Crossing between the three areas: how the phone switches networks, and what to check before you buy.
Quick answer
The Greater Bay area spanning mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau is a route many travellers and workers cover as one trip, but each of the three has its own network operators and its own border control. This page explains how a single eSIM behaves when you cross, and what to check before you buy. It has no prices or data figures, because the plan list below comes from the live catalogue.
Some plans say China but leave out Hong Kong or Macau, and others focus on Hong Kong and Macau without the mainland. If you buy without reading the list, you may cross a border and find you have no data. The safe approach is to open the plan page and see China, Hong Kong and Macau each written out clearly.
When you walk across, the phone drops the network of the first area and searches for one in the new area, which usually takes a few minutes. Near a crossing the phone may sometimes still cling to a signal from the other side, so the network name or alerts change. This is normal in border areas.
How a plan connects in mainland China may differ from Hong Kong and Macau. For instance, the route your data takes through the supplier's network can change, and a service that opens in Hong Kong may not open in China. Read the plan notes and our guide to the internet in China.
If you cross several times in one trip, a three-area pack saves you switching profiles at every border. If you spend nearly the whole trip in Hong Kong with just a half-day in Macau, comparing against a Hong Kong-only plan is also useful. Compare total price and data from the live plan pages.
Instagram and TikTok have no web share button, so we open your phone's share sheet or copy the link instead.
Sorted from the lowest price.
3 countries · partner networks
China, Hong Kong, Macau
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
3 countries · partner networks
China, Hong Kong, Macau
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
3 countries · partner networks
512 Kbps after the quota
China, Hong Kong, Macau
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
12 countries · partner networks
Japan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
3 countries · partner networks
1 Mbps after the quota
China, Hong Kong, Macau
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
3 countries · partner networks
512 Kbps after the quota
China, Hong Kong, Macau
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
3 countries · partner networks
1 Mbps after the quota
China, Hong Kong, Macau
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
3 countries · partner networks
China, Hong Kong, Macau
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
20 countries · partner networks
Japan, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Macau, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand
Validity starts on first connection at the destination
Yes, if the plan lists all three areas. Check the covered list on the plan page before buying.
Usually the phone switches on its own within a few minutes. If not, toggle airplane mode and confirm data roaming is on.
Not always. Many plans list them separately, so you need to see all three written out.
Not necessarily. It depends on the plan and the time. Read the plan notes and the China internet guide.
Yes, you can request a self-service refund within 14 days if the eSIM has not been installed.
