Laos
🇱🇦
eSIM for Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang is a small, calm town on the Mekong in northern Laos, with temples, waterfalls and slow boats. Signal is fine in town and thin on the river and the mountain roads.
4.8 from 7,829 reviews
−18%
Change currency
1 GB
7 days
$2.49 $2.49/GB
3 GB
30 days −6%
$6.99 $2.29/GB
5 GB
Popular30 days −16%
$10.49 $2.09/GB
10 GB
30 days −30%
$17.49 $1.79/GB
20 GB
Best value30 days −40%
$29.99 $1.49/GB
Luang Prabang: what to know before you go
- Arriving
- Luang Prabang Airport (LPQ) is close to town, and many visitors also arrive by bus, by train from Vientiane or by slow boat on the Mekong.
- Kuang Si Falls
- The waterfalls are about 30 km south and are reached by tuk-tuk or minibus. Signal at the falls is limited.
- The Mekong
- The slow boat to Huay Xai takes two days and has patchy coverage. Download maps and entertainment before you board.
- Roads
- Mountain roads toward Vang Vieng and Nong Khiaw are winding, with gaps in signal.
How much data you need
Four days of maps and photos takes about 2 GB.
Written . Opening rules, fees, prices at attractions and event dates change, so check the official site before you rely on them.
Luang Prabang: when people go
- Around 27 October 2026: Lhai Heua Fai
- The festival of boats of light is listed for 27 October 2026 and follows the lunar calendar: decorated boats are paraded through the town, and at night they are launched on the river and set alight as offerings. The river bank is crowded after dark, so agree a meeting point offline and book your room early.
- November 2026 to March 2027: high season
- A travel guide advises booking ahead from November to March, and December to February are listed as the months with the highest crowds, with daytime highs around 27 degrees C and cool nights. Rooms in the old town fill in those weeks, so book early and keep your confirmations on your phone.
- February to April 2027: burning season
- Smoke from land-clearing fires hazes northern Laos in the dry months, and reports from Luang Prabang describe skies that hide the surrounding mountains, with a reading of 152 on the air quality index in one case. Check an air quality app, and expect hazy views from the river and the hill viewpoints.
- Mid-April 2027: Pi Mai Lao, the Lao New Year
- The official holiday is usually 14 to 16 April, and in Luang Prabang the celebration lasts much longer: in 2026 the district announced ten days, from 11 to 20 April, with processions, the ceremonial bathing of the Phra Bang Buddha image and local markets. Guides advise booking ahead for the mid-April festivities, so reserve rooms and onward travel early and keep tickets on your phone.
Laos eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage
9 plans, from $2.49 (1 GB, 7 days) to $29.99 (20 GB, 30 days). Network: Lao Telecom 5G.
| Data | Validity | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $2.49 | $2.49 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $6.99 | $2.33 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $10.49 | $2.10 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $17.49 | $1.75 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $29.99 | $1.50 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | $12.93 | $4.31 per day |
| Unlimited | 7 days | $28.92 | $4.13 per day |
| Unlimited | 15 days | $59.94 | $4.00 per day |
| Unlimited | 30 days | $110.45 | $3.68 per day |
- Network
- Lao Telecom 5G
- Top-up
- Yes, from the app, on the same eSIM
- Validity starts
- At the first connection at your destination
- Install by
- Shown on your order. An eSIM that is never installed expires
- Your number
- Stays active, plans are data only
- Hotspot
- Uses the same plan data, no separate charge
- After the daily allowance
- Day passes slow down to 512 Kbps
Questions about Luang Prabang
- Will I have signal on the slow boat?
- Intermittently. You pass villages with signal and long stretches without, so download what you need before you board.
- How much does an eSIM for Luang Prabang cost?
- Luang Prabang uses the Laos plans, because an eSIM belongs to a country and not to a city. Plans start at $2.49 for 1 GB, valid for 7 days. There are 9 plans, from 1 GB to 20 GB, plus unlimited day passes.
- Do I need a local SIM card in Luang Prabang?
- No. The eSIM is a SIM card in digital form: you install it from a QR code before you leave, and there is nothing to buy at the airport or swap in your phone.
- How is it different from roaming in Luang Prabang?
- With roaming, your own carrier bills the data you use abroad, usually by the day or by the megabyte, at the prices of your plan. The eSIM is prepaid: you know the cost before you leave and nothing is added later. Keep data roaming off on your usual line, so it cannot charge you.
- Which networks does the Luang Prabang eSIM use?
- Wigoo connects to Lao Telecom, with 5G where it is available. Each plan lists the operators it uses.
- Can I add more data?
- Yes. You top up the same eSIM from the app, without installing a new one.
- Do I keep my phone number?
- Yes. Plans are data only, so your usual line stays active for calls and texts, and WhatsApp keeps working as always.
- When do the validity days start?
- Not when you buy and not when you install: the days start counting when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination for the first time. A 30 day plan gives you 30 days from that first connection.
- How long do I have to install the eSIM?
- An eSIM that is never installed expires. The "Install by" date is shown on your order, on the site and in the app, so you can buy ahead of your trip. Install it before that date, on Wi-Fi.
- Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot?
- Data used through a personal hotspot comes out of the same plan, and Wigoo does not charge it separately. A laptop uses far more data than a phone, so for work a day pass or a bigger plan is safer.
- What happens when the data runs out?
- Plans are prepaid, so there are no extra charges: when the data is used up, the connection stops until you add more from the app. Day passes give a daily allowance at full speed, then continue at reduced speed (512 Kbps) until the next day.
- When should I install the eSIM?
- Before you leave, on Wi-Fi. When you land, set the Wigoo line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it.