eSIM for Maldives: compare, buy and travel connected

Planning a trip to the Maldives? Great! But remember not to overlook how expensive it can be to pay for roaming service abroad to get internet. So if your plans don’t include complete isolation and you want to stay in touch with your friends and family, you’re probably thinking about signing up for some kind of cellular data plan or Pocket Wifi. But wait, before you make a decision, let us introduce you to international eSIM Maldives for travelers.

This option, which works virtually, will make many things easier for you, from its installation to its operation, since you do not need external chips or plastic cards to use it and the best thing, besides being environmentally friendly, you will not have to pay roaming in the Maldives when you buy one of these virtual cards. Therefore, in this article, we will show you everything, from how they work, the providers in the market to a comparison of their plans and prices.

What you should know about the Maldives eSIM card:

The eSIMs are the future and while they are taking their place in technological progress, it is important to know that they are still going through that trance, as there are still some cellphones that are not compatible with an eSIM, but do not worry because we have prepared a list of the main requirements to take into account to use an eSIM.

• As mentioned above, the first thing to check is that your cell phone is compatible with an eSIM: in addition to that, check that it is also supported by the carrier or eSIM card provider. We anticipate that the iPhone XR or more recent versions are preferred by the companies providing the virtual SIM.
• To facilitate its use, it is important that you have a reliable email address, because with it need to register and receive your eSIM.
• Although you can activate your eSIM from day one, it is important that you have an internet connection to do so, as your eSIM profile will be downloaded from the carrier’s servers and then scan the QR code or installation code.
• Some providers will ask you to install their App to download the eSIM.

eSIM card providers for traveling to Maldives

Having clarified the main requirements, we will now show you the eSIM card providers to the Maldives. Remember that if your cell phone does not support eSIM, you can opt to purchase a physical SIM card with data.

Having clarified that last part, the companies presented below sell international eSIM cards intended to be used for leisure or business trips abroad, just for you to enjoy a nice summer vacation or an important business meeting. 

• Airalo
• Prepaid Global

Rates and data plans from eSIM providers for travel to the Maldives Islands

Knowing the eSIM providers, we will now present their plans and rates so that you can get an idea of the prices offered by each of these companies. Here it is important to understand that the price variation of each of these plans is due to different factors such as the payment method, the previous roaming agreements that each of these companies have, or the coverage offered by their eSIM. For more details, please contact the provider.

Airalo plans and prices in Maldives:

• 17GB for 30 days at 30.00 USD
• 30GB for 30 days at 50.00 USD

Prepaid Global plans and prices in Maldives

• 15GB for 14 days at 53.61 USD
• 15GB for 30 days at 59.57 USD
• 30GB for 14 days at 89.36 USD

Comparison of eSIM providers for Maldives

Features of eSIMs cards for traveling to the Maldives

The ideal when buying an eSIM to the Maldives is to make the most of it because for sure, a photo you take is a photo you upload to your social media and for that, it is important to know the characteristics of the eSIM and the difference it has from the traditional physical SIM cards. Below we present these features: 

• Most eSIM cards do not offer analog calls, only data. For voice communication you can use Apps such as Skype or WhatsApp.
• They can be installed only once, so if you are experiencing problems with your eSIM card; do not remove it from your cellphone and contact your eSIM provider instead.
• Some eSIMs set up automatic APNs.
• You can add several data plans on your iPhone, this depends on the available memory, although it is only possible to use one at a time.
• Some eSIMs allow you to share data.
• Back to your dual SIM iPhone, you can keep your local SIM when you travel to the Maldives. Remember to set up your iPhone to avoid surprise bills

eSIM coverage for traveling to the Maldives 

When you are ready to buy your virtual card, do not forget to ask about the coverage offered by the eSIM, since sometimes a cheap virtual card does not offer the necessary coverage in your place of stay. Therefore, and to make things easier for you, we present the coverage maps of the national servers for you to keep in mind when purchasing an eSIM to the Maldives. 

In the tropical country, the main national telephone carriers are: Ooredoo and Dhiraagu

Ooredoo 4G coverage map in Maldives

4G Dhiraagu coverage map in Maldives

Local cellphone carriers offering eSIM in the Maldives

Finally, if you are a resident of this tropical paradise, we present a list of national carriers that offer the service of change and support of eSIM. The important thing is that if you are going to perform this procedure, you must take into account some requirements and recommendations that each carrier will ask for. Remember that this is only for Maldivian residents. The carriers that offer this service are:  

• Ooredoo 
• Dhiraagu

Frequently asked questions about eSIM in the Maldives

To conclude this article, we have prepared some common questions that users often have when purchasing an eSIM to travel to the Maldives. If you have more questions, please comment, you may help another traveler.

Daniela Rojas

Soy ingeniera apasionada por la ciencia de datos, amo viajar; conocer las diferentes culturas, y estar informada sobre las nuevas tecnologías. Con Roaming te ayudare a encontrar las mejores opciones para que ahorres en tu viaje!