Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Guinea-Bissau
- NETWORKS
- Orange Bissau
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- United Kingdom
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in Guinea-Bissau, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Guinea-Bissau eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Guinea-Bissau?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Will my eSIM work in the Bijagós islands?
How do I confirm my boat to the islands?
I am coming from Senegal. Do I need another plan?
Can I charge my phone on the islands?
Will WhatsApp keep my usual number?
Can I add more data?
Guinea-Bissau eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
Guinea-Bissau is a small country on the Atlantic coast of West Africa, between Senegal and Guinea. Its coast is a maze of estuaries, mangroves and tidal channels, and offshore lies its best-known treasure: the Bijagós Archipelago, a group of islands protected as a UNESCO biosphere reserve, known for sea turtles, birdlife, traditional island communities and the saltwater hippos of Orango. On the mainland, the capital Bissau has a faded Portuguese colonial centre by the port, and the old towns of Cacheu and Bolama, together with the beaches at Varela in the north, draw adventurous travellers.
Guinea-Bissau is one of the least visited countries in the region, and infrastructure is basic in many places. That makes a working data connection on the mainland all the more useful for arranging boats, lodges and transport. A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in Guinea-Bissau without buying a local SIM: you install it before you leave, switch it on when you arrive and keep your own SIM for calls and texts. This guide explains the options, how much data to plan for, and what to expect from coverage on the mainland and in the islands.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Guinea-Bissau
There are three main ways to get online in Guinea-Bissau, and each has trade-offs.
Roaming with your home SIM
Guinea-Bissau is rarely included in the roaming allowances of European, North American or Australian operators, and data billed outside an allowance can be very expensive. If you intend to roam, check your operator's terms for Guinea-Bissau before you travel.
A local prepaid SIM
Local SIMs are sold in Bissau and some other towns, and buying one usually requires identification. A local SIM can make sense for long stays, such as conservation or development work. For short trips, the time spent on registration and top-ups in your first days may not be worth it.
A Spidot eSIM for Guinea-Bissau
A Spidot eSIM adds a separate data line alongside your home SIM. You buy a Guinea-Bissau plan online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it at home. Plans start from $14.90. Most plans are data-only, without a local number; for local calls to boat operators or lodges, see our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
Travellers in Guinea-Bissau often spend days in places with little or no connectivity, then catch up when they return to Bissau. Rough estimates:
- Messaging: light; WhatsApp is commonly used to arrange boats, drivers and accommodation.
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour; download offline maps in advance.
- Translation: light with Portuguese downloaded for offline use.
- Photos and social media: moderate; you may want to upload photos from the islands when you return to the mainland.
- Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Streaming: heavy, and best saved for strong signal.
Typical choices
A week or two split between Bissau and the Bijagós usually fits a small or mid-sized fixed data plan, because much of your island time may be offline. Longer stays or work trips with regular video calls are easier with a larger plan or an unlimited plan, keeping in mind that speed may slow after heavy use.
A no-expiry plan suits travellers on a long West African journey who want data to last. You can check how much data is left and add more data when you have a connection.
Before you go
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi. First check your phone supports eSIM and is carrier-unlocked. Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel. Label the line "Guinea-Bissau", keep your home SIM as default for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Install the eSIM a day or two before departure.
- Download offline maps of Bissau, the coast and the Bijagós islands.
- Download Portuguese in your translation app for offline use.
- Save accommodation, boat and contact details offline.
- Pack a power bank, and consider a solar charger for island stays; electricity can be limited.
- Read your government's current travel advice before you travel.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM before you land.
Arriving in Guinea-Bissau
Most visitors fly into Bissau's Osvaldo Vieira International Airport, a short drive from the city centre. Others arrive overland, usually from Senegal's Casamance region in the north, or from Guinea in the south-east.
On arrival, select the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it; our data roaming guide shows where. It may take a minute or two to connect. If not, switch flight mode on and off once.
From the airport
Taxis wait at the airport, and many hotels arrange pick-ups. Having data lets you message your hotel, confirm the driver and follow the route into the city. If you are heading to the islands, this is a good time to confirm boat departures.
Arriving overland from Senegal
Many travellers come south from Ziguinchor in Senegal. If you used a Senegal eSIM there, switch mobile data to the Guinea-Bissau plan after crossing. Download maps and your accommodation address before you reach the border.
Coverage on the mainland and in the Bijagós
In Bissau and the larger mainland towns, such as Bafatá, Gabú and Canchungo, mobile data is generally available. Coverage often follows the main roads between towns.
Outside these areas, expect coverage to be limited:
- The Bijagós islands: Bubaque, the most visited island, may have coverage around its main settlement, but many other islands have weak or no signal. Expect to be offline for much of an island trip.
- Orango and the protected areas: the national parks are remote, and signal is likely to be limited or absent.
- Mangroves and estuaries: boat journeys through tidal channels pass through areas without coverage.
- The north coast: Varela and other beach areas near the Senegalese border can have patchy signal.
- Rural interior: villages away from main roads may have little coverage.
Near the borders
In the north, near Senegal, and in the east, near Guinea, your phone may occasionally see a network from across the border. If data behaves unexpectedly, check which network you are connected to.
Orange Bissau are among the networks your Spidot plan can use in Guinea-Bissau.
Data on roads and boats
On the mainland, shared taxis and minibuses link Bissau with other towns, often leaving when full. Roads vary in quality, and journeys can take longer than expected, especially in the rainy season.
Boats to the Bijagós
Boats to the Bijagós leave from Bissau. Public boats to Bubaque run on certain days, and many lodges arrange their own transfers by speedboat. Schedules depend on tides and the weather, so confirm departures with your lodge or operator, ideally by message the day before. Once at sea, expect signal to fade quickly.
Keep your phone in a waterproof pouch, download everything you need before you sail, and tell someone your plans.
Road trips
If you travel by road to Cacheu, Varela, Bafatá or Gabú, download offline maps and share your route. Keep your phone charged in the vehicle and expect messages to arrive in bursts as you pass through better-covered areas.
Sharing data with a hotspot
Hotel Wi-Fi in Bissau can be slow or unavailable. Your phone's personal hotspot can share your Spidot data with a laptop or tablet. It uses whichever line is selected for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line.
Laptops use data quickly. Turn off automatic updates, cloud sync and backups before connecting, and check your remaining data regularly.
Using public Wi-Fi safely
Some hotels, restaurants and cafés in Bissau offer Wi-Fi. It can be useful but may be slow or insecure.
- Use your eSIM data for banking and important logins.
- Ask staff for the exact network name.
- Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
- Update your phone and apps before travelling.
Practical tips for Guinea-Bissau
Some local details that make a data connection more useful:
- Currency: Guinea-Bissau uses the West African CFA franc (XOF), the same currency as Senegal and several other neighbours. Cash is the main way to pay; cards are accepted in only a few places, and cash machines are limited, especially outside Bissau.
- Language: Portuguese is the official language, and Guinea-Bissau Creole (Kriol) is widely spoken. French is sometimes understood near the borders. A translation app with Portuguese offline helps.
- Electricity: power supply can be limited, especially on the islands, where many lodges use generators or solar power for part of the day. Charge whenever you can.
- Tides: the coast has strong tides, which affect boat schedules and beach walks. Ask locally before setting out.
- Respect island customs: some Bijagós communities have sacred places and traditions. Follow your guide's advice, and ask before photographing people.
- Rainy season: roughly June to October brings heavy rain that can affect roads and boat travel.
Guinea-Bissau on a multi-country trip
Guinea-Bissau is often visited on an overland route through West Africa. Senegal lies to the north, with The Gambia beyond it, and Guinea is to the south and east.
Spidot does not sell a West African regional plan, so the simplest approach is one eSIM per country. Most eSIM phones store several eSIMs, so install each plan before your trip and switch the mobile data line at each border. Only the selected line uses data.