This may be too late and if so I hope you had a nice trip. I'll limit my comment to phone use and VN SIM cards. Part of the answer lies in the type of phone you have (dual sim or virtual sim) but I personally don't see the point in getting a VN sim card, especially if you cannot speak Vietnamese. I have Google FI with an international plan so data is free, and I can then call the US or other countries if I wished using Skype or Whatsapp. There is a huge community on Yahoo who can teach you how to get the most bang for your mobile phone and data budget - I have rarely gotten a local SIM (which I use in a different phone than my US phone), partially because my Vietnamese is average at best, and mostly because I never needed a local number. It can be an issue if you are ordering food delivery from Grab (the restaurant will want a VN phone) but other than that...anyways, enjoy your trip!
One other thing: Zalo seems to be hot right now in Vietnam. It is a messaging app that is popular. You do not need a VN phone to get a Zalo account. You can use Zalo to message places in Little Tokyo and elsewhere to arrange your fun. That said, they may not understand written English (and google translate butchers Vietnamese) but it is an option.
|