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1 USD ~ 26,000 VND
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The best way to get Viet Nam Dong (VND) is from an ATM, so bring a debit card! We’re not sure how much the Exchange Booths in Viet Nam overcharge you, but we generally avoid them at other airports!
There are 2 ATMs in the arrivals hall at SGN airport: a BIDV and a Citibank, facing each other. If you’re taking a taxi from the airport, you can also ask them to stop at an ATM on the way to your destination. The ATM fee is usually ~3% of the amount you withdraw.
We also recommend bringing some USD cash with you from the US. You can always go to any bank in Vietnam to exchange to VND (no fee, unlike the Exchange Booth). There is no limit, but if you’re bringing more than $5,000, be sure to declare at customs.
Vietnamese notes are a mix of small paper bills (no coins are used), and larger polymer bills, in values from 10,000 VND to 500,000 VND. If you’re confused by all the zeros, mentally remove three zeros to get a simpler number. To quickly convert from VND to USD, just remove three zeros and divide by 2, the accurate conversion will be smaller than the estimated result. For example, 200,000 VND is 10 USD according to this estimation. In reality, it is about $7.6, less than $8, and much less than $10.
Vietnam is one of many countries that switch the use of the comma “,” and the dot “.”. For example, the US writes 26,000 VND while the VN writes 26.000 VND.
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The 20,000 VND bill and the 500,000 VND bill come in similar shades of blue -- double check before you pay.
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Unless the price is clearly marked, the shop owners will probably overcharge visitors 2-3 times the true local price. Linh gets fooled too, as she is “a clueless bird”, as Andrew says. Bargain is expected. Be polite but firm!
Cash is the easiest way to pay at local vendors. Please take your time and make sure your change is accurate. Best to keep your cash in a zip pouch/wallet and keep it in your zipped bag/backpack.
Tipping is not a prevalent part of the culture and is completely different from the US. If the service was above and beyond, and you asked for a customized or special request, feel free to tip. It is not expected at restaurants and cafes.