Backpacking Nomad Tips: Using an eSIM For Travel Data

Travelling the world these days has changed yet again. Around 2019, just as we thought things were getting easier in the travel game, along came the coronavirus, often now termed COVID-19. When it started in December 2019, I had just backpacked through Egypt, Greece and Poland and had already booked my next trip!

That next trip was to fly from Poland to Amsterdam and then onwards to Angola, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa and Lesotho! Yes, my last trip before the first lockdown encompassed 9 countries. I did it in the nick of time and just made it. Now, down the years you might have heard how I turned this hobby travel blog (which began in 2007) into an online business? If not, you’ll know that being a professional travel blogger means I need to be ONLINE as much as I can when I travel.

This means I need to get online in places like remote Pacific Islands such as Nauru (where I was offline for 6 days) and countries with limited internet access such as North Korea (again – 6 days offline) to those with excruciatingly slow Wi-Fi (I found Turkmenistan outrageously slow for getting online and again was there for 6 days!). So if the hotel Wi-Fi is terrible and my Mobile Phone Network provider haven’t helped me, how do I do it?

The answer is you turn to using an eSIM!! Yes, an eSIM!!

So what is it all about?

Since eSIM is a relatively new concept, there are still so many people who have no idea this technology even exists let alone that it’s probably already built into their phone!! I admit that I struggle to keep up with technology advancements these days, though I did recently join TikTok. Oh really? Yes I am on there now and I am now going to show the benefits of an eSIM, which you can easily find from companies such as aloSIM.

Firstly, you should buy an eSIM online – how cool is that for a start? You don’t need to physically find a shop and you don’t need to be in a particular place. You can buy it online from wherever you currently happen to be backpacking so you should check out the prepaid eSIM data packages available and get started.

When you choose a country or region, it will show a few different eSIM data packages for sale. They start at 1 gigabyte of data to use over seven days — and if this sounds like all you need, feel free to choose the smallest data package. This is normally plenty of data for many travellers, since they will also have access to Wi-Fi sometimes.

So now that you have bought it, and installed it, time to use it…

What some people don’t realise (and really you should know this) is that using an eSIM is cheaper than a carrier travel data plan, but you won’t be able to use an eSIM for travel data unless you have a device (phone, tablet, or computer) that actually supports eSIM technology. These days, most modern devices in 2023 will support that – but do check with your phone provider or any expert.

The beauty of using an eSIM is that you can keep your Primary SIM (a.k.a. your regular phone number) switched on while you’re traveling, and leave your regular phone number available for calling and texting. This means simultaneously having both options. Obviously when you get Wi-Fi, it’s even better as you turn off the data and use the free Wi-Fi. As a seasoned traveller I always remember to do this and I don’t like to waste my data when I know I’m in a bar, café, hotel, airport etc. with free Wi-Fi.

As you continue on your backpacking journey, even if you run out of data, it’s easy to top up your eSIM. All you need is an internet connection (Wi-Fi or data) to complete the purchase, and the data will be available in your account immediately.

Oh and if all that isn’t enough, don’t forget that using an eSIM saves you money 😉

So what are you waiting for? Get an eSIM and start travelling as a modern tech geek and not a stone age dinosaur still pressing refresh and wondering why you can’t get online in some far flung place!

Safe travels!