Mosques in Vietnam and Halal Food: A Guide for Muslim Travelers

There are mosques in Vietnam in every major tourist region: Al-Noor in Hanoi, the Saigon Central Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, and dozens of Cham mosques around Chau Doc in the Mekong Delta. This guide from our Vietnam travel blog lists them by city, explains how to find halal food, how to visit a mosque, and how to plan around Ramadan.

Vietnam's Muslim community is small, but halal food and prayer spaces are easy to find in the big cities. Many Muslim travelers from Southeast Asia enter visa-free; others can apply for a Vietnam e-visa online before they fly.

Mosques at a glance:

Mosques in Vietnam by city

Most of Vietnam's Muslims are Cham people living in the south, especially An Giang province near Chau Doc. The city mosques in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City were built by Indian traders in the colonial era and today serve local Muslims, residents and visitors.

Hanoi

Al-Noor Mosque on Hang Luoc street, in the Old Quarter, is the only mosque in Hanoi and northern Vietnam. Built by Indian merchants in the late 19th century, it holds Friday prayers and welcomes visitors outside prayer times. Our Hanoi guide covers the Old Quarter around it.

Ho Chi Minh City

The Saigon Central Mosque, also called Jamia Al-Musulman, stands on Dong Du street in the old city center, a short walk from the Opera House. Built in the 1930s, it is the best-known mosque in the country. Other mosques in the city serve Malaysian, Indonesian and Cham communities.

Chau Doc and the Cham communities

Cham Muslims live in villages along the rivers around Chau Doc and Tan Chau, with white and green mosques beside stilt houses. Da Phuoc village, across the river from Chau Doc, is easy to reach by boat. Our Mekong Delta guide explains how to plan a stay in Chau Doc.

Halal food in Vietnam

Halal food in Vietnam is easiest to find near the mosques in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where Indian, Malaysian and Middle Eastern restaurants serve certified or Muslim-run kitchens. In other towns, choose seafood and vegetarian dishes and ask about ingredients.

Pork and lard are common in Vietnamese cooking, including in broths and some sauces. Learn the phrase "khong thit heo" (no pork). Vegetarian restaurants, often attached to Buddhist pagodas, are a safe choice in smaller towns. Some large hotels and international chains offer halal options on request.

Visiting a mosque

Visitors are welcome at Vietnam's main mosques outside prayer times. Dress modestly, with arms and legs covered, and women should cover their hair.

Remove your shoes before entering prayer halls, and ask before taking photos of people. Friday midday prayers are the busiest time. If you are a Muslim traveler looking for prayer times, ask at the mosque or use a prayer app set to your city.

Ramadan and prayer times

During Ramadan, Vietnam does not change its pace: restaurants, markets and transport run as usual. Iftar is easiest near the mosques in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, which often share meals with the community.

Prayer spaces at airports and malls are limited, so plan prayers around your hotel or the mosques. Two practical questions remain for Muslim travelers: the visa for your nationality, and where to stay.

Planning a Muslim-friendly trip

A Muslim-friendly trip to Vietnam is easy to plan around the three cities above. Here is what to check before booking.

Visa for travelers from Muslim-majority countries

Citizens of Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei can enter Vietnam without a visa for a set number of days under bilateral agreements, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs list. Check the days for your passport on our visa-free list. Most other nationalities, including travelers from the Gulf, need an e-visa.

Where to stay

Stay in Hanoi's Old Quarter or the old District 1 center of Ho Chi Minh City to be within walking distance of the mosques and halal restaurants. In the Mekong Delta, Chau Doc hotels are close to the Cham villages.

VietnamVisa-Easy.com is a private visa service operated by H2 Global Travel JSC since 2012, not a government website, and you can apply directly at evisa.gov.vn for US$25. If you would like your application checked before submission, start your application with us.