Vietnam is a country blessed with beautiful landscapes, wonderful temples, history, and more. The official currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND). Also, the US dollar is widely accepted as payment as it is considered a second currency used in Vietnam. So what is the best currency to use in Vietnam?
The US dollar is the best currency to bring to Vietnam. There are a number of reasons with the first being that to get the Vietnamese Dong from Western banks as it would have to be specially ordered as it would not have the demand to have any in reserve. And secondly, you get better exchanges in Vietnam than you would in your home country.
In this post, we will go through should what is the best currency to use in Vietnam. Let’s get started!
Learn More About Vietnam
- Which City Has The Best Nightlife In Vietnam?
- How Much Does Beer Cost In Vietnam?
- How Much Is Grab In Vietnam?
- Does It Snow In Vietnam?
- Reasons Not To Go To Vietnam
- Hoi An vs Da Nang, Which One Should I Visit?
- What Adaptor Do I Need For Vietnam?
- How Much Is A Massage In Vietnam?
What Is The Best Currency To Use In Vietnam?
The US dollar is the best currency to bring to Vietnam. The official currency of Vietnam is the Vietnamese Dong (VND) but the first issue you may have is that to get the Vietnamese Dong from your home bank is that they will not have any in reserve as the demand will be low.
The US dollar is widely accepted in Vietnam but when you convert it into the Vietnamese Dong in Vietnam you will get better exchanges than you would in your home country or airport.
How Much Cash Can I Bring Into Vietnam?
At present, there are no restrictions on the amount of cash you can carry when traveling to Vietnam when it is not in Vietnamese Dong but it will have to be declared at customs. If the cash is in Vietnamese Dong, you can carry up to 15,000,000 VND without having to declare it.
You need to check with your local Vietnamese embassy as the rules can change over time on this.
Is It Better To Exchange Money In Vietnam?
Simply you will get a better exchange rate in Vietnam, with hotels or shops usually having a lower exchange rate than the many bank money changers. There are many currencies which include US dollars, Sterling, Euro, and Australian dollars that are widely accepted to be exchanged in Vietnamese Dong.
Is Vietnam Expensive?
How expensive a place depends really on the person but in general, Vietnam is reasonably cheap compared to other places around Southeast Asia. It is not hard to get a nice place to stay at a good price.
You can buy beer in Vietnam for $1.25 upwards. And the food is also fairly cheap.
Can I Use A Credit Card In Vietnam?
Yes, you can use credit cards all over Vietnam but in some small local family-run businesses or less developed areas, they will more than likely not have the facilities to accept credit cards. It is worth having enough cash just to be safe.
In large cities and touristy areas, credit cards are generally accepted. But also they may be an extra 3 to 5% fee added to the total price to cover the credit card fees.
Should I Tip In Vietnam?
No there is no need to tip in Vietnam. Tipping is not expected in Vietnam, so there is no requirement to tip anyone, but small tips for good service are appreciated.
In bars and restaurants, it is customary to leave behind any loose change in coins as a tip.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, the US dollar is the best currency to bring to Vietnam. There are a number of reasons the first being that to get Vietnamese Dong from Western banks as they would have to specially order the currency as it would not have the demand to have any in reserve. And secondly, you get better exchanges in Vietnam than you would in your home country.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on what is the best currency to use in Vietnam has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.