Bali – known for its volcanoes, rice fields & beaches.
It is also a hub for many digital nomads to hang around.
But the island is one of the, if not the, most visited locations in Indonesia.
While I prefer the city life more than the island lifestyle (what should I do on the beach? Tan?), it is a nice place (but not relaxing because of how overcrowded it has become 😩).
Writing a list of all the cool things to do in Bali would require another blog post (or a dedicated Bali blog), so I will save you from that because you want to know what SIM card and eSIM options are available at the airport.
Anyway, which SIM cards are available at the airport?
You can get a Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, XL Axiata, or Smartfren SIM card at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport for between 250 000 IDR (15.95 USD) and 1 250 000 IDR (79.85 USD).
While data allowances start from a whopping 18 GB of data, they are not as generous as they seem at first glance.
But I will tell you all about that in this guide.
Anyway, let's review all your options and see if getting a SIM card at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport is even worth it.
Original publication: 3rd of October 2023. Last updated: 15th of January 2024.
Table of Contents
Mobile Operators in Indonesia
Before I tell you about the SIM card options you have at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport, you first need to know about all the mobile operators in Indonesia.
Indonesia has four mobile operators offering prepaid services easily accessible to travelers:
- Telkomsel
- Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (formerly IM3 Ooredoo)
- XL Axiata
- Smartfren
Indonesia is also home to various Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), but they are practically impossible to get as a tourist.
Either way, they are not sold at (most) Indonesian airports, so I will not pay attention to them.
Alright, back to what Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport offers us.
Where to Buy a SIM Card at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport
Several booths at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport sell SIM cards (and eSIMs) from the four Indonesian mobile operators: Telkomsel, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH – formerly IM3 Ooredoo), XL Axiata & Smartfren.
The four mobile operators have booths and stalls in the arrival hall of the international terminal.
But some options, like Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison are only available after baggage claim but before entering the arrival hall.
It is a bit hard to explain in text, but at some airports, there is still a buffer zone after leaving the “secure area” doors and the area where friends, family & taxi drivers can wait for your arrival.
Well, the SIM cards of the four mobile operators are sold in the buffer zone instead of the actual arrival hall (much different from most airports).
So, if you want a SIM card from Telkomsel or Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, you better not rush and meet your friends, family, or driver immediately.
Otherwise, you will miss out on the opportunity to buy their SIM cards (the one with the best coverage and the one with the best speeds, respectively) and only have the leftovers (XL Axiata and Smartfren – both of which I do not really recommend).
And if you arrive domestically at Denpasar (Bali) Airport (from Jakarta, for example), you are out of luck – SIM cards are only sold at the international terminal (and it can take about ten minutes to walk between the two terminals).
Let's review each mobile operator to see what they offer us at the airport.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does Telkomsel Sell at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (+Prices)?
Telkomsel sells its tourist SIM cards at Denpasar (Bali) Airport, costing between 250 000 IDR and 1 250 000 IDR.
I will list all the prices in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah).
To convert IDR to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Telkomsel is the largest mobile operator in Indonesia.
It is also the best-performing mobile operator in the country.
This is why I recommend getting a Telkomsel SIM card for anyone visiting rural Indonesia (but do not expect much when you are in a jungle… or Nusa Penida).
As I mentioned in the previous section, Telkomsel has its booth in the buffer zone after luggage claim but before the area where you can reconnect with your friends, family, or driver.
By the way, although 5G NR is heavily advertised by Telkomsel, it is practically non-existent… and most tourist SIM cards cannot use the technology anyway 🙄.
But you cannot miss it because you will see Telkomsel employees jumping around asking if you want a SIM card.
However, there is also a stall just before immigration.
But getting a SIM card here will guarantee much longer waits at immigration – especially if you were one of the first few passengers to get off the plane, so be aware (getting your SIM card at the arrival hall will be recommended).
The following six Telkomsel starter packs are available:
| Price | Data |
|---|---|
| 250 000 IDR | 18 GB |
| 400 000 IDR | 25 GB |
| 450 000 IDR | 51 GB |
| 550 000 IDR | 70 GB |
| 850 000 IDR | 100 GB |
| 1 250 000 IDR | 200 GB |
As the image above shows, you can pay by card and cash (Indonesian Rupiah only), but Telkomsel eSIMs do not exist (for prepaid customers yet – eSIM options will be discussed later).
That is… a lot of data for reasonably priced prices.
But is there a catch? Yes, there is.
In Indonesia, mobile operators have something called local data and kuota apps besides your nationwide data.
The latter is self-explanatory. Local data can only be used on certain islands based on the physical location of purchase.
So let's say you buy the 250 000 IDR SIM card with 18 GB of data at the airport, of which 10 GB is local data and 5 GB is kuota apps (only 3 GB of data is nationwide data).
The 10 GB can only be used in Bali (+Nusa Penida), but also throughout (all of) Java (including Bandung, Jakarta & Surabaya) and Lombok.
While the other 5 GB of data can be used on specific apps (like Disney+, Facebook & YouTube, to name a few).
But if you were to go to Masakkar, the capital city of Sulawesi, you would be in a different zone and only have 3 GB of data for use (and the 5 GB of kuota data for app usage).
The worst part is that the salespeople do not tell you the breakdown of data for each starter pack.
But I can tell you 😈 – at least, for two plans.
The 450 000 IDR plan with a combined data allowance of 51 GB gives you 3 GB nationwide data, 35 GB local data & 13 GB kuota data (for apps such as TikTok, VIU & YouTube).
The 550 000 IDR plan with a combined data allowance of 70 GB gives you 5 GB nationwide data, 50 GB local data & 15 GB kuota data).
Yeah, the data allowances are not as generous as they seemed, huh? 🥲
One thing the salespeople do well is ask where you will be staying during your stay in Indonesia.
Because they will recommend plans with more nationwide data if you stay in multiple zones.
But, they are not worth it, as you probably will not get more than 15 GB of nationwide data while paying up to 80.40 USD (1 250 000 IDR) for a plan.
Unfortunately, this is the way Indonesian mobile operators operate 🥲.
One way to get more data in another zone is by either buying another SIM card while there or purchasing a different plan.
I do not know if you can activate multiple Telkomsel plans simultaneously, so try it at your own risk.
Or get another SIM card while in a different zone.
But you should know that you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia (as per its SIM card registration regulations).
This whole process will take up to a minute (when you are being served – the queue before speaking to the salesperson can take a while).
Moreover, you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison Sell at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (+Prices)?
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison sells its tourist SIM cards at Denpasar (Bali) Airport, costing between 250 000 IDR and 1 250 000 IDR.
I will list all the prices in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah).
To convert IDR to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison is the second-largest mobile operator in Indonesia.
It has the second-best coverage and second-fastest speeds throughout the country (behind Telkomsel).
However, I had faster speeds with Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison than with Telkomsel in Jakarta (by a small margin), so that is something to keep in mind.
Initially, I thought Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison was faster in Bali too, but the overall results show that I was wrong. That is why I do so much testing with every SIM card and eSIM I use!
As I mentioned in the first section, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison has its booth in the buffer zone after luggage claim but before the area where you can reconnect with your friends, family, or driver.
Unlike Telkomsel and XL Axiata, which you will see immediately after going through the doors after passing customs, you must walk a bit further to see the Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison store (on the right).
But just like with Telkomsel and Xl Axiata, the Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison staff will let you know about their presence by practically jumping in front of you and asking if you want a SIM card.
Anyway, the mobile operator has only four starter packs to choose from:
| Price | Data |
|---|---|
| 250 000 IDR | 18 GB |
| 350 000 IDR | 30 GB |
| 450 000 IDR | 45 GB |
| 550 000 IDR | 70 GB |
As the image above shows, you can pay by card and cash (Indonesian Rupiah only), but Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison eSIMs do not exist (for prepaid customers yet – eSIM options will be discussed later).
In the Telkomsel section, we learned that the data allowances are technically inflated, as you cannot use your full allowance for whatever you want.
Instead, you get an allowance for nationwide use, local use (on an area on select islands) & data for select apps (like social media and video streaming apps and sites).
Does this apply to Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison's tourist SIM cards too? Yes and no.
There is no app data, so you can use your whole data allowance on any app or site you want.
However, local data allowances are used as well.
For example, I bought the 350 000 IDR 30 GB starter pack.
It gave me 16 GB of data to be used wherever, 14 GB to be used in Zone 2 only & an additional 2 GB for registering my phone IMEI (more about that later) – so 32 GB instead of the advertised 30 GB.
The mobile operator makes it hard to determine which cities and provinces are in whichever zone.
All I can say is that Zone 2 includes Bali, but also Jakarta (and probably the whole of Java) and Nusa Penida.
And what the staff may forget to tell you is that you also get 5000 on-net minutes (to Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison & Tri (3) phone numbers) for free, so that is cool 😎.
One way to get more data in another zone is by either buying another SIM card while there or purchasing a different plan.
I do not know if you can activate multiple Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison plans simultaneously, so try it at your own risk.
Or get another SIM card while in a different zone.
But you should know that you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia (as per its SIM card registration regulations).
This whole process will take up to a minute (when you are being served – the queue before speaking to the salesperson can take a while).
Moreover, you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does XL Axiata Sell at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (+Prices)?
XL Axiata sells its tourist SIM cards at Denpasar (Bali) Airport, costing between 250 000 IDR and 650 000 IDR.
I will list all the prices in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah).
To convert IDR to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
XL Axiata is the second-smallest mobile operator in Indonesia (ahead of Smartfren).
But it does have a reasonable network in terms of speed and coverage.
XL Axiata is the only mobile operator to have a store in the buffer zone, as explained in the Where to Buy a SIM Card section, and a booth in the arrivals hall (the place where you can meet your friends, family, or driver).
At both locations, the following five XL Axiata starter packs are available:
| Price | Data | Social Data 1 | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 000 IDR | 18 GB (+4 GB) | N/A | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 25 GB | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 450 000 IDR | 44 GB | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 550 000 IDR | 75 GB | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 650 000 IDR | 120 GB | Unlimited | 30 days |
1 for Grab, Line & WhatsApp
As the image above shows, you can pay by card and cash (Indonesian Rupiah only), but XL Axiata eSIMs do not exist (for prepaid customers yet – eSIM options will be discussed later).
In the Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison sections, we learned that the data allowances are technically inflated, as you cannot use your full allowance for whatever you want.
This applies to XL Axiata SIM cards sold at Denpasar Airport too… but I do not know the individual quotas 😩.
If you did not read the previous two sections, the data allowance is your combined data allowance.
So you get nationwide data that can be used all over Indonesia, local data that can be used in a region (in the case of Bali, it is always combined with Java (including Jakarta) and Lombok) & app data (for social media and video streaming apps).
From what I know, XL Axiata does not have local data allowances – it is just split between data and social data (also called kuota apps).
So when you purchase an XL Axiata SIM card, be sure to ask about the split in allowances so that you do not get disappointed (as I cannot tell you about them, unfortunately 🥲).
In other news, you should know that you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia (as per its SIM card registration regulations).
This whole process will take up to a minute (when you are being served – the queue before speaking to the salesperson can take a while).
Moreover, you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.
What SIM Cards & Plans Does Smartfren Sell at Denpasar (Bali)-I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport (+Prices)?
Smartfren sells its tourist SIM cards at Denpasar (Bali) Airport, costing between 250 000 IDR and 650 000 IDR.
I will list all the prices in IDR (Indonesian Rupiah).
To convert IDR to your currency (let's say MYR – Malaysian Ringgit) with up-to-date exchange rates, use the Wise Currency Converter tool.
Smartfren is the smallest mobile operator in Indonesia.
But it does have a reasonable network in terms of speed and coverage.
Smartfren is the only mobile operator not to have a store in the buffer zone, as explained in the Where to Buy a SIM Card section, but only in the arrivals hall (the place where you can meet your friends, family, or driver).
The following four Smartfren starter packs are available:
| Price | Data | Validity |
|---|---|---|
| 250 000 IDR | 30 days | |
| 300 000 IDR | 30 GB | 30 days |
| 350 000 IDR | 45 GB | 30 days |
| 450 000 IDR | 60 GB | 30 days |
I am unsure whether Smartfren takes card payments (the other two mobile operators do).
In the Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison sections, we learned that the data allowances are technically inflated, as you cannot use your total allowance for whatever you want.
If you did not read the previous two sections, the data allowance is your combined data allowance.
So, you get nationwide data that can be used all over Indonesia, local data that can be used in a region (in the case of Bali, it is always combined with Java (including Jakarta) and Lombok) & app data (for social media and video streaming apps).
Fortunately, this does not apply to Smartfren Nonstop plans.
So, if you want to use up 45 GB of data on Google Maps, you can.
Just as much as using your full data allowance in Boelili (a small and random town on the southern border of Central Sulawesi) after purchasing your Smarfren SIM card (Sulawesi would be regarded as a different zone for local data allowances).
In positive news, Smartfren is the only mobile operator selling eSIMs at Denpasar airport.
So, if you really need an Indonesian eSIM (because you bought an iPhone 14 or 15 in the United States), your only option would be Smartfren.
Unless you consider travel eSIMs – which allow you to avoid Indonesia's SIM card registration regulations legally (because they are not issued by any Indonesian mobile operator).
Why would that matter? Mostly because you can only have three active SIM cards in your name in Indonesia.
For most travelers, this is not an issue at all.
But before you can use an Indonesian SIM card (or Smarfren eSIM), you must get your phone's IMEI whitelisted for Indonesian SIM cards/eSIMs to work.
You can do this when completing the customs declaration form online (form BC 2.2) starting three days before departure.
Officially, you can fill in this form in Indonesia before clearing customs. However, some airlines want to see the generated QR code before you can check in/drop off your luggage at the airport. I had this experience when I flew with China Airlines from New York-JFK airport to Bali (while a few other friends flying into Bali with other airlines from other airports did not have to deal with this at all).
By the way, the link above (or this one) is the official link to the customs form – you should not pay any fees for this (as some “agencies” claim – do not get scammed!).
And you may have read that you need to pay a tax when registering your phone (40% of your phone's value if it is valued at more than 500 USD (not IDR)).
This is true… but you can whitelist two phones for free.
And if your phone supports dual-SIM, you can register those two slots (yes, each slot has a different IMEI), but then you cannot register another phone (third IMEI) without paying up.
This is why I only reviewed Telkomsel and Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison during this trip – I did not want to pay significantly extra to use my other phones to try out XL Axiata and Smartfren 🤣.
Worry not; when I revisit Indonesia (2024 probably), I will try those two SIM cards out again 😜.
If all of this sounds like a hassle, and you do not want to deal with Indonesia's SIM card registration requirements but still want to be connected here, consider a travel eSIM that can be used in the country.
Why does it matter? Optus from Australia had a large-scale hack where the identities of more than 10 million people were stolen in October 2022, including mine 🤯.
Luckily for me, only basic (and outdated) info was leaked.
But my boyfriend's passport document number was also stolen, which was nice 🫠.
And hacks like this happen all the time. 1.3 billion SIM card registration-related data was stolen in Indonesia around the same time 😒.
Anyway, I write about the best travel eSIMs for Indonesia in my Best Indonesia eSIM buying guide.
I even tried many of them extensively for my Indonesia eSIM review series.