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Plan to have a trip to Asia during the summer vacation? Like exploring iconic landmarks such as the Great Wall in Beijing, marveling at the skyline from Victoria Peak in Hong Kong, or cruising through the picturesque Halong Bay in Vietnam. The most important thing for you is to get mobile data for international trips, and an eSIM is best for you.
So, what is an eSIM card? It is a digital SIM that lets you access cellular networks. No need for physical SIM cards. No need to switch your phone. No matter how long you will stay in that country, we ensure you will get a suitable eSIM in this article because we have collected the 8 best eSIMs for Aisa travels. You will learn information about their features and prices. Let's take a look.
#1 MicroEsim
MicroEsim offers different eSIM plans and covers a wide range of Asian countries and regions. Supporting country-specific packages and multi-country packages, MicroEsim has flexible plans for your needs. The duration can range from 1 to 60 days (even 120 days for some regions), and data allowances are counted daily, in total, or unlimited packages. You can choose one that matches your travel itinerary. Don't worry if you consume excessive data in another country. MicroEsim allows you to connect to the network at a lower speed even though you exceed the data limit in your packages.
The speed and signal are fast and reliable because MicroEsim partners with reliable local carriers, such as CMCC in China, SKT in South Korea, Softbank in Japan, etc. It is simple to use. From purchase and activation to seamlessly using it, you will face no problems at all. In just 12 seconds after your subscription, you will receive the QR code via MicroEsim customer email, and you can activate it in less than 1 minute. Additionally, no eKYC (electronic Know Your Customer) is needed for authentication. The processes can be much easier than most eSIMs. If you take other devices like a laptop or iPad with you, eSIM also allows you to share your eSIM data as a hotspot to your devices, saving your roaming charges. Overall, it is your go-to option for long-term or short-term travel to Asia.
Here are some hit destinations and price packages:
| Destinations | Duration | Data Plans | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 1–60 days | Daily/Total/Unlimited 5Mbps | $1.55–$79.80 |
| Southeast Asia 5 Countries (Coverage：Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam) | 1–60 days | Daily/Total | $1.59–$76.80 |
| China (Including Hongkong, Macau, Taiwan) | 1–30 days | Daily/Total/Unlimited | $3.20–$168.70 |
| South Korea | 3–30 days | Daily/Total | $6.70–$55.80 |
| Thailand | 1–30 days | Daily/Total/Unlimited 5Mbps | $1.55–$79.80 |
#2 Airalo
Airalo is a famous eSIM service provider. One of its advantages is its multiple types of plans, including individual countries, multiple countries, and global options. For travelers to Aisa countries, you can choose the plan for specific countries. You can also choose the multiple package(Asialink), which covers 18 Asian countries and regions, such as Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, etc. Duration ranges from 7 days to 180 days. Compared with MicroEsim, its prices are more expensive, from $5.00USD to $185.00USD. So, for a mini-itinerary shorter than 7 days, it is not an ideal choice. Purchase and activation for Airalo eSIM are simple and easy. It has an app that allows you to purchase packages and install its eSIM directly on the app. You can share the data with other devices as well.
However, there are some drawbacks to consider. The data amount ranges from 1GB to 100 GB without an unlimited option. Also, customer service is exclusively in English, which may result in slower response times if you are not an English speaker. But in the end, Airalo remains a strong choice for travelers seeking reliable eSIM options in Asia, especially for long-term traveling.
Here are some hit destinations and price packages:
| Destinations | Duration | Data Plans | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asialink (covers 18 Asian countries and regions) | 7–180 days | Total 1GB–100GB | $5.00–$185.00 |
| Local package for China | 7–30 days | Total 1GB–20GB | $5.00–$49.00 |
| Local package for Japan | 7–30 days | Total 1GB–20GB | $5.00–$49.00 |
| Local package for Turkey | 7–30 days | Total 1GB–20GB | $4.50–$26.00 |
| Local package for Laos | 7 days | Total 1GB | $9.50 |
#3 Holafly
Holafly is a bit different since it only supports unlimited data. But it offers regional and country-specific plans, too. Covering China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, etc., it also cooperates with local carriers to provide you with fast and stable performance. User-friendly activation requires no need for eKYC as well, supporting shared data with other devices and not charging roaming charges. The Asia regional package duration ranges from 1 day to 90 days, and you can choose the number of eSIMs when you purchase.
However, compared with the above two ones, the prices are costly. Now, it offers a 5% discount, so the prices can range from $5.70 to $208.05, but the prices are not limited depending on how many eSIMs you purchase. So, given overall consideration, Holafly is only suitable for those who have large budgets and want unlimited data.
Here are some hit destinations and price packages:
| Destinations | Duration | Data Plans | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Data in Asia | 1–90 days | Unlimited | $5.70–$208.05 |
| Unlimited Data in China (not including islands like Hong Kong and Taiwan) | 1–90 days | Unlimited | $5.70–$132.05 |
| Unlimited Data in Japan | 1–90 days | Unlimited | $5.70–$132.05 |
| Unlimited Data in Taiwan | 1–90 days | Unlimited | $5.70–$132.05 |
#4 Nomad
Nomad is also popular. It offers affordable prices at the lowest $0.98/GB. Unlike all the above eSIMs, it also supports additional SMS packages that allow you to send messages to your friends. What's more, it has newly launched packages for business purposes.
However, although it covers multiple countries with durations from 1 day to 30 days, most countries support 30 days, which is not user-friendly for travelers who want short-term trips.
Here are some hit destinations and price packages:
| Destinations | Duration | Data Plans | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN–JP–KR Travel eSIM | 30–45 days | Total | $10.00–$27.00 |
| SG–MY–PH Travel eSIM | 30 days | Total | $8.00–$26.00 |
| China | 1–7 days | Total + unlimited 512kbps | $2.50–$49.00 |
| Singapore | 1–10 days | Total + unlimited 512kbps | $2.50–$49.00 |
#5 Maya Mobile
Maya Mobile is a US-based mobile data provider that provides eSIM services. It supports choosing packages by continent and individual countries at options in 194 destinations worldwide. It has a clear duration from 5 days to 30 days, letting you choose Prepaid or Unlimted. Like MicroEsim, the QR code is also sent by email, but you will need to take about 5 minutes to activate it, which is a longer time than MicroEsim. The prices are affordable, ranging from $8 to $149 for its day's plans (covering 13 countries and regions) and Unlimited plans (covering 12 countries and regions).
However, the unlimited data plans reduce speed to 1Mbps after the first 2/3/5GB each day. After we tested it, although it has manual customer service, it still takes a long time to wait and leave the conversation to a bot service (maybe due to the large workload). But still, Maya Mobile remains a great option for eSIM to Aisa.
Here are some hit destinations and price packages:
| Destinations | Duration | Data Plans | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia+ eSIM | 5–30 days | Total | $8.00–$89.00 |
| Asia Unlimited eSIM Plans | 30 days | Unlimited LTE data at 1Mbps after 2/3/5GB per day | $85.00–$149.00 |
#6 eSIMDB
eSIMDB is an eSIM marketplace that brings together eSIM plans and packages from multiple eSIM providers. The best thing is that it supports Cheapest, Best Price/GB, Largest GB, and Longest Validity, as well as other filters, making it easy for you to compare and choose the plan that suits you best. You can find multiple-region options and also individual country plans. What surprises us is that you can even find a plan at a price of $0.
However, it also has obvious drawbacks. eSIM service quality may vary depending on the provider you choose, as eSIMDB itself does not provide support or guarantee for individual eSIMs. And, just because the eSIMDB is a marketplace, its pricing may not always be the most competitive compared to buying directly from a single provider.
Here are some hit destinations and price packages:
| Destinations | Duration | Data Plans | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | 1 day–6+ months | Day/Total/Unlimited | $0.00–$100.00+ |
| China | 1 day–6+ months | 1 day–6+ months | $0.00–$100.00+ |
| Surf 1GB/month in Asia (cover 18 countries) | 30 days | Unlimited LTE data at 1Mbps after 2/3/5GB per day | $2.85–$186.48 |
#7 MobiMatter
MobiMatter is a UAE-based company that offers eSIM services. It allows you to select and purchase their plans more effectively through their filters like Package Type, Data, Validity, and Price range. One notable thing is that you can get up to $5 for every friend referred, which is considered a discount in another way.
However, from the validity, we can tell the shortest time is 14 days, and the lowest price is an interval price of up to $10. You cannot flexibly combine different durations and data plans, and the prices are higher for popular countries in Asia.
Here are some hit destinations and price packages:
| Destinations | Duration | Data Plans | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore Malaysia and Thailand | 30 days | 15 GB | $9.99 |
| Central Asia | 30 days | 5 GB | $5.99 |
| Surf 1GB/month in Asia (cover 18 countries) | 30 days | 1 GB | $49.99 |
| Asia Premium | 30 days | 30 GB | $49.99 |
#8 eTravelSim
eTravelSim's headquarters is located in Singapore. It was established in 2009, which is quite a long time ago. It supports individual country plans and also regional packages. However, eTravelSim has positioned its most products in the market with a starting price of $10.99, which may be considered relatively high compared to other eSIM providers. Also, their data plans are relatively few compared with others.
Tips for Asia eSIM
So, how do you choose an eSIM for your trip since there are so many options? Here are some tips to guide your decision-making process.
How to Choose the Best eSIM for Asia
- Network Coverage: Choose an eSIM that cooperates with local carriers to ensure you will get a strong signal and a fast speed.
- Data Plans and Pricing: Choose an eSIM you can afford with the best amount of data.
- Multi-country Plans: If you plan to visit multiple countries, select an eSIM with regional plans that cover all your destinations to save costs and for convenience.
- Customer Support: Choose an eSIM provider that offers 24/7 customer support so that you can get a prompt response if any issues occur.
- Easy Activation: Choose an eSIM with a simple and quick activation process, preferably supporting instant activation via a QR code scan.
- Additional Features: Some eSIMs offer extra features like hotspot sharing, which can enhance your travel experience.
- Refund Policy: Make sure the service provider has a refund policy if you have any changes to your trips or if the eSIM does not satisfy you after you purchase it.
Considerations for Using eSIM in China Mainland
China is now a hit destination on TikTok that many people plan to visit. When traveling to China, you are advised to look for an eSIM package that includes a VPN service, better at no extra cost. China imposes regional restrictions on many international websites, requiring a VPN to access them. Thankfully, several eSIM providers bundle VPN services as additional features, making it a cost-effective option compared to purchasing a standalone VPN.
Final Verdict
We hope this comprehensive guide on 2024 best eSIMs for Aisa travel will help you on your trip. When you choose your eSIM, there are multiple elements you should consider. However, the price, coverage of places, and amount of data are the main factors that will impact your decision. Compared to these options in the article, MicroEsim can be your very first choice for its specific and multi-country packages, affordable prices, easy activation, and simple access, which are suitable for users at all levels. Now, go to MicroEsim to get your eSIM for your amazing Aisa trip.