Vietnam on Atli eSIM Blog

The Ha Giang loop: easy rider or self-drive?

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:40:00 -0700

The Ha Giang loop is a circuit of about 350 kilometres through the karst mountains along Vietnam’s border with China, and many backpackers now plan their Vietnam route around it. The road climbs through limestone peaks and long runs of switchbacks, and crosses the Ma Pi Leng pass high above the Nho Que river. Most people do it by motorbike, so the first decision is who rides the bike: a local driver or you.

Is Vietnam safe in 2026? Yes, and the roads are the main risk

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:45:00 -0700

Vietnam sits at the lowest advisory tier of the US State Department, and the UK Foreign Office keeps no red zones on its map at all. Its one-line summary reads: violent crime against foreigners is rare, petty theft occurs regularly. For visitors, the main risks are the traffic, phone snatching in Ho Chi Minh City, and scams.

The risks in order

Risk	How common	Where
Traffic	The one that injures visitors	Everywhere, worst in the big cities
Phone and bag snatching	Common, non-violent	HCMC District 1 above all
Scams and overcharging	Constant, low-stakes	Tourist zones, taxis, cyclos
Violent crime	Rare enough to make the news	Nowhere in particular
Typhoons and floods	Seasonal, regional	Central coast, September to November

Vietnam’s police counted nearly 10,000 road deaths in 2024.

Traffic and road safety

Vietnam’s police counted nearly 10,000 road deaths in 2024. Most involve motorbikes, because most vehicles are motorbikes, and the UK Foreign Office notes that motorbike accidents have killed and injured British tourists. Two habits cover most of the risk. Crossing the street: walk slowly and steadily into the stream and let it flow around you; the danger is stopping or stepping back suddenly. Riding: if you rent a bike, the rule depends on where your licence was issued. UK drivers can use a 1968 IDP with the motorcycle category together with their UK licence. US, New Zealand and Australian licences and IDPs are not accepted, so travellers from those countries need a Vietnamese licence. Ride without the licence Vietnam requires and an insurer can deny claims connected to the bike, including accident or medical claims, depending on the policy.

Things to do in Hoi An, and what they cost

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 17:15:00 -0700

Hoi An was a trading port from the 15th to the 19th century, and its old town came through the twentieth century largely intact. Today it runs on visitors: tailors, lantern boats, cooking classes and a ticketed old town, each with its own price.

The Ancient Town and its ticket

The old town ticket costs 120,000 dong (about $5) and buys a booklet of five coupons, each admitting you to one of the 22 protected buildings: assembly halls, merchant houses, the small museums, the Japanese Covered Bridge. The ticket is officially required to enter the old town, and staff at booths on the main streets sometimes ask for it, though street checks are patchy. The heritage buildings check it at the door, between roughly 8am and 5.30pm. It also covers the Fujian and Cantonese assembly halls and Tan Ky House, and the money goes to maintaining the old buildings.

Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City: which one should you visit?

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:54:00 -0700

If you only have time for one Vietnamese city, the Hanoi vs Ho Chi Minh City question decides the whole shape of your trip. They sit 1,600 km apart, and they disagree about almost everything: pace, food, weather, even what to call breakfast.

Two different cities, honestly described

Hanoi is the thousand-year-old capital, and it behaves like one. The Old Quarter is a knot of 36 streets originally named for what they sold (silver, silk, bamboo), still packed with low shophouses, plastic stools, and motorbikes mounting the pavement. Life happens outdoors and early. By 10pm, large parts of the city are closing.

eSIM for Vietnam in 2026: plans, coverage and setup

Sat, 23 May 2026 17:42:00 -0700

In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Grab is a common option for hailing cars and motorbikes. Seeing the route and fare inside the app before pickup can simplify transport at busy airport exits and around the city.

Atli is data-only. It does not provide a Vietnamese phone number, SMS or cellular voice calls. Grab, Zalo, WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage, FaceTime and maps work through the data connection.

Atli eSIM plans for Vietnam

Data	Validity	Atli price	Good for
1 GB	7 days	$2.99	A short stop with light use
3 GB	30 days	$7.99	About a week of Grab, maps and messaging
5 GB	30 days	$9.99	One to two weeks north to south
10 GB	30 days	$16.99	Longer trips with regular photo sharing
20 GB	30 days	$28.99	Remote work, streaming or frequent hotspot use
Unlimited	5 days	$16.99	A short trip with heavy data use
Unlimited	30 days	$68.99	A month without tracking each gigabyte

These prices were checked in August 2026. Plans and prices can change.