What is the best SIM card in Bali? Aka data / 4G / LTE / fastest download & upload speed / best coverage / best price / most GB for your buck / most reliable… and what is the speeds compared to the WiFi? Can you top up online? Does the mobile hotspot work well? Is the service good in Bali?
I’ll get to these in this post.
Overall, yes the 4G in Bali is great. Service is for the most part great. Of course there can be dead spots, as in anywhere. The hotspot works great. WiFi speeds are usually great too here. But occasionally WiFi can get slow / drop, and when it does, I go to my trusty dusty hotspot for a backup when working on my laptop. Works great.
Typical LTE speeds: 10/10 mbps – can get even faster or slower depending where you are!
Typical Wifi Speeds: 10/10 mbps — cafe / hotel wifi here is mostly great! And of course coworking spaces have 50/50+ speeds.
So I’ve been in Bali for a while, and I’ve found this to be the best system. If you know a better one, comment below!
On arrival at the airport, get an XL Sim card – whatever data package you want. I’ve found that after 15GB, the speeds start to slow down, even if you get the 20GB pack… So I stick with the 15 GB package now.
(I tried Telkomsel for a couple weeks and didn’t find it faster or better coverage)
*Note your phone must be unlocked / out of a contract to use foreign SIM cards. If you need it manually unlocked, many small phone shops can do it.
When you’re data is up, it’s time to top up. You can do this at a small phone shop, or many convenience stores, just tell them you need to Top Up Data Paket. Ask what packets they have, usually 100k gets you around 5-10GB or so.
OR you can do this all online!
Go to Recharge.com – enter Indonesia, and your Phone #.
I’ve found XL to be the best. Choose Bundles > then data package you want. I usually go for the 15GB or 20GB one, around $7USD or $11USD, respectively. It expires after 30 days, then you do it again. Data does not roll over.
Then you can pay by credit card, or even PayPal! It should give you a confirmation on your phone within a few mins!
I’ve done this process 3 times, and worked perfectly twice… one time it got f*cked up, but it refunded me promptly after it didn’t go thru. Super well done site!
So how’s the LTE / 4G speed? I’ve found it really varies where you are, there can be dead patches around, but often it’s double digits both ways.
Let me know your experience & tips for Bali! Cheers bros!
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