Ubigi eSIM In Bali: My Honest Review As A Long Term Bali Resident

This is a sponsored post with Ubigi. I only share brands I personally use and trust, and the experiences described are mine.

I’ve been living in Bali for about 4 years and have tested nearly every option for staying connected. From local SIM cards to more than six different eSIM providers.

As soon as you land at the airport, you will be overwhelmed by SIM card employees calling you over to buy their packages. I have done that before and I am not doing it again.

After moving away from local SIM cards, I switched to eSIMs and tested them everywhere, in remote villages, on boats, and across the islands. 

Some worked for a while, others failed when I needed them most. 

Finally I found the best option, easy to use, affordable, and reliable enough that it does not leave me stuck in the middle of the rice fields without connection. 

It’s the Ubigi eSIM, and here’s how it worked for me in Bali.

👉 Get your Ubigi eSIM for Indonesia now and be online the moment you land

eSIM vs SIM Card in Bali

SIM cards in Bali used to be cheap and easy. I used to pay just a few dollars a month and it worked fine. 

Then it started getting more expensive. Packages now usually start from 10 GB instead of 2 or 5, which means you are forced to pay more even if you do not need that much data. 

On top of that, registration and activation take time. Topping up is also a headache. I used to go to the convenience store to do that and it wasn’t really straightforward.

If you live in Bali, you are also forced to change your number or pay to keep it again every three months, which I find frustrating. At the end of the day, you don’t really need a phone number anymore; you just need data!

After trying a few providers, Ubigi was the one that worked best. In the next paragraph, I will explain what makes Ubigi stand out, including how simple the setup was, how the app works, and the coverage I had across Indonesia.

👉 See Ubigi’s Indonesia plans and avoid the airport SIM card queues

My Experience Using Ubigi eSIM

My plan was 25 GB for 30 days and I used it every single day. I relied on Ubigi for everything: ordering Gojek rides, checking restaurant reviews, making WhatsApp calls to family, and uploading photos on the go. It always worked.

I also tested it outside Bali. In Lombok and the Gili Islands, the signal stayed strong, and to my surprise, it even worked in the middle of the ocean on the boat ride from the Gilis back to Bali. 

That gave me peace of mind as a female solo traveller. As you probably know, there are plenty of horror stories about boats in Indonesia, from speedboats capsizing to just awful experiences on board. 

You know who is even more terrified than me, even if they are not on the boat? My parents!

Being able to message them during the trip so they knew I was safe was super valuable.

I also used it endlessly in places like Gili Air, where my room had a really weak signal. I would just hotspot from my phone and keep up with my blog without interruptions. Having that option made a big difference, especially when I needed to get some work done and could not rely on the local Wi Fi.

Even when I left busy areas and wandered into small villages around Ubud or walked along rice field paths with weaker coverage, Ubigi kept me online. I never had to search for a Wi Fi café just to get a signal.

👉 Try Ubigi yourself and stay connected across Indonesia

How Much Data Do You Need?

If you are out all day exploring Bali, data runs out fast. 

For a short one-week trip, the 3 GB plan with 15 days validity can be enough if you only use maps, Gojek and WhatsApp. The price here starts from $7, which is already cheaper than physical SIM cards!

For two weeks, the 10 GB plan is usually enough for most travellers. 

For a full month in Bali, the 25 GB plan at roughly $28 is a good choice if you are on full outdoor trips with limited access to Wi Fi. It gives you enough data to stay connected, get some work done, and even hotspot to your laptop or friends when needed. 

If you never want to think about data, there is also a monthly unlimited plan which costs about $66.

👉 Compare Ubigi Indonesia plans here and use the code OBSERVER10 at checkout for 10% off.

How To Set Up Your Ubigi eSIM In Bali

Step 1: Buy your plan

You can purchase Ubigi packages on a desktop or through the app. 

Choose an Indonesia plan, or if you are also visiting nearby countries, go for one of the regional packages that cover Asia. 

I often pick the Asia option when my itinerary includes different destinations within the same month. It lets you move between countries without worrying about buying a new plan every time, and you keep the same connection wherever you go. 

Once you buy the plan, you will receive a QR code by email.

Step 2: Get the Ubigi app

You can technically load the eSIM without the app initially, but since Ubigi lets you use one eSIM for 200+ destinations, you are going to want to install the app to manage your data plans, check your remaining data balance etc. It’s a handy app anyway, and you can even log in swiftly with biometrics for quick checks.

As you can see from the image below, you can get data on different devices, I honestly just go for the “smartphone” option and then hotspot to other devices.

Step 3: Activate the eSIM on your phone

Scan the QR code with your camera and your phone will automatically open the SIM settings. The Ubigi eSIM will appear on your screen and you just need to select it to complete the installation.

Step 4: Switch it on

Once the eSIM is installed, turn on mobile data for Ubigi and you are instantly connected.

👉 Set up Ubigi once and forget about SIM cards for the rest of your trip

FAQs About Using Ubigi eSIM in Indonesia

👉 See all Ubigi Indonesia packages here

One Last Tip!

If you stay in Bali for a while you will notice that things change often, from data prices to how reliable certain providers are in different areas. Ubigi has stayed consistent for me in places where other plans dropped, especially when I needed to hotspot or travel between islands.

A useful habit is to keep the app on your home screen. You can check your balance in seconds and top up even if your Wi Fi goes down. This has saved me more than once, especially during long work calls or when I was far from busy areas.

If you want a plan that you set up once and stop thinking about afterward, Ubigi is a good choice. I tested it across Bali, Lombok and the Gilis and it always worked for what I needed.

👉 Get your Ubigi eSIM for Indonesia here and use the code OBSERVER10 for 10% off.

Ciao for now,

Silvia x

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