Money Matters for Vietnam trips

The Vietnamese currency is the Dong (VND). Notes come in 200, 500; 1,000; 2,000; 5,000; 10,000; 20,000; 50,000; 100,000; 200,000; and 500,000 Dong denomination. The currency is being slowly devalued against the US dollar which will currently by around 21,000 Dong (Year 2013)

Dollars can also be exchanged for dong in banks, bank agencies currency shops, and along the street, though the latest is not advisable as customers are sometime cheated.

Traveler's cheques can be exchanged in most banks and a few hotels, but cash in US dollars is favoured. Credit cards are generally accepted only in western-oriented hotels, shop and restaurant in larher cities, yet cash machines (ATMs) are sprouting all over Vietnam, with many in the major cities.