Country comparison
Thailand vs Vietnam
Southeast Asia's two biggest tourism markets. Thailand for islands, Vietnam for landscapes. Both win.
Last updated 2026-04-14
Key takeaway
"For the Ha Giang motorcycle loop, only Viettel has consistent coverage. Generic Vietnam eSIMs routed through Mobifone or Vinaphone leave you offline for days on the most-photographed motorcycle route in Asia."
Thailand still leads Southeast Asia in inbound tourism, but Vietnam is growing faster — 18 million visitors in 2024, up 40% year-on-year. The two are the most common SEA pairing in Western itineraries, often combined into a single 2–3 week trip.
On the carrier side, Thailand is the more mature eSIM market — AIS and TrueMove H both offer modern dual-routing. Vietnam relies heavily on Viettel (the military-owned national carrier) for any remote or mountainous coverage. The Ha Giang loop in northern Vietnam is the main reason carrier choice matters.
Side by side.
| Thailand | Vietnam | |
|---|---|---|
| Top carrier | AIS | Viettel |
| Mountain coverage | Patchy (Mae Hong Son loop) | Excellent on Viettel only |
| Island coverage | Full on AIS + TrueMove | N/A — mostly mainland |
| eSIM Garden 5 GB / 15 days | $8.99 | $8.99 |
| Annual visitors (2024) | 35.5M | 18M (+40% YoY) |
| Visa | Visa-free 30 days | e-Visa 90 days |
Pick Thailand if
Beach + island traveller.
Thailand's islands (Phuket, Koh Samui, Phi Phi, Krabi) have AIS dual-routing that works on every ferry route. Vietnam has no real beach island scene.
See Thailand plansPick Vietnam if
Landscape + culture traveller.
Ha Long Bay, Hoi An, Sapa, Ha Giang, the Mekong Delta. Vietnam's scenic diversity is hard to match.
See Vietnam plansOr just buy both
Southeast Asia regional plan
Covers Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and more on one profile. Worth it for any trip touching 2+ SEA countries.
Questions.
Cambodia day trips?
Neither country plan covers Cambodia. Use the Southeast Asia regional plan if you cross the border.
Which is cheaper for a budget traveller?
Both plans are identically priced at our wholesale level. Vietnam is cheaper as a destination overall (food, transport, accommodation).
Will WhatsApp work in both?
Yes in both. Neither restricts consumer VoIP.
Keep exploring
Plans and guides for both countries.
Country
Thailand eSIM plans
Country-specific plans with real carrier data for Thailand.
Open
Country
Vietnam eSIM plans
Country-specific plans with real carrier data for Vietnam.
Open
Guide
eSIM vs roaming
The honest cost comparison between travel eSIMs and home-carrier roaming.
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Regional
Global eSIM
140+ countries on one profile for round-the-world trips.
Open