The 4 Vietnam arrival mistakes that still print money for other people
I sell Vietnam eSIMs. The support inbox is the same five stories on loop.
1. They installed the eSIM after they landed.
The QR should already be on the phone. Validity starts on first Viettel connection, not when the email arrives. Do it on home Wi-Fi.
2. They took the smiling taxi at arrivals.
Grab pin, inside the hall, then walk out. The guy with the laminated sign is not cheaper. He is the business model.
3. They tapped "charge in USD" on the ATM.
That screen is a fee with extra steps. Always VND. Always a bank-branded machine, not the lonely box on Bùi Viện.
4. They rented a motorbike with no photos.
No photos of the existing scratches = the shop keeps the deposit. License matters. Police do stop foreigners.
Data is the first problem. Getting played is the expensive one. Fix both before the plane door opens.