Will the eSIM work on dhow trips between the islands?

Near Lamu, Manda and Shela, yes. Out on longer sails to Pate, Kiwayu or Manda Toto the signal fades over open water, so agree your plans and download any maps before you set off.

Do I get data as soon as I land at Manda Airport?

Yes - set up the eSIM on home Wi-Fi beforehand and it activates when you land at Manda. You'll be online for the boat transfer across to Lamu or Shela straight away.

Lamu eSIM.

Name: Lamu travel eSIM
Brand: My Holiday SIM

The Lamu archipelago: car-free Old Town alleys, Shela's dunes and dhows between the islands.

from $5.60/day · unlimited dataAll of Kenya →

Unlimited dataFast 4G LTEInstant QR by emailKeep your number

1 · How many days?

10 daysOther:days

2 · How much data?

5GBBest pricevalid 30 days$14.39$1.44/day

Cheapest plan covering your trip: 5GB, valid 30 days.

Travellers (one eSIM each)

1 × 5GB (valid 30 days) · 10-day trip$14.39

Good to know in Lamu

There are no cars on Lamu; you move by dhow or on foot through unmarked alleys where GPS wanders between tall coral walls. Keep data on to message your dhow captain and guesthouse, and screenshot directions in advance.

Best time to visit Lamu

Come from December to March for calm seas and hot, dry days, or time the Maulidi festival; skip the rough long rains of April and May.

Two simple ways to buy

Lamu eSIM plans: unlimited, or by the GB.

Every Lamu eSIM from My Holiday SIM is one of two straightforward types. Pick whichever fits how you travel in Lamu — you can always top up or switch on your next trip.

Traveller streaming and browsing freely on an unlimited-data travel eSIM

Unlimited plans

High-speed data, nothing to count

Priced per day — the longer you stay, the better the daily rate. Ideal for streaming, hotspot and longer trips where you'd rather not watch a data meter. A fair-use policy keeps speeds fast for everyone; see each plan for the detail.

Best for streaming, video calls & hotspot
Great for longer or open-ended trips
One price per day — no GB anxiety

By-the-GB plans

3GB10GB20GB

A set bundle, brilliant value

A fixed data allowance (say 3 GB or 10 GB) valid for your travel days. The best-value pick for lighter trips built around maps, messaging and a bit of browsing. Running low? Top up in a couple of taps — nothing to reinstall.

Best value for lighter, shorter trips
Clear allowance — pay only for what you need
Top up any time from your phone

Compare plans →Not every destination has both types — the picker shows what's available where you're headed.

Plan your data

How much data do you need in Lamu?

A rough, honest guide to sizing your Lamu eSIM so you're not guessing. Most travellers in Lamu are comfortable on 3–5 GB a week — heavy streamers just go Unlimited.

Traveller checking maps and messages on her phone using a My Holiday SIM eSIM

Not sure? Start with a 5 GB plan — you can top up in seconds if you run low.

Light

~1 GB / week

Maps, messaging & email

Google Maps, WhatsApp, email and the odd search. Plenty for a city break where you mostly need directions.

Suits 1–3 GB plans

Balanced

3–5 GB / week

Everyday holiday use

Everything above plus social scrolling, music, cloud photo backups and a little video. Where most travellers land.

Suits 5–10 GB plans

Lamu eSIM: your local data guide.

Lamu is a Swahili-island world apart - a UNESCO-listed Old Town of coral-stone houses and donkey-worn alleys, the dune-backed beach at Shela, and dhow crossings to Manda and Pate. With no cars and much of life happening on the water, a Lamu eSIM helps you arrange dhow captains, find your guesthouse down unmarked lanes and share sunset sails.

One eSIM for Lamu and all of Kenya. It's the national Kenya eSIM — from $5.60/day with unlimited data, working the same in Lamu as it does the moment you leave it.

Landing at Lamu - Manda Airport (LAU)?

Install the QR at home, then switch the eSIM on as you taxi in — you're online before you reach the arrivals hall.

Lamu eSIM pricingbest-value plan · per day

Days

Per day

Total

Saving

3 days1GB

$1.28

$3.85

—

5 days1GB

$0.77

$3.85

−40%

7 days1GB

$0.55

$3.85

−57%

10 days5GBPopular

$1.44

$14.39

—

15 days5GB

$0.96

$14.39

−25%

30 days5GB

$0.48

$14.39

−63%

Each trip length shows the best-value plan that covers it. Total always shown before you pay.

eSIM vs the old ways in Lamu

eSIM

ROAMING

AIRPORT SIM

Data allowance

Unlimited

Usually capped

Rarely unlimited

Price known upfront

Prepaid

Billed after

Varies at the desk

Ready when you land

Instantly

After the queue

Keep WhatsApp number

SIM swapped

Lamu eSIM from $5.60/day — the whole bill, agreed before you fly.

Across the region

Where you'll lean on data in Lamu.

Lamu Old Town

Reliable 4G threads through the Old Town's waterfront and alleys, useful when GPS struggles between tall coral walls.

Shela

Steady signal across Shela village and its beach, popular with the boutique-hotel crowd.

Manda Island

Coverage around Manda Airport and the closer beaches, thinner toward Takwa ruins and the remote shores.

Pate Island

Signal grows patchy on Pate and the outer islands, so download maps before longer dhow trips.

The practical bit

Getting around Lamu on your eSIM.

Apps you'll want online in Lamu

M-Pesa— Safaricom's mobile wallet pays dhow captains, donkey handlers and Old Town shops.
Safarilink— Airline app for booking flights into Manda Airport from Nairobi and the coast.
Jambojet— Budget airline app with flights to Manda (Lamu); book the island hop in advance.
BuuPass— Books buses to Mokowe on the mainland, where boats cross to Lamu.

How long to stay in Lamu

Most travellers spend three to five nights on Lamu, unwinding between Old Town, Shela beach and a dhow day-trip to Manda or the outer islands.

How much data for Lamu

A light 1-2 GB suits Lamu's slow, offline-leaning pace of messaging and maps; pick a balanced 3-5 GB only if you'll share plenty of photos or use guesthouse hotspots sparingly.

Coverage in Lamu

Lamu Old Town, Shela and Manda enjoy reliable Safaricom 4G, but signal thins on Pate and the outer islands and fades over open water on longer dhow crossings between the archipelago's shores.

Where you're headed

Discover Lamu.

A stunning aerial shot of a coastal village in Lamu County, Kenya, featuring sandy beaches and clear ocean waters.

A man guides a decorated camel along the sandy shore of Mombasa, Kenya.

A diverse group participates in a community beach cleanup in Lamu, Kenya.

Traditional fishing boats in Mombasa harbor on a sunny day, showcasing local culture.

How to activate your Lamu eSIM.

Full installation guide →

A traveller happily planning her next trip with a map and phone

Buy your plan

Choose your days — the QR code arrives by email in seconds.

A traveller installing her eSIM from the sofa in two minutes

Install at home

Scan the QR on Wi-Fi before you fly. About two minutes, no app needed.

Friends laughing together while packing for a holiday

Fly relaxed

Nothing counts down yet — your days start only at first connection.

A joyful family reunion at the airport arrivals hall

Switch on in Lamu

Turn the line on when you land. Connected before baggage claim.

New to eSIM in Lamu?

What is a Lamu eSIM?

A Lamu eSIM is a digital SIM that's already built into your phone. Scan one QR code and a local Lamu data plan installs alongside your home SIM — no plastic, no tray tool, no swap. Your number and WhatsApp stay exactly where they are.

✓ 2-minute install✓ Keep your number✓ Works on phones from 2018+

How eSIM works →Check my phone

A traveller with a backpack smiling at her phone — online abroad with My Holiday SIM

Connected · 5G

Home SIM · calls & WhatsAppHoliday eSIM · unlimited data

30-day refund promiseUnused, uninstalled eSIM? Full refund, no questions.

The price is the billPrepaid and final — roaming charges can't happen.

Days start when you landInstall early with zero pressure; counting begins at first connection.

Humans, 24/7Real people answer, before, during and after the trip.

Why travellers choose My Holiday SIM for Lamu.

Instant eSIM deliveryQR code in your inbox seconds after checkout — even at the departure gate.

No physical SIMNothing to collect, lose or poke out with a paperclip. Your home SIM stays put.

Keep your WhatsApp numberData flows through us; WhatsApp stays on your home number. Family always reaches you.

A traveller at the departure gate, eSIM ready on her phone

eSIM ready in ~2 minutes

No bill shock, everOne clear price before you fly. Roaming charges simply can't happen.

Secure paymentsCards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Klarna — encrypted end to end.

Real human supportReal people — before, during and after your trip. Live chat and email, no bots. Easy top-ups too.

Coverage in Kenya.

Fast 4G LTE nationwide

Connected · 4G

Your eSIM joins Kenya's partner networks automatically — no settings to choose, no manual network hunting. If signal drops in a remote spot, toggling Airplane Mode for a few seconds forces a fresh connection.

Safaricom
Airtel Kenya
Telkom Kenya

Popular places covered

NairobiMombasaMaasai MaraDiani BeachNakuruAmboseliNanyukiKisumu

Keep data roaming ON for the eSIM line only — that's the switch travel eSIMs use, and it never adds charges on our plans.

Trusted networks, honest numbers.

No invented star ratings behind your Lamu eSIM — just the numbers we actually stand behind.

Friendly globe with location pins — coverage on every continent

My Holiday SIMSTAY CONNECTED. ANYWHERE.

200+

destinations — every continent covered

regions covered by a single regional eSIM

~2 min

typical install — QR to connected

Live

chat & email support

Before you fly

Lamu eSIM questions, answered.

Yes. Lamu Old Town and Shela have reliable Safaricom 4G despite the narrow alleys, which actually helps when GPS struggles between the coral walls. Coverage only thins on Pate and the remoter outer islands.

Your Lamu eSIM glossary.

eSIMA SIM built into your phone's hardware. Plans install onto it digitally — no plastic card involved.

QR profileThe code we email you. Scanning it downloads your holiday plan onto the eSIM. One scan per device.

Data roaming (the switch)The toggle travel eSIMs use to join partner networks abroad. On our plans it never adds charges — keep it ON for the eSIM, OFF for your home SIM.

Hotspot / tetheringSharing your phone's data with laptops and tablets. Included on our plans wherever networks allow.

Top-upExtra days added to a live plan from your account. They append to the end — nothing overlaps.

First connectionThe moment your eSIM first joins a network at the destination — that's when your days start counting, not before.

Travelling wider in Kenya?