Never miss an update! Make your next trip to the 852 a breeze by using Hong Kong sim cards.
Let’s be honest: it’s hard to be offline even when you’re on holiday – especially when you’re in a city as exciting as Hong Kong! Besides finding your way around unmissable tourist attractions, all the useful Hong Kong apps require data of some sort to function, too. While you can always hop into a cafe with free Wi-Fi, the easiest way to go online is to use a local sim card. If you’re overwhelmed by the types of Hong Kong sim cards out there, worry not – for we’ve put together a handy guide to help you navigate the selection.
Stay connected with the best Hong Kong sim cards
Hong Kong tourist sim cards
Whether you’re in the 852 for two days or two months, the best local data sims to buy are ones designed for inbound travellers. Apart from prepaid sims, the other type of Hong Kong tourist sim cards is e-sim cards. Here’s a breakdown on the ones on offer.
1. Saily: E-sim card
Topping our list of e-sims in Hong Kong is Saily, a global e-sim service for savvy travellers, whether for business or leisure. Stay connected on the go using Saily’s hundreds of flexible travel data plans, available in over 180 regions across the globe. We love the quick and convenient set-up process, too: Simply get a prepaid data plan for your destination, download Saily’s e-sim app, and your plan will be automatically activated when you arrive. With a prepaid plan, you can stay in control of your phone bill – no need to worry about roaming charges! Above all, you’re well protected online with Saily. Created by Nord Security, the company behind the famous digital privacy tool NordVPN, Saily is designed to give you a secure and reliable connection while you’re away from home.
Learn more about Saily online.
2. Other Hong Kong e-sim cards
E-sim cards have been all the buzz among avid travellers. But if this is your first time hearing about this type of sim, don’t worry – it’s nothing complicated. E-sim cards are simply digitised versions of regular sim cards. Many iPhones and Android phones made after 2017 will have a chip in place for activating your E-sim. So, all you have to do is scan the QR code from your chosen network provider.
Among local network providers, Three has digitised versions of its data sim cards on sale locally. Or, you can choose from travellers-tested providers such as Airalo, Jetpac, SimOptions, and Nomad.
3. CSL: Discover Hong Kong Tourist Prepaid Sim Card
Recommended by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, this is the best data sim card for inbound travellers to Hong Kong. The five-day pass gets you 3GB of 4G data, with an option to extend your usage period at an extra cost to 10 days and 12GB of 4G data. Alternatively, the eight-day pass gets you 8GB of 4G data, which you can upgrade to 12 days with 32GB at an extra price.
What’s more, other highlights of these Hong Kong tourist sim cards include unlimited use of Wi-Fi at CSL hotspots around town, data coverage for Hong Kong and Macau, and a three-in-one sim card design that fits nano, micro, and mini cartridges in your phones.
Learn more about CSL’s Discover Hong Kong Tourist Prepaid Sim Card online.
4. CSL: China-Hong-Kong-Macau Travel Sim Card
Planning a trip that starts from Shenzhen, with an overlay on Hong Kong Island, and ends in Taipa Village in Macau? Then this CSL Hong Kong tourist sim card is perfect for you. With 5GB of data for use across three destinations in the first eight days, you can travel across borders while staying connected and updated.
Learn more about CSL’s China-Hong-Kong-Macau Travel Sim Card online.
5. China Mobile: Hong Kong Tourist Sim Cards
Spending just a couple of days in town? Then China Mobile’s Hong Kong Tourist Sim Cards are your ideal choice. Simply choose from the range of sim cards to cover the duration of your trip, with one-day all the way to 15-day cards on offer. Depending on your specific sim card, you’ll get local data (with speed throttling after a certain period of time), minutes for local voice calls, and data in Macau and Mainland China.
Buy China Mobile’s Hong Kong Tourist Sim Cards online.
6. Three: DIY Sim Card
The DIY sim card from Three is a flexible choice for inbound travellers. You can customise your sim by choosing a data package, voice plan, VPN plan, and even game credits for Google Play and App Store! Choose between the 24-hour, 30-day, and 365-day sim card plan, and your data usage from 2GB to 36GB. However, you’ll get 4G for your first 2GB, and slower data speeds after. What’s more, you can add on services like a VPN plan or travel data for another country with this Hong Kong data sim card.
Buy Three’s DIY Sim Card online.
7. Smartone: Hong Kong and Macau Data and Voice Minutes
Hopping between the 852 and the 853? Then, opt for this Hong Kong data sim card and stay connected on both sides of the South China Sea. You get 5GB of high-speed data and 15 minutes of free calls to share between your time spent in Hong Kong and Macau. What’s more, if you run out, simply top up your sim online, through the Smartone app, or in stores.
Need some inspiration before your trip? Check out our Macau guide.
Buy Smartone’s HK-Macau Prepaid sim card online.
8. Smartone: Local Prepaid Sim Card
If you don’t plan on being on your phone all the time during your holiday, then Smartone’s Local Prepaid Sim Card is a wallet-friendly option. Charging data usage by the hour, you get 5GB of high-speed data every day. Simply put: The less you go online, the less you need to pay!
Buy Smartone’s Local Prepaid Sim Card online.
9. 7-Eleven: Club Sim
With 7-Eleven’s exclusive sim, you can enjoy unlimited local data for a month. The first 20GB will be up to 5G, but expect slower browsing speeds once you hit the limit. In addition to data, you get unlimited local voice calls, as well as a free $20 voucher to top up your sim. It’s a pretty good deal, we’d say!
Learn more about 7-Eleven’s Club Sim online.
Hong Kong prepaid sim cards
One of the most common types of Hong Kong sim cards is prepaid sim cards. Not only are they suitable for all types of travellers, but you can also buy Hong Kong prepaid sim cards easily without a contract or other obligations. You can find these at local convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Circle K, data services like CSL and 1O1O, as well as in the Hong Kong International Airport.
All you have to do before buying your Hong Kong prepaid sim card is to register your name with the network provider. This allows you to activate your sim without delay once you arrive in the 852! You’ll find the network provider listed on your sim card, which usually comes from CSL, Three, China Mobile, or Smartone.
Register with CSL, ClubSim, China Mobile, Three, or Smartone online.
Where to buy sim cards in Hong Kong
If you’re an organised traveller, you can buy your Hong Kong sim cards before you hop on the plane. Simply collect your sim from the stores of your local network provider when you arrive.
On the other hand, you can also buy your prepaid or tourist sims after you land. In the Arrival Halls of the airport, you’ll find the local telecoms service provider 1O1O, while the 24-hour 7-Eleven stocks a range of sim cards from different local network providers. Otherwise, drop by a nearby CSL, Three, Smartone, or China Mobile store to buy a data sim card.
1O1O has multiple locations across Hong Kong.
7-Eleven has multiple locations across Hong Kong.
CSL has multiple locations across Hong Kong.
Three has multiple locations across Hong Kong.
Smartone has multiple locations across Hong Kong.
China Mobile has multiple locations across Hong Kong.
