Malaysia eSIM

Staying connected in Malaysia

Install a travel eSIM at home and switch it on when you land in Malaysia. AirOva sells Malaysia plans from $1.49, with a fixed amount of data or unlimited, all data only, with no call minutes, SMS or local phone number. GB plans use Maxis, CelcomDigi and Tune Talk, and unlimited plans U Mobile, on 4G with 5G where available; each plan card lists its network.

Which Malaysia plan to choose

GB plans suit city breaks and food trips, since Grab, maps and messaging take little data. Unlimited plans give unlimited data with no data cap and no fair-usage limit; you only choose the number of days, which suits longer trips, video calls and remote work. More tips in our Malaysia eSIM guide.

CelcomDigi, Maxis, Tune Talk and U Mobile

CelcomDigi, formed when Celcom and Digi merged in November 2022, is Malaysia's largest mobile operator. CelcomDigi and Maxis deliver 5G through Digital Nasional Berhad, the national 5G network, and U Mobile was cleared in 2024 to build a second one. Tune Talk began in 2009 as a virtual operator on Celcom's network. Under the government's JENDELA plan, 4G reached 96.92% of populated areas by 2022.

Arriving at KLIA, Penang or Kota Kinabalu

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) is in Sepang, about 45 km south of the city. Penang (PEN) is 16 km south of George Town, and Kota Kinabalu (BKI) in Sabah about 8 km southwest of its centre. Submit the free Malaysia Digital Arrival Card within three days before arrival; Singapore citizens are exempt. After landing, switch the eSIM line on, choose it for mobile data and enable Data Roaming for that line; the plan is prepaid, so roaming adds no charge.

Borneo, Langkawi, the Cameron Highlands and Singapore

Coverage can be thinner on Borneo: in 2022 the government put 4G coverage of Sabah's populated areas at 86.9%. Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands, is reached by ferry from Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah or by air (LGK). In the Cameron Highlands, about 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur, some jungle trails take up to five hours, so download a map first. The Causeway links Johor Bahru with Woodlands in Singapore.

Tip: combining Malaysia with Singapore or Thailand? Check which countries each plan covers, and install any second plan over Wi-Fi before you cross. Keep your home SIM in for bank codes, with its roaming off.