Getting A Local SIM Card In Bali Is A Vacation Game Changer For Tourists

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Tourists visiting Bali are encouraged to buy a temporary tourist SIM card to help them stay connected throughout their trip.

Buying and installing a local SIM card is easier than many tourists realize.

The whole process can be completed at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport on arrival, in just a matter of minutes. 

It is now more important than ever to stay connected while visiting Bali. From using maps to online taxi apps to checking your bank account status on the go, it is essential to have access to the internet in the palm of your hand.

In fact, as Bali’s tourism sector becomes even more digitalized, it will soon be impossible to be able to organize a successful trip to the island without being connected to the internet. 

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While almost all hotels, guesthouses, tourist attractions, and eateries have their own WiFi available for guests and customers to use, it is so much easier to simply stay connected 24/7 using mobile data.

Even now, mobile data roaming charges can be astronomical for tourists, and no one wants to be faced with a whopping phone bill when they get home.

eSIMs are becoming increasingly popular, but for tourists who want to keep things simple and straightforward, picking up a tourist SIM card at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport is the way to go. 

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There are a few quick and easy steps to follow in order to buy, register, and activate a local SIM card in Bali. Most tourists opt to use Telkomsel, who have a counter in the arrivals area of Bali Airport, staffed by a team who can speak English and explain the whole process to tourists. Another popular provider is XL. 

While tourists want to hit the ground running when they land in Bali, setting up the SIM card at Bali Airport really is the quickest and easiest place to complete the whole process. It is also possible to visit official Telkomsel or XL outlets across Bali, or at supermarkets like Indomaret and Alfamart, or book online.

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In order for tourists to purchase and activate a SIM card, they must first give a copy of their passport. The team at the counter can scan or take the details from the biometrics page, no worries there. The next step is to register the IMEI.

This is a step that often trips up tourists and expats who are staying longer in Indonesia. It is essential to register the IMEI within the first 24 hours of landing in Bali, or else you could face huge import fees for your device. No worries again here, though, as the staff at the tourist SIM card counters will be able to do this for you. It’s always best to ask and to double-check that they are doing it, though!

Tourists will also have to give their registered address in Indonesia, for those who are traveling to multiple destinations or staying at multiple accommodations, simply give the address of the first stop on your journey. 

For those who want to be really prepared, it is possible to pre-order a pre-paid tourist SIM card with Telkomsel. The standard package offers tourists 25GB of data and 25 minutes of voice calls for IDR 150,000.

This service is available for tourists flying into Bali Airport and Mandalika Lombok Airport. The SIM card will work nationally and provides coverage on 3G, 4G, and 5G. It is not more important than ever for tourists to be able to stay connected when in Indonesia.

Immigration services have now moved online, and it is now possible for tourists to extend their eVisa on Arrivals for a further 30 days completely online.

No more trips to the immigration office. It is also important that tourists stay connected in Bali so that they can present their Bali Tourism Tax Levy QR-code voucher to tourism office staff upon request.

The mandatory Bali Tourism Tax Levy can be applied for online at the LoveBali website or on the app, or paid for at Bali Airport upon arrival. The tax costs IDR 150,000 and is required of all international tourists, including children.