Mayotte eSIM

Yes, as long as you have an eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked iPhone. That covers the iPhone XS, XR and every model since, including the SE (2020) and newer. After buying you'll get a QR code by email; scan it in Settings to load your Mayotte travel eSIM, then keep your normal SIM active for calls and texts. Because it's a data-only plan, you get fast mobile internet across Mamoudzou and the island while your usual number stays on your primary line. If you're unsure whether your iPhone is unlocked, dial *#06# to find your EID, or ask your carrier. Our 24/7 support team can confirm compatibility before you travel.

It works on most recent eSIM-capable, carrier-unlocked Android phones. That includes the Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, the Z Fold and Z Flip range, Google Pixel 3 and later, and many other 2019-onward flagships. Older or budget handsets sometimes lack an eSIM chip, so check your model's specifications first. Installing is simple: scan the QR code we email you to add the Mayotte eSIM, then set it as your data line while keeping your physical SIM for your normal number. You'll have prepaid data ready when you land at Dzaoudzi–Pamandzi. If you're not certain your phone supports eSIM, our support team can verify it before you leave home.

Your Mayotte travel eSIM connects to Orange, the leading network on the island. Because Mayotte is a French overseas department, its mobile infrastructure follows mainland-France standards — you get solid 4G across the inhabited areas, with 5G arriving around Mamoudzou. There's nothing to configure manually: once you scan the QR code and arrive, your phone registers on the Orange network automatically and your prepaid data begins. Because it's data-only, you'll use this connection for maps, messaging and calls over WhatsApp or FaceTime, while your home number stays on your primary SIM.

Good where it matters: Mamoudzou and the main towns of Grande-Terre, Petite-Terre around the airport and Dzaoudzi, and the coastal villages all have dependable Orange 4G. The barge crossing between Petite-Terre and Grande-Terre keeps signal the whole way. Coverage thins in the island's forested interior — around Mont Bénara and the more remote hiking trails — and out on the lagoon you'll gradually lose signal as you head toward the outer reef and islets like N'Gouja's turtle beaches keep usable service. For a typical stay based around the towns and coast, you'll rarely be offline.

It takes just a few minutes. After purchase we email you a QR code. On your phone, open Settings, choose to add an eSIM or mobile plan, and scan that code to install it. We recommend doing this on Wi-Fi before you fly. The plan won't start counting down yet: your validity and prepaid data only begin when the eSIM first connects to the network after you arrive in Mayotte. Once you land, enable the eSIM as your data line, switch on data roaming for that line, and turn roaming off on your home SIM. Your phone connects automatically. If anything looks off, our 24/7 support can walk you through it.

Yes, and we recommend it. Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi as soon as your QR code arrives by email, so everything is ready before you reach the airport. Crucially, installing is not the same as activating: your data allowance and validity period only start when the eSIM first connects to the local network in Mayotte, not when you scan the code. You have up to 180 days between purchase and first use, so you can set it up well in advance without losing a single megabyte. When you touch down at Dzaoudzi–Pamandzi, simply switch the eSIM on as your data line and it activates automatically.

For most visitors, yes — and often by a lot. One honest note first: if you're travelling on an EU mobile plan, Mayotte is usually included in EU roam-like-home rules, so check your plan before buying. For everyone else — UK, US, and regional visitors from Madagascar, the Comoros or East Africa — Mayotte is typically billed at premium Indian Ocean roaming rates. Our Mayotte plans start at just $3, among the cheapest in our catalogue, because the island's French-grade infrastructure keeps wholesale costs low. A fixed prepaid price, no surprise fees, and a top-up any time if you run low.

Yes to both. This is a data-only eSIM, so it doesn't make native calls or send SMS, but everything you'd actually use works over the internet: WhatsApp calls and messages, FaceTime, iMessage and other VoIP apps all run on your prepaid data. Your usual phone number stays active on your physical SIM thanks to dual-SIM, so friends and family can still reach you and apps tied to your number keep working. The trick is to set the eSIM as your data line and turn data roaming off on your home SIM to avoid your carrier's charges. That way you stay reachable on your normal number while the Mayotte eSIM carries all your mobile internet.

Yes, personal hotspot and tethering are supported, so you can share your Mayotte eSIM connection with a laptop, tablet or a travel companion's phone. Just switch on the hotspot in your phone's settings as you normally would. Anything connected to your hotspot draws from the same prepaid data allowance — but with 10GB at $9 and 20GB at $19, Mayotte is one of the few destinations where you can hotspot freely without watching the meter: work from a café in Mamoudzou, stream on a tablet, keep the family online. If you do run low, add a top-up at any time.

The best eSIM is one that's quick to set up, runs on the island's strongest network and costs a fraction of roaming, which is exactly what the GulfData Mayotte travel eSIM offers. You get fast Orange data — French-grade infrastructure — across Mamoudzou, Petite-Terre and the lagoon coast, with instant QR activation you can install before you fly. Plans start at $3 with no roaming fees and no surprise charges. It keeps your normal number active on your primary SIM, supports hotspot sharing, offers top-ups if you need more data, and works on recent eSIM-capable iPhones and Android phones. Backed by 24/7 support before and during your trip.