eSIM for Asia 
Viasimo's Asia eSIM starts at $2.29 for 1 GB over 7 days, running on local 5G networks where available. Plans last 3 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.
Coverage depends on the plan: 7 to 20 countries
These plans do not all cover the same countries, and a bigger number is not always a superset. Pick your plan, then check your own countries in the coverage step before you pay.
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Duration
Where it works
Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1
$10.99
Does my phone take an eSIM? Check now
Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.
Not sure it works on your phone? Check compatibilityWhich networks does the Asia eSIM use?
The host network is chosen automatically when you arrive.
- Data
- 1 GB – 50 GB or unlimited
- Validity
- 3–180 days
- Speed
- 4G LTE / 5G
- Hotspot / tethering
- Supported on most devices
- Activation
- Starts when you first connect in your destination
- Speed management
- Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
- Top-ups
- Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
- Text messages (SMS)
- Data only: use an app for verification codes
- Connects via
- Hong Kong
- Unused validity
- 180 days before it must be installed
How much data do you need?
The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.
| You are | Plan for | Cheapest plan that covers it |
|---|---|---|
| LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup | About 1 GB a week | $2.291 GB, 7 days |
| TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing | About 3 to 7 GB a week | $8.005 GB, 30 days |
| HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads | 10 GB a week or more | $13.9910 GB, 30 days |
| Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync | 20 GB a week or more | $21.99Unlimited, 7 days |
eSIM, local SIM or roaming?
Charged per day
Your carrier roaming
Queue and plastic
A SIM at the airport
$2.29
Viasimo, one bundle
Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.
Important to know
- This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
- Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
- Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
- Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
- 5G only works where the host network has deployed it and your phone supports it. Everywhere else it falls back to 4G LTE.
- Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy
Frequently asked questions
Does an eSIM work in Asia?
Yes. Your Asia eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.
Do I get 5G in Asia?
Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on The local networks we use in Asia, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.
Do Google and WhatsApp work in mainland China on an Asia eSIM?
Usually, yes. Travel eSIMs in China roam on local towers but send data out through a gateway abroad, so services blocked on Chinese wifi and local SIMs typically load without a VPN. It depends on where a plan's traffic exits, and some apps block Hong Kong IP addresses. Test your essentials as soon as you arrive and have a VPN installed beforehand as a backup.
Will the Asia plan work during a stopover in Dubai or Doha?
No. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar are not on this plan's covered list, even though most long-haul flights from Europe to Asia connect through them. Your data will start when you land in the first covered country. If you need to be online during a long Gulf layover, use the airport wifi or a separate plan for that stop.
Do I need to register my phone with the PTA to use data in Pakistan?
Not if you are using a foreign line on roaming. The PTA registration and its 120-day temporary scheme apply when a Pakistani SIM is put into the phone. Foreign SIMs and eSIMs on roaming can be used without registering the handset. That is the main reason a roaming eSIM is simpler than a local SIM for a short trip.
Which map app should I use in South Korea?
Use Naver Map or KakaoMap. Google Maps shows places and transit routes in South Korea, but as of August 2026 it still could not give turn-by-turn walking or driving directions because of local map data rules. Both Korean apps have English menus and include subway and bus routing. Kakao T is the app for taxis.
Is there signal on the Mekong slow boat in Laos?
Very little. The two-day slow boat between Huay Xai and Luang Prabang passes through sparsely populated hills, and you will be offline for most of each day, picking up signal briefly near villages and the overnight stop at Pakbeng. Download maps, books and your Luang Prabang accommodation details before you board.
How much data do I need for 7 days in Asia?
For 7 days in Asia, Viasimo sells 1 GB for $2.29 and unlimited data for $21.99. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.
Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →
Asia: what to know before you land
An Asia plan makes most sense for trips that string several countries together: Japan and Korea, a Bangkok to Hanoi loop, Hong Kong with a mainland China leg, or Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Bali. Coverage ranges from dense 5G in Seoul, Tokyo and Singapore to slow, patchy service in rural Laos, Cambodia and the Central Asian mountains.
- Emergency
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- 110 police
- Plugs
- ACGID Mostly 220–240V; 100V in Japan, 110V in Taiwan
- Currency
- Local currency in each country
Main airports
- SIN Singapore Changi Airport
- HKG Hong Kong International Airport
- BKK Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok
- ICN Incheon International Airport, Seoul
Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau
Many Asia trips include a short mainland China leg from Hong Kong, by high-speed train to Shenzhen or Guangzhou or across the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau bridge. All three territories are on this plan, so you do not need a separate purchase at the boundary.
The important difference is the Great Firewall. Travel eSIMs in mainland China work by roaming, and their data normally leaves the country through a gateway abroad, often Hong Kong or Singapore. eSIM comparison site eSIMDB explains that this is why Google, WhatsApp and Instagram usually load on a roaming eSIM in China without a VPN, while hotel wifi and local SIMs are filtered. Behaviour depends on where a plan's traffic exits, and some services, including certain AI tools, restrict Hong Kong IP addresses anyway.
In practice, test your key apps as soon as you cross. If something you rely on fails, have a VPN installed before you enter, because downloading one from inside the mainland is difficult. Expect Google Maps to be inaccurate in China; Apple Maps or Amap is more reliable for directions.
Bangkok to Hanoi through Laos and Cambodia
The South East Asia loop usually runs Bangkok, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City and north to Hanoi, or Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Luang Prabang, Vientiane and across to Vietnam. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam are all covered, which is where a regional plan pays off compared with four separate purchases.
Coverage is good in the big cities, along Thailand's main highways and on the coastal road through Vietnam. It thins in the mountains of northern Laos and Vietnam, on the Ha Giang loop, and around remote temples away from Siem Reap. The two-day Mekong slow boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is largely offline.
At land borders like Lao Bao or Cha Lo–Na Phao between Laos and Vietnam, your phone switches network as you walk through. The Thailand–Cambodia land border is a different case: after fighting in 2025, the UK Foreign Office reported that crossings were suspended and advised against all but essential travel within 20 km of the border, so most travellers now fly between Bangkok and Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. If data does not return within a few minutes, cycle airplane mode. Keep your e-visa approvals and onward bookings saved offline, because the immigration halls often have poor signal. The Laos–China railway from Vientiane runs north to Kunming; if you ride it across the border, the plan carries on into mainland China.
Japan and South Korea by air or the Busan ferry
Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka followed by Seoul and Busan is one of the most popular two-country trips in Asia, and both countries have very strong networks with 5G across the major cities and good 4G on the Shinkansen and KTX lines. Long rail tunnels still cause brief dropouts.
The two countries need different apps. In Japan, Google Maps works well for trains and walking, and LINE is how many restaurants and guesthouses communicate. In South Korea, Google Maps still lacked turn-by-turn walking and driving directions as of August 2026, so Naver Map or KakaoMap is essential, and Kakao T is the main taxi app. Both Korean map apps have English interfaces.
If you take the ferry between Fukuoka and Busan rather than flying, expect to lose signal for much of the crossing once you are out of sight of land, then reconnect as you approach the other port. Download your ferry ticket and arrival instructions before boarding. Flights between Japan and Korea are short, and the eSIM usually reconnects within a minute or two of landing at Incheon, Gimpo or Gimhae.
Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and the Silk Road
The western half of this plan covers South Asia and parts of Central Asia, where local SIM rules are stricter and a roaming eSIM saves real effort. In Pakistan, a phone only needs PTA registration if you put a Pakistani SIM in it; foreign SIMs on roaming can be used without registering, according to ProPakistani's guide to the 120-day scheme. India's local SIMs need passport and visa paperwork, and Sri Lanka's airport counters are quick but still ask for a passport.
Coverage is good in Delhi, Mumbai, Colombo, Lahore and Islamabad, and 5G is spreading quickly in Indian cities. In the mountains it is a different matter: the Karakoram Highway, Hunza and Skardu, and Ladakh have long sections with no signal.
In Central Asia, Almaty, Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara are well connected, and Uzbekistan's Afrosiyob high-speed trains link the main Silk Road cities. Kyrgyzstan's lakes and passes, such as Song-Kul, are largely offline. Yandex Go is the ride-hailing app most travellers use in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Researched October 2026 · 6 sources
- esimdb.com Travel eSIM in China: VPN and the Great Firewall (eSIMDB)
- blog.yesim.tech Does eSIM work in China in 2026? (Yesim)
- propakistani.pk How overseas Pakistanis and visitors can register mobile phones for 120 days (ProPakistani)
- travelweekly-asia.com WeChat Pay and Alipay to accept global credit cards (Travel Weekly Asia)
- koreaherald.com Google confirms plans for turn-by-turn navigation in Korea (Korea Herald, Aug 2026)
- gov.uk Thailand travel advice: regional risks (GOV.UK)
Twelve days across East Asia's capitals: Hong Kong, Macau, Taipei, Seoul and Tokyo
A fly-between-cities route for travellers who want several of Asia's great cities on one eSIM: Hong Kong with a day in Macau, Taipei and the hills at Jiufen, Seoul's palaces and markets, then Tokyo, each leg a short flight of two to three hours.
When to go October to early December is the most reliable season across all five, with clear, mild weather; March to May is also good, while June to September brings heat, heavy rain and typhoons that can ground flights from Hong Kong and Taipei.
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Day 1 Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Victoria Peak and Central
Ride the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak and walk the Lugard Road loop for the harbour view. Come down to Central and take the Mid-Levels escalator through SoHo to Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. In the evening, take the Star Ferry across to Tsim Sha Tsui for the Symphony of Lights show over the harbour.
Signal Excellent 5G on csl, SmarTone or 3 across Hong Kong, including the MTR and the Star Ferry.
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Day 2 Hong Kong
Hong Kong: Lantau and Kowloon
Take the MTR to Tung Chung and the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, then the bus to Tai O fishing village. Back in Kowloon in the evening, walk the Mong Kok street markets and the Temple Street night market.
Signal Good on the cable car and at Ngong Ping; strong in Kowloon, though crowded markets can slow data.
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Day 3 Hong Kong
Macau day trip
Ferry from Hong Kong to Macau, about 1 hour, or the bus over the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, about 40 minutes.
Take the ferry or the bridge bus to Macau. Walk from Senado Square to the Ruins of St Paul's and the Mount Fortress, then visit the A-Ma Temple at the southern tip. In the afternoon, explore Taipa Village and try a Portuguese egg tart before returning to Hong Kong.
Signal Your phone switches to CTM in Macau. Expect a gap mid-crossing on the ferry, or in the bridge's undersea tunnel.
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Day 4 Taipei
Fly to Taipei: Longshan Temple and Ximending
Flight Hong Kong to Taipei, about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Fly to Taipei and take the airport MRT into the city. Visit Longshan Temple in Wanhua, then the Bopiliao historic street and the Ximending shopping district. In the evening, eat your way through a night market such as Raohe or Ningxia.
Signal Your phone switches to Chunghwa, Taiwan Mobile or FarEasTone. Strong 4G and 5G across Taipei and on the MRT.
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Day 5 Taipei
Taipei: Chiang Kai-shek Memorial and Taipei 101
Watch the changing of the guard at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, then visit the National Palace Museum for its imperial Chinese collection. In the late afternoon, hike the short, steep Elephant Mountain trail for the view of Taipei 101, then go up the tower itself or stay for the city lights.
Signal Excellent across the city and on Elephant Mountain's trail.
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Day 6 Taipei
Jiufen and the north-east coast
Bus from Taipei to Jiufen, about 1 to 1.5 hours; the Pingxi line train to Shifen.
Take the train or bus to Jiufen, a former gold-mining town of lantern-lit lanes and teahouses above the sea. Continue to the Shifen Old Street to release a sky lantern by the railway line and to see Shifen Waterfall. Return to Taipei in the evening, or stop at Beitou's hot springs.
Signal Good in Jiufen and Shifen; weaker on the Pingxi line's valley sections.
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Day 7 Seoul
Fly to Seoul: Gyeongbokgung and Bukchon
Flight Taipei to Seoul, about 2.5 hours.
Fly to Seoul Incheon and take the AREX express into the city. In the afternoon, visit Gyeongbokgung Palace in time for the changing of the guard and the National Folk Museum in its grounds, then walk up through Bukchon Hanok Village's tiled-roof houses and the cafés of Samcheong-dong. In the evening, try bindaetteok and other stall food at Gwangjang Market.
Signal Your phone switches to SK Telecom or LG Uplus. Very strong 5G across Seoul. Use Naver Map or KakaoMap, as Google Maps lacks walking directions in Korea.
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Day 8 Seoul
Seoul: Changdeokgung, Insadong and Namsan
Join a timed tour of Changdeokgung's Secret Garden, then browse Insadong's galleries and tea houses. In the afternoon, visit the National Museum of Korea, and finish with the cable car up Namsan to N Seoul Tower for the night view.
Signal Excellent across the city, including the subway and the Namsan cable car.
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Day 9 Seoul
The DMZ or Bukhansan
Join an organised tour to the Demilitarised Zone, which can include the Third Infiltration Tunnel and the Dora Observatory; bring your passport and check that tours are running. Alternatively, hike in Bukhansan National Park to Baegundae peak. In the evening, explore Hongdae or Myeongdong.
Signal Patchy near the DMZ and inside the tunnel; good on most of Bukhansan's lower trails.
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Day 10 Tokyo
Fly to Tokyo: Asakusa and Ueno
Flight Seoul to Tokyo, about 2 to 2.5 hours.
Fly to Tokyo, Haneda or Narita, and set up a transit IC card in your phone wallet for the trains. Visit Senso-ji in Asakusa, walking down the Nakamise shopping street to the main hall, then cross to the Sumida River for the view of the Tokyo Skytree. End the day in Ueno Park and the Ameyoko market under the railway tracks.
Signal Your phone switches to a Japanese partner such as NTT docomo, SoftBank or au. Excellent coverage across Tokyo and the metro.
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Day 11 Tokyo
Tokyo: Meiji Jingu, Harajuku and Shibuya
Walk through the forest to Meiji Jingu, then Takeshita Street and Omotesando. Continue to Shibuya for the scramble crossing and Shibuya Sky's rooftop, booking a timed ticket. In the evening, go to Shinjuku for Omoide Yokocho and the free observation decks at the Metropolitan Government Building.
Signal Excellent throughout, though peak crowds at Shibuya can slow data.
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Day 12 Tokyo
Tokyo: Tsukiji and teamLab
Eat breakfast at the Tsukiji Outer Market, then walk to the Hamarikyu Gardens and take the water bus up the Sumida River. In the afternoon, visit teamLab Planets in Toyosu, booked ahead, or the Imperial Palace East Gardens. Allow plenty of time for the airport train.
Signal Excellent across the city and on the airport rail links.
Staying connected on this route
- Install Naver Map or KakaoMap before flying to Seoul; Google Maps works well in Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo.
- Save your ferry ticket to Macau and download your Taipei airport MRT route offline before each flight.
- Mainland China is on this plan, but Google and WhatsApp are blocked on local wifi there, so test apps on mobile data if you add Shenzhen.
Itinerary sources · 5
- discoverhongkong.com Hong Kong Tourism Board: Discover Hong Kong
- eng.taiwan.net.tw Taiwan Tourism Administration
- english.visitkorea.or.kr Korea Tourism Organization: VisitKorea
- japan.travel Japan National Tourism Organization
- whc.unesco.org UNESCO: Historic Centre of Macao
Information and verification
Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.
- Prices and plans
- Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.
Destinations
