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Planning a trip to Southeast Asia? Here’s your complete guide to finding the best connectivity options for 2024! Travelling to this tropical region offers a unique blend of street food culture, island and beach paradises, and rich histories that are unparalleled. You can explore night bazaars and street food stalls in Chiang Mai, Thailand, stroll through lantern-lit streets and craft workshops in Hoi An, Vietnam, snorkel and relax on the beaches of Amed, Indonesia, or visit the historic Raffles Hotel in Singapore, renowned for its colonial architecture and its appearance in “Crazy Rich Asians.” There’s so much to discover, you’ll find it hard to choose where to go first! However, your experience can hinge on one crucial factor: staying connected. Imagine the frustration of pulling out your phone to open a translation app to talk to a local seller, only to be met with an endless loading spinner due to no connection. So, if you’re gearing up for a trip to the Philippines, Cambodia, Malaysia, or even Laos, read on to find the best connectivity options, from those you can purchase before your trip to ones you can buy at your destination. Keep scrolling to dive in! Southeast Asia Travel eSIM vs Roaming vs Local SIM 1. Travel eSIM – Buy Before or During Your Trip We mentioned that there are connectivity options you can get before OR during your trip. But did you know that, with travel eSIMs, you can get them anytime and anywhere?Activating a travel eSIM is also simple! It can be done instantly by scanning the QR code sent to you via email without even needing to swap SIM cards physically, so it doesn’t matter whether you buy it in advance or upon arrival! Here are a few more things you need to know about travel eSIM: Advantages Disadvantages TravelKon TravelKon is an Australia-based provider of travel eSIMs (and SIM cards), offering prepaid data plans for more than 180 countries, including Southeast Asia. Not only is TravelKon affordable and convenient, but it also stands out for its reliable connectivity and responsive customer support. Assistance is readily available through Messenger, WhatsApp, and email whenever you have questions or need help. There are several eSIM plans you can choose to complete your Southeast Asia trip: Plans Price DTAC Thailand eSIM | Unlimited Data | 100 Minutes Calls | 10 Days $25 Telkomsel Bali eSIM | 24 – 70GB | 5G Data-Only | 30 Days $29 – $49 Telkomsel Indonesia eSIM | 25GB | Voice | 30 Days $39 Indonesia eSIM | 15 – 30GB | Data-Only | 30 Days $25 – $35 Singapore eSIM Unlimited Max | Unlimited Data* | Data-Only | 1 – 30 Days $9 – $75 Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand eSIM | 15GB / 30GB | Data-Only | 30 Days $29 – $45 Unitel Laos eSIM | 15GB | Voice | 10 days $19 Unitel Laos eSIM | 30GB | Voice | 15 day $25 Vietnamobile Vietnam eSIM | 2GB / Day | Voice | 20 Days $20 Vietnamobile Vietnam eSIM | 5GB / Day | Data-Only | 20 Days $19 Southeast Asia eSIM Unlimited Lite 4 Countries | 1GB Daily + Unlimited at 5 Mbps | Data-Only | 3 Days $15 Southeast Asia eSIM Unlimited Lite 4 Countries | 1GB Daily + Unlimited at 5 Mbps | Data-Only | 7 Days $29 *All prices are correct as per 28 May 2024 Price in AUD For more details on each of these options, explore TravelKon’s Southeast Asia eSIM plans. Or if your phone is not eSIM-compatible, worry not because TravelKon also offers travel SIM cards. 2. Roaming – with Your Home Country SIM If you’re ready for the notoriously expensive rates for a slightly more convenience, consider using roaming with your home country SIM! Roaming is a feature that allows your phone to connect to a local network in the area you’re visiting, so you can still make calls, send texts, and access the internet abroad using your current number. Unless manually switched off, some home country SIM providers – like Telstra, automatically enable international roaming on all mobile plans once you use your phone outside the country. Just ensure your provider covers the countries you’re visiting and includes roaming in your plan. Be sure to also check for the rates so you won’t be surprised by the bill at the end of your trip. Including factors like cost and convenience, here are some more things you need to consider before using roaming: Advantages Disadvantages To give you an idea of prices and plans available for Southeast Asia countries, Optus have Optus Daily Roaming, giving 5GB data, unlimited talk, and text for AU$5/day. Telstra also offers options like the International Day Pass, providing 1GB data, unlimited calls, and SMS for AU$10/day. *All prices are correct as per 28 May 2024 3. Local SIM – Buy at Your Destination Country If you’re planning to visit a single country in Southeast Asia for an extended period of time (at least 1 month), buying a local SIM card or eSIM at your destination country is another way to stay connected. These are the pros and cons of buying a local SIM: Advantages: Disadvantages: Here’s a quick look at the most popular providers in each SEA country. Indonesia – Telkomsel Planning a trip to Indonesia? Telkomsel, a top Indonesia provider whose connectivity covers 97% of the country, offers a Pre-Order Tourist Prepaid Card that gives you 25GB of data and 25 minutes of voice calls for AU$14.13*. To grab yours, visit Telkomsel offline store that you can find easily everywhere in the country. Alternatively, you can pre-order online via Telkomsel’s website and pick one up from designated pick-up points located in Bali and Mandalika. Payments can be done with your credit card or with cash in Rupiah at the pick-up location. Just make sure to bring your passport and IMEI for validation and pick it up by the latest 14 days after pre-ordering. Sounds like a hassle? Well,