Vietnam

[overherebc]

Planning a short trip to Vietnam next month.

I haven't been for a while so just asking if the dollar is still the main currency used in most places.

PS

I am aware of visa requirements changing for brits at the end of this month.

Edited June 16, 2016 by overherebc

[Tomtomtom69]

No. The dollar has never been the main currency used in most places, it's always been the Vietnamese dong.

There was however a time when tourists (not locals) paid for hotels, tours, plane tickets, visa extensions etc. in dollars (this meant higher prices for tourists) but these days some merchants in tourist areas accept dollars only as a courtesy for lazy tourists who couldn't be bothered to go to a money changer. The days when dollars were readily accepted ended about 8-10 years ago, when the government made it mandatory for all prices to be quoted in Dong and acceptance of foreign currencies was made illegal.

Most supermarkets, restaurants, hotels (except some 4-5 star places), petrol/gas stations, transport operators such as buses and Vietnam railways and street vendors will NOT take dollars under any circumstances. The few international standard hotels that do will probably exchange them for you at a much lower rate than at a nearby bank or money changer thus losing you 10-20% and giving you change only in Dong.

You can bring dollars along for exchange if you want (though other currencies including Thai Baht will receive equally good exchange rates so by changing your Baht to dollars only to change them into Dong you lose a certain % and wasting your time).

You can withdraw Dong at ATMs with some of them offering a low limit of only 2 million Dong per transaction (less than US$100) or as much as 9 or 10 million (only in Saigon or Hanoi) depending on the bank. Local bank ATM limits are lower, international bank limits are higher.

Regarding visas, so the government decided not to extend the 15-day visa waiver for Brits?

[overherebc]

I suppose I should add that I do know the Local currency is the Dong, just in case many of the SA's out there believe I think it's dollars.

Last time was around 15,000 and in general both were accepted but some places were dollar only.

Just don't want to get stuck with a lot of notes I can't get rid of.

[overherebc]

No. The dollar has never been the main currency used in most places, it's always been the Vietnamese dong.

There was however a time when tourists (not locals) paid for hotels, tours, plane tickets, visa extensions etc. in dollars (this meant higher prices for tourists) but these days some merchants in tourist areas accept dollars only as a courtesy for lazy tourists who couldn't be bothered to go to a money changer. The days when dollars were readily accepted ended about 8-10 years ago, when the government made it mandatory for all prices to be quoted in Dong and acceptance of foreign currencies was made illegal.

Most supermarkets, restaurants, hotels (except some 4-5 star places), petrol/gas stations, transport operators such as buses and Vietnam railways and street vendors will NOT take dollars under any circumstances. The few international standard hotels that do will probably exchange them for you at a much lower rate than at a nearby bank or money changer thus losing you 10-20% and giving you change only in Dong.

You can bring dollars along for exchange if you want (though other currencies including Thai Baht will receive equally good exchange rates so by changing your Baht to dollars only to change them into Dong you lose a certain % and wasting your time).

You can withdraw Dong at ATMs with some of them offering a low limit of only 2 million Dong per transaction (less than US$100) or as much as 9 or 10 million (only in Saigon or Hanoi) depending on the bank. Local bank ATM limits are lower, international bank limits are higher.

Regarding visas, so the government decided not to extend the 15-day visa waiver for Brits?

Thanks.

A good answer, looks like I need a bigger wallet. My last time there they were starting to issue 500,000 notes but I was warned to careful of them because the story was they had a use by date. Don't know if true or rumour.

As far as I am aware the 15 days waiver is still ending at the end of this month.

[JB300]

No update on the Visa Waiver for Brits so as things stand, it will no longer be available from 30th June 2016...

The visa exemption for British, German, French, Spanish and Italian citizens travelling to Vietnam for a period of up to 15 days (single entry and not returning within 30 days) is applied from 01 July 2015 to 30 June 2016. (See NOTICE 1 and NOTICE 2 for details). Up to now, the Embassy has not received any information on extension of this policy.

Until further notice, visa is required for all visits for up to 15 days after 30 June 2016 by citizens of these countries. All applications sent to the Embassy are considered to be in need of visa and applicable fees are not refunded once the application is received by the Embassy.

http://vietnamembassy.org.uk/index.php?action=p&ct=Notice3

Edited June 16, 2016 by JB300

[overherebc]

No. The dollar has never been the main currency used in most places, it's always been the Vietnamese dong.

There was however a time when tourists (not locals) paid for hotels, tours, plane tickets, visa extensions etc. in dollars (this meant higher prices for tourists) but these days some merchants in tourist areas accept dollars only as a courtesy for lazy tourists who couldn't be bothered to go to a money changer. The days when dollars were readily accepted ended about 8-10 years ago, when the government made it mandatory for all prices to be quoted in Dong and acceptance of foreign currencies was made illegal.

Most supermarkets, restaurants, hotels (except some 4-5 star places), petrol/gas stations, transport operators such as buses and Vietnam railways and street vendors will NOT take dollars under any circumstances. The few international standard hotels that do will probably exchange them for you at a much lower rate than at a nearby bank or money changer thus losing you 10-20% and giving you change only in Dong.

You can bring dollars along for exchange if you want (though other currencies including Thai Baht will receive equally good exchange rates so by changing your Baht to dollars only to change them into Dong you lose a certain % and wasting your time).

You can withdraw Dong at ATMs with some of them offering a low limit of only 2 million Dong per transaction (less than US$100) or as much as 9 or 10 million (only in Saigon or Hanoi) depending on the bank. Local bank ATM limits are lower, international bank limits are higher.

Regarding visas, so the government decided not to extend the 15-day visa waiver for Brits?

Thanks.

A good answer, looks like I need a bigger wallet. My last time there they were starting to issue 500,000 notes but I was warned to careful of them because the story was they had a use by date. Don't know if true or rumour.

As far as I am aware the 15 days waiver is still ending at the end of this month.

Out of interest how strict is the currency rule re using only Dong being applied.

[jacksam]

I go to Vietnam every 6 weeks. Often pay for my

BASIC hotel in USD. Also for example taxi 200k dong from airport will take 10usd. Street food ladies often shout....one dollar ..one dollar.

However above post is correct, use dong.

Hard to buy outside Vietnam so find an ATM that will provide 8 million. Enjoy

[Crocbait]

Many Techcom and HSBC ATM will let you withdraw 10 Mill Dong