The Vietnamese Dong (VND): A Traveler’s Guide
While it may still be best known in the West for its prolonged mid-century conflict, Vietnam is a country of striking natural beauty, ancient history, and vibrant culture. Whether you’re seeking picturesque beaches, vast cities (it’s home to nearly 100 million residents), culinary excellence, or otherworldly islands, there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy in Vietnam.
Thankfully, the Vietnamese Dong (VND) is both a stable and highly favorable currency for American travelers. Want to learn more about this fascinating country and its currency? Interested in exploring one of the most tourist-friendly countries in the Eastern Hemisphere? Read on.
History of Vietnamese Currency
The Vietnamese Dong (often spelled dồng) came into being as a national currency in 1978, replacing the previously separate North and South Vietnamese currencies. Until 2016, Vietnam’s central bank utilized a “crawling peg” that loosely tracked the US Dollar while also accounting for market forces. The Dong is known for being one the lowest valued currencies in the world, currently behind only the Iranian Rial.
According to the World Bank, Vietnam has been transitioning from “a centrally planned economy to a socialist-oriented market economy" since 1986. That transition has paid off: It was recently ranked #12 in the world for the fastest economic growth over the past 10 years. Additionally, despite the low value of the Dong, it has remained impressively stable, suggesting a prosperous future for this unique coastal nation.
Traveling in Vietnam
Vietnam’s climate can range from the warm, humid tropics to the South, to the cooler, more temperate and variable north. Seasonality and location will have a major effect on your travel plans — in fact, this is one location where the rainy season can actually be ideal for visiting (at least if you’re aiming for the perfect photograph).
If you plan to visit southern Vietnam, you can generally count on warm weather all year, though the June-November rainy reason will lead to the most striking photos. Just beware the March-May window in which temperatures routinely exceed 100°F.
Northern Vietnam can get relatively cool in winter, with near-freezing nights from December-February; these are offset by humid, sweltering temps from May-August. Accordingly, many prefer to visit the north in the March-April spring or September-November autumn windows.
Top Sights to See
There are countless striking sights throughout Vietnam, but here are three that stand out:
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Ha Long Bay – Known as the #1 attraction in Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its emerald waters and thousands of limestone islands. Famed for its picturesque, otherworldly beauty, Ha Long is best explored via a multi-day houseboat stay or shorter boat trip excursion.
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Hoi An – Another UNESCO site, this seaside city is widely considered one of the most beautiful destinations in Vietnam. Famous for its well-preserved architecture and lantern-filled streets, its historic Old Town is a particular delight. On top of it all, it boasts an exceptional restaurant and food culture.
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Hue – Known as Vietnam’s ancient imperial capital, Hue is a site of stunning ruins, with equally impressive tombs of ancient emperors outside the city. The Citadel is of particular note and not to be missed.
Other key places of note: Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Ho Chi Minh City (commonly known as Saigon), Hanoi, Mekong Delta.
Top Restaurants to Visit
Vietnam has recently joined the ranks of Michelin-starred restaurants, with seven restaurants earning stars. Here are three that stick out:
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La Maison 1888 — Located in the city of Da Nang, this Michelin-starred mecca offers “French specialties with a decidedly Vietnamese influence” in a stunning Indochinese colonial mansion. With local ingredients galore and one of the best wine selections in Vietnam, it’s absolutely worth the journey — it just might be the best restaurant in Vietnam.
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Cuc Gach Quan — Looking for something more traditional and conveniently located? This striking Saigon establishment — with dual dining rooms on both sides of the street — is relaxing culinary excellence at its best.
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Gia — One of Hanoi’s 3 Michelin-starred establishments (along with Hibana by Koki and Tầm Vị), Gia delights diners with a 12-course, seasonally-inspired meal. It’s modern Vietnamese cuisine at its best.
Other notable restaurants around Vietnam: Home Hanoi Restaurant, The Hanoi Social Club, Bun Cha Huong Lien, Nha Hang Ngon, and Secret Garden.
Top Foods to Try
Vietnam boasts a thriving food culture, with two dishes of particularly global renown and countless others well worth trying.
Pho — Celebrated worldwide, pho is a Vietanamese specialty and can be found virtually everywhere throughout the country. Never tried it? It’s a hearty noodle soup distinguished by its uniquely seasoned broth. In short, it’s the quintessential Vietnamese dish and absolutely not to be missed during your visit. Fun fact: pho is traditionally enjoyed as a breakfast food.
Banh Mi — Possibly even more famous globally than pho, this distinctly Vietnamese sandwich showcases its French influence with its baguette centerpiece. Like Pho, it’s an exceptionally popular street food you can find almost anywhere; a cheap, tasty classic for a reason.
Other notable foods worth trying: Bánh Xèo, Cơm Tấm, Bún Bò Huế, Cao Lầu, Cơm Gà.
Before Your Trip
Do you need a tourist Visa to visit Vietnam? Yes, but for just $25 and 3-5 business days’ processing time, you can obtain an e-Visa online that’s good for 30 days. For more committed travelers, a 90-day e-Visa is also available. Obtaining a Visa on Arrival (VoA) is possible, but less straightforward and reliable for independent travelers.
As always, there’s the matter of money: should you withdraw VND prior to your trip? You’ll find it highly difficult to obtain VND beforehand from most American banks. Of course, for travelers who prefer to land at their destination with cash already in hand, we have you covered: we offer whatever denominations you need and even next-day shipping should you want it.
During Your Trip
As mentioned, Vietnam is a highly affordable travel destination, even for tourists seeking premium experiences.
How much cash should you bring? That depends on the nature and length of your trip, of course. When it comes to food, tourists can eat very well for under $10 a meal, and far less than that for quality street food. As with most of Asia, tipping is not customary, though feel free to tip a small amount or round up the bill for exceptional service.
In terms of accommodations, you can secure a very comfortable experience for under $75/night, or $100-200/night for a 5-star hotel experience. That said, Vietnam is a big country, options will vary dramatically, and plenty of high-end establishments are happy to charge several times these amounts for a top-tier luxury experience.
Count on paying mostly in cash, with some credit card spending depending on the city and the establishment. While ATMs are plentiful in cities and major tourist establishments, plan ahead when traveling to more remote areas. Just make sure you have a travel-friendly card with little to no foreign transaction fees.
How you’ll get around Vietnam depends on where you intend to go. An impressive train system links Hanoi to Saigon, with bus options to get virtually anywhere else. In recent years, the ride hailing app Grab has become Asia’s answer to Uber and Lyft. As mentioned, boat travel remains the classic way to adventure through Vietnam’s beautiful rivers and islands.
Renting your own car is inadvisable and simply unavailable in most cases to travelers, but it’s easy to rent a car and driver at your disposal for under $150 a day. If none of that suits you, you can hop aboard Vietnam’s domestic airlines (Vietnam Airlines and VietJet) to get where you need to go.
After Your Trip
Made it home with extra VND in tow? Simply sell it back to us: submit your transaction, pack your currency, and drop it off at any FedEx location. The day after we receive your VND, we will deposit your USD exchange into your bank account.
Vietnam is packed with culture, food, stunning landscapes, and welcoming people — we hope you have the trip of a lifetime. Safe travels!
For more information about the Vietnamese Dong, see our currency Dashboard, as well as our Top 10 Things You Need To Know about VND.
