Discover Indonesia’s hidden gems: A guide to traveling with eSIM networks in 2025

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1.Introduction

Indonesia, an exotic Southeast Asian country, has always been an aspiring destination for travelers. As 2025 approaches, more and more people are planning to travel to Indonesia for an unforgettable journey. However, people tend to focus on well-known attractions such as Bali, but overlook some hidden treasure places. Meanwhile, in today's digital travel era, ESIM has become an indispensable network tool for travel that relates to all aspects of communication, navigation and sharing during our journey. Among the many ESIM network options in Indonesia, we need to consider the characteristics of different operators, among which Smartfren and Telkomsel are more common, and today we would also like to recommend a quality option for traveling or business trip - Phonesim.

2.2025 Indonesia travel easily overlooked good places**

(1) Lake Toba in Sumatra Island

Lake Doba is one of the largest volcanic lakes in the world and it is located in the northern part of Sumatra Island. It is a beautiful lake surrounded by green mountains and trees with clear blue water. Unlike the hustle and bustle of popular areas such as Bali, the surrounding area of Lake Toba is quiet and peaceful, and visitors can experience the original Indonesian countryside life. The local Batak culture is unique, with old traditional buildings and unique folklore waiting to be explored by visitors. For example, the traditional Batak houses are in the shape of a long boat and have a distinctive architectural style, which holds their history and beliefs behind it. Here, tourists can go deep into the villages, interact with the locals and experience their traditional handicraft making, such as weaving and wood carving.

(2) Tolacha Region in Sulawesi Island

The Toracha region is known for its unique funeral culture. The people here have a different approach to death, building beautiful house-like mausoleums for the deceased, and the entire funeral process is filled with intricate and mysterious rituals. In addition to the funerary culture, Tolacha's natural landscape is also very fascinating. The rolling hills, green terraced fields and clear streams form a beautiful idyllic picture. Tourists can hike through the terraced fields to feel the gift of nature, and also visit the local traditional market to buy specialty handicrafts and fresh produce.

3.ESIM - A Key Web Tool for Traveling in Indonesia

When traveling to Indonesia in 2025 or on business, the importance of ESIM cannot be overstated. It is like a master key that opens the door to stay connected and get information about our travels. Whether it's finding local food recommendations, booking transportation, or sharing moments on the road with distant family and friends, ESIM provides stable and reliable network support.

4.Smartfren's ESIM

Advantages:

1.Signal strength in some areas

In some specific areas in Indonesia, such as the central business district of Jakarta, Smartfren's ESIM can provide a more stable signal. This is a good advantage for travelers who are staying in these areas for a short period of time and whose internet needs are mainly for basic communication and simple social software usage.

​ 2.Specific packages for value for money

It offers a number of prepaid packages for short-term travelers that are cost-effective in terms of price and the amount of traffic and airtime included. If you are only staying in Indonesia for a short period of time and your main activity area is in its better signal area, these packages can fulfill your basic needs. Disadvantages.

  1. Coverage Limitations

There are some limitations in Smartfren's network coverage. When you leave the big cities or popular tourist areas and go to some remote islands or mountainous areas, you may face the situation of weak or even no signal. For example, when exploring some remote rainforest areas in Sumatra, Smartfren's ESIM may not be able to provide you with an effective network connection.

  1. Network speed fluctuation

Network speed may fluctuate even in areas where its coverage is good. During the peak tourist season, when a large number of tourists use the network at the same time, it may lead to network congestion and make your network experience suffer, for example, video calls may lag and so on.

5.Telkomsel's ESIM

Advantages.

Wide Coverage

As one of the larger operators in Indonesia, Telkomsel has a relatively wide network coverage. Whether it's in a bustling city, a quiet beach resort, or some relatively remote rural area, it offers a certain level of coverage. This is an important advantage for travelers who want to fully explore all corners of Indonesia.

Diverse Package Options

It offers a wide variety of ESIM packages to meet the needs of different users. From basic packages that offer a small amount of traffic for light internet users, to high-capacity traffic packages for heavy internet users, and even packages specially designed for business travelers that include international calling hours and high-speed, stable internet, users can choose according to their travel plans and internet usage habits.

Disadvantages

Price factor

Some of Telkomsel's ESIM packages are relatively expensive. For travelers on a limited budget, especially those who are backpackers or travel for the purpose of traveling poorly, they may find the cost higher. For example, some packages that include a lot of high-speed traffic and extra services may be priced beyond their expectations.

Customer Service Response

In some cases, Telkomsel's customer service response time may be less than ideal. If you encounter problems while using ESIM, such as package change, network failure, etc., you may need to spend a longer time waiting for customer service response and resolution, which may cause inconvenience to your travel.

6.2025 ESIM Network Recommendation in Indonesia

All things considered, Smartfren's ESIM may be an option to consider if your travels are focused on Indonesia's major cities and popular tourist areas and you have a limited budget. However, if you plan to explore various parts of Indonesia in depth, including remote areas, and at the same time would like to have a more diverse range of packages to choose from, Telkomsel's ESIM would be relatively more suitable. However, there is a better option to recommend.

7.Phonesim - a quality ESIM option for Indonesia travelers

(1) Comprehensive Network Coverage

Phonesim has partnered with a wide range of network providers in Indonesia to ensure that no matter where you are in Indonesia, whether it's in the remote mountainous areas of Sumatra or the rural corners of Sulawesi, you can enjoy a stable and reliable internet connection. Whether you're making a video call, navigating online maps or sharing high-resolution photos, Phonesim has your internet needs covered.

(2) Flexible and affordable packages

Phonesim offers a range of flexible package options. It has affordable packages for short-term travelers, which include a moderate amount of traffic and talk time, enough to meet basic internet needs during a short stay in Indonesia, such as checking travel information, communicating with local contacts, and so on. Meanwhile, for long-term business or in-depth travelers in Indonesia, Phonesim also has high-capacity, long-duration packages available at relatively reasonable prices, making them very cost-effective.

(3) Excellent Customer Service

Phonesim has a professional and efficient customer service team. No matter you encounter problems related to ESIM at any time, whether it is network connection failure or doubts about the package content, you can get the response and solution from Phonesim customer service team in time. They are enthusiastic and professional to provide users with a full range of services to ensure that you have no worries during your travel or business trip in Indonesia.