Best eSIM for Cambodia

Cambodia has 3 mobile networks: Smart Axiata (fastest 4G in major cities and along the Phnom Penh-Siem Reap corridor), Metfone (Vietnamese-owned via Viettel — widest coverage, the strongest choice for rural and remote areas including the outer Angkor temples), and Cellcard (urban-focused, noticeably slower in Phnom Penh per first-hand testing). Coverage at Angkor is variable: the central complex (Angkor Thom) has reasonable signal on Smart and Metfone, but more remote temples — Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea, Koh Ker, the outer roads — can be patchy regardless of carrier. Most travel eSIMs route via Smart or Metfone (Airalo uses both; Nomad and aloSIM use Metfone only). For trips that include rural Mondulkiri, Ratanakiri or the Cardamom mountains, prefer a Metfone-routed eSIM. Download offline maps for the entire Angkor zone before leaving Siem Reap, especially for sunrise trips or full-day temple loops.

Multiple traveller reports flag pricing inflation and counterfeit SIM cards at Phnom Penh airport sales points — including SIMs with reduced data balances or shorter validity than advertised. A travel eSIM installed before your flight bypasses this risk entirely. If you prefer a physical local SIM, buy at an official Cellcard, Smart Axiata or Metfone store once in the city — same product, proper pricing, around $1–2 for the SIM with affordable tourist data packages. Cambodian law requires passport presentation for SIM registration (KYC enforced for all four carriers including eSIMs); travellers should also be aware of the 60-day IMEI registration exemption for tourist devices, which means short-stay visitors do not need to register their handset with the regulator. International travel eSIMs are exempt from local SIM registration entirely — they roam onto Cambodian networks via international agreements.