Is the US dollar generally accepted in tourist areas such as Hanoi and HCM City ? How about ATM's ? Do many places take credit cards ? I prefer not to carry a lot of cash unless necessary. Thanks for the info.

US dollars are not accepted, currency is the dong. Could you be thinking of Cambodia where dollars are used as the popular currency? In any case, there are ATM's everywhere in the big cities, including at the airports. Get yourself a no fee ATM card, so you can get cash daily, or every other day.

Regarding the use of credit cards, I found that they were readily taken at hotels, and for most major purchases, but obviously, not by street vendors. Get yourself a no foreign transaction credit card.

Some places will accept dollars, but at terrible exchange rates. I agree, use ATMs to get local cash (dong).

Not recomend to use dollar in daily trades since it's not common with the locals, ATMs are heavily places in the streets, you can easily to use your cards here. Moreover, credit card is still considered as something new in Vietnam, so you won't see much places with credit card machines, unless you go to taxi (reliable ones), malls, big hotels.

I'm the opposite, and only deal in cash unless I want a big purchase. I wear a gilet with concealed zip pockets, and feel very secure.

I avoid ATMs because they dish out too much high denomination notes. If I want 6,000,000 dong [US$260], then I don't want 12 x 500,000 dong notes, taxi drivers don't want them and neither do small stores. I want a mix of 200K, 100K, and 50K, and I can only guarantee that by using an exchange kiosk or in the case of Vietnam most Tours Offices change money, or over the counter in a Bank [can be time consuming].

So using Vietnam as an example, I'll use a change kiosk at the Airport on arrival, the rate is usually only slightly lower than downtown. I've then got low denomination notes to pay for my taxi. I'll do a bigger exchange in town the next day.

On the odd occasion that I do use an ATM anywhere abroad, I make sure that the ATM is attached to a bank that's open for business just in cash my card gets eaten or dishes out the wrong amount. Using a stand-alone ATM is asking for trouble.

If you pay for your accommodation locally, then insist in the bill being in Vietnamese dong, and not US$ as they'll sting you with the exchange rate.

The only US$ you should need is if you're paying for your Visa on arrival.

Good to know, Lancaster Lad as I hope to do some days in Hanoi on my 2018/2019 trip to S.E. Asia. I am also one who deals in cash although I take an ATM card along if I have to use one. I had one eaten in a machine in Europe. As for S. E. Asia, I use either the bank or the exchange places depending on the country. I'm going to bookmark this thread for the 2018/2019 trip.

Happy Travels!

Guenmai.....Good things about the Vietnam dong are that there are no coins to weigh you down, apart from very low denominations the notes are plastic, and invariably in very good condition.

Turkey, Macedonia, and Romania [Transylvania], all in the first half of this year to look forward to. Plus a couple of domestic 4 night midweek breaks to Blackpool [North Lancashire] and Scarborough [North Yorkshire] this month.....Happy Travels to you too.

Thanks for the info, LancasterLad.

Happy Travels!

You can change at Airport or Bank country In VietNam, You just need take 100$ for one day walk 20km. If you rental taxi it can grow up.