Vietnam's Currency Tips and Insights for your journey

Vietnam's Currency: Tips and Insights for Your Journey! 

The currency of Vietnam is the Dong: its symbol is ₫ while the code is VND. In this article, I will show you what Vietnamese banknotes look like. In fact, if you are planning your trip to Vietnam, it can be useful to start familiarizing yourself a little with Vietnamese currency. We explain what they look like, what they depict, and what to pay attention to when handling them. 

General Information about the Vietnamese Dong 

The Dong is one of the least valued currencies in the world: in fact, 1 euro is worth around 26,000 Dong (2023-2024). What does this mean? Well, the funny thing is that you only need to exchange a modest amount of around forty euros into Vietnamese Dong to consider yourself a millionaire! 

There are no coins in Vietnam: the State Bank of Vietnam discontinued their issuance in 2013. Consequently, only paper banknotes circulate in Vietnam. 

The lowest denomination banknote is the 500 Dong, while the highest is the 500,000 Dong. The front of all banknotes features an image of Ho Chi Minh, while the back, which depicts various national symbols, varies depending on the denomination. The banknotes also differ from each other in color and even in material. In fact, some banknotes are made of cotton fiber paper, others of polymer. 

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Guide to Vietnamese Currency: Paper Banknotes 

Paper banknotes made of cotton fiber have a low value. For this reason, during your trip to Vietnam, you may find yourself using them very little because there isn't much you can buy with them. There are four denominations of paper banknotes: 500 Dong, 1,000 Dong, 2,000 Dong, and 5,000 Dong. In theory, there are also 100 Dong and 200 Dong banknotes, but in practice, they are no longer in use. 

The 500 Dong banknote is pink and features the port of Haiphong on its back. Haiphong is the third largest city in Vietnam and its port is the second largest in the country. The 1,000 Dong banknote is gray-brown in color. On the back, there is an image of the Tay Nguyen forest to represent the important role that forestry plays, especially in the rural and mountainous areas of Vietnam. 

The 2,000 Dong banknote has various colors, with shades of gray and silver likely predominating. The image on the 2,000 Dong banknote depicts textile workers in northern Vietnam, in Nam Dinh province, symbolizing the importance of industrialization in the country's economic development process. 

The 5,000 Dong banknote is probably the most used among the paper ones. It has a characteristic blue color. On the back, there is an image of the Tri An hydroelectric plant, one of the largest in the country. 

Guide to Vietnamese Currency: Polymer Banknotes 

Plastic banknotes, more precisely polymer ones, have higher denominations. They were introduced in 2003, and the printing on plastic polymers has made them particularly innovative in terms of resistance to damage and difficulty of counterfeiting. There are six different denominations of polymer banknotes: 10,000 Dong, 20,000 Dong, 50,000 Dong, 100,000 Dong, 200,000 Dong and 500,000 Dong. 

The 10,000 Dong banknote is the smallest denomination of the polymer notes. It has a yellowish-brown color and the image on the back depicts the largest oil production facility in Vietnam. 

The 20,000 Dong banknote is blue and features an image of the Japanese Covered Bridge in Hoi An, an iconic symbol of the UNESCO World Heritage city. 

The 50,000 Dong banknote has a distinctive pink color. On the back of this note, there is an image of the Nghenh Luong Dinh Pavilion and the Phu Van Lau (the Pavilion of the Edicts), which are part of the Hue Imperial Citadel complex. 

The Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam, known in Italian as the Temple of Literature, is featured on the 100,000 VND banknote. Considered the first university of Vietnam, it is one of Hanoi's iconic sites. The banknote is a recognizable green colour. 

The 200,000 Dong banknote is a reddish-brown color. The back features an image of Dinh Huong Islet, located in the spectacular Ha Long Bay, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. 

Finally, the 500,000 Dong note is the largest denomination. This note is a teal color and features the image of Ho Chi Minh's birthplace in Nam Dan, Nghe An Province. 

What to Pay Attention To 

When handling a currency you're not used to, it's normal to feel a bit disoriented when making a payment. In the case of Vietnamese currency, it can take some time to get used to all those zeros. 

One of the most common mistakes is paying 200,000 Dong instead of 20,000, or 500,000 Dong instead of 50,000. Often, people get confused by the colors: in fact, the 5,000, 20,000, and 500,000 notes all have shades of blue. 

Finally, keep in mind that polymer banknotes have a drawback: they tend to stick together. For this reason, when paying, you might end up handing over two notes instead of one. Therefore, it's advisable to check before handing them over.