eSIM vs Local SIM: What Solo Travellers Need in Southeast Asia (2025 Guide)

Travelling solo through Southeast Asia is an unforgettable adventure – the street food, the culture, the beaches, the chaos. But there’s one modern-day essential that can make or break your experience: staying connected.

Whether you’re navigating hidden alleyways in Hanoi, booking a last-minute hostel in Bali, or video calling family from a café in Chiang Mai, mobile data is essential. The two most common ways to get online? Local SIM cards or eSIMs. In this guide, I’ll walk you through both options, their pros and cons, and my personal recommendation after years of travel.

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What’s the Best Way to Stay Connected While Travelling SE Asia?

Southeast Asia is fairly connected, but Wi-Fi isn’t always reliable and international roaming is usually expensive. That leaves you with two solid options:

Local SIM cards: Cheap and available at airports or convenience stores
eSIMs: Digital SIM cards you can activate instantly via an app

Personally, I use both depending on the country and length of stay. But more and more, I’ve leaned towards eSIMs for short-term travel, especially when hopping between countries.

eSIMs for SE Asia Travel: Pros, Cons & Best Options

What is an eSIM?

An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a digital SIM card built into your phone. You download a data plan via an app, and you’re online in minutes – no physical card required.

Pros of eSIMs

Activate instantly from anywhere
No need to queue at airport kiosks
Keep your home number active on dual-SIM phones
Ideal for short trips or multi-country travel

Cons

Data-only (no local phone number)
Not supported on older phones
Slightly more expensive than local SIMs

Best eSIM for Southeast Asia

My top pick: Airalo

They offer regional plans like Asialink:

5GB for 30 days
Works in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos & more
Instant activation

The app is easy to use, and the connection is solid even in remote areas of Lombok.

Local SIM Cards by Country (A Quick Overview)

Vietnam

Best providers: Viettel, Mobifone
Cost: Around $3–5 for 5–10GB
Where to buy: Airport kiosks, convenience stores

Thailand

Best providers: AIS, TrueMove H
Tourist SIMs widely available
Buy at 7-Eleven, airports, malls

Indonesia

Best providers: Telkomsel, XL Axiata
Cost: ~$5 for 6GB+ data
Activation may require passport scan

Malaysia

Best providers: Digi, Celcom, TuneTalk
Easy to buy at airports or malls

Laos

Best providers: Lao Telecom, Unitel
Less competitive, but good coverage in cities

eSIM vs Local SIM – Which Should You Choose?

Feature	eSIM	Local SIM
Setup	Instant via app	Buy & register in-person
Price	$5–10 for regional plans	$2–5 per country
Coverage	Multiple countries	Country-specific
Reliability	Excellent	Very good in most places
Phone Number	No (data only)	Yes (can make calls/texts)