Which eSIM to Choose for a Trip to Cambodia?
Planning a trip to Cambodia? Whether you're visiting the temples of Angkor, cruising along the Mekong River, or relaxing on the beaches of Sihanoukville and Koh Rong, you'll need a reliable internet connection to navigate, translate restaurant menus, or book a taxi.
Instead of risking expensive roaming charges or switching to a local number, you can subscribe to a travel eSIM for 4G or 5G connectivity from the moment you arrive, ensuring a worry-free vacation. Discover the best eSIM plans available for your trip to Cambodia!
How to Get Internet Without Roaming Charges in Cambodia?
Travelers often learn this the hard way: using your smartphone abroad can be expensive! That's why it's better to research the different solutions for accessing the internet without extra costs beforehand.
Travel Packages from Mobile Operators
Some operators offer their customers the option to subscribe to monthly travel options, which enhance their plan with communications usable from abroad. These travel packages can include SMS, call minutes, and/or mobile data to allow you to use your smartphone during your trip. The problem is that these options are offered for a limited number of destinations: it's unlikely you'll find such an option for a trip to Cambodia.
Free WiFi Networks
During your trip, you'll be able to connect to WiFi networks in many hotels and restaurants, as well as in shopping centers, train stations, and airports. While they have the merit of being free, these networks have significant security flaws and are strongly discouraged when making online payments or exchanging sensitive data. Most importantly, you'll only find them in major cities!
A SIM Card Bought in Cambodia
Upon your arrival in Cambodia, you can get a prepaid SIM card from the airport shop or a specialized store. You'll then have a local number that will allow you to access the internet, make calls, or send SMS in Cambodia... but only in Cambodia! Plus, unless you have a dual SIM phone, a local SIM card will force you to give up your usual phone number for the entire duration of your stay... Difficult to stay reachable under these conditions!
Pocket WiFi Devices
Pocket WiFi are devices equipped with a SIM card that allow you to convert a 4G or 5G signal into a private and mobile WiFi network. It's convenient for not having to depend on hotel and restaurant WiFi networks, but it still represents some constraints, like having to carry additional equipment everywhere you go, as well as having to charge it. This is why pocket WiFi have largely been replaced by eSIMs!
A Travel eSIM for Cambodia
A travel eSIM is a remotely activatable data plan that allows you to enjoy 4G or 5G internet connection directly on your smartphone, without additional equipment and without changing your number. You simply need to subscribe to a Cambodia eSIM plan before your departure to have internet access as soon as you leave the plane, throughout your entire trip!
Why Choose an eSIM for a Trip to Cambodia?
The eSIM is a simple and fast solution to have an internet connection wherever you go. Here's what it consists of.
eSIM: How Does It Work?
The eSIM, or embedded SIM, is a SIM card that is both dematerialized and embedded, integrated directly into the components of a compatible device. Gone are the chip cards to insert into your smartphone: you simply need to download an eSIM profile using a QR code provided by the operator to instantly configure an eSIM for a new network. You can then enjoy a new mobile plan without any delay, or switch between different mobile or data plans according to your needs.
How Does an eSIM Work Abroad?
Travel eSIMs are eSIM plans that allow you to benefit from a mobile internet package in a given country. They are the result of collaboration between international eSIM providers, like UPeSIM, and local operators from different countries who agree to sell data packages to third-party operators. Available in many destinations, travel eSIMs allow you to benefit from the 4G or 5G network of a foreign operator without roaming charges, with the same network quality as any subscriber.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of an eSIM?
The advantages of eSIM are numerous, both in daily life and during a trip to the other side of the world. Since it's dematerialized, it can be subscribed to remotely and installed immediately, allowing you to enjoy your plan without waiting. It also allows you to have multiple mobile plans at the same time, enabling you to subscribe to specific plans according to your needs... Like during a stay abroad!
With an international eSIM, you can then keep your usual number while benefiting from an internet plan dedicated to your trip. And for SMS and calls, don't panic: if you can't make calls or send SMS with your Cambodia eSIM, you can use applications such as WhatsApp, Messenger, or FaceTime to contact your loved ones without risking overage charges.
What Is the Best eSIM Plan for Cambodia?
Faced with the wide choice of offers and operators, it can be difficult to choose an eSIM for a trip to Cambodia. Here are some tips to help you choose well.
How to Choose the Plan Best Suited to Your Cambodia Trip?
The first thing to do to find the best plan for you is to carefully study your needs:
- The duration of your trip: eSIM plans are generally offered with validity periods of 1, 10, 15, or 30 days. It's better to take a plan with a longer validity period than to have to renew your plan.
- Your data needs: If you just need to use your GPS and do some internet searches, you won't have the same data needs as someone who streams video content.
- Your itinerary: if you plan to explore the most remote corners of Cambodia, you'll consume more data than if you stay at the hotel. If you're traveling between several neighboring countries of Cambodia, you might be interested in opting for a multi-destination eSIM valid throughout Asia.
What Is the Best eSIM Card for a Trip to Cambodia?
To help you make the right choice, we've compared the Cambodia offers from the main travel eSIM providers for you.
Holafly Cambodia eSIM
Holafly offers a Cambodia eSIM plan with unlimited data, with a validity period that can be defined to the day. But be careful: data sharing is limited to 1 GB per day. At equivalent duration, it's much more expensive than the competition: its offer is recommended only for very heavy data consumers.
Airalo Cambodia eSIM
Airalo offers no less than 6 eSIM plans for Cambodia, with four 30-day plans of 3, 5, 10, and 20 GB, a 15-day plan, and a 7-day 1 GB plan. It displays lower prices, but we can criticize the lack of balance between data and duration in some plans.
UPeSIM Cambodia eSIM
UPeSIM offers a Cambodia eSIM that comes in three validity durations, with a data envelope adapted to the length of stay and average user needs: a 7-day 1 GB plan, a 10-day 5 GB plan, and a 30-day 10 GB plan. With excellent customer reviews and an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 on various app stores, it's the best value for money for your Cambodia eSIM!
Cambodia eSIM Plans Comparison Table
| Operator | Duration | Data | Price | Connection Sharing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holafly | 7 days | Unlimited | $29.90 | Limited to 1 GB/day |
| 10 days | Unlimited | $37.90 | ||
| 15 days | Unlimited | $52.90 | ||
| 30 days | Unlimited | $76.90 | ||
| Airalo | 7 days | 1 GB | $4.50 | Yes, unlimited |
| 15 days | 2 GB | $7.50 | ||
| 30 days | 10 GB | $21.50 | ||
| UPeSIM | 7 days | 1 GB | $4.99 | Yes, unlimited |
| 10 days | 5 GB | $19.99 | ||
| 30 days | 10 GB | $39.99 |
What Is the Best eSIM for an Asia Trip?
Is your stay in Cambodia just one stop on your journey through Asia? Our Asia 15 Countries eSIM is made for you! With a validity period of 7, 10, or 30 days, it offers you a stable and secure internet connection from Cambodia, but also China (with VPN included), Macau, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and India.
FAQ: How to Use an eSIM for a Trip to Cambodia?
You simply need to scan the QR code received by email to start installing your eSIM. Its activation is automatic: that's why it's recommended to install your eSIM the day before or the day of your departure to Cambodia.
Yes, you can definitely use WhatsApp, Messenger, or your other messaging apps with your eSIM during your trip to Cambodia, as well as all your usual social networks.
To make calls or send messages with your eSIM, you can use different messaging applications: you can use all your usual applications: iMessage, FaceTime, WhatsApp, Messenger, Signal...
You can share the internet connection of your travel eSIM, within the limit of the data available in your plan. Be careful though, some operators impose daily limits!
Most latest generation smartphones are compatible with eSIM (iPhone XS and later models, Google Pixel, recent Samsung Galaxy, etc.). Check your device's compatibility before subscribing to your plan!
In major cities like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, you'll enjoy 4G and 5G. In more remote regions or islands, the network may be more limited but generally remains available.
Ready to Travel to Cambodia?
Discover our Cambodia eSIM plans and enjoy internet from the moment you arrive!
View Our Cambodia eSIM Plans
