eSIM

Best eSIM for Boracay (2026): Signal on White Beach, Bulabog and Puka, and What to Have Online Before the Boat

Boracay's signal, beach by beach, the Boracay iPass QR you show at the Caticlan jetty, how much data a beach week needs, and how to get around the island and pay without a local bank.

Quick answer: For Boracay, pick an eSIM on Globe or Smart, installed before you fly: Globe says it runs more than 30 5G sites on the island, covering White Beach and Bulabog (May 2026), and Fizen's Philippines plan runs on Globe. Before the Caticlan boat, have your Boracay iPass QR saved offline, your hotel booking on screen and an offline map of the island downloaded.

Key takeaways

Globe is strong where people actually are: more than 30 5G sites on Boracay, with White Beach and Bulabog named (Globe, 4 May 2026).
The jetty runs on a QR code: Boracay iPass is scanned at the Caticlan port terminal gates for the terminal fee, environmental fee and boat.
Getting around is by e-trike, and the island cooperative uses a QR Scan and Ride system to start rides.
Keep your home SIM on for codes: a travel eSIM is data-only.

The van from the airport pulls into Caticlan, the jetty is busy, and the staff want to scan a QR code you booked weeks ago. This is the moment your phone has to work, not after you find hotel Wi-Fi on Station 2. Here is what we checked on 3 November 2026 about signal on the island and what to have ready before the boat.

Which network works best on Boracay?

Globe said on 4 May 2026, ahead of the Love Boracay festival, that it runs more than 30 5G sites on the island, with coverage spanning White Beach and Bulabog, the kitesurf side. Fizen's Philippines eSIM runs on Globe 4G and 5G, so it rides that network. Fixed-data plans slow to 128 kbps once the data is used; unlimited plans state no speed cap. Fizen's Asia regional plan uses Smart in the Philippines instead.

Puka Shell Beach and the quieter northern tip are not named in Globe's note, and we found no independent signal test for them. Download an offline map of Boracay before you ride up there, and send photos when you are back near the Station 1 to 3 strip.

What should be online before the Caticlan boat?

Your Boracay iPass QR. The official site says you present it at the Caticlan Seaport port terminal gates, where the scan covers the terminal fee, the environmental fee and the boat fare. Save a screenshot in case the queue has weak signal.
Your hotel booking. iPass asks for your accommodation details, and staff may check them.
An offline map of the island and the address of your hotel.
Your home SIM on for bank and app codes, with its data roaming off.

Fee amounts, cash tips and what happens at the windows are in Boracay arrival fees and cash.

How much data does a Boracay trip need?

Your trip	Plan to look at in the app
Long weekend: maps, chats, a few stories	3 GB or 5 GB
A week of daily photo and video uploads	10 GB, 7 days
Two weeks, or Boracay plus Palawan or Cebu	20 GB, 15 days
Working from a beach cafe, tethering a laptop	Unlimited, after checking hotspot in Package details

Going on to Japan, Vietnam or Thailand after the beach? The Asia regional plan covers 18 countries on one eSIM. Most Fizen eSIMs cannot be topped up, so size the plan for the whole trip: more data means a new eSIM.

How do you get around Boracay and pay?

Short hops on the island are by e-trike. Globe even ran free e-trike rides for Love Boracay in May 2026. The Boracay Land Transport Multi-Purpose Cooperative works with Xpress on a digital e-trike system with a QR Scan and Ride feature to start rides. Agree the fare before you ride and keep small peso notes for it.

Where a shop or restaurant shows a QR Ph sticker, visitors can pay it with Fizen QR Pay: create or import your Fizen wallet (non-custodial), get USDT on Solana or BNB Chain into it, deposit from the wallet into QR Pay (KYC per wallet and per device), then scan and pay. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain, and Filipino residents cannot use it in the Philippines. Steps: QR Pay getting started.

How do you set it up before flying?

Install the eSIM on home Wi-Fi before you leave, on a phone that is eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked. When you land in Caticlan or Kalibo, switch the eSIM line on, set it as your data line and turn its data roaming on; this explains the roaming label. Changed plans? An unused, not-yet-installed eSIM can usually be taken back; eligibility depends on the plan, check Package details or ask chat.

Exclusive to new Fizen app users: US$10 of eSIM credit lands in the eSIM tab the moment you join and pays for up to 30% of each plan until it is used. Pay with USDT or by card (Stripe). Your money. Your freedom. No borders.

Frequently asked questions

Does Boracay have 5G?

Yes. Globe said on 4 May 2026 that it runs more than 30 5G sites on Boracay, with coverage spanning White Beach and Bulabog.

Which network does the Fizen eSIM use on Boracay?

The Philippines plan uses Globe 4G and 5G, from Fizen's catalogue on 3 November 2026. The Asia regional plan uses Smart in the Philippines.

Do I need data at the Caticlan jetty?

Have your Boracay iPass QR ready: it is scanned at the port terminal gates for the terminal fee, environmental fee and boat. A saved screenshot is a sensible backup.

How do I get around Boracay?

By e-trike for short hops. Agree the fare first and carry small peso notes. The local cooperative's system uses a QR Scan and Ride feature to start rides.

Can tourists pay by QR on Boracay?

Where there is a QR Ph sticker, visitors can pay with Fizen QR Pay, funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain. Filipino residents cannot use it in the Philippines.

Your travel eSIM gift is waiting: US$10 of eSIM credit

Your money. Your freedom. No borders. Exclusive to new Fizen app users: a Philippines eSIM on Globe, ready before the Caticlan boat. Pay with USDT or by card via Stripe. Not offered to US Persons.

Open the eSIM tab in the app

Terms and conditions

Information only. This article is travel information about mobile data and payments on Boracay. It is not an offer or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice.
For readers in the United States. This article provides information only. It is not an offer, solicitation or sale of any product or service, and it is not financial, investment, legal or tax advice. Fizen is not offered to US Persons.
QR Pay availability. QR Pay is for cross-border use by travellers and foreigners in Vietnam and the Philippines only, and is not available to residents of those countries in their own country. It is funded only with USDT on Solana or BNB Chain; USDT on another network, or another token, cannot be deposited. Use of QR Pay is governed by the Fizen QR Pay Terms.
Independent. Globe, Smart and Xpress are trademarks of their owners. Fizen is not affiliated with them. Facts were read from each public page on the date shown. This page is written by Fizen.
eSIM welcome credit. New users get US$10 of eSIM credit in the eSIM tab of the Fizen app. It is promotional credit, not money, applied at checkout up to 30% of each plan, valid 12 months. More benefit: US$2 of eSIM credit after every order, for your next trip. Terms at docs.fizen.io/help-center/fizen-esim/welcome-credit.
Full terms. See the Master Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Disclaimer on the Fizen website.

Sources

Globe, Boracay iPass and Xpress pages were read on 3 November 2026. The Fizen carrier and throttle come from Fizen's own catalogue on the same date.