Siem Reap new airport SIM card or eSIM? A local SIM is cheaper per GB, an eSIM is safer for night arrivals

Yes, all three Cambodian networks have counters at the new Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI): Smart, Cellcard and Metfone, in the arrivals hall after baggage claim. A local SIM there gives far more data per dollar, but counters may not open until about 06:00 and the airport is 50 km from town, so an eSIM is the safer choice for very early or very late arrivals.

SAI opened on 16 October 2023 and replaced the old Siem Reap airport (REP), which has closed. Many SIM guides online were written for the old airport, so check the date before trusting a price. Below we use a page that verified the SAI counters in August 2026, a SIM price list from early 2025, and Wikivoyage for transport and Angkor pass details. Nobody publishes an official SAI price list, so treat every counter price as a guide and read the board at the desk.

SIM counters at SAI vs an eSIM

Option	Hours reported at SAI	Price reported	Data reported	Network
Metfone counter	Reported 24/7, but one Feb 2026 visit found it opening at 06:27	$5 / 7 days, $7 / 14 days, $12 / 30 days	40 GB, 40 GB, 100 GB	Metfone
Smart counter	About 06:00 to 23:00	$3 / 7 days, $5 / 15 days, $10 / 30 days ($6 tourist deal also listed)	25 GB, 35 GB, 60 GB	Smart
Cellcard counter	About 06:00 to 23:00, not confirmed	$6 tourist pack, 7 days	5 GB per day, plus $50 call credit	Cellcard
Thai Simcard eSIM	Works on landing, any hour	From $2.99 / 7 days	1 GB to 20 GB	Metfone, Cellcard

How to read it: the counter prices come from a Gigago guide (last updated January 2025) that was written about the old REP airport, and the same guide quotes airport prices of "$5 to $12" elsewhere. Hours come from internetlaos.com, which verified the SAI counters on 14 August 2026 and says counters "may not be staffed until around 06:00 to 06:30". We found no recent official price list from Smart, Cellcard or Metfone for SAI.

Passport rules: bring your original passport. Counter staff register the SIM to it before activating. Some providers may also ask for a hotel address. You can pay in US dollars or riel.

What Thai Simcard uses here

Thai Simcard's Cambodia eSIM runs on Metfone 4G and Cellcard 4G, two of the three networks with counters at SAI. It does not use Smart. It is data only, with no Cambodian phone number.

Plan	Price (USD)
1 GB, 7 days	$2.99
3 GB, 15 days	$4.99
5 GB, 30 days	$6.99
10 GB, 30 days	$12.49
1 GB per day, then 512 kbps, 7 days	$11.49

Prices checked 12 November 2026 on the Cambodia eSIM page.

To be fair: if you land in daytime and stay a week or more, a Metfone or Smart SIM at the counter is much cheaper per gigabyte. A $5 Metfone pack lists 40 GB; our $6.99 plan gives 5 GB. The eSIM makes sense if you land before the counters open, want to skip the queue after a long flight, need data the moment you step off the plane to book a ride, or only stay two or three days and will mostly use hotel Wi-Fi. Some travellers do both: an eSIM for the first hours, a local SIM later in town. For the rest of the country see best eSIM for Cambodia and our Phnom Penh airport SIM guide.

Getting from SAI to Siem Reap, and the Angkor pass

• Distance: the airport is about 50 km east of Siem Reap. That is a long ride, so have data or a booked transfer before you leave the terminal.
• Ride into town: Wikivoyage lists a shared minibus at US$8 per seat and a private minivan transfer at about US$40. Many hotels arrange a pickup; ask when you book.
• Tuk tuks in town: you can book a tuk tuk or remorque with Grab or PassApp. Both need mobile data, which is the main reason to sort your SIM or eSIM at the airport.
• Temple days by tuk tuk: Wikivoyage reports about US$15 per day for the main Angkor temples and US$20 to 30 for outlying ones.
• Angkor pass: 1 day US$37, 3 days US$62, 7 days US$72 (prices reported in March 2024). You can buy it online at Angkor Enterprise, the official seller. On the road from the airport (east checkpoint) only 1-day passes are sold. Ticket sales end at 17:30, and passes bought after 17:00 are valid for the next day.
• Cash: carry some small US dollar notes for the minibus and tuk tuks.
• Offline: download a map of Siem Reap and the Angkor park before you fly, in case you land before the counters open.

Sources: internetlaos.com, SIM card on arrival in Cambodia (counters verified 14 Aug 2026), Gigago, Siem Reap airport SIM card (updated Jan 2025, written for the old REP airport), Wikipedia, Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, Wikivoyage, Siem Reap, Wikivoyage, Angkor Archaeological Park, Angkor Enterprise. Checked 12 November 2026.