Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Réunion
- NETWORKS
- TELCO
- 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 Réunion, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Réunion eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Réunion?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Will I have data when hiking in Mafate?
Do EU roaming rules apply in Réunion?
Is a small plan enough for a week on the west coast?
Will I have signal at the Piton de la Fournaise crater?
Will WhatsApp keep working with my normal number?
Can I top up during the trip?
Réunion eSIM guide: mobile data for travellers
Réunion is a volcanic island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar and south-west of Mauritius, and an overseas department of France. It is known above all for its landscapes: the active Piton de la Fournaise volcano in the south-east, the high peak of Piton des Neiges at its centre, and the three great cirques around it, Cilaos, Salazie and Mafate, carved into steep amphitheatres of cliffs, ridges and waterfalls. Mafate has no roads at all and is reached on foot or by helicopter. On the west coast, Saint-Gilles-les-Bains and the lagoon at L'Hermitage offer beaches and snorkelling, while the capital, Saint-Denis, and the southern town of Saint-Pierre provide the island's urban life.
A Spidot eSIM gives you mobile data in Réunion from the moment you land. You install it at home, switch it on when you arrive and keep your usual SIM for calls and texts. This guide covers how the eSIM compares with roaming and a local SIM, how much data to plan for, what coverage to expect in the cirques and on the volcano, and some Réunion-specific tips for hiking and driving the island's mountain roads.
eSIM, roaming or a local SIM in Réunion
Because Réunion is part of France and of the European Union, roaming works differently there than in most places in the Indian Ocean. Here is how the options compare.
Roaming with your home SIM
As an outermost region of the EU, Réunion is generally covered by the EU's "Roam like at Home" rules for travellers with SIMs from EU and EEA countries, subject to their operator's fair use policy. Some operators treat overseas departments differently in their terms, so check before you go. Travellers with SIMs from outside the EU, including many from the UK, Mauritius, South Africa and elsewhere, are usually charged under their own operator's roaming terms.
A local prepaid SIM
Prepaid SIMs are sold in operator shops and some supermarkets. Buying one means finding a shop on arrival, providing identification to register it, and replacing your home SIM unless your phone has a second slot.
A Spidot eSIM
A Spidot eSIM adds a data line alongside your home SIM. You buy it online, receive the QR code by email straight after payment and install it before you travel. Plans start from $3.90. Your usual number stays active for calls, texts and verification codes. Most plans are data-only; if you need a local number for calls, for example to a mountain gîte, see our Data + calls plans.
How much data to plan for
These rough figures help you estimate how much data you will use:
- Maps and navigation: a few megabytes per hour; hiking apps with offline maps use very little.
- Messaging and email: light, but photos and videos add up.
- Social media: moderate to heavy, especially with video.
- Video calls: typically several hundred megabytes per hour.
- Streaming video: heavy, often a gigabyte or more per hour in high definition.
Matching a plan to your trip
A week split between the west coast and a couple of day hikes usually suits a small or medium fixed data plan. A longer trip with a rental car, moving between the coast, the cirques and the volcano, uses more, because you will check weather forecasts, trail conditions and accommodation as you go.
If you are working remotely, tethering a laptop or staying several weeks, an unlimited plan saves you from counting megabytes, though speed may slow after heavy use. A no-expiry plan suits those who visit family on the island regularly. You can check how much data is left and add more data whenever you need it.
Before you travel
Installing an eSIM needs an internet connection, so do it at home on 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 "Travel", keep your home SIM for calls and texts, and set the Spidot line for mobile data.
- Install the eSIM a day or two before departure.
- Keep the QR code email safe.
- Download offline maps for the whole island, and offline trail maps for any hikes you plan.
- Save gîte bookings, car hire details and contact numbers offline, especially for Mafate.
- Download French for offline translation.
Arriving in Réunion
Most flights land at Roland Garros Airport, near Saint-Denis in the north of the island. Long-haul flights connect with Paris, and regional flights link the island with Mauritius, Madagascar, Mayotte and other destinations in the Indian Ocean and southern Africa. A smaller airport, Pierrefonds, near Saint-Pierre in the south, has some regional flights.
When you land, select the Spidot line for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it, as explained in our data roaming guide. Allow a minute or two to connect; if needed, switch flight mode on and off. In Réunion, the eSIM connects to TELCO.
From the airport
Most visitors pick up a rental car at the airport, as it is by far the easiest way to explore the island. Buses also run from the airport area. With data, you can navigate to your accommodation straight away and check traffic on the coastal roads, which can be busy around Saint-Denis at peak times.
Coverage on the coast, in the cirques and on the volcano
Mobile data generally works well in Saint-Denis, Saint-Pierre, Saint-Paul, Saint-Gilles-les-Bains and the other coastal towns, and along the main coastal roads. Réunion's mountainous interior is where coverage becomes less reliable.
- Cilaos and Salazie: the main villages, including Cilaos and Hell-Bourg, have service, but the steep cliffs mean coverage can disappear quickly on trails and side valleys.
- Mafate: this roadless cirque has very limited coverage. Some îlets may have a signal in places, but plan to be largely offline and arrange your gîte bookings before you set off.
- Piton de la Fournaise: coverage is patchy on the road across the Plaine des Sables and on the hiking trails around the crater.
- Piton des Neiges and the high trails: do not expect a reliable signal on summit routes.
- The wild south: the coast between Saint-Philippe and Sainte-Rose, with its lava flows, has quieter stretches with weaker coverage.
Hiking safely
Weather in the mountains changes quickly, and clouds often fill the cirques by late morning. Check the forecast and trail conditions before you set off, start early, tell someone your route, and carry a fully charged phone and power bank. Mobile data is useful for checking updates but should not be your only safety plan in remote areas.
Data on road trips and buses
Réunion is compact, but its mountain roads make journeys slower than distances suggest.
Driving
The coastal expressways, including the Route des Tamarins on the west coast, are fast. The roads into the cirques are a different story: the road to Cilaos is famous for its many hairpin bends, and the routes to Salazie and the volcano are winding too. Navigation apps help, but download offline maps in case signal drops, and keep your phone mounted and hands-free. Check road conditions after heavy rain, when some routes can close.
Buses
The island's intercity bus network, known as Car Jaune, links the main towns, and local buses serve towns and some mountain villages. Data helps you check routes and timetables, though many visitors find a car more practical for reaching trailheads.
Hotspot for laptops and travel companions
Personal hotspot lets you share your eSIM data with a laptop, tablet or a companion's phone. It uses the line selected for mobile data, so make sure that is the Spidot line. This is useful in holiday rentals and mountain gîtes where Wi-Fi is limited or not available.
Laptops use a lot of data in the background. Pause cloud sync, automatic updates and photo backups before connecting.
Staying safe on public Wi-Fi
Hotels, cafés and some public spaces offer Wi-Fi. It is convenient but not always secure.
- Use your eSIM data for banking, payments and logins.
- Check the network name with staff before connecting.
- Turn off automatic joining of open networks.
- Keep your phone's software up to date.
Practical tips for Réunion
Some local knowledge that makes your connection more useful:
- Currency: Réunion uses the euro. Cards are widely accepted in towns; carry some cash for markets, roadside snack stalls and mountain gîtes.
- Language: French is the official language, and Réunion Creole is widely spoken. English is less common than in many tourist destinations, so an offline translation app is useful.
- Seasons: the warmer, wetter season runs roughly from November to April and is also the cyclone season. Follow official weather alerts if you travel then.
- Volcano activity: Piton de la Fournaise erupts from time to time. Access to the crater area can be restricted during eruptions; check official updates before you go.
- Ocean safety: swimming is generally safest inside the lagoons on the west coast. Follow local signs and advice about where to swim.
- Battery: cold mornings on the volcano and long days on the trails drain batteries. Carry a power bank.
- Events: the Grand Raid, a famous ultra-trail race across the island, takes place each year. Accommodation and roads in the mountains can be busy at that time.
Combining Réunion with other destinations
Réunion is often combined with Mauritius, a short flight away, as a two-island trip. Other combinations include Madagascar, Seychelles and South Africa. Many travellers also connect through France.
For a multi-destination trip, the simplest approach is one eSIM per destination. You can install several in advance and switch the mobile data line when you arrive in each place.