1 GB
Valid for 7 days
$6.99
$6.99 per GB
eSIM for Mayotte
Mayotte is a French department in the Mozambique Channel, two main islands wrapped in one of the largest lagoons on earth. You land at Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi on Petite-Terre, take the barge across to Mamoudzou, and from there everything runs on phone calls and WhatsApp: the boat out to the îlot de sable blanc, the driver who takes you to Mont Choungui, the guesthouse in Sada that answers messages faster than email.
There is no ride app and very little tourist infrastructure of the kind you find on Réunion or Mauritius. Signs are thin, bus services are informal, and plans change with the tide and the weather. Data is what holds the day together. A FairSIM eSIM connects to Orange, with 4G across the populated coast and 5G in the main urban areas, and it installs over your home Wi-Fi before you fly.
One rule catches people out: Mayotte is part of the European Union as an outermost region, but it is not in the Schengen area. A Schengen visa is not valid here, and nationals who need a visa must hold one issued specifically for Mayotte. The second thing to know is the weather. Cyclone season runs from November to April, Cyclone Chido caused severe damage in December 2024, and repairs to housing, power and telecoms have continued since. Follow Météo-France vigilance alerts and expect the occasional network gap outside the towns.
Mayotte eSIM plans
Wholesale rates in US dollars, with nothing added at checkout. Buy in the FairSIM app and the plan is on your phone in seconds.
How long is your trip?
All plans. Pick a trip length to narrow the list.
- Get it in the app for Mayotte
3 GB
Valid for 30 days
Get it in the app for Mayotte$14.99
$5.00 per GB
- Best value
10 GB
Valid for 30 days
Get it in the app for Mayotte$29.99
$3.00 per GB
Unlimited
Valid for 15 days
Get it in the app for Mayotte$69.99
Speed policy shown in the app
Coverage in Mayotte
- 4G LTE
- 5G
- OrangeThe host network for FairSIM in Mayotte, covering Mamoudzou, Petite-Terre, the airport and the main coastal roads, with 5G in the busiest urban areas and 4G elsewhere.
Typical speed: Fast enough for maps, video calls and uploads in town. Expect ordinary 4G speeds on the coast road and weaker signal inland and on the water.
Mamoudzou, Kawéni, Dzaoudzi, Pamandzi and the ring road around Grande-Terre are the best covered. Signal thins in the forested interior, in the mangroves, in the south around Saziley, and out on the lagoon once you pass the barrier reef. Parts of the network were damaged by Cyclone Chido in December 2024 and restoration has been gradual, so treat rural coverage as good rather than complete.
How much data do you need in Mayotte?
It depends on how you travel. Find your trip below, then pick the plan that matches. You can always top up in the app.
Lagoon and whale week
Boat days out of Mamoudzou, Bandrélé or Sada between July and October.
Why data matters: Operators confirm pickups on WhatsApp, weather windows change overnight, and photos and video from the boat upload once you are back in range.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Family and friends visit
Staying with relatives in Mamoudzou, Koungou or Petite-Terre.
Why data matters: Video calls home, shared photo albums, and everyday coordination across two islands and a barge timetable.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
Work trip or posting
Public service, health, construction or NGO work, often several weeks.
Why data matters: Teams and Zoom, Personal Hotspot for the laptop when office or housing connections are patchy, and file transfers that cannot wait.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
Hiking and island road trip
Mont Choungui, the southern beaches, mangroves and the Grande-Terre coast road.
Why data matters: Offline maps as backup, GPS on unsigned tracks, and a working line to call for help if a road is blocked.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Indian Ocean multi-stop
Mayotte combined with Réunion or Mauritius on the same trip.
Why data matters: Buy the next plan in the same app before you board, so you land with data instead of hunting a SIM counter.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
What your home carrier charges in Mayotte
Daily roaming passes look small until you multiply them by the length of the trip. FairSIM plans for Mayotte start at $6.99 and never bill per day.
Mayotte is an EU outermost region, so EU home allowances usually apply, while non-EU carriers often list French overseas departments separately from France. Check your exact destination list before you fly.
| Carrier | Roaming charge | FairSIM |
|---|---|---|
| Orange France (EU) | Normally included in roam-like-at-home, since Mayotte is an EU outermost region and French plans generally treat it as a domestic destination | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| Telekom (Germany, EU) | EU roaming rules apply for Mayotte on standard plans, with your home allowance used at no extra daily charge | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| AT&T International Day Pass (US) | $12 per day per line, $6 for additional lines, where the destination is on AT&T's list; confirm Mayotte is included on your plan | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| Verizon TravelPass (US) | $12 per day where covered; French overseas departments are listed separately from mainland France, so check the country list | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| EE (UK) | Mayotte usually sits outside EE's Europe zone; the Travel Data Pass costs £7.50 per day in the zones where it applies, otherwise standard rest-of-world rates | from $6.99, no daily fee |
| Telstra (Australia) | The A$10 per day, 2 GB Day Pass covers a fixed list of destinations; Mayotte is not a typical inclusion, and uncovered countries fall back to expensive per-MB rates | from $6.99, no daily fee |
Carrier prices as published on their roaming pages at the time of writing. They change often; check your own plan before you fly.
How FairSIM works
- 1
Pick a destination and a plan
Choose the country or region and the data you need. The price you see is the price you pay.
- 2
Tap install
On iPhone (iOS 17.4+) the eSIM installs in one tap, no QR code. Do it at home while you still have Wi-Fi.
- 3
Land and connect
Turn on data roaming for the FairSIM line when you arrive. Your plan starts when it first connects.
Connectivity tips for Mayotte
Check visa rules early: Mayotte is outside Schengen, a Schengen visa is not valid here, and some nationalities need a visa issued specifically for Mayotte.
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi and switch it on after landing at Dzaoudzi-Pamandzi. Validity typically starts at first connection to the local network.
Download Grande-Terre in Google Maps before you leave town. Signal drops inland, in the mangroves and around the southern beaches.
During cyclone season, November to April, watch Météo-France vigilance levels every morning and take orange and red alerts seriously.
Water supply has been unreliable in recent years, with rationing in places. Carry drinking water and ask your host about the current schedule.
Plan around the barge. Crossings between Mamoudzou and Dzaoudzi are frequent by day, thinner at night and on Sundays, and queues for vehicles can be long.
Carry some cash. Cards work in Mamoudzou supermarkets and larger businesses, but small shops, boat operators and village stalls often want euros in hand.
Continuing to Réunion or Mauritius? Buy that plan in the app before you board so you land connected.
Apps you will actually use
- WhatsApp how almost everything is arranged here: boat trips, drivers, guesthouses, deliveries.
- Google Maps good on the main coast road; download Grande-Terre offline before heading south or inland.
- Météo-France the official vigilance alerts for cyclones, heavy rain and flooding during the November to April season.
- Windy wind and swell forecasts that decide whether the lagoon trip happens.
- Facebook still the main noticeboard for local news, events, rentals and second-hand sales.
- Air Austral and Ewa Air flights to Réunion, Madagascar, the Comoros and mainland France, and schedule changes.
- Google Translate French menus and paperwork, plus help when Shimaore or Kibushi is the language of the room.
- Revolut or Wise euro spending without foreign card fees, useful when a card works and cash is short.
There is no Uber or Bolt in Mayotte. Getting around means a hire car, a taxi arranged by phone, or the shared taxis that run set routes and fill up before they leave. The barge between Mamoudzou and Dzaoudzi carries foot passengers and vehicles all day, with reduced sailings at night and on Sundays.
Can you rely on free Wi-Fi?
Hotels, guesthouses and cafés in Mamoudzou and Petite-Terre usually offer Wi-Fi, and it ranges from decent to unusable depending on the building and the hour. Power cuts and storm damage still affect fixed lines in places, and the further south or inland you go, the less you should count on it. Treat Wi-Fi as a bonus for big downloads and use the mobile line for anything that matters, especially calls home and boat confirmations.
Local SIM card or eSIM in Mayotte?
Prepaid SIMs are sold in the Orange and SFR shops in Mamoudzou and the Kawéni commercial zone, and in small phone shops around town. You register with ID, top up with a voucher or card, and you are on a local line with local numbers. It works, but the airport at Pamandzi is small and shop hours are short, so buying a SIM often means losing your first half day and a barge crossing to the mainland island.
A FairSIM eSIM skips that. You install it at home over Wi-Fi, switch the line on when you land, and it roams onto Orange, the same towers a local prepaid SIM uses for data. You keep your own number reachable on the physical SIM for bank codes, and if you fly on to Réunion or Mauritius you buy the next plan in the app instead of starting again at a counter. A local SIM still makes sense for a long posting where you need a Mayotte number for admin.
Good to know before you land in Mayotte
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Plug type
- Type C and Type E (French two-pin)
- Voltage
- 230 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency number
- 112 for all services; 15 for medical, 17 for police, 18 for fire
- Language
- French is official; Shimaore and Kibushi are spoken day to day
- Time zone
- UTC+3, no daylight saving
- Capital
- Mamoudzou
Mayotte eSIM questions
Does eSIM work in Mayotte?
Yes. An unlocked eSIM phone connects to Orange with a travel eSIM. On iPhone that means XS, XR or newer, and iOS 17.4 or later for the one-tap install.
Which network will my Mayotte eSIM use?
Orange. It is the host network for FairSIM plans in Mayotte, covering Mamoudzou, Petite-Terre, the airport and the main coastal roads.
Is there 5G in Mayotte?
Yes, in the main urban areas around Mamoudzou and Petite-Terre. Elsewhere you get 4G, and your phone needs 5G support to see it at all.
Do EU roaming rules cover Mayotte?
Mayotte is an EU outermost region, so EU plans usually apply home allowances there. Non-EU carriers often list French overseas departments separately, so check your own country list before you travel.
Can I use Personal Hotspot in Mayotte?
Yes. FairSIM plans support Personal Hotspot with no separate cap, which is useful when guesthouse Wi-Fi is slow.
Should I install the eSIM before or after landing?
Before. Install it over Wi-Fi at home, then enable the line and data roaming once you are on the ground. The airport is small and there is no reliable SIM counter to fall back on.
Is coverage still affected by Cyclone Chido?
Rebuilding has continued since December 2024 and the main towns are served, but rural and southern areas can still have gaps and occasional outages. Download offline maps and keep expectations realistic outside Mamoudzou.
How much data do I need for a week in Mayotte?
A week of maps, WhatsApp, browsing and a few photo uploads is roughly 5 GB. Daily video calls, streaming or working from your laptop pushes that to 10 GB or more.
Local SIM or travel eSIM for Mayotte?
A local prepaid SIM gives you a Mayotte number and makes sense for a long stay, but it needs ID, a shop visit and shop opening hours. A travel eSIM is installed before you fly, roams on Orange, and works the minute you land.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into your phone. Instead of a plastic chip, you download a profile. Every iPhone since the XS has one next to the physical SIM slot, so your home number stays put while FairSIM supplies the data.
Is my phone compatible?
FairSIM works with eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked iPhones: the XS, XR and everything newer, on iOS 17.4 or later for the one-tap install with no QR code. iPhones bought in mainland China do not support eSIM at all, even when unlocked. Not sure yours is unlocked? Check Settings, General, About, Carrier Lock, or ask your carrier. The full list is on the How it works page.
When should I install my eSIM?
Before you travel, while you still have Wi-Fi. Installing does not start your plan; the validity typically starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination.
Do FairSIM eSIMs come with a phone number?
No. FairSIM eSIMs are data-only by design, which keeps costs low. For calls and texts, your physical SIM stays active so you keep your existing number, and WhatsApp, FaceTime and iMessage work over data.
Traveling beyond Mayotte?
Get your Mayotte eSIM in the app
Plans from $6.99. Install before you fly, track your data live, and top up in seconds if you need more.
Download on theApp Store
iPhone XS or later · iOS 17.4+ for one-tap install
