Laos: Best Tourist eSIMs Reviewed (2024)

Are you thinking of traveling to Laos soon and looking for the best travel eSIM?

Many eSIM providers are available nowadays, but not all are equal or good.

Some offer unlimited data, while others include a phone number for local, regional, or global use.

Some have blazing-fast speeds, while others have extended validity.

Whatever you need, there will be an eSIM for your liking.

In the case of Laos, I recommend one of these eSIM providers, which I have tested in numerous countries on multiple continents:

• Airalo
• Alosim
• Holafly
• Nomad

What do they offer?

eSIM	Packages	Prices	Data	Phone Number?	5G NR?	Discount Code(s)
Airalo	1	9.50 USD	1 GB for 7 days	No	No	APR10 (10%) & APR15 (15%) 2
Alosim	1	9.50 USD	1 GB for 7 days	Yes (CA/US number) 1	No	PTW (5%)
Holafly	6	29 USD – 79 USD	2.5 GB for 5 days – 15 GB for 30 days	No	No	PHONETRAVELWIZ (5%)
Nomad	6	7 USD – 45 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 45 days	No	No	ADU123 (3 USD) 3

¹ Alosim allows you to pick a Canadian (CA) or American (US) phone number through its sister app Hushed, giving you credits worth 30 minutes (within Laos or from Laos to anywhere else) or 50 texts (same conditions as calling)
² if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM, use code APR15 for 15% off. You can still get 10% off using code APR10 if you are an existing customer. Note each code has a redemption limit of 3000 (while the codes of Alosim and Holafly have no redemption limit)
³ if you have never purchased a Nomad eSIM, use code ADU123 for 3 USD off. On Tuesdays, use NOMADTUE for 10% off on plans of 10 GB or higher

Do any of these providers offer regional, Asian, or even APAC (Asia-Pacific) eSIMs? Yes!

eSIM	Regional eSIMs?	Countries	Phone Number?
Airalo	Yes (Asialink)	18	No
Holafly	Yes (Asia)	11	No
Nomad	Yes (Asia, APAC & a sub-regional one)	Up to 21	No

What about eSIMs global eSIMs exist? Of course!

eSIM	Global eSIMs?	Countries	Phone Number?
Airalo	Yes (Discover(+))	120+	Yes (Discover+ only)
Alosim	No	N/A	N/A
Holafly	No	N/A	N/A
Nomad	Yes (Global 109/136)	109 & 136	No

The discount codes I highlighted earlier can also be redeemed for any regional or global eSIM.

Now that we have an overview of our options let's go through each and find out about their benefits.

But if you already have an eSIM provider in mind, just click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: Airalo, Alosim, Holafly & Nomad.

Original publication: 24^th of August 2022. Last updated: 21^st of April 2024.

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Table of Contents

Airalo Laos eSIMs

Airalo has two kinds of eSIMs that can be used in Laos: Pak Ou Mobile & Asialink.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	Data	5G NR in Laos?
Pak Ou Mobile	Laos only	1	9.50 USD	1 GB for 7 days	No
Asialink	Laos & 13 17 Asian countries (expanded)	6	5 USD – 185 USD	1 GB for 7 days – 100 GB for 180 days (half a year)	No

Remember to use code APR15 for 15% off if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM before OR code APR10 for 10% off if you are an existing Airalo user (valid until the 31^st of March – only the first 3000 users can redeem either discount code).

If you already have an eSIM variant in mind, click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: Pak Ou Mobile and Asialink.

Airalo was the first eSIM store launched in 2019.

It is also the largest eSIM provider, covering more than 200 countries and territories.

The first eSIM I ever tested was one from Airalo (in the Netherlands).

This is why I have tested Airalo eSIMs in more countries than other providers.

Airalo gives each country's eSIM a unique name that is often related to said nation.

Airalo Pak Ou Mobile (Laos) eSIM

Airalo's Laos eSIM is called Pak Ou Mobile.

As highlighted in the table earlier, there are only one Laos Pak Ou Mobile eSIM variant:

1. Laos/Pak Ou Mobile 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 9.50 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

With the Airalo Pak Ou Mobile eSIM, you can use the ETL Mobile network.

In my Laos SIM card buying guide, I tell you more about which Lao mobile operator is/are the best in coverage or speed so you can manually select the network that would suit your needs.

Airalo Asialink eSIM

Next, we have the Airalo Asialink eSIM to be used in Laos and 13 17 other Asian countries.

After Airalo updated its Asia regional eSIM from China Unicom (which was terrible) to Asialink, it could be used in 14 Asian countries for the longest.

The old “Asia” eSIM was terrible. The eSIM only gave you 4 GB of high-speed data before you would be dealing with throttled speeds (@ 256 Kbps if I recall correctly), and the validity was up to 14 days. It was not practical when you visited multiple countries in Asia!

Although the word Asia was doing some heavy lifting, the Asialink eSIM could only be used in East- and Southeast Asian countries.

In 2024, it finally got a solid update.

Not only have four South Asian countries been added (Bangladesh, India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka), but you can also use 5G NR in more than half of the supported 18 countries (the eSIM was previously restricted to 4G/LTE only).

This is because Airalo switched partners (Singtel from Singapore to JoyTelecom/CSL Mobile Hong Kong).

So, the results I got with various Asialink eSIMs prior to 2024 are inaccurate now (as they were Singtel Asialink eSIMs) 🫠.

Ah well, this gives me a reason to revisit all these exciting East- and Southeast Asian countries again 😎.

You have these six Asialink options to choose from:

1. Asia/Asialink 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 5 USD
2. Asia/Asialink 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 13 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
3. Asia/Asialink 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 20 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Asia/Asialink 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 37 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Asia/Asialink 50 GB eSIM for 90 days, costing 100 USD
6. Asia/Asialink 100 GB eSIM for 180 days, costing 185 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

You can use the ETL Mobile network with the Asialink eSIM (without 5G NR access).

In my ongoing Airalo Asialink review, I tell you all the 18 countries where the eSIM can be used.

But you can also use the map below as a reference.

Airalo eSIMs for Laos Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Airalo eSIM covered in this section:

• Pak Ou Mobile:
  • can be used in Laos only
  • is priced at 9.50 USD
  • has only one variant (1 GB for 7 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• Asialink:
  • can be used in Laos and 13 17 other Asian countries (expanded)
  • is priced between 5 USD and 185 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 100 GB for 180 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number

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Alosim Laos eSIM

Alosim has only one eSIM that can be used in Laos: Laos.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	5G NR in Laos?	Phone Number?
Laos	Laos only	1	9.50 USD	No	Yes

Remember that you can use code PTW for 5% off any Alosim purchase (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want).

Alosim is backed by AffinityClick, which is known for the Hushed app.

That app with the tagline “Temporary & Second Phone Number App for Wifi, Data Calling & Texting” has over 8 million downloads.

It took a while, but AffinityClick finally bundled its product, which is a big deal.

Why? With any Alosim eSIM purchase, you will get a Hushed redemption code, giving you up to 30 international minutes or 50 international SMS.

You get a free +1 (American or Canadian) phone number from one of the more than 300 supported area codes.

While it would be fantastic to get a Lao phone number instead, it is impossible to get one for the time being due to local regulations.

Either way, Alosim is the only eSIM provider that gives you a phone number for each eSIM purchase.

And it has eSIMs for over 170 countries, including Laos.

Alosim Laos eSIM

For Laos, you have only one choice:

1. Laos 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 9.50 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Alosim's Laos eSIM gives you access to the ETL Mobile (4G) and Lao Telecom (4G) networks.

For more information on how Lao mobile operators perform, check out my Laos SIM card buying guide, where I discuss the performance of each SIM card (in terms of coverage and speed).

Alosim eSIMs for Laos Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Alosim eSIM covered in this section:

• Laos:
  • is priced at 9.50 USD
  • has only one variant (1 GB for 7 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • includes a free +1 (American or Canadian) phone number through Hushed
    • allows for up to 30 international calls and/or 30 international SMS (within Laos or from Laos to any other country)

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Holafly Laos eSIMs

Holafly has two kinds of eSIMs that can be used in Laos: Laos and Asia.

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	5G NR in Laos?	Phone Number?
Laos	Laos only	6	29 USD – 79 USD	No	No
Asia	Laos & 10 Asia countries	6	27 USD – 79 USD (price increased)	No	No

Remember that you can use code PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off any Holafly purchase (as many times as you wish for as many eSIMs as you want).

If you already have an eSIM variant in mind, click on the links next to jump to the respective sections: Laos & Asia.

Holafly made a name for itself by introducing unlimited data plans in June 2022, which was uncommon back then.

Now, it has eSIMs for more than 160 countries.

And more than 100 of them have unlimited data plans.

Holafly Laos eSIM

Laos is lucky enough to have data eSIMs, and you have six options:

1. Laos 2.5 GB eSIM for 5 days, costing 29 USD
2. Laos 3.5 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 37 USD
3. Laos 5 GB eSIM for 10 days, costing 44 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
4. Laos 7.5 GB eSIM for 15 days, costing 47 USD
5. Laos 10 GB eSIM for 20 days, costing 59 USD
6. Laos 15 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 79 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Be aware that as of mid-2023, Holafly eSIMs with unlimited data plans (excluding European ones) are speed-restricted to 18 Mbps (the speeds are even slower in some countries).

While 18 Mbps is not exactly a snail's speed, much faster speeds are available for lower prices with other eSIM providers mentioned in this guide.

However, none of them have unlimited data plans for Laos.

Anyway, with this eSIM, you can use the Lao Telecom network.

Holafly Asia eSIM

Previously, Holafly's Asia eSIM was… uncompetitive.

You had two variants: 6 GB for 15 days (44 USD) and 10 GB for 30 days (54 USD), both with a daily maximum of 500 MB.

After some lobbying (just kidding – suggesting), Holafly introduced unlimited data plans for its Asia eSIM.

However, the word Asia is doing heavy lifting because it can only be used in several East- and Southeast Asian countries.

Unlike its Europe eSIM (review), which is priced the same as country-specific European eSIMs, the Asia eSIM is pricier.

What I mean is that if you buy the 20-day unlimited data plan for Spain or Europe, you pay the same 54 USD for the Europe eSIM as if you were to buy the Spain one. This makes purchasing the Europe eSIM a no-brainer if you visit two or more European countries.

See, I was not lying – the prices between the Spain eSIM and the Europe one are identical. And European eSIMs also include a phone number. This is not the case with Asian eSIMs (yet).

Unlike most country-specific Asian eSIMs, the Asia eSIM is valid for up to 30 days (instead of 90 days).

This is something to keep in mind if you plan on taking your time traveling through multiple countries.

Below is an overview of all the Holafly Asia eSIMs:

1. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 5 days, costing 27 USD
2. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 7 days, costing 34 USD
3. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 10 days, costing 37 USD
4. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 15 days, costing 47 USD – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
5. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 20 days, costing 54 USD – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. Asia unlimited data eSIM for 30 days, costing 79 USD (price increased) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Unfortunately, the same speed restriction that applies to the Laos eSIM (18 Mbps) also applies to the Asia eSIM.

You can use the Holafly Asia eSIM in the following 11 countries:

Holafly eSIMs for Laos Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Holafly eSIM covered in this section:

• Laos:
  • is priced between 29 USD and 79 USD
  • has six variants (2.5 GB for 5 days – 15 GB for 30 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• Asia:
  • can be used in Laos and ten other Asian countries
  • is priced between 27 USD and 79 USD
  • has six variants (unlimited for 5 days – unlimited for 30 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number

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Nomad Laos eSIMs

Nomad has two kinds of eSIMs that can be used in Laos: Laos and APAC (Asia-Pacific).

Below is a quick overview:

eSIM	Coverage	Packages	Prices	5G NR in Laos?
Laos	Laos only	6	7 USD – 45 USD	No
APAC	Laos & 19/20 Asia-Pacific countries	12 (6 for 20 countries & 6 for 21 countries)	8 USD/7 USD – 65/48 USD 1	No

¹ 8 USD and 65 USD apply to the 20 Countries Plan. 21 Countries Plan eSIMs costs between 7 USD and 48 USD

Nomad is an eSIM provider covering over 160 countries.

It also has the strongest presence in Asia in terms of number of packages for country-specific countries and (sub-)regional eSIMs.

And very generous data plans are available (up to 50 GB).

Unlike many eSIM providers that refer to Asia as several East- and Southeast Asian countries, Nomad has eSIMs covering those regions + Oceania and South Asia.

Nomad Laos eSIM

For Laos, you have these six choices:

1. Laos 1 GB eSIM for 7 days, costing 7 USD
2. Laos 3 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 13 USD
3. Laos 5 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 18 USD
4. Laos 10 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 29 USD
5. Laos 15 GB eSIM for 30 days, costing 35 USD
6. Laos 20 GB eSIM for 45 days, costing 45 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

If an eSIM is powered by JoyTelecom, you can use 5G NR or some or all supported Lao mobile network. If the eSIM is powered by Global1SIM, Nomad Black (Tele2 Sweden), Singtel, or Truphone (rebranded to 1Global) instead, you will be restricted to 4G/LTE.

Because these providers are different, you can access different Lao mobile network depending on who powers them.

The best way to find out is by pressing See Details on the Nomad Laos eSIM product page.

My Laos SIM card buying guide will inform you which network is/are the best regarding coverage and speed.

Nomad APAC eSIM

The Nomad APAC eSIM can be used in 20 or 21 countries in the Asia-Pacific (Oceania) region, depending on the variant.

The APAC eSIM has the 20 Countries Plan (JoyTelecom) and the 21 Countries Plan (Singtel).

JoyTelecom-powered eSIMs have up to 5G NR access in all supported countries (except for Laos, where you are restricted to 3G) and have a maximum validity of 60 days (30 GB).

Meanwhile, Singtel-powered eSIMs (previously Truphone) have 4G/LTE access in all supported countries (even Laos), and they have a maximum validity of 45 days (20 GB).

Because of the partner switch, most eSIMs under the 21 Countries Plan have seen price reductions.

Below is a price list of all the Nomad APAC eSIMs:

1. APAC 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 8 USD
2. APAC 1 GB eSIM for 7 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 10 7 USD (price dropped)
3. APAC 3 GB eSIM for 15 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 13 USD
4. APAC 3 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 17 14 USD (price dropped)
5. APAC 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 23 17 USD (price dropped) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
6. APAC 5 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 19 USD
7. APAC 10 GB eSIM for 30 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 28 23 USD (on sale) – very popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
8. APAC 10 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 37 31 USD (price dropped)
9. APAC 15 GB eSIM for 30 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 37 USD
10. APAC 20 GB eSIM for 45 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 38 29 USD (on sale) – most popular with Phone Travel Wiz readers
11. APAC 20 GB eSIM for 45 days (21 Countries Plan), costing 62 48 USD (price dropped)
12. APAC 30 GB eSIM for 60 days (20 Countries Plan), costing 65 USD

Note: Phone Travel Wiz reader popularity ranking was updated in December based on data up to the 30^th of December (2023 data only). The (promotional) prices were updated on the 21^st of April.

Below is a country overview of the 20 Countries Plan and 21 Countries Plan eSIMs:

I have tested the Nomad APAC eSIM in various countries already (even when it was powered by providers that are not used anymore).

You can learn about my experiences in my ongoing Nomad APAC eSIM review.

Nomad eSIMs for Laos Summarized

To summarize, these are the characteristics of each Nomad eSIM covered in this section:

• Laos:
  • is priced between 7 USD and 45 USD
  • has six variants (1 GB for 7 days – 20 GB for 45 days)
  • has no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number
• APAC:
  • can be used in Laos and 19/20 other Asia-Pacific countries
    • 20 Countries Plan (powered by JoyTelecom/CSL Mobile Hong Kong)
    • 21 Countries Plan (powered by Singtel Singapore)
  • is priced between 7 USD and 65 USD
    • 20 Countries Plan: 8 USD – 65 USD
    • 21 Countries Plan: 7 USD – 48 USD
  • has 12 variants (1 GB for 7 days – 30 GB for 30 days)
    • 20 Countries Plan: six options between 1 GB for 7 days and 30 GB for 60 days
    • 21 Countries Plan: six options between 1 GB for 7 days and 20 GB for 45 days
  • has no 5G NR access
    • 20 Countries Plan: no 5G NR access
    • 21 Countries Plan: no 5G NR access
  • has no phone number

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Overview of the Best eSIMs for Laos

That was a lot of info we went over, so let's try to summarize everything.

Laos-only eSIMs:

• Cheapest 3 GB Laos eSIM: Nomad (13 USD)
• Cheapest 5 GB Laos eSIM: Nomad (18 USD)
• Cheapest 10 GB Laos eSIM: Nomad (29 USD)
• Provider with unlimited data plans for Laos: N/A
• Laos eSIM with the longest validity: Nomad (45 days)
• Laos eSIM with 5G NR: N/A
• Laos eSIM with phone numbers: Alosim (American/Canadian)

Asia/APAC eSIMs covering Laos:

• Cheapest 3 GB Asia/APAC eSIM: Airalo (13 USD)
• Cheapest 5 GB Asia/APAC eSIM: Nomad (19 USD)
• Cheapest 10 GB Asia/APAC eSIM: Nomad (31 USD)
• Provider with unlimited data plans for Laos and Asia: Holafly
• Asia/APAC eSIM with the longest validity: Airalo (180 days)
• Asia/APAC eSIM with 5G NR in Laos: N/A
• Asia/APAC eSIM with phone numbers: N/A

Regarding global eSIMs, Airalo's Discover(+) eSIM is cheaper, has more generous data allowances & longer validity than Nomad's Global eSIM (and includes a phone number for the + variant).

However, Nomad's eSIM has better coverage (135+ instead of 120+ countries).

Do not forget to use one of these discount codes for extra savings:

• Airalo: APR15 for 15% off if you have never purchased an Airalo eSIM. If you have, use APR10 for 10% off (each code can be used 3000 times among all Airalo customers, so better redeem it quickly!
• Alosim: PTW for 5% off (the code can be used by anyone, including existing customers, as many times as you wish – no redemption limit)
• Holafly: PHONETRAVELWIZ for 5% off (the code can be used by anyone, including existing customers, as many times as you wish – no redemption limit)
• Nomad: ADU123 for 3 USD (or your currency's equivalent) if you have never purchased a Nomad eSIM

Enjoy Laos (and neighboring countries)!

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