Since first writing this guide about SIM cards in Laos more than five years ago, a lot has changed. While the best SIM cards for backpacking in Laos remain the same – the overall coverage and quality of service have increased dramatically. Of course, there are still areas with spotty coverage but in general, you’ll be able to get reliable 4G or LTE across much of the country and even decent 5G in Vientiane and parts of Luang Prabang!
Buying a SIM card in Laos remains cheap and easy. Data, voice and text packages are similar between different providers and getting online has got cheaper, offering an affordable way to stay connected to friends and family or ensure you have a constant Spotify playlist going!
TL;DR
The SIM card we recommend for backpackers visiting Laos is Unitel. Unitel provides the best all-round coverage. It offers multiple data packages based on usage, speed and duration, so you can pick the most suitable for your needs.
Signal Coverage in Laos
In rural parts of Laos, coverage is less reliable across the major carriers. Don’t expect to be streaming the latest Netflix banger – you’ll be hard-pressed to even get your emails at times – but in cities and popular tourist destinations, you can expect coverage on a par with most developed nations.
Data speeds have increased dramatically over the last half-decade. Five years ago, it was tough to find enough data to receive a WhatsApp message but today, 4G and LTE are the norm across much of the country while 5G is available in some places.
You can use the coverage maps on each network provider’s website (bear in mind that these sites do not always work) to see who offers the best signal in the areas you are planning to visit. Be warned though, these are often the best-case scenarios and don’t always prove to be accurate. Your best bet is to see which SIM is most commonly available when you arrive at your destination and pick up one of those. After all, if the locals are buying them then they will work in that area!
Where to Buy a SIM Card in Laos
There are booths in the major airports, Luang Prabang and Wattay (Vientiane), selling SIM cards to travellers at inflated prices. If you need one in a hurry, these are a good idea and aren’t a total rip off but if you can wait, save yourself a few kip and pick one up from any street vendor or shop when you arrive closer to the centre of town.
If you’re not entering Laos by air, there tend to be shops or vendors selling SIM cards at the border. Again, these are slightly more costly but if you need one desperately, they aren’t that much more expensive.
Some accommodation providers will sell SIM cards. Although these tend to cost slightly more, it can be a good way to go because the staff will usually help you set the SIM up and if anything goes wrong, you have someone to go back to for help – which is exactly what happened to me in Huay Xai before getting the slow boat to Luang Prabang. My new SIM just wouldn’t work, so the hostel owner called the carrier and eventually got me set up with a new one!
Documents Required 🛂
In Laos, you’ll need your passport to get a SIM card. The person selling you the SIM will take a copy of this, as well as a new photo of you to register the SIM. You cannot legally buy a SIM card in Laos without going through this process.
Where to Top Up a Laos SIM
The easiest way to top up a SIM card in Laos is to use the carrier’s official app. This will also allow you to buy data packages without needing to visit a shop. Most carrier’s apps allow you to pay using Mastercard or Visa.
What Type of SIM Should I Choose?
Unless you’re staying in Laos for an extended period, you’re likely to only be offered a tourist SIM. These are aimed at tourists and include good-value data packages – often not including any texts or minutes at all. But who even uses texts and minutes these days anyway?!
Best SIM Cards for Backpacking Laos
Unitel
A joint venture between the Vietnamese Vietel Global and the Lao government via the Laos Asia Telecommunication State Enterprise (Laos Asia Telecom), Unitel has the largest coverage and best speeds across most of Laos. You can expect to get Unitel signal across most of the country.
You can easily purchase a SIM from official shops, convenience stores and small vendors. It’s possible to top up your SIM anywhere that sells Unitel SIM cards as well as in the Unitel app – which is where you can buy data packages too.
Data speeds vary from a few megabytes per second up to hundreds, depending on how much you spend. Realistically, you don’t need more than a few Mbps unless you’re streaming and uploading a lot of video!
5G is available in Vientiane and in parts of Luang Prabang but across the rest of the country, you’ll likely be relying on LTE – just a touch slower than full 4G but good enough to do most things!
Bundles are available for anywhere from a single day to a month, so you have plenty of flexibility when it comes to data choices.
Laotel
Laotel, not to be confused with Laos Asia Telecom, is Laos’ second most popular SIM provider for tourists. Speed and coverage is very similar to Unitel in popular towns and cities but in more rural areas, Laotel is less reliable.
It’s easy to buy a Laotel SIM from official shops, convenience stores and smaller vendors. Topping up your SIM is easiest through the official app, although it can also be done anywhere selling Laotel SIM cards.
Data speed varies depending on the package you purchase – the more you spend, the higher the speeds will be. 4G and LTE is most common with some small pockets of 5G available in Vientiane and Luang Prabang. However, coverage is more limited in the northern regions.
TPlus
Owned solely by the Lao government, TPlus is the smallest of the three mobile carriers we’re discussing. To be honest, you won’t really need to use them because they don’t offer anything different to the other companies. The data packages are similar to the other carriers but generally, the 4G and 5G coverage isn’t anywhere near as extensive.
If you do opt to go with TPlus, you can find SIM cards for sale anywhere displaying the TPlus logo. Topping up and choosing packages is easy to do in the official app although some users have reported issues getting foreign cards to work.
The main advantage of TPlus is that the data packages tend to be slightly cheaper than with the competitors.