Asia SIM card: How much does it cost and where to buy it?

If one of your plans is to go on a tour through Asia without losing a single minute of internet, you are in the right place! Visiting Asia is one of the biggest dreams of so many people, because in this huge continent there are some of the most interesting and advanced countries of the world, without mentioning its incredible cultures, that can be very different than the that in the West. Something unique that makes it even more special. Of course, you want to remain connected 24/7, so in this article, we’ll tell you everything about the Asia SIM card, a great option to stay connected without spending so much money on international roaming.

As you already know, roaming is a service that local telecommunication companies offer when you travel abroad, but this could be very expensive depending on the country you go to, and not all companies have coverage throughout Asia. So, imagine that during your trip to this marvelous continent you want to stay some days in South Korea, Japan, Singapore or Hong Kong and that your company doesn’t have coverage there, that would be terrible! And these are amazing countries to know and show to the world. Therefore, running out of internet is not an option.

This alternative is also an excellent option and cheaper than others like Pocket Wi-Fi.

Where to buy a SIM card for Asia?

Buying an international Asia SIM card is one of the best decisions to avoid roaming, but its main benefit is that –besides being very cheap – it is easy to get and has free delivery.

Nowadays there are online stores like Holafly, that offer you service in English, fast and with great advantages. But this is not the only way to get your SIM card. You can get it online, in a physical store, or even at the airport when you arrive at your destination.

However, in Roami we suggest you get your card through an online store. But why?

Mainly it is due to its ease of purchase, in stores like Holafly it’s very easy to buy it and the card arrives at your house, so you don’t have to queue as you would in a typical store. Also, you’ll already have internet when you arrive at Asia’s main destinations, so you would avoid long processes and days of activation.

If you feel more comfortable buying your card when you get to the first stop of your trip, you can do it directly at the points of sale of China Mobile, SK Telecom in South Korea, NTT in Japan, or the airport of each country. Nevertheless, you should check this very well if you are planning to get a SIM card for absolutely all of Asia, because the coverage might vary in each country just as its main operators, so you must know if you’re buying a SIM for Asia or only for the country in which you are at that moment. Following this, if your plan is to go to the south of Asia you may be interested in acquiring an eSIM card for India.

Buying before travelling

Just as in physical points of sale, online stores often change prices, that’s why if you are at home, we recommend you buy with Holafly, a great alternative with cheap prices and some advantages that will facilitate your trip.

For example, you will have internet from the moment you arrive, something very useful if you are going to use Google Maps or get on a bus. Holafly service is completely in English, so you won’t have problems communicating with customer service. Also, they will provide you with all the necessary information for your SIM card to work perfectly in Asia, and for you to enjoy it without having to translate the information to your native language or paying extra expenses.

Holafly online shop

Holafly Asia SIM card lets you share data anytime, something nice if you have company. You can do this with your phone’s hotspot, so you won’t have to carry anything else. Also, the shipping is free, so you won’t have to worry about extra expenses, and your card will be home in 48 or 24 hours if you ask for express shipping, so you won’t have to panic if you have to travel the next day.

Just like that, if you are one of those guys who loves to keep in touch with his contacts or you are on a business trip to Asia and you can’t miss your WhatsApp conversations, this is an excellent option for you because you will keep your country’s WhatsApp number. Something great when you travel to Asia because most of its countries don’t use WhatsApp but apps like Kakao Talk.

Disadvantages of the Holafly SIM card

Since the objective of this article is to give you the best possible information, we must also tell you about the disadvantages of buying from Holafly, and among them is that it is not possible to extend the service. You can extend it on your own, but it would not be the same service that you hired. Also, this company offers shipping service only for Spain, Switzerland, France, and Germany, so if you are outside these locations, we recommend you get an eSIM for Asia.

How can I buy through Holafly?

Since you decided to buy your SIM card at Holafly, all you have to do is go to website, pick the Asia SIM card, complete the purchase form, and… that’s it! The card will arrive at your house in a period of 1 or 2 business days.

Buy when you land

Like everything, buying when you land has its advantages, for example, you will have a wide variety of brands to choose from, so you will have a high variety of prices. However, as we told you before, be very careful which brand you choose, since it may not work properly or may only have coverage in the country where you purchased it. Remember to request as much information as possible when making the purchase, so you will not be surprised and you will acquire just what you need.

Perhaps you may be interested in the Taiwan SIM card for your trip.

China Mobile, SK Telecom and NTT stores in Asia

In Asia, there are endless cellphone phone companies that offer SIM service for foreigners, but most of these companies only have coverage for the country where you buy the SIM, so you must be very careful and buy one that has coverage with the best networks in each country, in this case, the most recognized in Asia, mainly in Japan, South Korea, and Hong Kong, are China Mobile, SK Telecom and NTT, since being the largest telecommunications companies in Asia they have a widespread coverage.

Acquiring a SIM from any of these companies is very easy, you can do it at the airport, physical stores, or in shopping centers, you just have to go to one of their spots and buy it. But remember to inform yourself very well about the main coverage of each country.

How much does a SIM card cost to travel to Asia?

Holafly currently offers a type of SIM to travel to Asia and it has coverage in 14 destinations: South Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong and Macao, Myanmar, and Laos (only in 3G).

SIM Asia Multicountry

Asia eSIM card, the new alternative

As we mentioned before, in case you are out of Spain, you can opt for an eSIM with coverage in Asia. This is a card that works virtually, so you just have to request it on the Holafly online store and they will share a QR code for you to activate it. It’s very easy to use. You will receive it immediately and you won’t have to change your phone number, because it will turn your smartphone into a dual SIM phone. But, keep in mind that not all devices are eSIM compatible.

In the following list you’ll find the requirements for its use:

• Make sure your phone is eSIM compatible, since this technology is more or less new, there are still some devices that are not compatible.
• You need an email so you can sign up and get your eSIM. 
• To activate your eSIM you must have an internet connection, since your eSIM profile will be downloaded from the operator’s servers. You can do this from a Wi-Fi point.
• Most eSIM cards do not offer analog calls, only data. But with the plans on the market, you can communicate by voice using apps like Skype or WhatsApp.

How much does the eSIM for Asia cost?

The eSIM card for Asia that Holafly offers has similar prices to those of the physical card. These are the following:

The Holafly eSIM card uses the main network of each destination, and it includes 13 destinations: South Korea, Japan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macao, and Laos.

Frequent questions about the SIM card for Asia

To conclude, we solve some of the frequent questions that most travelers have when they acquire a SIM card for Asia. If you have more doubts, leave a question in the comments!

SIM card for another destinations

Don’t forget to visit our other articles about SIM card for other countries to travel to:

• Prepaid SIM Thailand.
• Buying a Morocco SIM card.
• Mexican SIM card.
• Egypt SIM card.