Internet
Yes
Calls
No
SMS
No
4G
Yes
Works only on unlocked eSIM-supported devices — check your phone compatibility before purchase
Most packages do not include calls or SMS
Choose one of three methods:
Scan QR code
Install via 'Quick Install' button
Manual setup through phone settings
Use the package within 3 months from purchase
Local (one country), Regional (multiple countries), Global (many countries)
Not available for Sicily
Laos is more than Luang Prabang: many routes lead from the capital south to the Bolaven Plateau and the islands on the Mekong, or north on the high-speed railway. Distances are long, roads vary, and coverage depends a lot on whether you are in a town, on a river or in the hills. It is handy to install an eSIM at home so you get online the moment you land in Vientiane or cross the border.
This page is the quickest way to buy a travel eSIM for Laos from 6 500 ₸. Pick a plan, pay online and install the digital SIM card at home before the flight — no passport and no queue at an airport kiosk.
The eSIM connects to local mobile networks, so you have data wherever they have coverage — Vientiane and the rest of the country.
Compared with roaming in Laos, an eSIM is usually much cheaper for mobile data: the price of the package is fixed and known in advance. Your home number stays active on the main SIM for calls and SMS.
If your phone does not support eSIM, you can buy a regular physical SIM card with data for Laos at a Funsim point of sale: at Almaty and Shymkent airports, or at our offices in Almaty — 130/1 Abay St and 1 Pozharsky St. Handy if you remember about the internet right before departure.
A trip around Laos is often a chain of stops: the capital, a train north, the south with its coffee plantations and islands, or a motorbike loop through a province. You do not need separate internet for each stage, one profile covers the whole country. See the plans above, and if Laos is part of a Southeast Asia route, check the regional plans.
Keep your main SIM in the phone for calls and bank SMS, and route mobile data through the eSIM. Most plans have no voice calls or SMS, but guesthouses, drivers and tour organisers in Laos usually answer on WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, so that is enough for arrangements.
| Criterion | eSIM Funsim | Roaming | Local SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| When to set up | At home, before the flight | Usually on arrival | After landing or crossing the border |
| What you do in Laos | Switch data on for the eSIM | Check your operator's terms | Find a point of sale and spend time |
| Cost of data | Fixed package, see plans above | Usually much more expensive | Depends on the operator's tariff |
| Your home number | Stays for calls and banking | Stays active | Usually a second SIM or a swap |
| Several regions on one trip | One profile for the whole country | Depends on operator terms | Yes, but buying takes time |
Towns and the main roads are covered best, while on rivers, in the hills and on remote islands connectivity is less predictable. These are the places and routes where you will use the internet most.
A relaxed capital on the Mekong with a riverfront, the Pha That Luang temple and the Patuxai arch. Many people start their trip here: from Wattay airport it is easy to reach the city by taxi or tuk-tuk, and trains and buses leave for the north from here. The Friendship Bridge leads to Thailand's Nong Khai, so internet also helps those arriving by land.
The railway links the capital with the north through Vang Vieng, and many stretches run through tunnels where the signal drops. Stations are usually outside the town centres, so you need a transfer or taxi after arrival. Save your ticket and the address of your first night in advance so you do not have to look for them offline.
The main city of the south and the starting point for a trip to a plateau of coffee plantations and waterfalls. Many people ride a loop around it by motorbike in two or three days. Roads are rough in places, signs are few and signal fades in the countryside, so download an offline map and save guesthouse addresses before leaving Pakse.
A quiet town on the Mekong south of Pakse and the ancient temple complex of Wat Phou, a UNESCO World Heritage site. People come for a day or stay overnight. In town it is easy to check opening hours and arrange transport, while at the complex itself you mostly need internet for the map and photos.
A scatter of islands on the Mekong in the south of the country, including Don Det and Don Khon. You reach them by boat from the shore, ride bicycles and watch sunsets. Accommodation is often simple and guesthouse Wi-Fi can be unstable, so your own mobile data helps with messaging, translation and booking the next leg.
Thakhek is a base for the popular motorbike loop through the province and for trips to Kong Lor Cave, where a boat takes you through a mountain. Distances are long and settlements are few. Before leaving, save the map, accommodation addresses and boat times, and on the loop keep a charged power bank and spare water.
A small town on the Nam Ou river among limestone cliffs, from where people walk to a viewpoint and take a boat to the village of Muang Ngoi Neua. Signal in Nong Khiaw itself is usually there, and weaker in nearby villages. Check boat times and accommodation in advance and save your host's messenger contact.
A town in Xiangkhouang province from which visitors tour sites with mysterious stone jars. Unexploded ordnance remains in the area, so walk only on marked paths. A map and an online connection help you reach the right sites and find a driver, and in remote spots the signal can be weak.
Most familiar services work as at home, but in Laos these apps are especially useful.
Good for navigation in towns and on the main roads, shows hotels, cafes and opening hours. Before heading into the provinces, download an offline map: outside the towns the signal is uneven and road signs are rare.
English is understood in tourist places, but in villages and markets it is needed less often. Download Lao for offline use to read signs and menus, and use the camera to translate text on the spot.
This is how you reach guesthouses, tuk-tuk drivers, tour organisers and hosts. Confirmations and meeting points most often arrive here, so check your messages regularly.
Help you find hotels and guesthouses in towns and on popular routes. Save confirmations and addresses offline, especially for places away from the main road, so you do not lose time searching.
Prices in Laos run to large numbers of kip, and without a converter it is easy to miscalculate. Any app with an offline rate will help you quickly turn an amount into your usual currency and check your change.
Check that your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. You can see this in the settings or on the manufacturer's website.
Choose a Laos plan above and pay by card on the site, no passport is needed. If Laos is part of a regional route, look at the regional plans.
Install the eSIM at home by QR code, the Quick install button or manually while you still have Wi-Fi. That way you will not need to look for internet at the airport or at the border.
After landing in Vientiane or crossing the border, choose the eSIM as your mobile data line and switch data roaming on for that line. Keep your main SIM for calls and bank SMS, and turn data off on it.
If the package runs out, buy extra data on the site. Hotspot mode is available on most plans, check the plan page for the terms.
Before a motorbike loop or a trip into the hills, download an offline map, screenshot your accommodation addresses and bring a power bank: signal on the roads between villages is patchy.
