How to Avoid Roaming Charges in Bali

If you're travelling from Australia to Bali, your phone can connect to an Indonesian mobile network as soon as you arrive. If your Australian SIM is allowed to use roaming data, that can potentially lead to unexpected charges.

If you land in Bali with your Australian SIM still in your phone and your settings aren't quite right, your carrier may start using international roaming for mobile data — and that can get expensive quickly.

The good news is there are several ways to stay connected in Bali. One common approach is to use a travel eSIM for mobile data while keeping your Australian SIM in place for your normal number. This guide explains how that works and what to check before you fly.

Why can roaming charges happen in Bali?

International roaming is what happens when your phone connects to a mobile network outside your home country.

When you arrive in Bali, your Australian SIM may automatically connect to an Indonesian partner network. If your phone then uses mobile data through your Australian carrier — whether that's background app refresh, a weather widget updating, or you opening Google Maps — your carrier may apply international roaming rates.

How much that costs depends entirely on your carrier and your plan. Some Australian carriers include limited roaming in certain plans; others charge pay-as-you-go rates that can add up fast.

The key point is that roaming charges can happen before you've intentionally used your phone for anything, simply because data is flowing through your Australian carrier while you're overseas.

Should I turn data roaming off in Bali?

This is where things get a bit more nuanced than a simple yes or no.

If you're using a travel eSIM for mobile data and you don't want your Australian carrier to provide international data, you should generally disable data roaming on your Australian SIM line.

But here's the important part: data roaming is a per-line setting on most modern phones. Your Australian SIM and your travel eSIM each have their own data roaming toggle.

Some travel eSIMs actually need data roaming enabled on the eSIM line to connect to their partner networks in Bali. So if you simply switch data roaming off across the board, you might accidentally stop your eSIM from working.

The distinction matters:

• Australian SIM — turn data roaming off if you don't want your Australian carrier to provide international data.
• Travel eSIM — follow the eSIM provider's instructions. Some require data roaming enabled on the eSIM line.

ROAMZA TIP

Before travelling, check which SIM is selected for Mobile Data and check the Data Roaming setting for each individual line.

How an eSIM can help you avoid using Australian roaming data

A travel eSIM gives you a separate mobile data service that works in Bali without going through your Australian carrier.

On a compatible dual-SIM phone, you can keep your Australian SIM installed and use the travel eSIM for mobile data at the same time. That means you don't necessarily need to remove your Australian SIM — you just need to make sure your phone is set up to use the eSIM line for data.

When your phone is correctly configured to use the travel eSIM for mobile data, your apps, maps and messaging run through the eSIM's data connection rather than your Australian carrier's roaming.

It's worth being clear about what an eSIM does and doesn't do here. A travel eSIM gives you a separate data connection, but it doesn't override your Australian carrier settings. You're still responsible for making sure your Australian line isn't using data roaming if you don't want it to.

Can I keep my Australian number in Bali?

In most cases, yes — you can keep your Australian SIM installed alongside a travel eSIM on a compatible device. Your Australian number stays active for receiving calls and SMS.

But there are some things to be aware of:

• Calls and SMS — receiving or making calls and texts on your Australian number while overseas may still be subject to your carrier's international roaming terms. Check with your carrier before you travel.
• Voicemail — if someone leaves a voicemail on your Australian number, that may trigger carrier charges depending on how your carrier handles voicemail while roaming.
• Call behaviour — how calls are routed and charged can vary between Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and other carriers. Don't assume all carriers work the same way.
• Check your terms — the safest approach is to check your Australian carrier's current international roaming terms before you leave so you know exactly what to expect.

For messaging, apps like WhatsApp use mobile data rather than your carrier's SMS service. That means WhatsApp can work using your travel eSIM's data connection, and you're not paying carrier roaming rates for WhatsApp messages or calls.

For a deeper dive on this topic, see our guide on keeping your Australian number with a Bali eSIM.

How to set up your phone before flying to Bali

Getting set up at home means you can test everything works while you still have reliable Wi-Fi. Here's a practical checklist:

1. Check your phone supports eSIM — use our compatibility checker to confirm your model works with eSIM. Most iPhones from the XS onwards and many recent Androids are compatible.
2. Purchase your Bali eSIM — browse Bali plans and choose one that matches your data needs. If you're not sure how much data you'll use, our Bali data guide can help.
3. Install the eSIM while you have reliable Wi-Fi — follow the installation instructions provided with your purchase. You can also read our general installation guide for more context.
4. Label the lines clearly — name your lines something obvious, like "Australia" and "Bali", so you can tell at a glance which is which.
5. Check the selected Mobile Data line — make sure your phone is set to use the travel eSIM for mobile data, not your Australian SIM.
6. Review Data Roaming settings for BOTH lines — data roaming is a per-line setting. Check it for your Australian SIM and for your travel eSIM separately.
7. Check the selected eSIM's activation instructions — activation conditions vary between products. Read the instructions that come with your eSIM rather than assuming a universal setup.
8. Save the installation/setup instructions somewhere accessible — screenshot them or email them to yourself so you can refer to them when you land.

What settings should I use when I arrive in Bali?

Every phone is a bit different, so rather than giving you exact button-by-button instructions, here's the conceptual setup:

• Mobile Data → set to your Bali/travel eSIM
• Australian SIM Data Roaming → off, if you don't want your Australian carrier to provide roaming data
• Travel eSIM Data Roaming → follow the eSIM's installation instructions, because some travel eSIMs require it enabled to connect
• Mobile Data Switching → if your phone automatically switches between lines for data, you may want to disable that so you stay in control of which line provides data

Exact menu names vary between iPhone and Android, and can even differ between phone manufacturers. The key is understanding what each setting does rather than memorising a specific menu path.

If you're not sure whether your eSIM is working, try opening a webpage or using Google Maps with Wi-Fi turned off. If it loads, your eSIM is providing data.

What about Telstra, Optus and Vodafone roaming in Bali?

Australia's major carriers — Telstra, Optus and Vodafone — all offer international roaming options for Bali.

But roaming inclusions, eligible plans and pricing can and do change. A plan that included roaming last year might not include it this year, and a casual rate that was competitive might have been updated.

Rather than relying on potentially outdated information, the best approach is to:

• Check your carrier's current international roaming page for Indonesia/Bali
• Look at what your specific plan includes (not all plans on the same carrier have the same roaming inclusions)
• Compare the cost of roaming with the cost of a travel eSIM for the amount of data you expect to use

This isn't about one option being universally better than the other. It's about knowing what you're signing up for before you land.

For more on the general overseas roaming picture, see our guide on using your phone overseas without getting roasted by roaming fees.

What apps will work using a Bali eSIM?

A Bali eSIM gives you a data connection, so any app that uses data will work as normal. That includes the apps Australians rely on most in Bali:

• Google Maps — navigation, finding restaurants, checking where your Grab driver is
• Grab and Gojek — booking rides, food and scooters
• WhatsApp — messaging and calls over data
• Messenger — staying in touch with family and friends
• Email — checking and responding to work or personal email
• Web browsing — Safari, Chrome, looking up restaurants and activities
• Social media — Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and the rest

These apps use the travel eSIM's data connection, not your Australian carrier's roaming. For a deeper dive into how specific apps work with a Bali eSIM, see our Bali apps guide.

We can't guarantee the functionality of third-party services, but any app that needs an internet connection will generally work through your eSIM data.

How do I make sure my Australian SIM doesn't use mobile data?

Here's a short practical checklist to keep your Australian line from using data in Bali:

• Select your travel eSIM as the Mobile Data line — this tells your phone to use the eSIM, not the Australian SIM, for data.
• Disable Data Roaming on your Australian SIM — if you don't want Australian carrier roaming data, turn it off for that line specifically.
• Review Mobile Data Switching — if your phone automatically switches between lines, consider turning that off so data always comes from the eSIM.
• Check carrier settings — some carriers have their own data management settings. Check your carrier's app or website.
• Monitor which line is being used — when you first arrive, check your phone's data indicator to confirm it's using the eSIM, not the Australian SIM.

eSIM vs Australian international roaming for Bali

Before you fly: Bali phone checklist

• ✓ Check eSIM compatibility
• ✓ Install your eSIM with Wi-Fi
• ✓ Save setup instructions
• ✓ Label both SIM lines
• ✓ Check your mobile data selection
• ✓ Review roaming settings for each line
• ✓ Check activation conditions
• ✓ Check your Australian carrier's roaming terms

BUY BEFORE YOU FLY.

For more Bali-specific reading, see our Bali eSIM vs SIM Card guide, our Bali eSIM setup guide, or browse Bali eSIM plans.