🗺️ This article is part of the Tien Thanh Travel Guide cluster.
Three things worth handling in your first week of a long stay: a SIM/internet connection ready to use right away, knowing how to receive money and pay for things, and knowing where to go if you need help from a bank. Preparing ahead makes the first few days settle in much faster.
SIM and internet
A travel SIM/data SIM can be bought right at the airport or at a telecom shop in central Phan Thiet, usable the same day. For a long stay, ask about a monthly data plan, cheaper than daily plans — Vietnamese carriers all offer monthly plans with generous data at reasonable prices compared with many other countries.
Bring your passport when buying a SIM, since SIM registration in Vietnam requires identification — a general rule, not specific to foreigners.
Banking and payments
Most small transactions (markets, local eateries) still run on cash; supermarkets, larger restaurants, and many tourism services accept international cards or bank transfer. Long-stay guests should have an international card that works at Vietnamese ATMs, and keep in mind the foreign-withdrawal fee from their home bank.
ATMs of major banks (Vietcombank, BIDV, Techcombank, etc.) are available in central Phan Thiet and at a few spots near the tourist area, accepting most common international cards. Withdraw enough cash for a few days at a time to avoid frequent ATM trips.
A specific note for guests with a Visa or Mastercard ISSUED IN RUSSIA: both networks have announced restrictions on cards issued by Russian banks when used abroad, so this type of card will likely NOT work for payments or withdrawals in Vietnam — this restriction comes from the card networks, not a fault of the ATM or Vietnamese banks. The key distinction is WHERE the card was issued (which bank issued it), not the cardholder's nationality — a Russian guest with a card issued in another country can still use it normally. Confirm with your issuing bank before your trip whether the card works abroad, and prepare a backup plan (a card issued elsewhere, cash on hand, or an international money-transfer service) rather than relying on a single card.
Wifi at the villa
Most monthly-rental villas at NovaWorld already include wifi in the rate — suited to remote work. Ask about the connection speed if your job involves frequent video calls, since quality can vary between villas, especially those further from the resort's center.
Receiving money from abroad
For guests who need to receive funds from abroad during a long stay, an international money-transfer service through a bank or an internationally supported e-wallet active in Vietnam can be used. Check ahead with your home bank about sending international transfers to Vietnam and the applicable fees, since this can vary considerably between banks.
What else remote workers need
Beyond good wifi, remote workers should also bring a mobile hotspot device using a data SIM as a backup in case the villa's wifi has an issue. Ask ahead whether the villa has outlets suited to your devices (Vietnamese plug standard) or whether you'll need to bring an adapter.
Is opening a Vietnamese bank account necessary
For guests staying 1–3 months, most don't need to open a Vietnamese bank account — using an international card at an ATM or for direct payment is enough for ordinary daily needs. Opening a local bank account is usually only necessary for very long-term plans or regular business dealings in Vietnam, and the process for foreigners typically requires valid proof of residence.
If you genuinely need one, ask a bank branch directly about the conditions for foreigners, since rules can differ between banks and change over time.
Keeping your finances secure while abroad
Let your card-issuing bank know ahead of time that you'll be using the card in Vietnam for an extended period, to avoid the card getting locked when the system flags unusual overseas activity. Carry at least two different payment methods (say, two cards from two different banks) in case one runs into an issue.
When withdrawing at an ATM, choose machines in areas with security cameras or near a bank branch, avoiding isolated standalone ATMs in quiet spots at night — a general safety tip that applies anywhere, not just Vietnam.
Frequently asked questions
You can buy one right at the airport on arrival, or get an eSIM before your trip if your phone supports it — both are common approaches.
Yes, a few major banks have ATMs in the nearby area; if you need a specific bank, ask ahead or plan to go further into central Phan Thiet.
Some larger restaurants and tourism services support it; most local transactions still favor cash or an ordinary local/international card.
Not required for most guests on a 1–3 month stay; an international card and cash cover everyday needs.
Yes, to avoid your card being temporarily blocked when the system flags overseas activity as unusual compared with your normal pattern.
A checklist for your first 24 hours
As soon as you arrive at the villa, prioritize in this order: buy a data SIM for mobile internet right away (if not already bought at the airport), connect to the villa's wifi and test the speed, find the nearest ATM or bank branch for cash if needed, and save MH Travel's support contact number in your phone.
In the first few days, take time to explore the area around the villa: the nearest market or supermarket, convenient places to eat, and other basic services. Getting familiar with the area early makes life much smoother in the following weeks, instead of having to figure things out mid-stay while already busy with other plans.
Useful apps to install before arriving
Install a maps app with offline navigation support (in case you lose connection), a popular ride-hailing app used in Vietnam, and a translation app for basic communication with locals if you're not fluent in Vietnamese. These apps make daily travel and life far more convenient, especially in the early stage before you're familiar with the area.
A currency conversion app with live rates is also handy for quickly estimating prices while shopping, avoiding confusion when manually converting between dong and your home currency.
Staying in touch with family back home
With stable internet at the villa and popular video-calling apps, staying regularly in touch with family back home throughout a long stay poses little trouble. It's worth agreeing on the time difference with family ahead of time to pick a calling window that suits both sides, avoiding calling during their rest hours.
If you plan to work remotely throughout your stay, inform colleagues or clients ahead of time about Vietnam's time zone and your expected working hours, especially if your company spans time zones very different from Vietnam's.
In short, these three preparations — SIM, banking, and internet — are simple, but skipping them can cause real inconvenience in the very first days after arrival. Spending one session preparing thoroughly before departure makes the whole long stay go much more smoothly.
Advice from long-time remote workers here
Many remote workers who've stayed multiple seasons in the area share that it's worth setting up two independent internet sources (villa wifi and a mobile data SIM) from the start, rather than relying on just one — this matters especially for important video calls, where losing connection at the last minute can cause real problems for work.
They also recommend testing the actual network speed on the very first day at the villa, rather than waiting until an important meeting to discover an issue — if the speed falls short, there's still time to talk with the owner or find a backup solution.
Finally, it's worth asking MH Travel which villas have previously hosted long-term remote workers satisfied with internet quality, since this real-world information is far more reliable than just reading generic technical specs in a villa's listing.
With careful preparation around internet, banking, and SIM from the start, most long-stay guests quickly find that daily life here isn't much different from back home — just a change of scenery.
These preparations may be small, but they're the foundation for a smooth winter stay from the very first days, rather than scrambling to handle problems right as you arrive somewhere unfamiliar — losing the first days that should've been spent resting and relaxing with family after a long flight, instead of dealing with unnecessary administrative hassle.
