Bali Q&A

Which SIM card or eSIM should I get in Bali?

Answered by Alex M., our Bali-based editor · July 28, 2026

Short answerGet a Telkomsel plan - it has the widest, most reliable coverage across Bali and the neighbouring islands. A tourist SIM or eSIM with 20-45GB for 30 days costs roughly 12-25 USD. If your phone supports eSIM, buy one online before you fly and it works the moment you land; otherwise buy a physical SIM from a Telkomsel shop or a proper phone kiosk in town, where they register it for you. Skip the airport SIM counters - they charge a heavy premium.

Why Telkomsel, and the numbers

Telkomsel simply reaches more of the island than the alternatives. Tourist eSIMs start around 12-15 USD, with 20-45GB for 30 days the usual sweet spot; a physical 45GB tourist SIM runs about 14 USD (Balisim, Cellesim, BaliEasy). Tourist eSIMs are for foreign passports only, give you a local +62 number, and run on 3G/4G/5G.

eSIM vs physical SIM

eSIM: install it before your flight, no airport queue, and you can keep your home number active alongside it - the catch is your phone must support eSIM. Physical SIM: works on any phone, bought with cash in town, and the shop handles registration (Indonesia legally ties every SIM to a passport, so let a real Telkomsel or Erafone store do it rather than a random beach stall). Both get you online within minutes; the choice is just about your handset and whether you want to queue.

How much data you really need

Villa and cafe wifi exists but is patchy, so your own data is what keeps Grab, Gojek and Google Maps dependable - and 20GB comfortably covers a one-to-two-week trip of maps, messaging and some streaming. Do not overbuy. Coverage is strong across the south and Ubud and thinner on the remote north and east coasts and parts of Nusa Penida, so download offline maps before heading off-grid (see is Nusa Penida worth visiting).

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