Here I was, bleary-eyed at 3 AM in El Dorado International Airport, desperately trying to find a mobile shop that was - surprise! - definitely not open. The aroma of Colombian coffee tantalized my jet-lagged brain, but what I really needed was internet connection to grab an Uber to my hostel in La Candelaria. That's when I swore never to arrive in Colombia without an eSIM again.
Why Choose an eSIM for Colombia
Trust me, I've done Colombia both ways - fumbling with physical SIM cards and breezing through with an eSIM. That time I had to explain in my broken Spanish that no, I didn't want to sign up for a 12-month plan just to get a SIM card? Not my finest hour. With an eSIM, I was connected before my plane even touched down in Medellín.
The best part? No more playing "find the SIM card shop" in tiny mountain towns. When I was hiking near Salento and my physical SIM decided to give up, it meant a two-hour trek back to town. With eSIM? I just hopped onto the hostel's WiFi and boom - back in business in 5 minutes flat.
Colombia eSIM Coverage
Let me walk you through where your eSIM will actually work (aka everywhere I've tested it personally):
Bogotá - From navigating the packed TransMilenio to ordering my arepas on Rappi in Chapinero, the coverage was solid. Came in particularly handy for sharing those epic Monserrate sunset pics.
Medellín - Perfect signal throughout the city, even in the cable cars heading up to Parque Arví. Could still stream my spotify while working from cafes in El Poblado.
Cartagena - Never lost connection once, whether I was wandering the narrow streets of the walled city or beach-hopping in the Rosario Islands. Though let's be honest, you might want to disconnect a bit when you're sipping coconut water on Playa Blanca.
eSIM Plans for Colombia
Unlimited Plans:
Perfect for those "I swear I'll disconnect but end up doing Instagram lives from every coffee farm" moments.
- 1 Day: $7.85 (For that quick Bogotá layover)
- 3 Days: $19.40 (Weekend warrior special)
- 5 Days: $30.35 (Perfect for a long weekend plus recovery days)
- 7 Days: $40.46 (Solid week of adventures)
- 10 Days: $57.28 (Extended vacation mode)
- 15 Days: $85.31 (Two weeks plus buffer)
- 30 Days: $169.40 (Full Colombian immersion)
Daily Plans:
For the "I'm only checking Google Maps when I'm lost in La Candelaria" crowd (which, let's face it, is all of us at some point).
- 1GB (7 Days): $5.93 (Light user special)
- 2GB (15 Days): $9.75 (Basic browsing package)
- 3GB (30 Days): $12.77 (Social media essentials)
- 5GB (30 Days): $19.69 (Comfortable browsing)
- 10GB (30 Days): $35.40 (Digital nomad lite)
- 20GB (30 Days): $62.88 (Remote worker ready)
- 50GB (30 Days): $141.37 (Stream all the telenovelas)
How to Set Up Your Colombia eSIM
Setting up your eSIM is easier than ordering a bandeja paisa (and way less filling). Here's what worked for me:
- Order your plan before you fly - I learned this after that 3 AM airport fiasco
- Save the QR code to your photos - trust me, trying to find that email while juggling your bags is no fun
- Connect to airport WiFi (El Dorado's is actually decent) and scan the QR code
- Follow the prompts, and you're set faster than you can say "¡Qué chévere!"
Pro tip: Download offline maps while you're still on WiFi. Saved my life when I got lost in the coffee region!
Colombia eSIM vs Traditional SIM
Let me break this down based on my actual experience:
| Feature | eSIM | Traditional SIM |
|---|---|---|
| Activation | 5 minutes, from anywhere with WiFi | 30+ minutes at a shop, plus passport copies |
| Coverage | Identical to local carriers | Identical to local carriers |
| Convenience | Keep your home number active | Have to swap SIMs |
| Setup Language | English available | Hope your Spanish is good! |
Top Colombia eSIM Use Cases
Navigation Lifesaver
That time I needed to find my hostel in Medellín's El Poblado at night, and Google Maps came through clutch with the "this building has no number but it's the blue one with the plant wall" situation.
Safety First
Being able to order Uber or Beat instead of hailing random taxis, especially after salsa dancing in Cali until 2 AM (yes, I did that, and no, I couldn't feel my feet).
Translation Hero
When my food order in a Santa Marta local spot went hilariously wrong, Google Translate saved me from accidentally ordering tripe instead of trigfish (though the tripe probably would've been delicious too).
Traveler's Review
"Having an eSIM literally saved my Salento coffee tour booking when my regular SIM went kaput. Managed to contact the tour guide while simultaneously panicking about missing my coffee tasting. Though I still ended up late because I couldn't resist one more arepa from the street vendor 😅"
- Sarah M., Digital Nomad
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will my eSIM work in small towns like Guatapé or Salento?
Yep! I had solid coverage even while climbing those 740 steps of El Peñol. Just expect slightly slower speeds in more remote areas, like when you're deep in Tayrona National Park.
Q: Can I still use WhatsApp with my home number?
Absolutely! That's one of the best perks - keep your home number for WhatsApp while using your eSIM for data. No more missed family calls because you switched SIM cards!
Q: What happens if I run out of data halfway through Cartagena's Walled City?
You can easily purchase another plan through eSIMstop's website. Just find some WiFi (there's plenty in cafes around Plaza Santo Domingo) and you're good to go.
Q: Is the coverage good enough for Instagram stories?
In cities, absolutely! I managed to spam my followers with endless stories of Medellín's flower festival without a hitch. Just don't expect 5G speeds when you're hiking in the Cocora Valley.
Q: Can I share my connection with friends?
You can! I've used my phone as a hotspot for friends when their plans ran out. Just remember, sharing is caring, but data isn't infinite!
Ready to Connect in Colombia?
Look, I've done the whole "I'll just use WiFi" thing in Colombia. Spoiler alert: it's not worth the stress of trying to coordinate meetups in Bogotá's traffic without real-time messaging. An eSIM might seem like a small detail, but trust me - it's the difference between confidently exploring Medellín's comuna 13 with Google Maps and getting very "creative" with your sense of direction.
Check out our Colombia eSIM plans and get connected before you even board your flight. Your future self, probably lost somewhere in La Candelaria looking for that amazing arepas place, will thank you.
Pro tip: Get your eSIM sorted now, so you can focus on more important things - like deciding how many pounds of coffee you can reasonably fit in your carry-on.