Whilst we hate to admit it, access to the internet has become absolutely a part of everyday life and as we have a greater desire to explore and see more places around the world, the need to stay connected wherever we go is crucial. Not just to share updates with friends and family, but also when it comes to safety, booking your next activity and train, updating a taxi driver or guest house with details or looking up the best coffees in the city. I discovered the world of the eSIM a couple of years ago and oh wow it has been a game changer! In particular, Holafly, has given me incredible peace of mind, security and comfort so I’ve been able to focus on the destination. If you want to try it for yourself, you can use my code FLYINGSCOTSGIRL for a special discount!
What is an eSIM?
An eSIM is an embedded SIM. It’s a digital version of the better known physical SIM card (the little plastic card you have to fit into your phone so that it can connect to cellular signal and data) which is built directly into your phone. Many phones now use eSIMs as standard.
In this post, I want to share with you why an eSIM is now an absolute travel must have for 2026 and beyond. Plus, having used Holafly on trips to India, Hungary and Malta, I want to tell you why it’s an excellent option and, in my opinion, superior to other eSIMs (which I have also tried).
Why an eSIM?
1. No faffing around with physical SIM cards
Who remembers the days when the only way to connect on holiday was to buy a local SIM card at the airport and faff around trying to fit it in and set it up? This set up is inconvenient because it often means taking your own, home SIM card out and then trying to remember not to lose it whilst you’re on holiday (because you’ll likely need your home data to / from the airport or station). They can be tricky to slot in and actually connect and you can really only do this once you’ve arrived which can mean wasting precious holiday time as you’re faffing around trying to sort it out at the airport. Particularly irritating after a long haul flight, delayed flight or just simply very early or late when your brain has decided to stop functioning at peak capacity!
With an eSIM like Holafly, you’re able to set it up before you leave home so that as soon as the seatbelt signs turn off you can connect back in. This is super helpful if you have to be in contact with someone on the ground such as a taxi driver, guest house or to check your onward transport times. An eSIM also means you keep your Whatsapp number – crucial!!
2. Cost
Plenty of people still use their home network bundles to connect to the internet whilst they’re abroad but one big drawback of this is the potential to rack up high costs and charges if you go over your package or it’s not as high as you thought. Lots of networks will cap your usage abroad and the risk of a bill in the hundreds is quite high. I still remember the phone bill my brother managed to rack up on a trip to New York because he hadn’t understood all the Terms & Conditions of his network roaming.
When you’ve installed an eSIM, you can turn the data and roaming off on your home network to ensure you won’t be charged any extra. eSIMs will let you know when you’re getting close to any limit you have but Holafly has unlimited packages which means you don’t have to worry about it at all!
3. Eco-friendly
Since eSIMs are directly embedded into your phone, there’s no need for the plastic version which will be used and thrown away after a potentially short amount of time.
Why Holafly?
4. Unlimited data
In a world with an increasing need to be online, one of the most stressful things on holiday can be when your data or internet connection runs out. When your data is capped, it’s easy to spend more of your time away thinking about how to avoid going over your limit or trying to minimise your time on Google Maps (which does use a surprising amount of data). Imagine what it would be like to have unlimited data whilst you explore the temples of Thailand or walk the streets of Rome.
With Holafly, you get unlimited data and you just select the number of days you want it for. This means you can connect as soon as you get your feet on the ground and find live transport times, let your accommodation know if you’ve had a delay or search for your evening’s entertainment once you’ve freshened up. So often now, we have to pay online, show QR codes or emails for booking and it’s considerably more straightforward if the data is just always there to download that border control card you filled out instead of hoping for patchy WiFi to download it from the Cloud after it uploaded itself before you could stop it!
The longer you’re away the better this option becomes. I used a Holafly eSIM on a 10 day trip to India and it was amazing not to have to constantly check the level of data I had and instead hop onto Uber and Google Maps to get around and check restaurant reviews.
5. No hidden costs
Now, Holafly is not the cheapest option out there for eSIMs. But the reason for that is the unlimited data that you’ll have. This means that once you’ve chosen your destination and the number of days you’ll be there, that’s it. You won’t have to add more data on because you ran out and you won’t have any other extra costs. I’ve used eSIMs before which are much cheaper but it can be hard to judge how much data you’re actually going to need, how much WiFi access there might be or how much certain web pages are going to take and I’ve found myself having to fork out more during a trip to cover the extra I didn’t realise I needed.
So whilst Holafly can seem quite a lot in comparison to other eSIM plans, there’s a reason for that. It really is worth that peace of mind to know you won’t have to add additional upgrades and packages on, all adding up the price compared to what you were expecting. Although obvs if you decide to stay longer in your destination then that’s on you – you can easily top up your Holafly eSIM with more days.
6. Simple to install
A Holafly eSIM is really easy to install and really easy to activate. I always install my eSIM on the day I travel whilst I’m at home so that I know all I have to do is activate it on arrival. There are three ways to install your eSIM from Holafly including manual set-up and through a QR code. I use the Automatic route which you’ll see in the app because the app walks you through the steps and it’s really just about pressing continue / next to take you through. Make sure you have a stable internet connection if you’re going to install your eSIM this way. Once the eSIM is installed you can activate it when you arrive. This means heading to your phone’s settings and selecting your eSIM for connecting to mobile data and allowing it to roam. Remember to turn off roaming on your personal home network!
Before you purchase an eSIM you do need to make sure your phone is eSIM compatible. Particularly if you have an older model of phone then they may date from pre eSIM days.
7. 200+ travel destinations
Holafly has got you covered nearly everywhere in the world. From Munich to Mexico, from Thailand to Tonga, there aren’t many places that Holafly can’t get you an eSIM. Plus, they have regional options as well as country options so if you’re backpacking in South East Asia or riding around Europe you don’t need to change every time you switch countries. I’ve used Holafly in Europe as well as in India and I haven’t had a problem with connectivity at all. Again, this gives you plenty of comfort that you’re not suddenly going to drop off the data just as you’re about to book the last tickets of the day to an incredible attraction or activity. Just make sure to check that the regional eSIM you’re choosing covers all of the destinations you’re planning to visit 👀
They’ve also just released a monthly or yearly subscription global eSIM from $50.58 per month (for the yearly plan) which has unlimited data and a global connection so this would be a great option for a long term backpacker or digital nomad that’s on the move.
As our world becomes increasingly digital and increasingly mobile to travel and explore, the benefits of an eSIM to make the most of your holiday time is honestly a no brainer! Once you try Holafly there’s no going back – happy travelling! Make sure to try an eSIM from Holafly on your next adventure and use my code FLYINGSCOTSGIRL for a discount!
Cat x