Roaming fees in Southeast Asia can be expensive. An eSIM eliminates that — and removes the airport SIM queue at the same time.

Buying a local SIM used to mean queuing at an airport counter, waiting for ID verification, then swapping physical cards every time you crossed a border. eSIMs eliminate all of that. Install before you fly, activate when you land, and you're connected immediately.

For multi-country Southeast Asia trips — Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia — a regional eSIM is dramatically simpler than managing separate SIMs for each country. Here's how the three leading providers compare.

Why eSIM over local SIM

Local SIMs are fine for single-country trips where you have time at arrival. For most modern travellers moving across multiple countries, eSIMs win on every practical dimension.

Setup Install at home, activate on landing
Multi-country One plan covers the whole region
No queues Skip airport counters entirely
Dual SIM Keep your home number active alongside
Flexibility Top up or switch plans from the app
Reliability Major providers use local carrier networks
The ten minutes it takes to set up an eSIM at home saves you thirty minutes at the airport and an unknown amount of roaming anxiety for the rest of the trip.

Airalo

Airalo is the largest eSIM marketplace — you buy a plan for a specific country or region through their app, and it activates instantly. Coverage in Southeast Asia is strong across all major destinations, and their regional packages covering multiple countries are particularly good value.

Price Starts around USD 5 for 1GB — strong value
Coverage Solid across Southeast Asia's major destinations
Plans Data-only — no calls or SMS included
App Clean marketplace interface, easy top-ups

Airalo is strong for data-only plans. If you need calls or SMS included, it's worth comparing against Holafly or Saily for your specific destination.

Best for: flexibility, multi-country trips, short stays

Airalo's regional Southeast Asia plans are consistently good value for travellers moving across multiple countries who don't need calls included.

Holafly

Holafly specialises in unlimited data plans — which is the key differentiator. If you're streaming, video calling or working remotely, Holafly's unlimited plans remove the anxiety of watching a data counter throughout your trip. Coverage is solid across Southeast Asia's major destinations.

Data Unlimited data plans — no counter watching
Coverage Strong across Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, Indonesia
Price Slightly higher than Airalo — worth it for heavy users
Support 24/7 customer support — responsive and well-reviewed

Plans run slightly higher than Airalo for limited data, but for heavy users the unlimited option is genuinely better value over a longer trip. Holafly's 24/7 support is also consistently well-reviewed — worth knowing if something goes wrong mid-trip.

Best for: heavy data users, longer trips, remote workers

Yanvara readers get 5% off any Holafly eSIM plan with code YANVARA at checkout. Use the link below to apply it automatically.

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Saily

Saily is the newer eSIM from Nord Security — the same company behind NordVPN. Coverage is competitive with Airalo, pricing is comparable, and the app is clean and simple. A solid option if you're already in the Nord ecosystem or want a trustworthy alternative to the market leaders.

Trust Built by Nord Security — established reputation
Price Comparable to Airalo — competitive value
App Clean, simple interface — easy to manage
Coverage Solid across Southeast Asia's key destinations
Best for: privacy-conscious travellers, Nord users, clean UI

If you use NordVPN already or want a provider with strong security credentials behind it, Saily is worth considering alongside Airalo and Holafly.

Which to choose

The right eSIM depends on how you travel and what matters most on the ground.

  • Airalo — best for flexibility, regional multi-country plans and shorter trips where data usage is moderate.
  • Holafly — best for unlimited data, longer trips, remote work and heavy streaming. Use code YANVARA for 5% off any plan.
  • Saily — best for travellers who want a solid alternative with Nord Security's backing and a clean app experience.

When you plan your trip with Yanvara, eSIM recommendations are surfaced directly within your itinerary — so connectivity is sorted as part of planning, not as an afterthought on arrival.

Whichever provider you choose, set it up before you fly. Activation at the airport is easy — but it takes ten minutes you won't have when you're trying to find your transfer.
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