Choosing a phone operator/eSIM in East Asia

Hi everyone,

So great to see our forum back up and running. What a nice surprise to see some familiar faces again!

Anyway, today’s topic: I’m heading to Japan and South Korea for three weeks. I’m looking for the best way to stay connected (I have a recent iPhone, eSIM compatible). I’ve read that Holafly is a good option, but I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks, everyone, and long live VoyageForum!

Hi there, If you're with Free, you get 35 GB of free internet for South Korea included in the 19.99 € plan (or 15.99 € if you're a Freebox subscriber). Otherwise, check out this guide: Internet in South Korea: SIM Card & Pocket WIFI - Korean Coffee Break.

For Japan, pocket WiFi is the way to go—pick it up at the airport when you arrive after booking on japanwireless.com. You can also buy eSIMs on that site.

Hi there, so glad VoyageForum is back up and running! 🙂 We spent 5 weeks in Japan last May and June and used a pocket Wi-Fi—worked like a charm. No connection issues at all. The only downside: make sure to bring a portable battery because the battery life doesn’t last a full day, especially if you’re renting a car and using Google Maps... We rented it in advance through Japan Experience. It’s a bit pricier, but we wanted to be sure. We picked it up easily at the airport when we arrived. Have a great trip—it’s an amazing country! Martial

Hi, For eSIMs, there’s also Airalo and Ubigi, which offer plans that seem cheaper. Haven’t tried them yet, but I’ll probably go with one of those for my next trip to Japan.

I had booked a pocket Wi-Fi through Japan Experience. I had it delivered to the hotel. Actually, you need a power bank to recharge it during the day.

Good site for comparing local or regional eSIM providers based on destinations, durations, and data amounts: esimdb.com Otherwise, an eSIM for just the two countries: https://esimtraveler.com/products/japan-korea-esim-card-for-travel-30days-1-30gb-data-plans?variant=45621193933019 Note: Holafly does a lot of advertising but is very expensive !

Thanks everyone for your replies! I’m currently in Japan and I finally went with Holafly’s eSIM, which works incredibly well everywhere. The unlimited data is what made me choose this option. I’ve got 5G everywhere, sometimes 4G (LTE here), and the speeds are impressive. From what I remember, I paid 30 € for 12 days. I’d recommend it, even if it might be a bit more expensive. PS: I’m in Ishikawa Prefecture, where it shook pretty hard (for a European) last night. Magnitude 6. No damage fortunately, but there were a lot of aftershocks with lower magnitudes.

Hi there,

I’m in Okayama, 500 km away, and we felt it strongly here too—I was in the shower when everything started shaking. Incredible.

Hello,

I recently heard about international eSIMs... I think these eSIMs are suitable for a trip of medium duration, no more than 2 months. If it's longer than two months, it's better to opt for a local plan, right? Otherwise, I did a bit of digging and found a complete list of international eSIM operators for traveling... there are even details of the plans offered... and there are loads of them... you just need to choose the destination to see the offers, if it helps...

Hi, Internet eSIMs can last up to 4 months depending on the operator, but they’re great for stays of at least 3 weeks. Also, be careful—depending on where you are in Japan, some operators have dead zones, and 29% of the country isn’t properly covered. Japan Rail offers affordable eSIMs where you can choose the duration, ranging from 8 days with 30GB for 23 € to 91 days with 135GB. For 31 days, you get 50GB for 35 €. www.japan-rail-pass.com

This summer, I used eSIM cards with benesim. 1 month in Kazakhstan, a few days in Korea, and 1 month in Japan.

Everything worked perfectly, and depending on the country, the operator switched to the best one in the area.

The rates seemed reasonable to me.

Hi, Do you buy the eSIM card before leaving France, or is it possible to buy one in Japan?

You buy it online and choose when to activate it.

Hi there, we just got back from South Korea, and for that country, the best option is Chingu Mobile. Feel free to ask if you'd like more details!

It's true that international eSIMs are super convenient for short or medium-length trips, but some are also great for longer stays. For example, I use UPeSIM (tested in Japan and Indonesia), which offers eSIMs with flexible durations and plans for many destinations, even for several months. It can save you the hassle of looking for a local plan, especially if you're moving between countries. Their website and apps let you see the options for each destination directly, and the prices are often competitive.

Otherwise, thanks for the list—it’s always helpful to have multiple options to compare! 😊 Dany