How to Get a Vietnamese IP Address in 2020 Pho Entertainment’s Sake

If you’re from Vietnam but are living abroad, you may want to watch certain online entertainment or access your home bank over the internet. Without a Vietnamese IP address, though, this may prove troublesome because geoblocks restrict what you can watch or access outside of Vietnam (read our geoblocking guide for more information). 

Changing your IP address can make it look as though you’re in the country, enabling you to watch VTV3 or Vietnamese shows on Netflix. We’ve put together this guide to show you how to get a Vietnamese IP address.

How to Get a Vietnamese IP Address

The easiest way to get a Vietnamese IP address is by using a proxy, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best way. As you can read in our best free proxy guide, proxies don’t always work.  They also don’t provide any security, which leaves you defenseless to cyber attacks. Plus, proxies expose your real IP address, which means it can be traced back to you. Learn more from our VPN vs. proxy vs. Tor comparison.

A much better solution is to use a virtual private network. With a VPN, you can change your IP address, and your activities will remain private as long as the VPN has a no-logs policy. Plus, its security will protect you from cyber attacks, hackers and intrusive surveillance.

If you want a Vietnamese IP address, you need a VPN that has a server in the country. We’re going to recommend three that can help you change your IP address to a Vietnamese one.

ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is one of the best VPN services with top-quality servers in different countries across the world, including Vietnam. It’s also the fastest VPN on the market and best VPN for streaming, so you can watch Netflix without worrying about a Netflix proxy error.

It has a strong feature set, including an IP address and DNS leak checkers, built-in speed tests and a diagnostics tool. ExpressVPN’s security is top-notch with 256-bit AES encryption and a kill switch, and it doesn’t keeps logs, honoring your privacy.

You can install ExpressVPN on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS and BlackBerry. If you need any help with installing or troubleshooting issues, customer service is available via live chat, email and a knowledgebase.

The downside is its price, which costs $99 per year, making it one of the most expensive VPN services on the market. However, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it. Read our ExpressVPN review for a more in-depth look.

NordVPN

NordVPN can get you an IP address for Vietnam. It operates more than 5,000 servers in 60 countries, two of which are in Vietnam. NordVPN combines several powerful features, including impressive speeds and specialty servers tuned specifically for tasks like gaming, privacy or torrenting (read our best VPN for torrenting guide).

It provides great security using AES-256 encryption with the OpenVPN protocol, and it doesn’t keep logs of your online activity, protecting you from state snooping. NordVPN also has a kill switch and double-hop servers, and the free CyberSec anti-malware software has an extra layer of protection from cybercrime.

The service is easy to use and has clients for Windows, macOS, Android and iOS. Its interface is intuitive and clear, so selecting a server for Vietnam is straightforward. Plus, it comes with a 30-day refund window, so you have ample time to try it. Check out our NordVPN review for more details on the service.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost is another good choice for getting a Vietnamese IP address. It offers a decent package of more than 4,600 servers covering 60 countries, with 10 in Vietnam. Its security is good and speeds are decent. Plus, there are no caps on bandwidth, and you can get into Netflix and other streaming services, as well. CyberGhost also doesn’t keep logs on your online activity.

It’s easy to install and use on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, with up to seven devices connected simultaneously on a single account. This is why it’s ranked high in our best VPN for multiple devices list. You can use CyberGhost’s seven-day trial to make sure you like it, and if you’re still not sure, there’s a 45-day money-back guarantee to fall back on. Read our CyberGhost review for more details.

The Dangers of Using a Vietnamese IP Address

If you want to use a Vietnamese IP address, there are a few rules specific to Vietnam that you need to know. 

A report by Freedom House, an advocacy body, says that Vietnam’s internet is highly restricted and censored. In fact, it gave a firm “not free” score because of the country’s draconian crackdown on online expression and activists.

Through the so-called Bamboo Firewall, Vietnam’s communist regime bans any anti-government or anti-communist content to ensure its residents never read or watch it. The state controls most media and news outlets, and monitors what they tell citizens. It also blocks WordPress, Blogger, Twitter and occasionally Facebook. It’s no wonder that Vietnam ranks among the top five countries that block the web.

Additionally, bans restrict social media users and bloggers from getting any information about government authorities or websites. Vietnam has a history of jailing free speech advocates and critics, holding one of the highest numbers of bloggers and dissidents in the world. 

The same treatment may not apply to foreign journalists, but they risk having their visa extensions denied if they don’t comply. Reporters Without Borders considers Vietnam an “Internet Enemy,” meaning it’s not a safe place for journalists to work. For more on this, check out our article on the best VPN for Vietnam.

Final Thoughts

Getting a Vietnamese IP address is easier with a VPN. Simply sign up for one and pick a server in Vietnam to do your online banking or watch TV shows as if you were at home. It’s more secure than other methods, and you won’t have to worry about government surveillance or cyberattacks.

We recommend ExpressVPN, as it does well protecting your privacy and security in Vietnam — and helping you avoid the Bamboo Firewall. It also has a strong server network and fast speeds for streaming and downloading. The other two choices — NordVPN and CyberGhost — are also solid providers with good speeds and security, and can unblock streaming services. 

Do you have suggestions for good Vietnamese VPN services? Let us know in the comments below. As always, thank you for reading.