eSIM for Phuket

Phuket: what to know before you go

From the airport

The airport is at the north end of the island, and the southern beaches, Kata, Karon and Rawai, are around an hour or more away by road. There are fixed-price taxi counters, and Grab has a pickup zone at the terminal. Bolt and inDrive can drop off there but not collect.

Taxis and ride apps

Street taxis around the beaches usually need a price agreed before you get in. A ride app shows the price first, though it can rise in the busy hours.

The arrival card

Thailand asks most foreign visitors to complete a digital arrival card online in the few days before the flight. Use the official immigration site only, and keep the confirmation email on your phone for the airport.

Boat days

Day trips to Phi Phi and the Similan Islands start with an early pickup, and the Similans mean a drive to a pier on the mainland before the boat. Signal drops once you are at sea, so save the booking and the operator's number. The Similan Islands national park is open only part of the year.

How much data you need

A week of maps, ride apps and photos takes about 3 to 5 GB. Boat days with video can take more.

Written 24 October 2026. Opening rules, fees, prices at attractions and event dates change, so check the official site before you rely on them.

Phuket: when people go

November 2026 to April 2027: dry season

Seas on the Andaman side are calmest and boat trips to Phi Phi and the Similan Islands run most days. The Similan Islands national park is expected to be open from about 15 October 2026 to about 15 May 2027, and it works with a ticket system that needs advance planning, so book through the operator early.

24 November 2026 (expected): Loy Krathong

The lantern and floating-basket night follows the full moon, so the date is confirmed locally and some sources say 25 November. People float baskets on every beach and at Sapan Hin lake in Phuket Town, with Patong the busiest, mostly after dark. Expect slow data and long waits for rides there in the evening.

13 to 15 April 2027: Songkran

Thailand's New Year water festival is a three-day public holiday, and water fights can start earlier and run later. Carry the phone in a waterproof pouch and expect busy roads.

May to October 2027: monsoon

Rough seas bring red flags on the west coast beaches and fewer or cancelled boats to Phi Phi, and the Similan Islands national park is closed for the season, usually from 16 May to 14 October. Check your boat with the operator in the morning, since crossings are cancelled day by day.

Thailand eSIM 2026: prices, network and coverage

10 plans, from $2.49 (1 GB, 7 days) to $42.99 (50 GB, 30 days). Networks: DTAC 5G and TrueMove H 5G.

Network

DTAC 5G, TrueMove H 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

Updated October 29, 2026

Questions about Phuket

Can I do a Similan Islands day trip all year?

No. The national park closes for the monsoon, usually from mid-May to mid-October, so trips run only in the dry season. Check the park's official notice before booking.

Do I need to fill in anything before I fly to Phuket?

Thailand asks most visitors for a digital arrival card, filed online within a few days before the flight, and the immigration officer needs the confirmation. Fill it in on the official government site only and keep the email on your phone.

How much does an eSIM for Phuket cost?

Phuket uses the Thailand 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 10 plans, from 1 GB to 50 GB, plus unlimited day passes.

Do I need a local SIM card in Phuket?

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 Phuket?

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 Phuket eSIM use?

Wigoo connects to DTAC and TrueMove H, 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.