The Internet is everything but free and open in Vietnam, and you’ll need a good VPN in order to bypass various restrictions that are imposed in the country.
And not every VPN will do the trick – you’re best off with an (obviously) best service. Thus, we have compiled the list of such VPNs specifically for Vietnam. Using pretty much any of these services you’ll be able to access the Internet in its entirety, as well as to keep your personal information protected while, for instance, using public Wi-Fi hotspots.
In addition, a VPN will allow you to access various websites and services that could otherwise be outside of your reach. Here’s that list of the best VPNs for Vietnam:
Pros
Cons
- 5,000+ servers in the network
- Easy to use - install it and forget it
- One license is good for up to 6 devices
- Strict zero-logs policy
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Chrome extension is just a proxy
- You can't pay with PayPal
Summary
Its network includes more than 5,000 servers spread across 60 countries, which directly translates into faster speeds. NordVPN is also very secure, relying on the strong 256-bit encryption combined with secure VPN protocols (OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2/IPSec). But as a user, you get a seamless experience with all this technology "doing its thing" in the background.
NordVPN is well suited to pretty much every task you throw at it — whether it's accessing a banned site from some country that filters out the internet, torrenting, accessing streaming services, or just wanting to keep a low profile on the web. It also doesn't keep any logs.
We highly recommend NordVPN to anyone looking for reliable service.
Pros
Cons
- Good for both torrenting and streaming
- Works in China
- Solid network with servers in 60+ countries
- Easy to use apps on multiple platforms
- Live chat isn't always available
- Fairly pricey
Summary
Whether you need a VPN for watching Netflix shows or downloading files via BitTorrent, Astrill can help you out — all while keeping your identity under the radar. And this is especially true if you live or work in China when the company's stealth protocols will kick in to let you access all the popular sites that are by default blocked by the country's censors.
Astrill's apps are easy to use and available on all popular platforms. Nevertheless, they still manage to provide a host of advanced features tech-savvy folks are used to get. Highly recommended, again, especially if you're looking to bypass the Great Firewall of China.
Pros
Cons
- Feature-rich yet easy to use
- One of the best VPNs around
- Strong no-logging policy
- Reliable support you can reach 24/7
- Limited number of servers in Africa and the Middle East
- Kinda pricey
Summary
ExpressVPN has great desktop apps for Windows and Mac, mobile apps and browser extensions. Also, it is well suited for video streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and others.
However, what makes it stand out is its ease of use. We can't emphasize this enough. One could tell a lot of time has been spent making sure even the advanced features are easily accessible. And we love it for that. Plus, let's not forget ExpressVPN's speed which tends to leave other services in the dust.
Pros
Cons
- Fast download and upload speeds
- Works with Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, etc.
- Great for torrenting
- Advanced privacy features (i.e. Tor over VPN)
- Relatively small number of servers
- There are no browser extensions
- Live chat support is not always available
Summary
Specifically, you can rely on PrivateVPN for both torrenting and streaming, without paying a premium. It is, in fact, one of the most affordable options in its league and we love it for that.
Customer support may not be on par with bigger players but it's not like you should experience many problems anyway. You will get the same level of security and privacy as with other services, and a single license will let you run PrivateVPN on up to 6 devices. Pretty cool.
Pros
Cons
- Works in China
- Many servers in Asia
- Strict zero-logs policy
- Advanced services like VyprVPN Cloud
- No browser extensions
- Torrenting could be better
Summary
It manages to bypass restrictions in high-censorship countries and elsewhere by relying on its proprietary Chameleon protocol, which can easily slide under the radar.
VyprVPN is also great for accessing video streaming services such as Netflix, Disney+, Hulu and so on — delivering the true buffer-free experience every single time. It will also work with BitTorrent, and consequently - Kodi.
VyprVPN has a strict zero-logs policy. Period.
Internet censorship in Vietnam
Internet censorship in Vietnam blocks access to websites critical of the government, expatriate political parties, and international human rights organizations, among other things. Online police reportedly monitors Internet cafes and cyber-dissidents have been imprisoned.
Vietnam regulates its citizens’ Internet access using both legal and technical means. And these efforts have been collectively referred to as a “Bamboo Firewall”. However, citizens can usually view, comment and express their opinions civilly on the internet, as long as it does not evoke anti-government movements, political coups and disrupt the social stability of the country.
According to the OpenNet Initiative, the level of filtering in Vietnam is classified as pervasive in the political, as substantial in the Internet tools, and as selective in the social and conflict/security areas in 2011. On the other hand, Reporters without Borders consider Vietnam an “internet enemy”.
The government’s official line is that it only safeguards the country against obscene or sexually explicit content through its blocking efforts, though many of the filtered sites contain no such content, but rather politically or religiously critical materials that might undermine the Communist Party and the stability of its one-party rule. Amnesty International reported many instances of Internet activists being arrested for their online activities.
A 2010 law required public Internet providers, such as Internet cafes, hotels, and businesses providing free Wi-Fi, to install software to track users’ activities.
Major websites that have been blocked in Vietnam
Aside from what the Vietnamese government deems subversive content, there have been many well-known websites and services that have been blocked in the country, including:
- The website for the human rights organization Human Rights Watch
- BBC’s website was blocked a few times
- YouTube
- Yahoo! 360° – which was a popular blogging service in Vietnam
- Blogger
- WordPress.com
- Medium
- Yahoo! Messenger
And the list, unfortunately, doesn’t end there.
You need a VPN for Vietnam…
Whether you live in the country or just plan to visit, you better have a VPN running on all your devices. Simply put, you’ll want to (keep your) access to all the popular websites and services that may not work at that time from Vietnam.
Or you may want to retain your / get access to Netflix or some other video streaming service. You see, the likes of Netflix use location-based filters that prevent users from accessing their own accounts from other countries. They are NOT doing this because they like it — it has everything to do with the way content rights are bought and sold on today’s market. Video streaming services just need to comply with these rules.
Plus, let’s not forget the VPN’s ability to protect you while accessing public Wi-Fi hotspots when it will encrypt all data to make sure no one can intercept it and potentially getting ahold of your personal information.
We have just scratched the surface here. The point is, you need a VPN for Vietnam and you need it for many things, including:
- Accessing content that could otherwise be restricted in your physical location.
- Preventing tracking and minimizing your digital footprint so that no one can track you online (at least not that easily).
- Avoiding throttling from your ISP – which is known to happen when you’re torrenting or accessing video streaming services.
- Bypassing firewalls in a workplace, university, school and so on.
- Bypassing censorship in places like China, North Korea, countries in the Middle East, and even Turkey and Russia.
- Securely connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots – with a VPN encrypting all the traffic coming to and from your devices.
The bottom line is – get a VPN that fits all your needs. The top contenders include the following:
