Hey everyone!

My friends and I are planning a 30-day trip around Southeast Asia, and we’re looking for a good eSIM option to stay connected throughout. Since we’ll be traveling as a group, having hotspot support is important for us.

Has anyone used an eSIM that works well across countries in the region? I heard about Jetpac. They offer various 30-day plans, support hotspot, and for plans over 3GB, they include free WhatsApp Chat, Google Maps, and Uber. Would love to hear your experience or other suggestions!

Jetpac does what it says—regional coverage, hotspot support, no issues jumping country to country. You pay a little more for the roaming convenience, but the WhatsApp/Maps/“ride app” perks mean you can get around without burning your main data. Throttle kicks in if you’re torrenting or streaming 24/7, but basic group needs (navigation, chat, work, spots of video) are fine.

Alternatives:

Nomad eSIM – Similar price, network partners vary. Some folks report dead spots in rural Indonesia or Vietnam.
Airalo – Popular. Cheaper if you only need one or two countries, but their “Southeast Asia” plan taps local carriers and can be spotty in less touristy areas. Hotspot works, but confirm with their FAQ for device compatibility.
Ubigi, Truphone – Fast signup, but can bounce you to weak partner networks when you cross borders. Not ideal if your group spreads out.
Physical SIMs or local eSIMs are usually fastest/cheapest—if you’re staying weeks in one country. But for bouncing around and hotspotting without the “find a store, swap cards, hope the activation works” routine, Jetpac/Airalo beats the hassle.

Caveats: - Hotel/cafe Wi-Fi: Plan for disappointment. “Bandwidth” often means “hope”. For real work, do a speed test and have mobile data handy. - Backup: Consider grabbing at least one extra local SIM or a backup eSIM - Router: Something like GlocalMe/Nighthawk if you expect to hotspot multiple devices all day, but most new phones can handle it if you’re not overloading.

I use airalo dot com data eSIMS when I travel. As with any SIM you are dependent on the local infrastructure. If there is poor or no cell service, a gold plated SIM won't do you any good. Where there is good service I've found without fail that connection strength and speed have been excellent. I've had great success with airalo in Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean.

As for maps, I always download offline google maps onto my device - that way I am not dependent on cell service to have maps. You do need a network connection to get real time traffic, but with offline maps your phone will operate just like a dashboard TomTom or Garmin GPS device from 20 years ago.

For regular internet surfing, maps, texting, VoIP calling, etc, I never come any near close to data limits. Video streaming, yes. Topping off an airalo eSIM with more data is easy on their app.

I’ve done a few multi-country trips and for a group I’d stick with one regional eSIM that explicitly supports hotspot, just so you’re not constantly buying and reconfiguring plans every time you cross a border.

Jetpac is a reasonable option for convenience, but I’d also consider a travel eSIM from eSIM.net because the plans I’ve used support hotspot and only start on first usage (so you can install before you fly without “starting the clock” early). For a 30-day trip I’d pick something with enough headroom for hotspotting, and I’d keep one backup eSIM ready (even 1–3GB) in case a partner network is weak in a specific area.

Two practical tips that saved me headaches: download offline Google Maps ahead of time, and double-check your phone settings so your home SIM has data roaming off while the travel eSIM has data roaming on.