What’s the Legal Drinking Age in Vietnam? (2024)

If you’re traveling to Vietnam, you may be asking yourself, “What’s the legal drinking age in Vietnam?” Maybe you heard how Vietnam is the top country in Asia for beer consumption (fact) and want a taste for yourself. Maybe you heard about the country’s burgeoning craft beer scene to provide depth to an already formidable domestic beer landscape. Or, maybe you just want to purchase a few local brews from your nearest convenience store and drink them on the street without any hassle. 

The very first step towards accomplishing all of that (and then some) is understanding Vietnam’s drinking laws. 

Having lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam for over one year (with regular month-long stints since), I can emphatically state that this is one of the best countries in the world when it comes to a thriving and communal beer culture, both classy and hectic nightlife, and boozy brunches and other alcohol-related activities (ex. Ax throwing with craft beers).

Let’s take a look at what you need to know about drinking alcohol in Vietnam.

Legal Drinking Age in Vietnam

Honestly, drinking beer with ice is fantastic. It didn’t even take any getting used to. You stay hydrated while you drink cold beer. This is the Vietnamese way. Also, pictured are some snails which this Big Body used to take down by the dozen.

In Vietnam, the legal drinking age is 18. This applies across the entire country. Vietnam’s minimum drinking age of 18 extends to the on-premise sales of alcohol, off-premise sales, supply by a third party, and consumption. 

Simply put, if you are 18 or older in Vietnam, you can purchase alcohol at bars, restaurants, cocktail lounges, breweries, supermarkets, convenience stores, and any other establishment that sells it. If you’re under 18, you cannot. 

Legal Consequences For Violating Vietnam’s Drinking Laws

The legal consequences for violating Vietnam’s drinking laws primarily punish alcohol advertisers, manufacturers, distributors, and other vendors. However, there still are legal consequences for minors who break Vietnam’s drinking laws: 

• For individuals between the ages of 16 and 18 who are caught consuming alcohol, they may receive an initial warning or fine between 200,000 to 500,000 VND (USD 8 to USD 20). However, if an individual under 18 is caught (a) consuming alcohol in a place where alcohol consumption is not allowed, or (b) inciting or coercing others who are underage to consume alcohol, they may face a fine ranging from 500,000 to 1 million VND.
• Fines further increase up to 3 million VND for minors caught consuming alcohol between learning or work hours or forcing others to drink. 
• For individuals who “cause public disorder” in the course of their alcohol consumption, they may face a fine ranging from 1 million VND (USD 41) to 2 million VND (USD 82). However, those who engage in disorderly drinking may just be warned or fined as little as 500,000 VND (USD 20).

For vendors, advertisers, distributors, and manufacturers of alcohol, the penalties are stricter.

Vendors, manufacturers, or distributors who employ persons under 18 in furtherance of advertising and selling alcoholic beverages may face a fine between 15 million and 20 million VND. 

Alcohol vendors and other distributors caught selling beer, liquor, or other alcoholic beverages to individuals under 18 will be fined anywhere from 500,000 to 1 million VND. Fines may be increased up to tenfold in situations where alcohol is sold via a vending machine or at a restricted public area (educational or sporting facilities). Further vendors or distributors may have their license to trade alcoholic beverages suspended for anywhere between 1 and 3 months. 

Advertisers that “encourage alcohol consumption,” such as promises of being seen as “more mature” or using images of persons under 18 years old, fines may range from 20 million to 30 million VND. 

Further, for advertisers that fail to clearly display correct alcohol percentage classifications, fines of 30 million to 40 million VND may be levied against them. 

Finally, Vietnam has adopted a strict drunk driving policy, completely prohibiting it for both car and motorcycle drivers. Drivers who are caught with alcohol present in their body, conducted via a breath or blood test, will face either hefty fines or criminal charges. Blood alcohol concentrations that exceed 80 mg/100 ml of blood and breath alcohol concentrations that exceed 0.4 mg/1 liter may result in a fine starting at 30 to 40 million VND. Criminal charges may only be sought in situations involving accidents or other consequences (such as bodily harm to others or damage to property).

Pale Ale Travel Tip: I would just caution everyone to be especially careful with driving and/or crossing the road during Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), as this is a popular time when nearly the entire country is on holiday. There’s a lot of drinking involved and drunk driving incidents skyrocket.

Do They ID You When Buying Alcohol in Vietnam?

Establishments that sell alcohol in Vietnam must post a notice that states persons under 18 cannot buy alcoholic beverages there. If the age of the individual cannot be ascertained, the vendor or establishment proprietor can ask the individual to produce his or her proof of identity. However, this is the exception rather than the rule in Vietnam.

During my one-plus year living in Vietnam, I was never ID’ed when buying alcohol. Then again, I was 27 and 28 while living there and already balding at the time. 

I do always caution anyone traveling to a new country to bring at least one form of ID with them when they go out to a bar, restaurant, nightclub, or other drinking establishment. This includes photocopies of your passport or license from back home. Photocopies are typically more than sufficient, even when dealing with local police. While there is a high probability you won’t be ID’ed in Vietnam, you don’t want to be that one person to hold up the night and have to run home to grab it. 

Additional Vietnam Drinking Laws

Bui Vien Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City is a popular street for both locals and foreigners to kick back (or turn it up a notch) with beers, snacks, and other party essentials.

Vietnam’s ‘Alcohol Law’ (No.44/2019/QH14 on Prevention and Fighting against the Negative Effects of Alcohol) specifically prohibits individuals from inciting, persuading, or coercing another individual to consume alcohol or drive under the influence. Further, individuals under the age of 18 cannot work in the alcohol industry in any capacity.

Vietnam’s ‘Alcohol Law’ restricts the sale and consumption of alcohol in specific public areas such as health facilities, educational institutions, centers that are targeted towards individuals under 18, and additional places as ‘prescribed by the government’.

Interestingly enough, this restriction extends to some public areas that you may have not realized are considered ‘public’. These include movie theaters, bus stations, parks, theaters, and cultural and sports establishments. 

Compared to the United States, where it’s popular to drink alcohol while watching a movie or your favorite sports team, this is a stark contrast. Also, it is particularly interesting as Vietnam is fairly liberal with their public drinking laws and consumption of alcohol. 

As mentioned above, like many other countries that are in the midst of improving public health, Vietnam also places restrictions on alcohol advertisements, outlining specific parameters and standards that alcohol companies must abide by. For example, warnings and dangers of alcohol use and abuse must occupy, at minimum, 10% of an advertisement’s total area. 

Can You Drink Alcohol in Public in Vietnam?

Pending that you do not drink in one of the prohibited locations, yes. You can drink alcohol in public in Vietnam. It’s extremely common to see friends, families, and restaurants spill out onto public streets where they will drink beer, liquor, and other alcoholic beverages

I can’t actually say during my one year-plus in Vietnam that I saw any local Vietnamese casually strolling around with a beer in hand. This is far more common with Westerners as you will see local Vietnamese celebrating a good time at restaurants and bars rather than while walking down the street. 

If you do decide to drink in public in Vietnam, you cannot disrupt public order. Ensure that you are respectful of others and not causing a nuisance and/or engaging in unlawful activity. 

Some of my favorite memories in Vietnam are of sitting outside in a back alley with some garlic butter snails, a banh mi (bread), and a bucket of warm Tiger beers that were chilling in a blue bucket of room-temperature water. I also had a fantastic Tet where I stopped by one of my regular cafes and was offered some whiskey and cigarettes by the guard I would fist bump each day. We sat and burned a few heaters while trading sips from the whiskey, brotherly love at its finest. 

What Time Do They Stop Selling Alcohol in Vietnam?

I’ve never encountered a day or night where buying alcohol was completely off the table. If the shop, restaurant, bar, or club is open and stocked with alcohol, you can buy it. 

I’ve had Tigers and 333 beers (along with strong craft beers) at 7 AM. I’ve drank mimosas at brunch down by the Saigon River at 9 AM. I’ve started my night off with fancy cocktails at a handful of rooftop bars in Ho Chi Minh. The point is that there is no restriction on the sale hours of alcohol in Vietnam. However, as mentioned above, there is a restriction on the location of where you can drink it. 

Vietnam’s Alcohol Scene

One of my favorite craft beers in all of Vietnam – the ‘Far East IPA’ by East West Brewing.

While beer and wine overwhelmingly dominate the alcohol market and landscape in Vietnam, you will never find yourself short of spirits or other hard liquor. However, for the purposes of this article, I’m solely focusing on the beer and wine scene in Vietnam. 

Beer in Vietnam

Vietnam loves its beer. Oh boy, do they love their beer. It may take some getting used to when you first travel to or move to Vietnam as it isn’t always common to be served an ice-cold beer like you might be used to. A large portion of Vietnamese drink beer with an accompanying glass full of one giant slab of ice. 

Some of my favorite local brands include 333, by the Saigon-based ‘Sabeco Brewery’ and ‘Saigon Beer’. Of course, I’m partial to Southern-brewed beer as I spent my entire time living in Ho Chi Minh City. 

I’ve previously declared Vietnam’s craft beer scene the best in Asia and I can’t help but emphatically state that again. Nowhere in Asia comes close when it comes to the variety, creativity, infusion of local ingredients and concepts, and depth that Vietnam’s craft beer possesses. You’ll find everything from citrusy Belgian wheat beers to New England-style IPAs (and West Coast IPAs) and everything in between. If you’re passing through Ho Chi Minh, I’ve even written a complete guide to craft beer in Saigon.

Pale Ale Travel Tip: Vietnam’s domestic and craft beer scene is just one of the many reasons why I loved living there (and will continue to keep going back for extended stints). For more reasons why I feel at home in the country, make sure to check out my post on the pros and cons of living in Ho Chi Minh. 

Wine in Vietnam

When my buddy ordered a bottle of wine at this particular seafood restaurant, it was pure chaos. I think they just went to the store next door and picked up a bottle since everyone primarily drinks beer at these types of restaurants.

Wine culture in Vietnam only came into existence during French colonial rule in the late 1800s. Because of the heat and humidity which was (and still is) not conducive to growing and cultivating grapes, Vietnam’s wine industry shifted towards fruit wine (wine made from fruits that aren’t grapes). 

However, the late 1900s saw a resurgence in interest in traditional wines thanks to several partnerships and tutelages under Australian winemakers. While there’s still a strong focus on fruit wines, domestically produced Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons (among other wines) can be found across the country. New varieties of grapes are continually being introduced and cultivated in the country. However, this is somewhat hindered by the need to clear remaining land mines from the Vietnam War.

Imported wine still accounts for the bulk of wine consumption in Vietnam (Chile being the leading importer), with locally produced wines only making up an estimated 25% of total wine sales. However, this is still a fraction of the total alcohol market in Vietnam, with low-cost beer accounting for 75% of nationwide alcohol sales.

Drinking in Vietnam (Final Thoughts)

Nothing quite hits the spot like an ice-cold 333 beer with some pho.

I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again. Saigon makes me feel alive. It was such a stark contrast to the predictable, tame life that I lived in Taiwan. That doesn’t mean that Saigon was always 100% pure chaos. No. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have returned so many times. It just provides you with the option to have whatever type of night you want to have, which is liberating. 

This goes without saying but always be mindful of your surroundings when drinking, do not drink and drive (Grabs are readily available across the country), and make sure that you understand the legal risks if you do engage in unlawful behavior. You may feel invincible at points in Vietnam but that doesn’t mean crossing into that “reckless territory” where you not only endanger yourself but others. You’re in someone else’s “home” and I always urge travelers to show respect to their host country and its people. 

If you have any favorite bars, clubs, breweries, or even BBQ joints/restaurants in Vietnam that you particularly love to slug a few cold ones or cocktails back at, I’d love to hear from you in the comments. Ho Chi Minh City has been my main stomping ground (having lived there for over one year), so I would love to hear from those who have imbibed across this vibrant country!

I’m also more than happy to answer any questions you have about drinking or partying in Ho Chi Minh City (aka Saigon), so please don’t hesitate to reach out here or via email (info@palealetravel.com). 

Drink well (and responsibly) everyone, 

Big Body