Hanoi City Guide
Vietnam Plug Type: Sockets, Voltage and the Adapter You Need
The Vietnam plug type is A or C, flat two-pin or round two-pin, on a 220 V supply at 50 Hz. Pick your home country below to see whether your plugs fit and whether your devices suit the voltage, then read which adapter to bring, how the 220 V supply treats your chargers and the Hanoi essentials to sort before you land.
Quick answer Plug types, voltage and who needs an adapter
Vietnam uses plug types A and C at 220 V and 50 Hz. Type A has two flat pins and type C has two round pins, so plugs from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand need an adapter, and the checker below answers for your country.
Key takeaways
- Pick your home country in the plug and voltage checker before you pack.
- US and Canadian travellers with a two-pin type A plug can plug straight in, but a three-pin type B plug needs an adapter.
- Phone and laptop chargers labelled 100-240 V need only an adapter, never a converter. A 120 V-only appliance needs a converter.
- Plugs sorted? Stay connected with a Vietnam eSIM and price the ride from the airport with the Noi Bai Airport cost calculator.
Do You Need a Plug Adapter for Vietnam?
Pick your home country and the checker shows whether your plugs fit a Vietnamese outlet and whether the voltage matches your devices. The 21-country table gives the same answer at a glance.
| Your country | Your plugs | Adapter in Vietnam | Your voltage |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | A, B | Not needed for type A | 120 V |
| Canada | A, B | Not needed for type A | 120 V |
| Mexico | A, B | Not needed for type A | 127 V |
| United Kingdom | G | Needed | 230 V |
| Ireland | G | Needed | 230 V |
| Germany | C, F | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| France | C, E | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| Spain | C, F | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| Italy | C, F, L | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| Netherlands | C, F | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| Portugal | C, F | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| Australia | I | Needed | 240 V |
| New Zealand | I | Needed | 230 V |
| Brazil | C, N | Not needed for type C | 127 V and 220 V (varies by region) |
| Argentina | C, I | Not needed for type C | 220 V |
| Chile | C, L | Not needed for type C | 220 V |
| South Korea | C, F | Not needed for type C | 220 V |
| China | A, C, I | Not needed for type A, C | 220 V |
| India | C, D, M | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| Israel | C, H, M | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
| South Africa | C, M, N | Not needed for type C | 230 V |
Source: IEC World Plugs, Visit Seoul.
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Which Plug Is Used in Vietnam?
Vietnam uses plug types A and C.
Types A and C
Type A has two flat parallel pins. Type C has two round pins, the Europlug shape. Both appear on the IEC World Plugs entry for Vietnam, and the IEC list archived in 2020 adds type F, the German-style plug with side earth clips.
Travel guides disagree on a third type, and some name D or B. Because of that, a single universal adapter is a safer pack than a plug-specific one.
Is Vietnam a Two-Pin or Three-Pin Plug?
Two-pin. Both A and C have two pins and no earth pin, so the plugs you meet on phone chargers and laptop bricks fit directly. A three-pin plug, such as the US type B or the UK type G, needs an adapter or a socket with room for its earth pin.
Look at the socket in your room before you buy a second adapter.
Source: IEC World Plugs.
Are Vietnam Plugs the Same as US Plugs?
Partly. A US type A plug fits a Vietnamese type A socket, but the voltage is not the same.
Same Flat Pins, Different Power
The United States uses types A and B at 120 V. Vietnam runs at 220 V. A two-pin US plug goes into a flat-pin socket. A three-pin type B plug does not, so it needs a small three-to-two adapter. The bigger question sits behind the socket.
A US charger marked 100-240 V takes the 220 V supply without trouble. A device marked 120 V only does not, and plugging it in can damage it. The next section covers that case.
| Your plug | Typical countries | What to bring |
|---|---|---|
| Type A | United States, Canada, Mexico, China | Nothing for the plug. Check the voltage label |
| Type B | United States, Canada, Mexico | Adapter ending in two pins, since type B has three |
| Type C | Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, South Korea, Argentina, Chile | Nothing. Type C fits a type C socket |
| Type G | United Kingdom, Ireland | Adapter ending in two flat or round pins |
| Type I | Australia, New Zealand | Adapter ending in two flat or round pins |
Source: IEC World Plugs.
What Plug Adapter Do You Need for Vietnam?
You need an adapter unless your plug already has two flat or two round pins.
One Adapter for the Whole Trip
Buy one universal adapter with sliding or interchangeable pins and it covers types A and C, whatever the Hanoi socket in front of you turns out to be. Forget it at home and you will need to buy one in the city. Pack one per charging device you use at the same time, or use a multi-port USB charger so a single adapter feeds four devices.
Source: IEC World Plugs.
Do You Need a Voltage Converter for Vietnam?
Most chargers need no converter. Appliances built for 120 V only do.
Adapter, Converter and the Label on Your Charger
An adapter changes the shape of your plug. A converter, or step-down transformer, changes the voltage. Vietnam supplies 220 V at 50 Hz.
Turn your charger over. If the fine print says 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz, it is dual voltage and needs nothing but an adapter. Most phone, laptop and camera chargers carry that label.
A hair dryer, curling iron or travel kettle built for 120 V only needs a converter rated for its wattage, and many travellers find it simpler to leave those at home. Dual-voltage travel dryers work as they are. Travellers from the United Kingdom, Germany and France come from a 230 V supply and from Australia a 240 V supply, so their devices run on Vietnam's 220 V as they do at home.
Travellers from the United States and Canada (120 V) and Mexico (127 V) are the ones who must read the label.
Does 50 Hz Matter?
For chargers, no. Dual-voltage chargers handle both 50 Hz and 60 Hz. It matters only for older appliances with motors or clocks built for one frequency, which can run fast or slow on the other.
A short trip with ordinary chargers can ignore frequency.
Source: IEC World Plugs.
What Else Should You Sort Before You Land in Hanoi?
Dial 113 for police, 114 for fire and 115 for an ambulance, and drink bottled or filtered water.
The table gathers the everyday essentials that sit beside the plug question. The last column links to the page that goes deeper where we have one.
| Essential | What to know | Where to read more |
|---|---|---|
| Police | Call 113 | GOV.UK advice, linked below |
| Fire and rescue | Call 114 | GOV.UK advice, linked below |
| Ambulance | Call 115. Lines are answered in Vietnamese, so ask a hotel to call | GOV.UK advice, linked below |
| Tap water | No Hanoi water utility statement says tap water is drinkable, so use bottled or filtered water | Use sealed bottles and filtered water |
| Mobile data | Carry a data SIM or eSIM so maps and ride apps work from the arrivals hall | Vietnam eSIM listing |
| Airport ride | Compare the bus, the G7 package and a booked car | Noi Bai Airport to Hanoi |
| Days out | Plan sights, food and day trips after you land | Things to do in Hanoi |
Vietnam Plug Type FAQ
What plug adaptor do I need for Vietnam?
A universal adapter that covers two flat pins and two round pins. Vietnam uses types A and C. Travellers from the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand need one, and US travellers with two-pin plugs need none. Staying longer than a trip? Working from Hanoi for a month is covered separately.
Are Vietnam plugs the same as US plugs?
A two-pin US type A plug fits a Vietnamese type A socket. The voltage differs, 220 V in Vietnam against 120 V in the US, so check that your charger says 100-240 V.
Is Vietnam a 2-pin or 3-pin plug?
Two-pin. Types A and C have two pins and no earth pin. A three-pin plug needs an adapter.
What type of adapter do I need for Vietnam?
One that ends in two pins, flat or round. A universal adapter covers both shapes, which matters because guides differ on whether Vietnam also uses a third type.
What is the voltage in Hanoi?
220 V at 50 Hz, the same across Vietnam. Chargers labelled 100-240 V work with just a plug adapter.
Do I need a converter for my hair dryer in Vietnam?
If it is marked 100-240 V, no. A dryer marked 120 V only needs a converter rated for its wattage or should stay at home.
Is the tap water in Hanoi safe to drink?
No Hanoi water utility says so, so drink bottled or filtered water.
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