Money in Vietnam

The official currency of Vietnam is Dong (VND). The exchange rate hovers around VND 22,500 for one US dollar. The tickets are quite colorful and some are printed in polymer as of 2003. The ticket values are 500 (very rare now), 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 VND.

To check if you have a real ticket, check the small transparent lotus hole to see the hidden picture. In addition, most counterfeit bills do not have the same color and feel when touched.

Attention: The banknotes of 20 000 VND and 500 000 VND have similar colors. Remember that the VND 500 000 bill is a little bigger.

Enter your PIN by hiding under your hand and use only well-lit windows. These ATMs are usually found near banks, hotels, shopping malls and in the main streets.

Ticket counters often offer only 500,000 VND tickets, which can be difficult if you intend to pay for a motorcycle taxi or a meal in the small street restaurants.

Before leaving, make sure you can use your credit card in Vietnam.

Stores that accepted dollar payments are now required to request payment in the local currency. In addition, paying in Dong offers you a better value than paying in dollars. It is better to switch to daily use of the dong, while maintaining a sum of dollars for emergencies.

Most hotels offer the same rate as banks, but they may charge additional fees. There are foreign exchange shops for tourists in the center of big cities with good rates. If you want to be sure how to get the official rate, head to a bank.

Do not trade too much at the same time because you will not get a good rate when reselling on your return.

Banks generally open from 7.30am to 11.30am and from 1pm to 4.30pm, every day during the week. Some banks also open on Saturday morning.