Best eSIM for Vietnam 2026: My Saily Travel Test from Hanoi to Con Dao
- Nico Dudli
- Jun 26
- 13 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Disclosure: TechNovice is supported by affiliate partnerships. Saily is a partner of this site, but all evaluations follow the same transparent verification standards.
TL;DR: Best eSIM for Vietnam (Hands-On Field Test & Measured Speeds)
Overall Pick: Saily is the primary recommendation for Vietnam travel, backed by hands-on testing across two separate trips (Hanoi, Halong Bay, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, and Con Dao Island). Direct mobile speed tests reached a peak download of 247 Mbps on Con Dao Island over LTE via VNPT-NET (Vinaphone).
Mobile Connectivity: I used Saily for mobile data during two Vietnam trips. In my cleanest direct mobile test on Con Dao Island, Saily connected through VNPT-NET / Vinaphone and reached 247 Mbps over LTE. I also used Saily for maps, Grab, messaging and backup connectivity while travelling, but I did not systematically record the underlying mobile network at every stop.
Plan Tiers & Value: Fixed-data plans range from $3.99 (1 GB / 7 days) to $28.99 (20 GB / 30 days)—with the $17.99 / 10 GB plan offering the best value—plus unlimited options ($48.99 / 15 days) and multi-country Asia & Oceania regional plans.
Built-in Extras: Features app-based web protection, ad blocking, virtual location tools, and an optional in-app US (+1) VoIP phone number add-on (no local Vietnamese phone number provided).
Discounts & Promo Codes: I most recently checkout-tested Saily coupon code TECH for 15% off an eligible Saily country plan. Eligibility can vary by plan, account, region or campaign. See my Saily Coupon Guide
Research Box: How This Field Test Was Conducted
Type of article: Hands-On Field Test & Measured Speeds
Tested in Vietnam: Yes — tested across two separate travel routes (North: Hanoi to Halong Bay; South: Ho Chi Minh City to the Mekong Delta & Con Dao)
Test equipment: Primary smartphone and laptop (connected via USB tethering and Wi-Fi hotspot)
Confirmed mobile network: VNPT-NET / Vinaphone during the documented Con Dao Island test; I did not record the underlying Saily partner network at every other location.
Verified Saily mobile speed result: 247 Mbps download and 136 Mbps upload on Con Dao Island over LTE with no VPN. Other speed measurements in this article were taken over hotel or homestay Wi-Fi and are included only as travel-connectivity context, not as Saily mobile-network benchmarks.
I've now spent two separate trips connected to Vietnam with a Saily eSIM: once travelling north to south from Hanoi down through Halong Bay and the karst countryside in early 2025, and again on a longer Ho Chi Minh City-to-the-Mekong-Delta route in December 2025, working remotely along the way.
Saily Vietnam: Pros and Cons
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Strong real-world performance in my Vietnam test, including 247 Mbps on Con Dao Island | No local Vietnamese phone number included |
Easy setup before arrival, no need to find a SIM counter after landing | Optional Saily phone number add-on is a US +1 number, not a Vietnamese number |
Good fit for maps, Grab, WhatsApp, hotel messages, translation apps and remote-work backup | Direct mobile speed data in this article is strongest for Con Dao; other readings include Wi-Fi and VPN conditions |
Unlimited plans cost more than fixed-data plans | |
Easy in-app top-ups if you run out of data during the trip | A local SIM may still be better for long stays or local calls |
Works across 200+ countries, useful if Vietnam is part of a longer Asia trip | Requires an eSIM-compatible phone |
For most Vietnam travellers, the pros outweigh the cons. If you mainly need mobile data for Google Maps, Grab, WhatsApp, hotel messages, translation apps, social media, remote-work backup and staying reachable between cities, islands and transfers, Saily is one of the easiest Vietnam eSIM options I have tested.
Saily Features That Matter in Vietnam
Feature | Why it matters in Vietnam | My take |
|---|---|---|
Built-in web protection | Useful on hotel Wi-Fi, café Wi-Fi, airport Wi-Fi and public networks while travelling | A strong extra benefit, especially because Saily comes from the Nord Security team |
Ad blocker | Helps reduce ads, trackers and unnecessary data usage while browsing | Useful when researching hotels, tours, routes, restaurants and transport options |
Virtual location | Lets you browse more privately and choose from 115+ virtual locations | Helpful if you want more privacy or need access to home content while abroad |
Optional US phone number add-on | Useful if you want a separate number for calls, texts, OTPs or app sign-ups | Good extra feature, but it is a +1 US number, not a local Vietnamese number |
Top-ups in the app | You can add more data without visiting a local SIM shop | Very practical in Vietnam, especially if you use Grab, maps, hotspot or social media every day |
80% data usage notification | Saily notifies you before your plan runs out, so you still have time to top up | Useful on longer Vietnam routes where you may not want to troubleshoot data while moving between places |
Hotspot support | Lets you share your eSIM connection with a laptop or tablet | Important for remote workers, digital nomads and travellers who need backup internet |
Easy setup before arrival | You can install the eSIM before flying to Vietnam and connect after arrival | Much easier than comparing SIM counters after a long flight |
One eSIM for multiple trips | You can keep using the same Saily eSIM and simply add new plans | Convenient if Vietnam is part of a bigger Southeast Asia trip |
Global and regional plans | Saily offers country, regional and global options | Useful if you continue from Vietnam to Thailand, Cambodia, Laos or elsewhere in Asia |
Works in 200+ countries | Helpful if Vietnam is only one stop on a longer travel route | One of Saily's biggest advantages over local prepaid SIMs |
24/7 support | Support is available if something goes wrong during setup or connection | Important for travellers who do not want to solve eSIM issues alone abroad |
Saily Ultra option | Adds global data, airport lounge access, fast-track service and Nord Security tools | Best for frequent travellers or multi-country trips rather than basic one-country Vietnam holidays |
In short: I would not recommend Saily for Vietnam only because of one strong speed test. The bigger advantage is that Saily combines travel data, security features, easy top-ups, usage notifications, hotspot support, optional US phone-number functionality and 24/7 support in one app.
Vietnam connectivity test summary
The measurements below document my overall connectivity during the two Vietnam trips. Only the Con Dao Island result is a verified direct Saily mobile-data Speedtest. The Hanoi, Tam Coc, Ho Chi Minh City and Ben Tre measurements were taken over local Wi-Fi with a VPN active and should not be interpreted as Saily network-speed results.
Location | Date | Connection type | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ho Chi Minh City | Dec 8, 2025 | Wi-Fi, VPN active | 163 Mbps | 31 Mbps | 194 ms |
Ben Tre (Mekong Delta) | Dec 11, 2025 | Wi-Fi, VPN active | 280 Mbps | 209 Mbps | 204 ms |
Con Dao Island | Dec 17, 2025 | Saily LTE, no VPN | 247 Mbps | 136 Mbps | 111 ms |
Tam Coc | Jan 10, 2025 | Wi-Fi, NordVPN active | 160 Mbps | 27 Mbps | 269 ms |
Hanoi | Jan 12, 2025 | Wi-Fi, VPN active | 53 Mbps | 9 Mbps | 385 ms |
This article is not a lab-style mobile network benchmark. It is a real travel test showing how Saily worked for mobile data, backup connectivity and everyday travel use across Vietnam.
The Con Dao result is the cleanest direct Saily mobile test in this article. The other results reflect real remote-work conditions during the trip, mostly over Wi-Fi with NordVPN active, which can add latency. I used Saily throughout the trip for mobile data, maps, messaging, ride-hailing and backup connectivity. Separately, I also measured the Wi-Fi connections available at several hotels and homestays while working remotely. Those Wi-Fi results should not be used to judge Saily's mobile-network performance. They are included only to document the real connectivity conditions I experienced while travelling and working across Vietnam.
Hanoi: Old Quarter chaos, and one rough morning
Hanoi is sensory overload in the best way — narrow Old Quarter alleys packed with motorbikes, the famous Train Street running inches from people's front doors, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum's strict two-by-two queue lines. Maps and messaging ran fine throughout most of the stay, which matters here more than in most cities: Hanoi's street grid barely resembles a grid, and getting turned around happens fast.
The one rough patch came on my actual last morning in the city, checking the connection from the hotel before an early flight:
Location | Date | Connection type | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hanoi | Jan 12, 2025 | Wi-Fi, VPN active | 53 Mbps | 9 Mbps | 385 ms |
That's the weakest reading of the trip — worse than the remote island further south. The download speed alone would still be fine for most tasks, but the latency spikes (up to 896 ms under load) meant video calls would have struggled. Some of that is the VPN tunnel I run by default on public Wi-Fi, but the hotel connection itself wasn't great either.
Halong Bay and Cat Ba Island: two days on a boat, still reachable
A two-day boat trip through Lan Ha Bay and Halong Bay — kayaking through limestone caves, swimming off the boat, watching the sun disappear behind karst formations from a glass-walled cabin — is about as far from a city tower as Vietnam gets. I wasn't running connectivity checks between kayak stops, but messaging and maps worked whenever the boat was within range of the coast, and dropped out further into open water as expected.
Tam Coc and Ninh Binh: working from the countryside
After the boat trip, a few quieter days around Tam Coc and Ninh Binh — cycling between karst peaks and rice paddies — turned out to be genuinely productive ones. I planned a client workshop and worked through a backlog of tasks from the homestay:
Location | Date | Connection type | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tam Coc | Jan 10, 2025 | Wi-Fi, NordVPN active | 160 Mbps | 27 Mbps | 269 ms |
Download speed was solid, but the connection occasionally felt less responsive than in the cities — the download ping spiked as high as 1969 ms at one point. Workable for email and async tasks, less so for back-to-back video calls.
Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta: homestays, floating markets, real numbers
Ho Chi Minh City was the entry point for this trip — Independence Palace, the War Remnants Museum, and the kind of traffic that makes you question every road-crossing decision. Checking the connection from the apartment in District 1 on the first night:
Location | Date | Connection type | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ho Chi Minh City | Dec 8, 2025 | Wi-Fi, VPN active | 163 Mbps | 31 Mbps | 194 ms |
From there, the Mekong Delta is where Vietnam slows down. In Ben Tre, staying with a family on a coconut plantation, reliable connectivity mattered more than usual — no hotel setup, no co-working space, just the homestay connection I had available:
Location | Date | Connection type | Download | Upload | Latency |
Ben Tre | Dec 11, 2025 | Wi-Fi, VPN active | 280 Mbps | 209 Mbps | 204 ms |
That's the fastest connectivity reading of the entire trip — at a homestay on a coconut farm, not in a city. In Can Tho, a 5am floating market trip followed by an afternoon of actual work (client emails, a few hours of writing) confirmed the same pattern: even off the standard tourist track, the connection kept up with normal remote-work tasks.
Con Dao: the cleanest test of the trip
Con Dao is a former prison island turned quiet paradise — empty beaches, a sobering museum, and noticeably fewer tourists than anywhere else on this trip. I worked several afternoons from the Eden House guesthouse, and on my second-to-last day there, ran a speed test directly over Saily's LTE connection, with no VPN running:
Location | Date | Connection type | Download | Upload | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Con Dao Island | Dec 17, 2025 | Saily LTE, no VPN | 247 Mbps | 136 Mbps | 111 ms |
This is the cleanest direct Saily mobile result documented in this article: mobile data over LTE with no VPN layered on top. Reaching 247 Mbps on Con Dao was a strong result for this specific location. I would not generalize one measurement to all remote parts of Vietnam, but it shows that Saily can deliver fast mobile data outside the country's largest cities.
Saily Vietnam pricing
Saily's Vietnam data plans are primarily for mobile data. They are enough for most travellers using maps, Grab, WhatsApp, Telegram, email, social media and translation apps. Saily also offers an optional US phone number add-on inside the app, but this is not a local Vietnamese number and not the same as buying a local Vietnamese SIM card.
Here's the current lineup:
Data | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|
1 GB | 7 days | $3.99 |
3 GB | 30 days | $7.99 |
5 GB | 30 days | $10.99 |
10 GB | 30 days | $17.99 |
20 GB | 30 days | $28.99 |
Unlimited | 15 days | $48.99 |
For a one-to-two week Vietnam trip, I would consider a medium-sized plan if you regularly use Google Maps, Grab, WhatsApp, social media and translation apps. Your actual data needs depend heavily on streaming, hotspot use and how often you have access to Wi-Fi. If Vietnam is part of a longer regional trip, compare the country plan with Saily's current Asia & Oceania regional option before buying.
Prices are non-binding examples. Saily may adjust pricing at any time, so always confirm the current rate at checkout — the latest verified rates are on my Saily coupon codes hub.
Why I Recommend Saily Over Other Vietnam eSIMs
Provider | Best for | Vietnam pricing style | Security features | Hotspot | Phone number | My verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saily | Most travellers who want flexible data, easy setup and good value | Fixed-data plans plus unlimited options | Built-in web protection, ad blocker and virtual location | Yes | Optional US phone number add-on available in the Saily app | My first choice for most Vietnam trips |
Airalo | Travellers who want a simple fixed-data eSIM | Fixed-data plans | No major built-in security suite | Usually yes | Usually data-only, depending on plan | Good alternative, but less feature-rich |
Holafly | Heavy data users who want unlimited data | Unlimited-focused | No comparable built-in Nord Security bundle | Often limited depending on plan | Usually data-only for travel eSIMs | Better for unlimited data, usually less flexible on price |
Nomad | Travellers comparing simple app-based eSIM options | Fixed-data plans | No comparable built-in security suite | Usually yes | Usually data-only | Solid option, but Saily feels like the more complete travel package |
Local Vietnamese SIM | Long-stay travellers who need local calls or a Vietnamese number | Local prepaid pricing | Depends on provider and setup | Usually yes | Yes, local number possible | Useful for long stays, but less convenient than installing Saily before arrival |
Saily vs Airalo: Airalo is well known and easy to use, but I personally prefer Saily for Vietnam because it combines flexible data plans with built-in web protection, ad blocking, virtual location features, top-ups and an optional US phone number add-on inside the same app.
Saily vs Holafly: Holafly is attractive if you mainly want unlimited data and do not want to track usage. For a normal one-to-two week Vietnam trip, I still prefer Saily because the fixed-data plans are usually more practical, hotspot is supported, top-ups are simple, active promo codes are often available, and Saily includes stronger travel-security features.
Saily vs local Vietnamese SIM: A local SIM can make sense if you need a Vietnamese phone number, local calls or a long-term local setup. For most short-term travellers, Saily is easier because you can install it before arrival, avoid SIM counters, and stay connected as soon as you land.
Continuing your trip beyond Vietnam?
If Vietnam is one stop on a longer Southeast Asia route — which is exactly how I traveled it, connecting through Laos, Cambodia and Thailand on the same trip — Saily covers the whole region individually, or with one Asia & Oceania regional package covering 22 countries.
Already planning the Thailand leg? See my Best eSIM for Thailand review for my travel test from Bangkok to the islands. Heading further north instead? See my Best eSIM for Japan comparison — Saily, Airalo, Holafly and Ubigi checked side by side. If Vietnam is part of a longer remote-work trip through Asia and Europe, my Portugal eSIM test shows how Saily performed later on the same broader travel setup.
Who should use Saily in Vietnam?
Traveller type | My recommendation |
|---|---|
First-time Vietnam visitors | Yes — easy setup before arrival and no need to find a SIM counter after landing |
North-to-south overlanders | Yes — useful for maps, Grab, messaging and staying reachable between stops |
Remote workers | Yes — I used Saily throughout the trip for mobile data, backup connectivity and remote-work travel days |
Heavy social media users | Yes, but choose at least a medium or large data plan and use top-ups if needed |
Boat trips around Halong Bay | Good for messaging near the coast, but expect gaps mid-water away from coverage |
Remote islands such as Con Dao | Yes — my cleanest direct mobile test came from Con Dao, not a city |
Travellers visiting several Asian countries | Yes — Saily's regional and global plans make sense if Vietnam is part of a longer route |
Travellers who care about privacy | Yes — web protection, ad blocking and virtual location features are useful when travelling |
People who need a local Vietnamese phone number | No — Saily offers an optional US phone number add-on, but not a local Vietnamese number |
Long-stay travellers needing local calls or local registration | Maybe not — a local Vietnamese SIM may be more practical |
Final verdict: is Saily the best eSIM for Vietnam?
Based on my own travel experience across two Vietnam trips, Saily is the eSIM I would personally choose again for Vietnam. My one fully clean mobile test, on Con Dao, reached 247 Mbps with no VPN involved — a genuinely strong result for a remote island. The rest of the trip, tracked mostly over Wi-Fi with a VPN running, still showed a consistent, usable connection from Hanoi to the Mekong Delta, with the fastest reading coming from a rural homestay rather than a city.
Before checkout, see my Saily Coupon Guide, where I document my latest coupon-code checkout tests, verification dates and eligibility details.
FAQ
Does Saily eSIM work well in Vietnam?
Based on my own trips, yes. I tracked usable connectivity from Hanoi to the Mekong Delta to Con Dao Island, including a clean 247 Mbps direct mobile test with no VPN involved.
Is there a Saily discount code for Vietnam?
Yes. I most recently checkout-tested Saily coupon code TECH for 15% off an eligible Saily country plan. Eligibility can vary by plan, account, region or campaign. I document the latest verification date, checkout tests and current eligibility details in my Saily Coupon Guide.
Is Saily good for remote work in Vietnam?
I used Saily for mobile data and backup connectivity while working remotely during my Vietnam trips. My accommodation Wi-Fi handled much of the actual laptop work, while Saily provided mobile connectivity for travel and backup use. My cleanest direct Saily mobile test was on Con Dao Island, where the eSIM reached 247 Mbps download over LTE without a VPN.
Do I need a physical SIM card in Vietnam?
No, provided your phone supports eSIM and mobile data is all you need. You can install Saily digitally without visiting a local SIM counter. A physical Vietnamese SIM may still make more sense if you need a local phone number, local calls or a longer-term mobile plan.
Is Saily data-only in Vietnam?
Saily's Vietnam data plans are primarily for mobile data. They do not include a local Vietnamese phone number, SMS or voice line. However, Saily now offers an optional US phone number add-on inside the app, which can be useful for calls, texts, OTPs and app sign-ups while travelling.
Which network did Saily use in my Vietnam test?
In my own direct mobile test on Con Dao Island, Saily connected through VNPT-NET, part of the Vinaphone network group. Available partner networks may vary depending on location and roaming setup.
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