Cambodia & Vietnam sim cards
Hi everyone. I'm a complete novice when it comes to sim cards overseas. I'm travelling from the UK to Cambodia then on to Vietnam in November, and have a few Q's re sim cards and apps . NB, my phone doesn't support ESims.
1) Do I have to get a local sim for each country or can anyone recommend an international sim?
2) If I have to get two local sims, does this mean I have to set up different accounts for each country for e.g grab, 12go etc and have different phone numbers.
Any help gratefully appreciated.
Use AirAlo eSIM which works in multiple countries
You can get a SIM in Cambodia (do it at a local phone shop, not at the airport) for about 2$ and then subscribe to one of the data plans, eg Smart has Smart Laor which is 15GB a week for $1.50
It then depends on how on how long you will be in Vietnam for and your data usage levels. The Cambodian Smart SIM allows unlimited data for $2 per day, or Metfone has a deal on roaming in Vietnam https://www.metfone.com.kh/en/roaming If those options for Vietnam don't work out then you will need to get another SIM in Vietnam and probably have different accounts on Apps, although it also depends if you have a twin-SIM phone. By the way, if using roaming on a Cambodian SIM you probably won't be able to top up Smart (put enough credit on before you leave) or renew the Metfone package while in Vietnam.
Edited: 1 year agoThank you. I'll look into this.
A number of times I have travelled to Cambodia and Vietnam in the same trip. I have always bought a separate SIM in each country. I have used Smart and Metfone in Cambodia and Viettel in Vietnam.
I usually get a tourist SIM at the airport in Cambodia which costs about US$20, lasts for 1 month and comes with a large amount of data and a small amount of calls.
If I start in Hanoi in Vietnam, I go to the Viettel store near the northern end on Hoan Kiem Lake, and get a tourist SIM which also costs around US$20 and lasts 1 month.
If I need to call my family back home I try to make a facebook call. Other perople use skype etc.
I have never used the grab apps or similar. If I want to catch a tuk tuk or motorbike taxi, I hail one down on the street and pay the driver with cash.
Hi Dale, certainly for a first-time visitor I think Grab, PassApp and so on are useful as it can be difficult to explain to a driver where you want to go and how to get there. The fixing of the fare also is a bonus.
Thank you everyone for your replys. Very helpful.
My experience with Metfone, I bought a new sim and fill up with US$10 (15 Feb 2025), then I activate $1.5 per week packages (5GB data and 500 minutes call with sms), then I travelled to Phi Quoc island from 17/02/25 - 20/02/25, I activate roaming for $1 a day. On 21/02/25 I noted my data was gone and can’t call anymore, let see the chart
Date. Distribution. US$
15/02. Money in account 10.00
15/02. Bundle per week plan. -1.50
17-20/02 roaming -4.00
21/02. Left over balance should be $4.5
Unfortunately, I check the balance there were only $0.79 left over, I called to service center for history where my left over balance went out. I said I call in difference network provider without any prove. I might call for about 3 minutes I guest the charge for $1 per minute, and I checked it was the same network provider.
Finally, just avoided overcharge a voided Metfone.
