If you’ve been searching for which plug adapter you need for your visit to Vietnam, I feel you! I scoured the internet for information from someone on the ground in Vietnam but only found generic websites and I wasn’t confident in the info.
I’ve just returned from an 18-day trip to Vietnam with my parents and two of my children. We traveled from north to south, visiting Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An and the coast, Ho Chi Minh City, the Mekong Delta, with stops in many small villages in between.
We had plenty of things to charge during our trip!
I took photos of plug outlets throughout our travels, so you can see exactly what you’ll be faced with in Vietnam.
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QUICK HELP: If you’re traveling from somewhere like the US (uses Type A plugs) or most of Europe (uses Type C plugs), you don’t need a power adapter for Vietnam.
If you’re visiting from somewhere that doesn’t use Type A or Type C, you’ll need a plug adapter. For example, UK visitors can use one like this, Australians can use one like this. The important thing is that the female part of the adapter fits your device’s plug, and the male part (the two pins that go into the wall in Vietnam) are Type A or Type C. Do not purchase an adapter with 3 pins that go into the wall. As you can see from the photos above, many wall outlets only accept 2 pins.
Be sure you don’t need a converter (read more below).
Which Plugs Fit in Wall Sockets in Vietnam?
This is the big question!
During our trip, we didn’t need to buy any adapters (coming from the United States and Italy), because the plugs used in those countries are the main ones used in Vietnam.
We mainly saw wall sockets that fit Type A, Type C, or that were a combo of Type A & C.
I was the weird girl taking photos of outlets all over the country, and you can see many of them in the photo at the top of this post.
The combo (Type A & Type C) sockets look like this:
We also occasionally saw sockets that would accept plugs from other countries. They look like this:
Many hotels also have USB-C or USB-A connections to charge. They look like this:
IMPORTANT: Travel Adapter vs Converter
It’s critical you check to see if you need a power adapter or a converter for your devices.
What’s the difference between an adapter and a converter?
A power adapter just makes it so you can fit your plug into the wall in Vietnam.
A power converter changes the voltage that goes from the wall to your electrical device.
Vietnam electricity runs at 220 Volts, 50 Hz.
If you’re coming from somewhere like the United States, which runs on 120 Volts, 50 Hz, you may need a power converter.
You’ll need to look at each of your devices to see what the INPUT VOLTAGE requirements are.
For example, here are labels for a few electronics from the United States (clockwise from top left): a Sonicare electric toothbrush base, a BOSE travel speaker, a Canon camera charger, and a GHD hair straightener:
As you can see from the photo, the Sonicare electric toothbrush base doesn’t accept 220V or 230V. Its range is 110-120V. So, you’ll need a power converter if you want to use it in Vietnam (more on that in a minute).
You can use the other three electronic devices in Vietnam. Depending on where you’re coming from, you may need to use a plug adapter (if you’re not coming from a country that uses Type A or Type C).
Power Converters for Vietnam
If your electronic device doesn’t work with 220V, you’ll need to purchase a power converter (aka voltage converter) if you want to use it in Vietnam. The power converter does what it says it does – converts the power from the higher Vietnamese voltage to the lower voltage of your device, so that your device doesn’t melt or burst into flames.
Here’s an example of a power converter that I use for a US electric toothbrush base (I didn’t bring it to Vietnam):
You need the front plug (female) to fit your device, and the pins that stick out in the back (male) to be either Type A or Type C (this part goes into the wall in Vietnam).
You can find something similar on Amazon at this link (this one works if you’re coming from a country with a Type A plug, like the USA). Be careful when you’re searching online for converters, because search results often come up with adapters (which don’t convert!). And, I’ve noticed that some don’t work for hair dryers – so read the fine print in the descriptions.
Warning: These power converter devices are heavy, bulky, and can be expensive. If your electronic device is something you could probably do without (like the electric toothbrush), think about leaving it at home and doing without it for your Vietnam trip.
What You May Need to Charge While You’re in Vietnam
- iPhone* or smartphone
- iPad *or tablet
- laptop
- Nintendo Switch*
- Apple watch*
- Kindle* or e-reader
- Garmin watch* or fitness tracker
- Noise canceling headphones*
- Diabetes insulin pump*
- Hearing aids*
- Curling iron*
- Bottle warmer
- Breast pump
- C-pap machine
- White noise machine
- Hair dryer
- Hair straightener
- Camera battery charger
- Electric toothbrush
- Power bank*
*We used this device on our trip, only using the original plugs (no adapters or converters).
Buying a Power Adapter for Vietnam
If you decide you want to buy a power adapter before you arrive, you can order one online.
You can also find adapters at the airport and in small shops and grocery stores in tourist areas of Vietnamese cities.
Good To Know: In 20+ years of travels, I haven’t found much success when I’ve tried using a big and bulky universal plug adapter, but some people swear by them. They will work in Vietnam.
The reason I don’t prefer them is because they often don’t fit in all electrical outlets (like if it’s recessed or needs to go in a small space, common in Europe). Instead, I purchase small adapters for the country I’m visiting.
For Vietnam, if your home country doesn’t use Type A or Type C, you can look for adapters like these on Amazon or other online shops. Just make sure the female part fits your device, and the male part (the pins sticking out) are Type A or Type C.
If you have long layovers, you may also want to have an adapter that would work in the airport. For example, if you’ve got a layover in Japan, it would be nice to have a Type A adapter (if you’re not already coming from a country with Type A outlets) so you can charge your devices during your layover).
Bringing Charging Cords to Vietnam
I also recommend bringing cords that can charge by USB. For example, in most hotels, I used a USB (sometimes C, sometimes A) to charge my Apple watch, external charger, and my phone. If you like to use your phone or device while it’s charging, make sure you have a longer cord. For example, I used a USB-C to lightning like this for my iPhone (the USB-C also plugs into my wall charger) and a USB-A to USB-C like this for many devices like our Kindles and Nintendo Switches.
I hope this helps you decide if you need a power adapter for Vietnam, and if so, which one you should get.
Have an amazing trip to Vietnam!
Heading to Vietnam with your family? Check out
Family Packing List for Vietnam
Vietnam Pre-Trip Checklist
Vietnam Plug Adapter – Do You Need One?
