When I landed in Denpasar, Bali in early 2025, I immediately felt the thrill of being somewhere special. The humidity, the scent of frangipani in the air, the rush of dive shop signs and scooter traffic, and the inevitable “Which SIM card should I buy?” question. In past trips, I would have either hunted down a local physical SIM card at the airport kiosk (fumbling with passports, figuring out the right package, sometimes being overcharged) or risked expensive roaming from home. This time I opted to try an eSIM, a digital profile that gets installed ahead of time and activated when I arrive. With ORA eSIM in mind, I pre-booked the plan before flying.

Here’s a deeper dive into what I found: the good, the tricky, and the real-life examples of how it played out during my 10-day stay around Ubud, Seminyak and Nusa Dua in 2025.

The Advantages of Using eSIM in Bali

Instant connectivity from touchdown

With ORA eSIM I could activate the plan before I even landed. I scanned the QR code at my hotel (or airport lounge) and by the time I stepped outside immigration, I had mobile data. No waiting in line, no swapping SIM cards. According to a travel-guide, this kind of seamless activation is one of the major benefits of eSIMs in Bali.

Keep your home number active

Since the eSIM is a secondary profile, I kept my home number working on my physical SIM (or eSIM dual-sim) while using the Bali data plan for local internet. It meant I could still get WhatsApp messages, SMS alerts, calls from home, and simultaneously hotspot to my laptop while working by the rice paddies in Ubud.

Better rates than roaming

Even though Bali has pretty good free WiFi in many cafes/hotels, it’s patchy. Using roaming from home would have been expensive. I found that eSIM plans advertised for Bali offer strong data rates and transparent pricing. With ORA eSIM, I had a fixed amount of data; no surprise bills.

Handy for multi-destination travel

My trip included Bali and a quick spur-of-the-moment ferry to a smaller nearby island in late 2025 (a marine expo event happened there). The eSIM worked smoothly even as I moved around. Because ORA eSIM supports multiple regions and pre-activation, I didn’t need to replace anything.

Eco-friendly & less waste

No plastic SIM cards, no physical swap. It’s a small benefit but when you’re in a place that emphasizes natural beauty (hello Bali), it feels nice to be using something less wasteful.

The Drawbacks / Things to Watch

Device compatibility & set-up confusion

Before buying I had to check that my phone supports eSIM and works in Indonesia. Some older phones or custom locked devices may not. On arrival, I did need to toggle some settings (turn off my home-SIM’s data roaming, set the Bali profile as “data only”) which added a tiny bit of fiddling.

Limited flexibility in very remote spots

While coverage in major tourist zones (Seminyak, Ubud, Nusa Dua) was excellent, there were a couple of hillside villages where signal slowed down. I experienced this when hiking near Mount Batur, my data was still usable but streaming large videos dropped out. 

Data caps & plan length limitations

Depending on the plan, you might have a capped data allowance and a fixed duration (e.g., 7 days, 14 days). If you go over your data, you’ll need to top up (which you can do with ORA eSIM). Some visitor-sim cards elsewhere have reduced validity to 30 days recently. I chose a plan offering enough for my needs, but if I had ultra-heavy streaming, I’d need to monitor usage.

No physical fallback if something goes wrong

With a physical SIM card you can sometimes pop into a shop and ask the staff to swap it if issues arise. With eSIM you have to rely on online or app support. Thankfully ORA eSIM offers 24/7 support so I felt comfortable, but it is something to keep in mind.

Dual-SIM and roaming trade-offs

If you keep your home SIM active, you might still incur roaming charges for calls or data on that line if not fully set to “off”. I had to go into settings and ensure the Bali eSIM was my active “mobile data” and my home SIM was for voice only (or disabled). It’s a small task but important.

Let me walk you through how this played out on the ground:

• Day 1 (Arrival, Denpasar airport): I landed in Bali around noon. While in the taxi from the airport to Seminyak, I fired up my phone, opened the ORA eSIM website, scanned the QR code I had previously received, and activated the Bali profile. I opened Google Maps and the ride-hailing app (Grab) without a hitch.
• Day 3 (Beach club sunset): At a beach club in Seminyak, WiFi was patchy, so I effortlessly switched to mobile data from the eSIM and uploaded my drone shots to Instagram. No delays, no login fuss.
• Day 5 (Work/coffee in Ubud): I booked a coworking spot in central Ubud. I used the eSIM to hotspot my laptop, checked email, and uploaded a 10 min Loom meeting. It worked fine. Later that afternoon, I booked a scooter rental via the local app, mapped a temple tour and kept connected.
• Day 8 (Ferry to nearby island & industry event): I attended a small marine-tech exhibition on a smaller island just off Bali. Sea-ferry ride, then remote workshop venue. Signal was slightly weaker but still usable for email, streaming slides, and coordination. I did turn on “low-data mode” for video streaming just in case.
• Day 10 (Departure): I returned to Bali airport, switched off the Bali data profile once my hotel check-out was done, toggled back to my home SIM. No huge roaming bill surprises, everything wrapped up.

How ORA eSIM Makes This Easier for You

Here’s how I found it particularly helpful:

• Pre-purchase & pre-activation: I bought the Bali plan online via ORA eSIM, received the QR code in advance, which eliminated airport kiosks and queues.
• Transparent pricing & good value: Knowing exactly how much data and duration I was getting meant no hidden fees. Their plan structure was competitive compared to typical tourist SIMs.
• Dual-SIM friendly: I kept my usual number working while using the Bali data plan, so friends could still reach me if needed.
• Support when needed: When I had a tiny issue (my phone didn’t automatically choose the right operator after landing), ORA’s chat support walked me through re-selecting the network manually.
• Top-up flexibility: When I realized I might upload more than anticipated from scenic spots, I used ORA’s website to top up another data block. Peace of mind.
• No physical waste: In a destination like Bali where sustainability matters, I appreciated not having to discard a plastic SIM card when I left.

Taking a 2026 trip to Bali? Using an eSIM like ORA eSIM is a modern, convenient, and cost-effective way to stay connected from the moment you arrive, whether you’re hopping from beach club to waterfall to island retreat. The convenience alone is worth it. Of course, there are some considerations (device compatibility, remote coverage) but for most traveller scenarios, my experience shows it works very well.

FAQs

Does my phone need to support eSIM to use a Bali eSIM?
Yes! You’ll need a device that supports eSIM technology and is unlocked (or allows eSIM use). Many newer smartphones (recent iPhones, recent Androids) have eSIM support. Always check compatibility before purchase.

Can I activate the eSIM before I arrive in Bali?
Absolutely. With ORA eSIM I bought the plan ahead of time, received the QR code, and activated it either just before or immediately after landing. This ensures you’re connected as soon as you arrive.

Will I still incur roaming charges on my home number?
Only if you leave your home SIM set as the active data line or if you receive calls/data on it while abroad. Best practice: set the home SIM to “voice-only” or disable data roaming, and let the eSIM handle all mobile data.

What if my data runs out mid-trip?
No problem. With ORA eSIM you can top up via the app or web portal. I personally topped up when I realized I’d uploaded more than planned from beach/dive-site photos.

Is the coverage good everywhere in Bali?
In major tourist hubs (Denpasar, Seminyak, Ubud, Nusa Dua) coverage is very good. In more remote or hilly areas, signals can slow or drop. I had a small hiccup during a ferry/island leg, though connection was still held for essential tasks.

What are the benefits of choosing ORA eSIM over a physical SIM card in Bali?
Fewer queues, no manual swap of cards, ability to keep your home number, transparent pricing, easy top-ups, less waste, and immediate connection on arrival.