In 2025, it is more important than ever to stay connected while on vacation. Not only is it important to be able to contact loved ones back home and possibly even work while on the move, but tourists are also increasingly reliant on Internet service within Bali.
Whether it’s booking a day trip, making a table reservation, or ordering a taxi or late-night food delivery, Bali is certainly keeping up in the digital age.
In fact, many tourists are surprised to discover that they get 5G coverage almost throughout the island. Though there are a few mobile signal ‘black zones’ in very rural areas, for the most part, tourists can stay connected 24/7 in Bali across every corner of the island.
One of the easiest ways for tourists to stay connected while on vacation is to use a tourism SIM card. Tourist SIM cards are pre-paid SIM packages that offer tourists a temporary phone number, a package of SMS, a mobile data package, and in some cases, minutes too.
The best place to pick up a tourist SIM card is upon arrival at Bali’s I Gusti International Airport. The service is quick, seamless, and affordable. Though some feel it is just another step in the arrivals process, it is well worth taking the 5-10 minutes to get connected at the start of the trip, so that everything is done and dusted.
The Head of Bali Nusra Indosat, Ooreddo Hutchison, Julandi George Fransiskus, spoke to reporters this week about the services offered to international tourists. He shared, “Our customers are foreigners, quite a lot, and many of those who come to this outlet are foreign nationals.” He revealed that of the 1.8 million Indosat users in Bali, at least 10,000 foreigners are using tourist SIMs at any given time.
He added, “Currently, there are [customers from] China, India, Russia, Singapore, Malaysia, most of Asia, especially in the holiday season like now, the number of users is already high.”
Tourists will find Indosat outlets in the arrivals area of I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, as well as in Tuban and central Kuta.
Fransiskus told reporters that the process of getting a tourist SIM card is super simple, and also helps complete the IMEI registration for devices, which often catches out foreigners, especially those who are planning to stay in Indonesia for longer than 3 months.
Fransiskus explained, “Use your own device, then our card. The regulation is that if the device is registered through the product, it is valid for a maximum of 90 days. But it is is [registered through customs, it can be for a lifetime, and here we provide [IMEI registration] for 30 days, 60 days, or 90 days.”
He reiterated that Indosat coverage in Bali is more than adequate for tourists who need to stay connected to work, business, and family at home during their trip.
Fransiskus shared, “Usually they like video calls, so the internet must be stable. Currently in Bali, we have a network coverage of over 97% and when there is a slow network problem, there is handling and a power backup.”
He concluded by sharing that feedback from tourists to Indosat shows that they appreciate the speed at which they can get connected upon arrival.
He shared, “Generally, they open at the airport, but sometimes they look for the official ones at the main outlets for card services. There are rarely any complaints, but usually about how fast it is activated. We need a passport for the IMEI registration, and the time is many 2 minutes.”
Indosat is one of the most popular tourist SIM providers in Bali, as well as Telkomsel and XL, all of which have outlets in the arrivals hall at Bali Airport and offer competitive packages and rates.
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