The best eSIM for Réunion is a data plan sized to your days on the island and installed before you fly. A SimOptions Réunion eSIM does that. It runs at 4G/LTE speed, activates when you land at Roland Garros or Pierrefonds and comes in sizes from 1 GB for 3 days to 100 GB for 180 days. It has no phone number, so you call over WhatsApp or other apps. Note that our France and Europe eSIMs do not cover Réunion, so pick a plan made for the island.
Which is the best eSIM for Réunion?
Short on time? These Réunion plans are 4G/LTE and data only. Pick the size from the days you stay.
Reunion 5GB (7 days) · 10GB (7 days) · 20GB (15 days) · data only · 4G/LTE · See all eSIMs for Réunion · All destinations
What to look for in an eSIM for Réunion
- Coverage: check that Réunion is on the plan's country list. Réunion is a French overseas department, but a France plan is not the same thing. Our France and Europe eSIMs do not include Réunion, our Réunion and Africa eSIMs do.
- Data and days: both are on the plan page. A small plan fits a long weekend. For a week of hiking maps, messages and photos, look at a bigger one.
- Speed: the plan details say whether you get 4G/LTE or 5G.
- Calls: most travel eSIMs are data only. If you need a local number, a local line fits better (more below).
- Setup before you fly: you get a QR code by email and install it on Wi-Fi at home. Your phone must support eSIM and be unlocked (see how to check eSIM compatibility).
Our eSIMs for Réunion: the details
Here is what the plan details on our Réunion eSIM page say:
- Sizes: 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, 20 GB for 15 days, 50 GB for 30 days, 60 GB for 90 days and 100 GB for 180 days.
- Speed: 4G/LTE.
- Phone number: no. The plans are data only, with no calls or SMS.
- Activation: once installed, the eSIM activates automatically when you arrive in Réunion. Your days start then.
- Top-ups: available, so you can add data instead of buying a new eSIM.
- Expiry: if you don't use the eSIM within a year, it becomes invalid.
Every plan is prepaid with no contract.
How much data do you need in Réunion?
It depends on how long you stay and how you use your phone. As a rough guide:
- 1 to 3 days: Reunion 1GB or 3GB, both for 3 days. Enough for maps, messages and email on a stopover.
- Up to a week: Reunion 5GB or 10GB, both for 7 days. Maps, social media, photos and some video calls.
- Two weeks: Reunion 20GB, for 15 days. Room for video calls and sharing your connection.
- A month or longer: Reunion 50GB for 30 days, 60GB for 90 days or 100GB for 180 days.
Not sure how much you need? Pick the bigger size. Our guide to eSIM data plans shows how to estimate it, and how to reduce data usage abroad helps you stretch it.
Is there an eSIM for a short trip to Réunion?
Yes. For a stopover on the way to Mauritius or a long weekend in Saint-Denis, the smallest Réunion plans last 3 days. You get data for maps, messages and email without paying for a week.
Is there an eSIM for a long stay in Réunion?
Yes. If you are staying for a month, a season of work or a semester, the bigger Réunion plans last 30, 90 or 180 days. You can top them up if you run low.
Does a France eSIM work in Réunion?
Not ours. Réunion is part of France, but our France eSIMs only list France on their coverage, and our Europe eSIMs do not include Réunion either. For Réunion, use a Réunion plan, or an Africa plan if you also visit other countries in the region. If your home plan is from a French or other EU operator, ask it whether your roaming allowance includes Réunion before you rely on it.
Can you make calls with a travel eSIM in Réunion?
Our Réunion plans are data only, so you don't get a local number or call minutes. You can still call and text over WhatsApp, FaceTime and other apps, see phone calls with a data-only eSIM. Your home SIM can stay on your phone next to the travel eSIM, so you keep getting texts and bank codes on your usual number, see how to set up a dual eSIM.
Local line or travel eSIM in Réunion?
A local prepaid line gives you a Réunion number and local calls, but you set it up after you land, in a shop. Ask the operator which ID it needs and whether it offers eSIM. A travel eSIM is different: you buy it online, scan a QR code at home and don't visit a shop.
Choose a local line if you need a local number for a long stay or for work. Choose a travel eSIM if you want data the moment you land, and a plan you can compare and pay for before the trip.
Visiting Réunion and Mauritius on one trip?
Réunion's tourism board calls Mauritius its "sister island" (Île de la Réunion Tourisme: questions and answers), and says Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds airport in the south flies direct to Mauritius (Île de la Réunion Tourisme: airports). A Réunion plan only works in Réunion. Our Africa eSIM covers Réunion, Mauritius, Madagascar and many other African countries with one eSIM. The plans are 4G/LTE and data only, with 1 GB or 3 GB for 3 days, 5 GB or 10 GB for 7 days, and 20 GB for 15 days. The country list can change, so check it on the Africa eSIM page for every country on your route.
When we checked, each Réunion plan cost much less than the Africa plan of the same size. So for Réunion alone, take a Réunion plan. For a two-island trip, compare one Africa plan with a Réunion plan plus a Mauritius eSIM. Heading further? See our guides to the best eSIM for Madagascar and Africa.
Africa plans · Réunion, Mauritius and many other African countries · up to 15 days · 4G/LTE · data only · See the Africa eSIMs
Using your eSIM around Réunion
Réunion is a hiking island. Its tourism board says it has over 900 km of marked trails, from family walks to the GR®R1 around the Piton des Neiges and the GR®R2 that crosses the island from north to south. The best season for sunny hikes is June to October, and January to March is the wet season, so check the trail conditions first (Île de la Réunion Tourisme: hiking).
The Cirque of Mafate can only be reached on foot or by helicopter, and the tourism board promotes a "culture of disconnection" there (Île de la Réunion Tourisme: Mafate). On remote trails in the cirques, plan as if you may have no signal. Download offline maps, your gîte booking and the trail details before you set off.
The national park says the Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, with more than 250 eruptions observed since people settled on the island (Parc national de La Réunion: the Fournaise massif, in French). The tourism board says access to the summit trail depends on current regulations, so check before you go. Mobile data helps you see the latest updates on the day.
Before you travel: entry rules and safety
As of November 2026, the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) says Réunion is an overseas department of France and part of the EU, and that British citizens can visit without a visa for up to 90 days for tourism or business. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to leave (FCDO: Réunion entry requirements). The French authorities set the entry rules and they differ by nationality, so check with the French consulate in your country.
The FCDO says the cyclone season normally runs from December to April, that there are active volcanoes including the Piton de la Fournaise, and that there have been shark attacks, so follow local advice on which beaches are safe (FCDO: Réunion safety and security). It also lists chikungunya and dengue among the health risks and gives 112 as the emergency number (FCDO: Réunion health). Check your own government's advice before you book. For handy apps on the road, see our list of must-have travel apps.
How do you get an eSIM for Réunion?
- Check your phone: it must support eSIM and be carrier unlocked. On iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and look for "No SIM restrictions" next to Carrier Lock (Apple: Unlock your iPhone).
- Buy and install on Wi-Fi: you get a QR code by email (Apple: Set up eSIM on iPhone). Our install guide walks you through it on iPhone and Android.
- When you land, use the travel eSIM for data: Apple notes that you might still pay roaming fees on your home line, so turn off data roaming on it (Apple: Use eSIM while traveling).
No signal after you land? Our guide on what to do when your eSIM is not activating covers the usual causes. Not sure what an eSIM is? See what is an eSIM.
FAQ
What is the best eSIM for Réunion?
It depends on your trip. For data only, a Réunion eSIM sized to your days is a simple choice: 3 GB for a few days, 5 GB or 10 GB for a week, 20 GB for two weeks and 50 GB or more for a long stay. If you also visit Mauritius or Madagascar, look at an Africa plan. If you need a local number, get a local line.
Can I get an eSIM for Réunion before I travel?
Yes. Buy it online, install the QR code on Wi-Fi at home, and it activates when you arrive in Réunion.
Does a travel eSIM for Réunion include a phone number?
No. Our Réunion and Africa plans are data only. For a local number, get a prepaid line from a local operator after you land.
Does my France eSIM work in Réunion?
Our France and Europe eSIMs do not cover Réunion. Use a Réunion or Africa plan instead, and check the coverage list of any other plan before you fly.
Is a travel eSIM cheaper than roaming in Réunion?
Compare before you go. Your home carrier sets its own roaming prices for Réunion, so check its roaming page. A prepaid Réunion eSIM gives you a fixed amount of data at a fixed price, with no contract.
Does the eSIM work in the cirques and on the volcano?
Don't count on a signal on every remote trail, such as in the Cirque of Mafate. Download offline maps and your bookings before you start a hike.
Does my phone need to be unlocked?
Yes. A carrier-locked phone may not accept an eSIM from another provider. Ask your carrier to unlock it before you travel.
Is there an eSIM for Réunion and Mauritius?
Our Africa plan covers Réunion, Mauritius and many other African countries. Check the country list on the Africa eSIM page for every place you visit.
