Product info
Samarinda eSIM plans
| Unlimited data · 5 days | $17.99 | Buy eSIM |
| Ohayu recommendsUnlimited data · 10 days | $33.99 | Buy eSIM |
| Unlimited data · 15 days | $36.99 | Buy eSIM |
| Unlimited data · 30 days | $54.99 | Buy eSIM |
| 3GB prepaid eSIM · 14 days | $8.49$2.83 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 5GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $13.49$2.70 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 10GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $19.99$2.00 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 15GB prepaid eSIM · 60 days | $26.99$1.80 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 20GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $33.49$1.67 / GB | Buy eSIM |
| 50GB prepaid eSIM · 30 days | $72.99$1.46 / GB | Buy eSIM |
You can install your eSIM before the trip and activate it when you arrive in Indonesia. Validity starts after eSIM activation.
Plan details
How much mobile data you need
What's the best eSIM for Samarinda?
A short work trip – 3 GB
Maps, ride-hailing, calls.
East Kalimantan for a week – 10 GB
Samarinda, Balikpapan, Tenggarong.
Kalimantan and onward – 20 GB
Plus Java or Bali on one plan.
A longer posting – Unlimited
Tethering - expect 4G rather than 5G.
Coverage and network
Coverage along the Mahakam
Indonesia mobile networks
Samarinda is the capital of East Kalimantan, strung along the Mahakam river and built on coal and timber. Coverage follows the river and the road to Balikpapan. Head upriver and it falls away faster than almost anywhere else we cover.
Speedtest Global Index · Mobile · Indonesia · June 2026
Download
62.98 Mbps
Upload
19.13 Mbps
Latency
20 ms
Global rank
#72 of 98
Samarinda and East Kalimantan, specifically
- Central Samarinda: Reliable 4G through the city and along both banks. 5G is limited here compared with Java.
- The road to Balikpapan: Covered along the toll road and the older route, roughly two hours south. This is the corridor everything moves through.
- Upriver on the Mahakam: This is where it ends. Beyond Tenggarong and Kota Bangun the villages are far apart and the coverage between them is sparse to nonexistent. A multi-day boat trip to the Dayak longhouses should be planned as time offline - tell people before you go rather than after you lose signal.
- Nusantara, the new capital: The government's new capital city is under construction in North Penajam Paser, a couple of hours from here, and the whole area is a working site. Network build-out is ongoing and uneven - do not assume city-grade coverage because it is on a map as a capital.
- Coal barges and the river traffic: Signal holds on the river through town. Further out, the Mahakam is wide and the banks are low, and you rely on whatever mast is nearest the next settlement.
All of Indonesia
The plan covers the whole country, so Samarinda, Balikpapan and any onward flight to Java or Bali all run on the same eSIM.
How to install eSIM
Connected in 3 steps
- 01
Buy before you fly
Choose your data plan before your trip.
- 02
Download & install
Log in to your account, tap your eSIM, and follow the on-screen instructions.
- 03
Land & activate
Activate when you arrive in Indonesia. Turn on roaming for the eSIM and it connects to a local network.
Before you buy, make sure your phone supports eSIM — see Ohayu compatible devices list or dial *#06#. It's a free request to your phone's settings. If you see the EID number — your phone is eSIM-compatible.
Arriving in Samarinda
Airport Wi-Fi at APT Pranoto
APT Pranoto has Wi-Fi in the terminal, but it is reported as unstable and no network name is published. Many visitors fly into Balikpapan instead and drive up. Either way this is not a place to be relying on airport Wi-Fi to get set up.
Side by side
Samarinda eSIM Comparison
Indicative comparison based on publicly listed Indonesia plans as of August 2026. Competitor pricing and policies change - check their sites for current terms.
Frequently asked questions
Where to buy a SIM card in Samarinda?
Operator outlets in the city centre and the malls; the airport has little. Telkomsel has the widest reach in Kalimantan by a clear margin, which matters more here than in Java. Passport needed to register.
Will I have signal upriver on the Mahakam?
For much of a trip, no. Past Kota Bangun the settlements are a long way apart and there is no reason for anyone to have built coverage between them. Treat a longhouse trip as genuinely offline: download maps, agree a return date, and do not plan on being reachable.
Is there coverage at Nusantara?
Patchy, and changing. The new capital is an active construction site rather than a functioning city, and network build-out is following the building work. It is worth checking locally rather than assuming a capital city means capital-city coverage.
eSIM not working in Samarinda?
Upriver or out on the logging and mining roads there is often nothing in range at all. In the city, check that Ohayu is your data line and roaming is on, then restart the radio with Airplane mode. Chat and support@ohayu.com are open 24/7.
