Vietnam Travel News: E-Cigarette and Vape Ban for International Visitors in 2026

Vietnam Travel News: The 2026 Ban at a Glance

Vietnam's nationwide ban on e-cigarettes and heated tobacco took effect January 1, 2025 under Resolution No. 140/2024/QH15, and the latest Vietnam travel news confirms that enforcement has hardened for international visitors. A follow-up decree, Decree No. 123/2026/ND-CP, takes effect June 1, 2026 and sets administrative fines: VND 5–8 million for using e-cigarettes in public places, and up to VND 20 million for possession of devices or cartridges for commercial purposes.

The legal timeline matters because the ban is not new, but the penalty structure is. From June 1, 2026, the decree gives police a clearer basis to issue fines, and spot checks in HCM City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc have been especially active since July 2026. Bars, night markets, and hostels are common enforcement points. Airport customs can confiscate vaporizers or heated-tobacco devices found in carry-on or checked baggage.

One caveat: as of the research brief, the official text of Decree No. 123/2026/ND-CP was still pending confirmation. The fine for simple possession for personal use remains ambiguous; the decree may apply to use rather than merely carrying a device. For the latest version, check the National Database of Legal Documents at vbpl.vn. Some nightlife venues still allow indoor vaping despite the law, but selective enforcement is not a defense.

Conventional cigarettes remain legal in Vietnam, but only in designated indoor or outdoor smoking areas. Many hotels and homestays now include a no-vaping clause in their house rules, with on-the-spot charges for violations. If you use nicotine, consider nicotine patches or gum from pharmacies, and confirm availability before relying on them. For ongoing updates, follow Vietnam travel news today and latest Vietnam travel news posts from official sources.

Using an e-cigarette in a public place in Vietnam now carries an administrative fine of VND 5–8 million under Decree No. 123/2026/ND-CP, effective June 1, 2026. That follows the nationwide ban that took effect January 1, 2025 under Resolution No. 140/2024/QH15, but the June 1, 2026 decree is what sets the current fine levels. The same decree sets a separate penalty for possession of devices or cartridges for commercial purposes: up to VND 20 million. For Vietnam travel news readers tracking the 2026 enforcement wave, these figures are the center of any discussion about vape rules.

Enforcement intensified from July 2026 in five destinations: Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc. Police have been conducting spot checks in bars, night markets, and hostels, rather than only at airports or formal checkpoints. A 2026 VnExpress report states that first-time foreign visitors are being fined after a verbal warning, so there is no separate grace period for tourists. The checks have been frequent enough that hotel staff and local guides now routinely warn guests not to use any vaping product on the street, and because officers enter bars and hostels, vaping on a balcony or in a beer garden is not a safe workaround.

The fine for simple, non-commercial possession outside the act of use remains ambiguous in the current text of Decree 123/2026, and some nightlife venues still allow indoor vaping despite the law. That inconsistency does not reduce the public-use penalty: anyone caught using a device in a public place faces the VND 5–8 million fine. Before traveling, check the latest decree text on vbpl.vn or ask your hotel, because enforcement can be selective and local staff often know which bars are being visited by police. Leave vape devices at home; if they are found in luggage, airport customs will confiscate them.

Vietnam's nationwide e-cigarette and heated-tobacco ban has been in force since January 1, 2025, and for Vietnam travel news in 2026 the arrival rule is simple: you may not bring any vaporizer, heated-tobacco device, or e-liquid refill into the country. Customs officers at international arrivals confiscate units found in both carry-on and checked baggage. If you packed a device by mistake, voluntarily surrender it at the customs desk before inspection rather than trying to hide it; handing it over keeps you out of the penalty process entirely. There is no duty-free allowance or personal-use exemption for these items.

Inside accommodation, many hotels and homestays now include a no-vaping clause directly in their house rules, and staff can apply on-the-spot charges if they find guests using a device in a room or on a balcony. These hotel penalties are separate from state fines. Under Decree No. 123/2026/ND-CP, effective June 1, 2026, the administrative fine for using e-cigarettes in public places is VND 5–8 million, and possession of devices or cartridges for commercial purposes can reach VND 20 million. The official text of the decree is still being confirmed, so check vbpl.vn before you travel.

Smoking conventional cigarettes remains legal in Vietnam, but only in designated indoor or outdoor areas. That distinction matters: a cigarette in an ashtray zone is acceptable, but a vape in the same zone is not, because the device itself is prohibited. Police in HCM City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc have run spot checks in bars, night markets, and hostels since July 2026, and first-time foreign visitors are being fined after a verbal warning. Before booking, confirm the hotel's smoking policy directly; a no-vaping clause won't always appear on booking sites.

Vietnam’s nationwide e-cigarette and heated tobacco ban took effect January 1, 2025, and since June 1, 2026, Decree No. 123/2026/ND-CP has set the fine for using one in public at VND 5–8 million. For nicotine users planning a trip, the safest Vietnam travel news update is simple: do not pack e-cigarettes, vape pens, or e-liquid refills in any luggage. Airport customs confiscate devices found in carry-on or checked bags, and from July 2026 spot checks have been active in HCM City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc.

If you need nicotine, buy patches or gum at pharmacies in Vietnam rather than bringing a device. Availability varies by city and pharmacy, so verify before you rely on this—larger chains in HCM City and Hanoi generally stock nicotine gum, but smaller shops may not. Pack a supply from home if you can, as long as it is not a vaping product.

On the ground, avoid any use of vaping products on the street, even if you see others doing it. Enforcement has been selective, and some bars or nightlife venues still allow indoor vaping despite the law, creating confusion. Do not test this: a 2026 VnExpress report says even first-time foreign visitors are being fined after a verbal warning. If stopped, expect the fine and do not argue with police; arguing can escalate the situation.

Before arrival, check with your hotel about their specific no-vaping policy. Many hotels and homestays now include a no-vaping clause in house rules, with on-the-spot charges for violations. If you arrive with a device by mistake, voluntarily surrender it to customs to avoid penalties—hiding it risks a fine of up to VND 20 million for possession for commercial purposes. Confirm the latest Decree 123/2026 text on vbpl.vn, because the exact fine for simple personal possession remains ambiguous.

Decree No. 123/2026/ND-CP, effective June 1, 2026, sets fines of VND 5–8 million for using e-cigarettes or heated tobacco in public places, but it does not clearly set a fine for simple possession for personal use. The nationwide ban itself took effect January 1, 2025, and for anyone tracking Vietnam travel news in 2026, this gap is the biggest unresolved legal point: the decree appears to target use, not carrying, so a traveller found with a device in a bag may face confiscation rather than the VND 5–8 million public-use fine. Only commercial possession has a clear upper limit of up to VND 20 million.

Enforcement on the ground is inconsistent. Spot checks began in July 2026 in HCM City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Phu Quoc, yet some bars and nightlife venues still permit vaping indoors despite the law. That creates real confusion for tourists, because a venue owner who ignores the ban does not control what police do outside. Do not assume a venue's practice reflects the law; enforcement has been selective, and first-time foreign visitors have been fined after only a verbal warning. A bar that tolerates vaping indoors is not a reliable sign that the law has changed or that police won't act.

Before you travel, confirm the latest version of Decree No. 123/2026/ND-CP on the official National Database of Legal Documents at vbpl.vn or ask your hotel about current enforcement. Hours and prices change, and local enforcement priorities shift; a forum post from June may be outdated by August. Enforcement patterns can change between cities and even between adjacent weeks, so a report from one district does not predict another. Treat every Vietnam travel news update about the vape ban as provisional until you check the official decree text or a source inside Vietnam, and do not rely on secondary summaries.