Bhutan eSIM

Staying connected in Bhutan

The simplest way to get online in Bhutan is to install a travel eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land in Paro. AirOva sells Bhutan plans from $3.99, with a fixed amount of data or unlimited, all data only, with no call minutes, SMS or local number. Bhutan plans run on TashiCell, with 4G and 5G where available.

Which Bhutan plan to choose

GB plans suit most itineraries: messaging and maps take little data, and most hotels offer Wi-Fi. Unlimited plans give unlimited data with no data cap and no fair-usage limit; you only choose the number of days, which suits longer stays, remote work and uploading photos as you go. For itineraries and data needs, see our Bhutan eSIM guide.

TashiCell and coverage in the valleys

Bhutan has two mobile operators: state-owned Bhutan Telecom, whose mobile brand is B-Mobile, and TashiCell, the privately owned alternative, launched in 2008. Bhutan Telecom, the incumbent, has the larger network, but it is not on our plans. By early 2022, TashiCell had rolled out 5G in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing. Coverage is generally good in towns and reliable along the main highways, fair to good on many trekking routes with spotty sections, and limited or unavailable in remote valleys and on high mountain passes.

Arriving in Paro

Bhutan's only international airport is Paro (PBH), at 2,235 m in a deep valley, 6 km from Paro town and 54 km by road from Thimphu; Drukair and Bhutan Airlines are based there. Overland, tourists can enter from India at Phuentsholing or Samdrup Jongkhar. Install the eSIM over Wi-Fi before you travel. After landing, turn off airplane mode, switch the eSIM line on, choose it for mobile data and enable Data Roaming for that line; the data is prepaid, so roaming adds no charge. Keep roaming off on your home SIM.

Flights, treks and hotel Wi-Fi

Flights into Paro operate in daylight only and weather delays are common, so leave a buffer before onward connections and keep your bookings available offline. Before a trek, download offline maps and anything else you need in Paro or Thimphu, as the trails have spotty sections. Most hotels offer Wi-Fi, though speeds vary.

Tip: if your trip starts or ends in India, check whether your plan also covers India, or add a separate India plan before you cross at Phuentsholing. Carry a power bank, and keep your home SIM in for bank codes with its roaming off.