Are you planning a trip to Malaysia soon and want to stay connected to the internet 24/7? You’ve come to the right place! Read on to find out how to get a SIM card with internet access in Malaysia and stay online all the time.
In Malaysia, as in many other countries, you’ll find Wi-Fi in most places. However, when it comes to data plans, you’ll likely end up choosing either a local SIM card or the Holafly Malaysia eSIM with unlimited data. Here’s everything you need to know. Let’s dive in!
We used to always recommend using a local SIM card in your destination country, as it was cheaper than the physical SIM cards you could buy online. However, eSIMs have now become very appealing.
The main reason is that eSIMs now offer unlimited data (not yet available in all destinations, but coming soon to Malaysia), which makes a more justified price.
With the Malaysia eSIM, you don’t need a physical SIM card to access the internet. Instead, you install a virtual card on your phone for unlimited internet. Purchase the eSIM, set up your phone automatically, and as soon as you arrive, your smartphone will connect to the internet.
Starting today, you can get a discount on your Holafly international Malaysia eSIM with unlimited data. The link above provides general information about Holafly, but the button below will take you directly to the discount for your eSIM purchase.
NOTE: If the discount doesn’t apply automatically (which is very rare), use this discount code: CONMOCHILA.
In Malaysia, there are four telecom companies, each with different data plans and rates: Maxis (Hotlink), Celcom (Xpax), DiGi, and U Mobile.
After evaluating them all, we chose U Mobile because it offered better data plan prices compared to the others and had good coverage throughout the country. However, based on our experience over time, we recommend getting Xpax by Celcom, as it provides the best coverage on islands and in national parks.
Some of the prepaid monthly data plans they offer include:
You can top up your SIM at numerous mobile phone stores found in almost every city in Malaysia. On beaches, there are usually shops that sell a variety of items, including SIM top-ups.
To get a U-Mobile SIM, simply visit a 7-Eleven or, as in our case, if they don’t have the cards, you’ll be directed to a shop that sells a variety of items where you can get one. We bought ours in Georgetown (Penang) at the corner of Lorong Love and Lebuh Chulia, right in front of a 7-Eleven where bicycles are rented.
The prepaid SIM costs 10.50 RM and includes 5 RM of credit as a bonus. You can activate it and top up more credit in the same store. As of March 2015, U Mobile’s data plans were:
(There was also an 8GB/month plan for 68 RM, but it was for USB modems, not smartphones, so keep that in mind if you have one!)
