Whenever exploring the phenomenal charm of Vietnam is included in your journey to Asia, there will be a dozen of matters of concern swimming around your mind. And what is also as important as how much you must spend on the whole journey and if converting your money into VND (the dong) is necessary is where to exchange currency in Vietnam. Let’s do some careful research before you leave.
At the airport
The quickest method for exchanging currency in Vietnam is at the airport. For those who intend to travel in this country for a long time, this is not always a recommendation as transaction fees here are very high, and the exchange rate is a nightmare. Nonetheless, it will be the best place for this converting when you are in a hurry to join some Vietnam package tour you have booked before.
As soon as you land on the airport, it will be not hard for you to find currency exchange booths as they are located at the terminal. Just ask about procedures, and the associates will promptly help you get dongs from your currency.
At local banks
Another place to exchange currency in Vietnam is a local bank. Leaving the airport for large cities, you will find it very easy to cross into reputable Vietnamese banks with small and big branches. To be honest, using currency exchange service at the local bank is the safest and cheapest approach you should use if you are staying in Vietnam for a certain amount of time (maybe one month). Be mindful that procedures for this service may be quite complex as you are required to show your passport and fill out a form with much information. Some reputable Vietnamese banks you are recommended are BIDV, Vietinbank, ACB, DongA Bank, and Eximbank.
After exchanging currency, you can withdraw cash from ATMs in the Vietnam’s large cities, such as Ho Chi Minh, Hanoi, Da Nang, Can Tho, etc. One noteworthy thing is that ATMs in the rural or water areas are not always available, so it is strongly suggested that you’d rather prepare the money converted before beginning a trip to those destinations.
Gold Shops
Should you forget and even lose your passport, the only method for currency exchange is to enter a gold shop. Despite the fact that exchanging currency in the gold shop is basically illegal in Vietnam, it will be the handy and final solution you can make use of.