Will my eSIM work on Stewart Island?

There's basic coverage around Oban, the main township, but it fades quickly on the Rakiura Track and remoter parts of the island. Treat Stewart Island as a mostly offline escape and download maps beforehand.

Does the same eSIM cover Fiordland and the Catlins?

Yes. It's the one national New Zealand plan on Spark, One NZ and 2degrees. Coverage is strong in Invercargill and towns but genuinely sparse in Fiordland and the Catlins, all on a single allowance.

Southland eSIM.

Name: Southland travel eSIM
Brand: My Holiday SIM

Fiordland's Milford Sound, Stewart Island's kiwi, the wild Catlins coast and Bluff oysters.

from $3.14/day · unlimited dataAll of New Zealand →

Unlimited data5G where availableInstant QR by emailKeep your number

1 · How many days?

10 daysOther:days

2 · How much data?

3GBBest pricevalid 15 days$10.05$1.01/day

Cheapest plan covering your trip: 3GB, valid 15 days.

Travellers (one eSIM each)

1 × 3GB (valid 15 days) · 10-day trip$10.05

Good to know in Southland

The Milford Road from Te Anau has no coverage for most of its length, and Fiordland's rain is legendary. Download offline maps, cruise tickets and the forecast before leaving Te Anau, and fuel up first.

Best time to visit Southland

Late spring to autumn, November to April, offers the mildest weather for Milford cruises and Catlins wildlife; winter is cold, wet and quiet this far south.

Two simple ways to buy

Southland eSIM plans: unlimited, or by the GB.

Every Southland eSIM from My Holiday SIM is one of two straightforward types. Pick whichever fits how you travel in Southland — 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 Southland?

A rough, honest guide to sizing your Southland eSIM so you're not guessing. Most travellers in Southland 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

Southland eSIM: your local data guide.

Southland reaches from Invercargill and windswept Bluff to the fiords of Milford and Doubtful Sound, the Catlins' waterfalls and wildlife, and Stewart Island/Rakiura's night skies. A Southland eSIM helps you time a Milford Sound cruise from Te Anau, spot sea lions in the Catlins and catch the Bluff-to-Stewart Island ferry.

One eSIM for Southland and all of New Zealand. It's the national New Zealand eSIM — from $3.14/day with unlimited data, working the same in Southland as it does the moment you leave it.

Landing at Invercargill Airport (IVC)?

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

Southland eSIM pricingbest-value plan · per day

Days

Per day

Total

Saving

3 days1GB

$1.28

$3.83

—

5 days1GB

$0.77

$3.83

−40%

7 days1GB

$0.55

$3.83

−57%

10 days3GBPopular

$1.01

$10.05

−21%

15 days3GB

$0.67

$10.05

−48%

30 days5GB

$0.48

$14.26

−63%

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

eSIM vs the old ways in Southland

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

Southland eSIM from $3.14/day — the whole bill, agreed before you fly.

Across the region

Where you'll lean on data in Southland.

Invercargill

Reliable 5G across the city for maps, ferries and dining before you head further south.

Te Anau & Milford Sound

Coverage in Te Anau township, then long dead zones on the Milford Road and at the Sound itself.

The Catlins

Patchy signal along this remote coast, so download maps for Nugget Point and Purakaunui Falls in advance.

Stewart Island/Rakiura

Limited coverage around Oban; expect to go largely offline once you're out on the tracks.

The practical bit

Getting around Southland on your eSIM.

Apps you'll want online in Southland

Bus Smart— Invercargill's local bus service, using the Bee Card.
RealNZ— Books Milford and Doubtful Sound cruises and the Stewart Island ferry.
InterCity— Books coaches connecting Queenstown, Te Anau, Invercargill and Dunedin.
CamperMate— Locates campsites, fuel and facilities across the remote deep south.

How long to stay in Southland

Southland typically needs three to five days, often based in Te Anau for Fiordland, with time for the Catlins coast and a Stewart Island overnight.

How much data for Southland

Around 2–3 GB is plenty given how much of Southland is offline anyway; you'll rely on downloaded maps and cruise tickets, saving live data for towns like Invercargill and Te Anau.

Coverage in Southland

Invercargill, Gore and Te Anau have solid coverage, but signal genuinely disappears along the Milford Road, through Fiordland's fiords, across the Catlins and on Stewart Island's tracks.

Where you're headed

Discover Southland.

Breathtaking view of Milford Sound with Mitre Peak, lush greenery, and clear blue skies.

Picturesque road leading through lush forests and snowy mountains in Southland, New Zealand.

Breathtaking view of snow-capped mountains reflecting in a serene lake in Southland, New Zealand.

A boat navigates through the scenic waterway of Fiordland National Park, surrounded by lush green mountains.

How to activate your Southland 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 Southland

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

New to eSIM in Southland?

What is a Southland eSIM?

A Southland eSIM is a digital SIM that's already built into your phone. Scan one QR code and a local Southland 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 Southland.

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 New Zealand.

5G where available, fast 4G everywhere else

Connected · 5G

Your eSIM joins New Zealand'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.

Spark
One NZ
2degrees
Skinny

Popular places covered

AucklandWellingtonChristchurchQueenstownRotoruaDunedinNapierNelson

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 Southland 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

Southland eSIM questions, answered.

Very little. Te Anau has good coverage, but the Milford Road and the Sound itself are largely without signal through Fiordland National Park. Download your cruise booking and directions before you leave Te Anau.

Your Southland 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 New Zealand?