Prepaid SIM card for Bali: Where to Buy in 2023?

Known as the Island of the Gods, Bali is surely one of the most famous tourist places in the world. Maybe the search for adventure, white sand beaches, and curiosity about a millinery culture will take you to this destination on your next vacation. Beyond enjoying from the first moment, something that you cannot pass up is how to remain in contact with those back home, family and friends while you visit this earthly paradise. For this reason, in this article, we will give you all the information you need on where and how to buy your prepaid SIM card for Bali. 

Without taking up much of your time, we would like to mention that the Bali SIM card is accessible to all travelers and tourists. There are many ways to buy one, besides having competitive prices, and plans focused on your needs. Finally, we will present you with the virtual SIM card. This is the evolution of the physical SIM card, and in case your smartphone is compatible with the tech, there is no doubt that it will be your best alternative.

Where can I buy a prepaid SIM card for Bali?

You can think that being a very tourist place, Bali has public zones of WiFi or options to maintain a connection to the internet. But like other destinations around the world, this type of solution can be unstable and insecure. The best option in numerous instances is to not depend on these networks and to be able to stay connected thanks to a Prepaid SIM card for Bali. You can also consider using the roaming of your local operator or some pocket WiFi. But we anticipate that these alternatives are always much more expensive.

Now that you have more clarity that the SIM card for Bali is one of the best options, it is time to talk about where you can get one. For this, there are many ways that you can take even some time before you arrive at the island. The choice of which one to take may depend on your needs or the time you have to plan. From our experience, we invite you to consider buying them before your trip as your first option. And also, if your phone is compatible, get a virtual SIM card for ease of getting and using one.

In short, travelers and tourists have three ways to buy their prepaid SIM card or virtual SIM card for Bali:

• In online stores: As well as many other services, there are virtual stores that offer prepaid SIM cards for destinations like Bali.
• Physical stores on the island: Local operators in Indonesia with coverage in Bali offer SIM cards for tourists. Which can be bought in their stores.
• The last option is the virtual SIM card that you can buy before your trip and that they are handed immediately whenever your telephone is compatible.

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Buy before you travel.

If we are talking about the first option for many travelers is to buy an international SIM card for Bali before arriving at the island. You can do it thanks to online stores that offer this type of service. The majority choose this route due to the advantages it comes with for clients and the flexibility the associated plans usually offer. Additionally, if you are going to travel to a place with so many things to do as Bali, you will not want to use the time of your adventure in looking for where to buy your SIM card. It takes even more sense to do it before arriving at your destination with these remote suppliers.

We have let you know that there are many online stores that offer SIM cards for Bali. But also, we want to mention that some of them, as is the case of Holafly, offer an alternative, even more convenient, known as a virtual SIM card or only eSIM. Buying a physical chip before your trip has the inconvenience of having to wait for a delivery, which can take time, depending on where you are located. With the eSIM, this problem is solved because its delivery is instant, after your purchase and you get it in your email.

In any case, you choose a physical SIM card or a virtual SIM card for Bali in general. You will be opting to have these benefits:

Pros of buying a data plan for abroad before traveling

• You are connected from the moment you set foot on the island 

As you already have the SIM card before your trip, from the first moment that your adventure begins in Bali, you will be able to be connected to the Internet and stay connected for everything you need. You will not have to hurry to the airport or look for a point of sale in the city to buy your SIM card. You will only have to enjoy your adventure.

• Tourist-focused data plans

These providers obviously target their SIM cards for tourists, so they usually offer data packages for any stay and sometimes include unlimited data. We invite you to check which local network you will be connected to and if they offer good coverage and speed on the island. 

• Multiple destination options

If your trip takes you beyond the island, you will certainly not want to buy more than one SIM card. In this case, online providers also offer services with coverage not only in Indonesia, which may represent a slightly higher cost. 

• Save time

The purchase and configuration can be made before your trip. So if you have doubts or need help, you will be able to solve the situation before and not when you are in Bali. In addition, if you choose the option of the virtual SIM card, you will save even more time by not having to wait for the shipment of the physical chip.

Buy your tourist SIM card in Bali.

Now we want to elaborate on the option that for many years was the traditional one, but that has begun to fall behind. If you wish to go for this option, you buy your Bali SIM card through local operators in Indonesia. These can be Telkomsel, IM3 Ooredoo, or XL Axiata. You can go to one of their stores or authorized agents, and in some cases, you can find SIM cards in the airports of Bali. It is important to mention that by regulations of the government, they will ask you for your passport and the IMEI of your telephone to register your local SIM card. In addition, you will be able to register a maximum of three SIM cards with a unique passport or identification.

Telkomsel

It is one of the companies with greater coverage in the country and in Bali. They offer only accessible services to tourists called prepaid tourist cards. This service includes 25 GB and 25 minutes of calls to local numbers in a period of 30 days. You can pre-order it on their web page and make the pre-registration of your phone with your IMEI and passport. So, when you arrive in Bali, you can go to one of the Pickup locations, pick up your SIM card for Bali and install it. You have 14 days to complete this process.

It is important to mention that the plan will not be renewed after 30 days. And in case you want to continue using the service, you have to request another similar package from Telkomsel through their APP, call *363#, or go back to a physical store.

IM3 Ooredoo

Another local operator that you can use is IM3 and its Freedom Internet 3 GB Starter Pack. This is a SIM card for Bali that any visitor can acquire. IM3 has access to speeds of 4G on the island. Its package is to be used in 30 days and includes 3 GB of navigation in addition to 5000 min to other IM3 numbers.

Finally, this plan can be renewed automatically once the period is over and if you have enough credit. Following the laws of the government for the process, it will be necessary that you register your telephone and passport to continue with the purchase. You can do it through physical stores or to advance the pre-registration on their website to pick up the card once you arrive in Bali.

Smartfren

Of all the operators with coverage in Bali, Smartfren is the only one that offers two SIM card options for tourists. These packages are called Tourist pack and Tourist pack unlimited. The first offers 30 GB to be used in 14 days, and the second offers unlimited data but with a daily limit of 1.5 GB before having a speed reduction. Both options include 10 minutes of calls to local numbers, and data consumption on WhatsApp is not considered within the available plan. These are also not renewable after the end of the period. And, of course, you will also have to go through the registration process required by Indonesian law.

How much does a prepaid SIM card for internet in Bali cost?

As you can already imagine, purchasing your Bali SIM card once you are on the island can be a little difficult. Not only by the registration process, but because you can’t renew your plan in case your stay lasts a little longer than initially planned. Despite this, if you are still considering trying your luck with this option, the Bali SIM card with data is within a range of price of $7 up to $15 in the packages already mentioned.

We want to remind you that in numerous instances, the payment will have to be done in the local currency of Bali under the operators T&Cs. Also, you cannot avoid the registration process. So, you will need your identification, like a passport and a phone with a valid IMEI.

Unlimited data eSIM card for Bali

After all this journey, we have arrived at the virtual SIM card, the easiest way to have internet in Bali. This new type of SIM is the digital evolution of the physical chips we already know. They have the same characteristic that makes them attractive to tourists. Online stores like Holafly offer these eSIMs through their web pages which are accessible to all types of clients. With the virtual SIM card for Bali, you will be able to carry out the entire purchase and activation process in just minutes through any computer or phone, no matter where in the world you are! A piece of cake.

Definitely, the eSIM came to stay, and if you are about to decide to buy one for your trip to Bali, we leave you next its advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages and disadvantages of Virtual SIM cards

Advantages:

• Instant purchase and activation.

As we already foretold, the purchase of your eSIM for Bali can be done online through stores like Holafly. After selecting your plan and completing your payment, you will receive a QR code on your email, that you will scan with your phone to activate.

• From wherever you are and wherever you go.

Being completely digital, both the eSIM and the purchase process, you can do it from home, work, or anywhere with an internet connection. In addition, providers such as Holafly offer this service with coverage in almost every destination in the world! 

• Unlimited data plans

Thanks to the advancement of the telecommunications industry, eSIMs also offer unlimited data for Bali within the period of use of the plan you sign up for. Holafly offers several periods of duration for this destination that we invite you to check.

• Multi-country coverage

If your vacation takes you beyond the island and Indonesia, you can opt for eSIM cards that offer coverage in more than one country, even with support for an entire continent! No matter what your plan is, with Holafly, you will find the right eSIM to go with you.

Disadvantages:

• Compatibility with latest generation phones

Every new technology takes time to be implemented. In the case of eSIMs, they are not yet integrated with all cellular devices. If you want to confirm if your phone can support an eSIM, we invite you to check the list of eSIM-supported devices.

How much does a tourist eSIM for Bali cost?

The virtual SIM card for Bali with unlimited data has a price range that usually varies according to the duration of the period of use. Choose one that is close to your stay.

Virtual SIM card for travel in Bali

If you wish to use a Holafly eSIM card with data for your trip to Bali, here are their prices:

eSIM Card Asia

And if you want internet in other Asia countries, check out these prices:

Frequently asked questions about SIM cards for Bali

Any questions? Here are the doubts we’re most often asked about connecting to the internet in Bali.

SIM cards for other countries

• Asia SIM Card