Best Indonesia SIM card for Tourists - Which one should you get?

Having a SIM card in Indonesia for tourists is essential as it allows you to stay connected during your travels, as you navigate the country and post your experiences online. You might consider an Indonesia travel SIM card, or an eSIM for Indonesia tourists – these are Indonesia SIM card options that are available from various telcos and providers.

In this guide, we'll explore the most affordable Indonesia SIM card options, and also share how the Wise card can help you save on international spending and currency exchange fees for your trip to Indonesia.

Table of contents
Best eSIM and SIM card for tourists in Indonesia What to consider when choosing your tourist SIM card Telkomsel XL Axiata IM3 (Indosat Ooredoo) Airalo Holafly Where to get a tourist SIM card Get the most out of your MYR to IDR spending with Wise

Best eSIM and SIM card for tourists in Indonesia

Indonesia offers a variety of SIM card and eSIM options tailored for tourists. Before we get into the details of the best SIM card in Indonesia for tourists, here is a quick head-to-head comparison of some popular choices from key telcos and providers that offer Indonesia travel SIM card or eSIM for Indonesia tourists.

This should provide a good overview of some of the choices available to you when searching for a SIM card in Indonesia for tourists.

Local telcos that offer Indonesia travel SIM cards / eSIM

	Telkomsel	XL Axiata	IM3 (Indosat Ooredoo)
Price range	IDR 150,000 (MYR 41)	IDR 46,000 to IDR 168,000 (MYR 12.56 to MYR 45.88)	IDR 25,000 to IDR 81,000 (MYR 6.83 to MYR 22.12)
Duration options	30 days	30 days	28 days
Usage type	25 GB	14 GB to 700 GB	3 GB to 40 GB
Additional features	Includes 25 mins of voice calls. Only available for 1x purchase, from Telkomsel.com and selected Telkomsel booths.	Includes 5 mins of calls. Offers various data packages, where the main quota includes additional bonuses for new customers.	Free calls to IM3 and Tri networks. Other calls from IDR 17/sec. Main quota can only be used in the allocated area.

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Providers that offer eSIM for Indonesia tourists

	Airalo	Holafly
Price range	From USD 5.50 to USD 35 (MYR 24.59 to MYR 156.47)	From USD 6.90 to USD 139.90 (MYR 30.85 to MYR 625.42)
Duration options	7 days to 30 days	1 day to 90 days
Usage type	1 GB to Unlimited	Unlimited
Additional features	Data only. Earn reward points as an Airalo customer. Regional coverage available.	Customisable duration. Runs on XL (Excelcom) / Indosat / Telkomsel. Hotspot: 500mb / day

Note: Since 2018, to combat cybercrime, all prepaid SIM cards / eSIMs from local telcos in Indonesia must first be registered¹. For tourists, this means registering the SIM card using your passport and your device's IMEI number.

What to consider when choosing your tourist SIM card to travel in Indonesia?

When selecting a SIM card in Indonesia for tourists, or eSIM for your trip, consider these following factors:

• Price: Compare costs to find an option that fits your budget.
• Duration: The SIM card’s usage validity period should align with the duration of your stay.
• Usage: Choose a plan that matches your internet data usage needs. Consider if you need to make phone calls as well.

What’s the difference between an Indonesia tourist SIM and tourist eSIM?

When choosing a SIM card in Indonesia for tourists, you have the option of getting a physical SIM card from a local telco or buying a digital eSIM online through a provider. Although getting a physical Indonesia SIM card is more of a hassle, as you need to find a store, register your details and remove your existing SIM card. However the data plans tend to offer more bang for your buck especially if you are staying for a longer period. These prepaid Indonesia travel SIM cards also give you a local number, from which you can make and receive voice calls.

Those looking for an eSIM for Indonesia tourists need not find a physical store, and there is no need to remove (and sometimes lose) your existing physical SIM card. Although these tend to be pricier, travellers just visiting for a few days would find the convenience well worth the cost. If you are going around the region, an eSIM that covers multiple countries might be a more convenient option than obtaining a physical prepaid SIM card in every destination. Do note that some older phones may not be compatible with eSIMs or may not have the dual SIM function.

Read on to find out the key travel SIM card options we’ll cover from 3 of Indonesia’s biggest telcos and eSIM providers:

Telkomsel

	Tourist Prepaid SIM / eSIM card
Price	IDR 150,000 (MYR 41)
Duration	30 days
Usage	25GB local data 25 mins voice calls
Additional features	Only available for 1x purchase, from Telkomsel.com and selected Telkomsel booths.

Telkomsel has prepaid options for tourists in both physical SIM and eSIM formats². These offer a generous 25GB of local data across Indonesia and 25 minutes of voice calls for an affordable MYR 41. The long validity duration of 30 days makes this perfect for tourists spending a longer time in Indonesia.

However, you cannot extend or renew the tourist prepaid SIM / eSIM. The solution is to get a new SIM / eSIM or a new plan via the MyTelkomsel App or dial UMB *363#.

XL Axiata

If you're thinking of getting a Prepaid SIM:

Prepaid SIM	Xtra Combo Flex M	Xtra Combo Flex L	Xtra Combo Flex XL
Price	IDR 46,000 (MYR 12.56)	IDR 70,000 (MYR 19.12)	IDR 100,000 (MYR 27.31)
Duration	30 days	30 days	30 days
Usage	64.5 GB 5 mins calls	171 GB 5 mins calls	260 GB 5 mins calls
Additional features	Main quota 14 GB - includes additional bonuses for new customers	Main quota 30 GB - includes additional bonuses for new customers	Main quota 55 GB - includes additional bonuses for new customers

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If you're thinking of getting a Prepaid eSIM:

Prepaid eSIM	Xtra Combo Flex M	Xtra Combo Flex L	Xtra Combo Flex XL
Price	IDR 46,000 (MYR 12.56)	IDR 70,000 (MYR 19.12)	IDR 100,000 (MYR 27.31)
Duration	30 days	30 days	30 days
Usage	90 GB 5 mins calls	212 GB 5 mins calls	315 GB 5 mins calls
Additional features	Main quota 14 GB - includes additional bonuses for new customers	Main quota 30 GB - includes additional bonuses for new customers	Main quota 55 GB - includes additional bonuses for new customers

XL Axiata offers very generous data plans on its Indonesia travel SIM / eSIM cards³. In addition to the main quota, there are additional bonuses for new customers, and there are price promotions from time to time (current pricing and plans are as of 13 February 2025). If you are not a big consumer of data, the basic MYR 12.56 Xtra Combo Flex M plan is more than enough.

The telco includes only 5 minutes of calls though, but calling via WhatsApp should be adequate. Travellers to Indonesia who aim to broadcast their entire journey via livestream, or digital nomads who need to transfer large files while working from the beach, might consider getting the Xtra Combo Flex XXXL plan.

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✈️ Planning a trip to Indonesia? Find out more about requirements, restrictions and more in our handy guide for Malaysians

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IM3 (Indosat Ooredoo)

Prepaid SIM	Starter Pack Freedom Internet 3GB / 28 Days	Starter Pack Freedom Internet 9GB / 28 Days	Starter Pack Freedom Internet 19GB / 28 Days	Starter Pack Freedom Internet 40GB / 28 Days
Price	IDR 25,000 (MYR 6.83)	IDR 30,000 (MYR 8.19)	IDR 49,000 (MYR 13.38)	IDR 81,000 (MYR 22.12)
Duration	28 days	28 days	28 days	28 days
Usage	3 GB Free calls to IM3 and Tri networks Other calls from IDR 17/sec	9 GB Free calls to IM3 and Tri networks Other calls from IDR 17/sec	19 GB Free calls to IM3 and Tri networks Other calls from IDR 17/sec	40 GB Free calls to IM3 and Tri networks Other calls from IDR 17/sec
Additional features	Main quota of 3 GB can only be used in allocated area	Main quota of 6 GB can only be used in allocated area	Main quota of 9 GB can only be used in allocated area	Main quota of 20 GB can only be used in allocated area

If you are planning to get an IM3 (Indosat Ooredoo) Indonesia SIM card, you can look at the various Starter Pack Freedom packages the telco offers⁴. Validity has a slightly shorter duration of 28 days compared to the other local telcos offering SIM cards in Indonesia for tourists, but this should be ample for most travellers.

If you are travelling within Indonesia, do observe the main quota, which can only be used in the area you choose for the prepaid SIM; as well as the national quota. Not all calls are free as well, although the rate is still affordable.

Airalo

Prepaid eSIM	Indotel 1 GB	Indotel 5 GB	Indotel 10 GB	Indotel 20 GB	Indotel Unlimited
Price	USD 5.50 (MYR 24.59)	USD 16.50 (MYR 73.76)	USD 24.75 (MYR 110.64)	USD 40 (MYR 178.82)	USD 35 (MYR 156.47)
Duration	7 days	30 days	30 days	30 days	10 days
Usage	1 GB	5 GB	10 GB	20 GB	Unlimited
Additional features	Data only. Earn reward points as an Airalo customer.	Data only. Earn reward points as an Airalo customer.	Data only. Earn reward points as an Airalo customer.	Data only. Earn reward points as an Airalo customer.	Data only. Earn reward points as an Airalo customer.

Airalo offers various eSIMs for Indonesia tourists called Indotel, ranging from 1 GB for 7 days, up to 20 GB for 30 days, or unlimited data for 10 days⁵. This eSIM can be activated almost instantly via the app, but this offers only data, which means calls cannot be made. This is a useful service if you often travel or are going around the region, as Airalo offers data packs for over 200 countries and regions, and you can earn reward points as a repeat Airalo customer to offset future eSIM purchases. However, an Airalo eSIM can be more pricey than getting a physical prepaid SIM card for Indonesia tourists from a local telco, especially if your data usage needs are high.

Holafly

Prepaid eSIM	1-day Indonesia eSIM	7-day Indonesia eSIM	30-day Indonesia eSIM	90-day Indonesia eSIM
Price	USD 6.90 (MYR 30.85)	USD 29.90 (MYR 133.67)	USD 74.90 (MYR 334.84)	USD 139.90 (MYR 625.42)
Duration	1 day	7 days	30 days	90 days
Usage	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Additional features	Customisable duration. Runs on XL (Excelcom) / Indosat / Telkomsel. Hotspot: 500mb / day	Customisable duration. Runs on XL (Excelcom) / Indosat / Telkomsel. Hotspot: 500mb / day	Customisable duration. Runs on XL (Excelcom) / Indosat / Telkomsel. Hotspot: 500mb / day	Customisable duration. Runs on XL (Excelcom) / Indosat / Telkomsel. Hotspot: 500mb / day

Holafly offers travellers heading to Indonesia convenience and flexibility as the eSIM plan can be customised to the duration of your trip⁶, getting cheaper per additional day up to 90 days. It runs on the major telco networks in Indonesia, XL, Indosat and Telkomsel, and offers unlimited data every day.

Like other global eSIM plans, this is more expensive than getting a prepaid SIM card from a local telco, but could be worth the price for the convenience and the unlimited data. Those travelling in a group with modest data usage can also buy just one eSIM and share up to 500mb per day via hotspot, effectively turning the phone into a mobile router.

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Where to get a tourist SIM card in Indonesia?

You can purchase SIM cards in Indonesia for tourists at various locations, including:

• Airports – Major airports in Indonesia such as Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta (CGK), Bali Ngurah Rai (DPS), and Surabaya Juanda (SUB) have SIM card kiosks.
• Official telco stores – Visit Telkomsel, XL Axiata, or IM3 (Indosat Ooredoo) stores within the city for official SIM card and IMEI registration, and setup.
• Convenience stores – These stock prepaid SIM cards too.
• Online – Some providers allow pre-ordering with pickup at airports or delivery to your hotel.

If you prefer an eSIM, some Indonesia telcos have this option, but you will also need to register your eSIM and IMEI. There are also global eSIM providers like Airalo and Holafly that allow online purchase and almost instant activation. However, these tend to be pricier, and eSIMs may not work with certain phones.

Get the most out of your MYR to IDR spending and conversions with the Wise card

While choosing the best SIM card or eSIM for your Indonesia trip is important, so is saving on foreign exchange fees so you can enjoy your holiday to the fullest. That’s where the Wise card comes in.

Sign up for a free Wise account and order a physical Wise card for a low, one-time fee to start spending in IDR and 40+ other currencies. All you need to do is top up your account in MYR and let Wise’s auto conversion do the trick. Alternatively, you can convert your ringgit at your desired rate. Either way, you’ll be getting the mid-market rate with low, transparent fees.

The Wise card is available in both digital and physical formats, and can be added to your Apple or Google Pay wallets. You can get up to 3 virtual cards with card details for secure online spending. At times where you need cash, you can use your physical card to get some free overseas ATM withdrawals of up to 1,000 MYR monthly.

Avoid pesky hidden fees and make your IDR spending go further with Wise card.

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Sources:

1. Register your SIM card to keep nation safe from cybercrime - The Jakarta Post
2. Tourist Prepaid Card | Telkomsel
3. XL Axiata
4. IM3 (Indosat Ooredoo)
5. Airalo Indonesia eSIM
6. Holafly Indonesia eSIM
7. Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information