Ghidul complet pentru a avea internet în lume (inclus cu autorulota)

If you've landed here, you're probably looking for good internet solutions for when you're traveling. Maybe you've been on the road like us and your connection has been interrupted at exactly the right time. Or maybe you've arrived in a new country and are desperately looking for a SIM card that works without too much hassle. Maybe you work remotely and want to be able to rely on a stable connection no matter where you are. Or maybe you're a frequent traveler and are looking for a decent internet solution that won't blow your budget. Then you've come to the right place!

We went through all the possible options: roaming that emptied our pockets, local SIM cards that were hard to find or hard to activate, international eSIMs with exorbitant prices and unstable signal, Starlink with "brilliant" moments... In short? We tried them all.

In this guide, we'll tell you what we use on our travels, what worked best for us, and what solutions we found to have stable, secure, and, most importantly, budget-friendly internet.

Who is Pin&Trip and how it all started?

We are Denisa and Cătălin, a couple of programmers who chose to exchange the classic office for the whole world.

After we started traveling more and more, we realized that daily city routine just doesn't fit us. The traffic, the hustle and bustle, or even the monotony... all seemed to send us in the direction of what we really liked: to explore, to discover, to live differently.

So, instead of choosing between life and work, we merged them. We need to work, yes, it's our job and that's our source of income. But, at the same time, we want to enjoy life, new places, people, freedom.

So we found the middle ground: a life where work accompanies us through the most beautiful places in the world.

We replaced the fixed office with an ever-changing landscape. We exchanged routine for a lifestyle in constant motion, whether with our backpack and troller following us around the world, or with our campervan through Europe!

internet

The Internet, the biggest challenge in the life of a digital nomad

As the nature of our job requires us to be connected to the internet, we have learned that, for us, the internet is not just a fad, it is part of the job, and, moreover, our only source of income.

And in order to work in optimal conditions, we needed something that can't be seen in the pictures: a stable connection. Any interruption meant unstable calls, lost sessions on customers' virtual machines, and a lot of hassle!

So, over time, we've learned to always have a backup plan. 

We tested everything we could, we learned exactly what works in each country, on which network, in which area and most importantly… that we should never rely on a single solution.

First attempts: roaming, SIM cards, international eSIM applications

At first, we did the same thing as all other travelers: we relied on roaming, bought physical SIM cards, or directly eSIM cards from international providers like Airalo, Mobimatter, etc…

We admit, they are convenient and quick solutions, but in practice they are not exactly perfect:

  • the included traffic is usually small (only a few GB)
  • prices can be quite steep
  • Internet speed is not always constant
  • "unlimited" actually means limited after a few GB

And classic SIM cards... a real challenge: we had to look for them at airports, many didn't work right away, activation was complicated, and in case of problems, technical support was mostly non-existent.

In short: some SIM cards helped us, others just wasted our time and money. And because each country has its own networks, which can even differ from city to city, we learned that there is no single, safe option for internet while traveling.

How we deal with the internet in the camper

Starlink

Ever since we started converting our campervan, we knew that internet would be a “must-have.” Not just for work, but also for our peace of mind – knowing we could connect anytime, anywhere.

So we started looking for solutions and, after much research, we invested in what seemed like the ideal option: Starlink.

For a while, we've put all our hopes on it – and honestly, we don’t regret it. Starlink has really saved us in many situations. We’ve had internet in areas where our phones had no signal at all, whether we were in the middle of a field or in extremely remote places in Norway. Basically, as long as you have clear skies and no obstacles overhead, Starlink works almost anywhere in the world. So yes, it’s become indispensable for us, and the peace of mind it gives us is worth the monthly subscription.

starlink

But... it's not the perfect solution.

It also has disadvantages, especially in areas with:

  • obstacles (trees, tall buildings, rock walls or nearby mountains)
  • insufficient satellite coverage (more frequent interruptions occur)

Even in good conditions, micro-interruptions, lasting a few fractions of a second, can occur when the connection switches from one satellite to another.

What does this mean in everyday life? Suddenly dropped Teams calls, disconnections from client virtual machines, wasted time, and, inevitably, stress.

The conclusion I reached: we can't rely exclusively on Starlink.

starlink van

Roaming

As a backup solution, we also use a card from Digi (local operator from Romania), with roaming in Europe, which we connect to a portable router. It helps us especially in areas where Starlink cannot be used at full capacity – either due to obstacles or frequent interruptions when the satellite changes.

The main advantage is the price: it probably has the lowest price per GB in the EU/EEA. It sounds good in theory, but for us it is not enough. We need about 10 GB/day, which would generate a monthly bill that would be too high to be a viable long-term solution.

Additionally, coverage is not uniform either. In many more isolated areas, far from cities, the signal disappears completely, which makes Digi not a reliable backup everywhere.

Another challenge is posed by high data consumption.We have Blink surveillance cameras installed around the camper, which automatically record and send footage to the cloud when they detect motion. It's a very useful feature, but it adds even more traffic to our daily consumption.

All of these things made us look for a more stable option, with a much more generous data package and, most importantly, more financially sustainable. In short: we had to find a "plan C”.

Our solution: local eSIMs

So we discovered that, in reality, most countries offer prepaid eSIMs directly through local mobile operators – we just had to know where to look for them.

The advantages are clear:

  • are much cheaper than international offers
  • include much more data traffic (some even with unlimited options)
  • can be purchased online, without wasting time in stores
  • operates at maximum speed, on the local network

The only problem?

They are hard to find. They are often hidden among sponsored links on Google, which lead to international suppliers. In addition, the websites of local operators do not always have English translations, and if you do not know the language, you risk wasting time and patience until you get to the right offer.

About findlocalesim.com

FindLocaleSIM.com appeared from a very concrete need: to quickly find a local eSIM, without wasting hours searching Google, translating obscure websites, running around stores, or standing in line at airports.

At one point we asked ourselves: Why keep looking for the same information every time? Let's put it all in one place.

This is how we built a mini web application – FindLocaleSIM.com. Initially it was a small project, just for us, so we could have our own archive and not waste any more time. Then our friends started asking for the link. Then strangers. And then we said: let's make it public, maybe it will help others.

We started collecting the best eSIM deals from local operators, which can be purchased directly online. Obviously, in some countries the physical SIM card is still the only option, or the eSIM can only be purchased directly in the store, for identity verification with the ID/passport. We noted each exception, so that it is clear for everyone.

The website is very simple and shows you, in short:

  • what local eSIMs exist in each country
  • if they can be bought online
  • what data packages do they offer and at what price

Local vs international eSIMs from our experience

We still think international eSIM providers can be useful (especially Mobimatter), especially if you're only in a country for a few days or need a little internet.

But if you're a digital nomad or backpacker, a local eSIM can mean serious budget savings.

Local eSIMs for all travelers

At the moment, on findlocalesim.com We have only included countries we have personally worked or traveled to. But we want the platform to become a practical resource for all travelers, freelancers, and digital nomads.

So, if you've discovered a good local eSIM in a destination you've been to recently, let us know! Leave us a comment or send us a message and we'll be happy to add it.

What internet solution do you use when traveling?