widely accepted foreign currency. Also, Australia dollar, Euro and Pounds are ranked next on the popular currencies list in Vietnam. If you bring cash, Vietnam exchange money can be done at major airports, gold shops or your hotels. For less than a thousand US dollars, you will not see a considerable difference between those places. By the way, it is easy to search for the standard exchange rate by State Bank. You can go to the website of Vietcombank for Vietnam Dong exchange rate news.
Updated on 12th Feb 2024, USD to VND is 24,700.
While using Vietnam Dong, there are bank notes that looks very similar to each other, such as 20,000 and 500,000; so when you have these banknotes, check twice before spending them.
How to exchange Vietnamese Dong to US Dollar
For those who often get confused about Vietnam currency to USD, withdrawing local currency from ATM machines works well. Thankfully, finding ATMs in Vietnam is simple. Upon your arrival at international airports Noi Bai, Da Nang and Tan Son Nhat, you are able to see more than one ATMs of different bank. Lucky for you as you are planning for your Vietnam tours. Back to ten years ago, the story is much different. In big cities, you will not have to walk more than one kilometer to find a nearest ATMs and Visa and Credit cards are mostly accepted. Vietcombank is the state bank in Vietnam so it has the most ATM machines throughout Vietnam, from Northern to Central and Southern regions. If you prefer to use international banks, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank and ANZ are other choices to think about.
Anyone can be a millionaire in Vietnam, as long as you have 45 US dollars. There are a few articles saying that it is time for Vietnam to lop zeros off its currency which I agree with. Foreigners may bewildered while spending in Vietnam dong. In this case, paying by credit card is a safe option. You can use your card at hotels, big restaurants, shopping malls, on cruises, etc. Just make sure that you carefully check the amount that being charged.
Some notes for a stress free vacation
- Use credit card where possible
- Exchange cash to Vietnam Dong or withdraw Vietnam Dong from ATMs to spend at places that cards are not accepted
- Avoid bringing too much cash by getting enough money for around 03 days for once
- Make sure that you have enough Vietnam dong for your trip to remote areas
- Vietnam has cotton banknotes and plastic polymer banknotes. Cotton banknotes are very small notes, including 100-200-500-1,000-2,000-5,000. Make sure that you will note tip your tour guide and driver these notes or they cannot buy an apple with them.
To enjoy the amazing Vietnam holiday vâction, budgeting your money is as important as planning your itinerary. Best exchange rate for Vietnamese Dong is a huge concern for many travelers. Still, when you actually enter the country, you will not find a huge gap between money exchange places, just make sure that you will not be confused by too many zeros.
Huyen Nguyen – Travel Specialist
