The Dufresnes

We've been using Holafly Plans Unlimited for 11 months. Not a week-long trial. Not a sponsored one-month test. Eleven actual months as full-time content creators living in Da Nang, Vietnam, traveling across Southeast Asia, uploading YouTube videos, running our business remotely. This is what Holafly Plans is actually like when it's your daily connectivity solution—not theory, not marketing claims, reality.

Our setup: Two full-time YouTubers (The Dufresnes) with 22K subscribers, filming 4K travel content, editing on location, uploading videos weekly, managing a vacation rental business, coordinating brand partnerships across time zones. We lived in Thailand for a year before moving to Da Nang, Vietnam. Now based in Vietnam with occasional regional travel. We need connectivity that just works, every single day, without thinking about it.

Our usage: 20-30GB per month consistently. Upload days spike to 40-50GB when publishing YouTube videos. Some months lighter (15GB) when filming more than editing. This isn't hypothetical—this is eleven months of actual data from two people running a content creation business on one Holafly Plans connection.

Cost: $546.26 per year with our ambassador code THEDUFRESNES (32% off). We just renewed for year two. That decision alone tells you more than any review could.

Get Holafly Plans: https://holafly.sjv.io/6yWy0q
Code THEDUFRESNES saves 32% annually: Verified May 2026 after 11 months use

Why We Got Holafly Plans (The Problem We Were Solving)

Life Before Holafly Plans

Our old travel connectivity approach:

• Buy local SIM at every airport
• Different number every country
• Miss messages during swap
• Can't receive 2FA codes properly
• Queue at SIM shops (30 min waits!)
• Connection gaps between countries

What we'd typically spend per year (estimated):

• Thailand trip: ฿500 SIM ($14)
• Cambodia trip: $20 SIM
• Hong Kong trip: HK$220 SIM ($28)
• Other regional trips: ~$40
• Total: ~$100/year (but capped data, huge hassle)

The real cost: Time wasted, connectivity gaps, different numbers breaking 2FA, stress managing multiple SIMs.

May 2025: Became Official Holafly Ambassadors, got Plans Unlimited. This became our ONLY connectivity solution—no local SIM in Vietnam, no backup, just Holafly Plans for everything. Home in Da Nang + all travel on one eSIM. Eleven months later, here's what living full-time on Holafly Plans looks like.

How We Actually Use Holafly Plans Daily

Our Real Monthly Data Usage: 20-30GB

Here's where it goes:

YouTube business (10-15GB/month):

• Upload 1-2 videos weekly (4K rendered, 2-4GB each)
• Cloud backup project files (1-2GB weekly)
• Download stock footage occasionally (500MB-1GB)
• YouTube Studio app monitoring
• Upload days spike to 40-50GB total that month

Client communication (3-5GB/month):

• Zoom calls with sponsors (Holafly, SafetyWing, Wise meetings)
• Email with large attachments (media kits, contracts)
• Slack for Sea Casa property management
• WhatsApp Business for vacation rental inquiries

Content research (2-4GB/month):

• Google Maps planning filming locations
• Research for scripts (web browsing)
• Competitor analysis (watching other travel creators)
• Trend research (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube)

Social media management (3-5GB/month):

• Instagram posting/stories
• TikTok occasional posts
• Facebook community engagement
• Twitter/X (minimal)

Daily life (2-3GB/month):

• Google Maps navigation Da Nang
• Grab/delivery apps
• Banking apps
• News, podcasts, casual browsing
• Kids' occasional YouTube/gaming

Total: 20-30GB typical month, 40-50GB upload-heavy months

What Works Perfectly (The Honest Goods)

✅ 1. Never Think About Data Again

The psychological shift:

Before Holafly Plans, every upload decision included mental math:

• "Can I upload this 3GB video on current SIM?"
• "Should I wait for WiFi?"
• "Will I run out before the month ends?"

Now? Upload whenever. Never check remaining data. Never ration. Never wait.

This sounds small but it's HUGE for productivity. We upload when we finish editing, not when WiFi cooperates. Business emails with 20MB media kits? Send immediately, not "wait until I'm home."

The mental bandwidth saved by not managing data is worth the cost alone.

✅ 2. Hong Kong Travel Was Effortless

Before Holafly Plans:

• Land Hong Kong airport
• Queue at SIM shop (20-30 min wait)
• Buy HK$220 tourist SIM (7 days, 10GB)
• Miss WhatsApp messages during swap
• Different number = can't receive 2FA codes
• Stress about 10GB limit for 4K uploads

With Holafly Plans (our Hong Kong trip):

• Land Hong Kong airport
• Holafly switches to CSL/SmarTone automatically (30 seconds)
• Google Maps working immediately
• Same phone number = all 2FA works
• Upload 4K Hong Kong footage same day
• Never think about it

Our Hong Kong experience: Full signal everywhere. Underground MTR, Victoria Peak, Kowloon—worked perfectly throughout the trip.

✅ 3. Thailand, Cambodia & Hong Kong All Tested

Thailand:

• Bangkok, border areas tested
• 4G/5G excellent throughout
• Speed: 80-150 Mbps
• Upload 4K content no issues

Cambodia:

• Siem Reap, Phnom Penh tested
• Border crossing from Vietnam seamless
• Speed: 30-60 Mbps
• Rural temples surprisingly good coverage

Hong Kong (1 trip):

• MTR underground: Full signal
• Victoria Peak, Kowloon, all areas perfect
• Speed: 100-200 Mbps
• Uploaded 4K footage same day we filmed

Real scenario: Uploaded 2.1GB Hong Kong footage from cafe in TST in 25 minutes. No throttling.

✅ 4. Vietnam Coverage Solid (Our Home Base)

Da Nang (where we live):

• Residential areas: 4G/5G
• Beach area (My Khe): Excellent
• City center: Perfect
• Marble Mountains: Good
• Everywhere we go daily: Works

Speeds: 50-100 Mbps typically

This is our ONLY connectivity in Vietnam. No local SIM, no backup. Holafly Plans handles:

• Daily work (YouTube uploads, client calls)
• Navigation around city
• Banking, food delivery, shopping
• Everything

11 months living on Holafly Plans as our only connectivity = it works.

✅ 5. Hotspot Actually Unlimited

This is where it gets impressive:

We share one Holafly Plans connection between two laptops + two phones regularly:

• Shayna editing on laptop (hotspot from my phone)
• Me uploading on laptop (hotspot from my phone)
• Both phones browsing/apps
• Sometimes kids' tablets connected

Simultaneous heavy usage scenario:

• Shayna rendering 4K video (5GB cloud upload)
• Me on Zoom call with sponsor (1 hour)
• Instagram scrolling both phones
• Total ~8GB in 2 hours

No throttling. No "hotspot limit reached" warning. No speed reduction. Just works.

Most eSIMs cap hotspot at 5-10GB. Holafly Plans truly unlimited hotspot is rare and valuable.

✅ 6. Phone Number for 2FA Works

Holafly Plans includes phone number (US/UK/Canada number):

• Banking app 2FA codes received
• Google account verification works
• PayPal security works
• Wise business account works

Critical for business continuity. Our US bank sends 2FA to Holafly Plans number. Works perfectly from Vietnam.

The Reality After 11 Months

Here's what matters: It works. Every single day for 11 months.

• Home in Da Nang: Works ✅
• Thailand travel: Works ✅
• Cambodia travel: Works ✅
• Hong Kong travel: Works ✅
• Uploading 4K videos: Works ✅
• Zoom client calls: Works ✅
• Hotspot sharing: Works ✅
• 2FA on US banking: Works ✅

Is it perfect? Nothing is. But after 11 months as our only connectivity—no local SIM, no backup—we're renewing for year 2.

That's the review.

Real Cost Analysis: Is It Worth $546/Year?

Our Previous Annual Connectivity Cost (Estimated)

What we WOULD have spent buying SIMs for travel only:

Travel SIMs (at airports):

• Thailand: $14
• Cambodia: $20
• Hong Kong: $28
• Other regional trips: $40

Total: ~$100/year (but capped data, huge hassle, different numbers, NO home connectivity in Vietnam)

Holafly Plans Cost

Annual with THEDUFRESNES code: $546.26/year

Difference: +$446/year more than travel-only SIMs

BUT: Holafly Plans gives us home connectivity in Vietnam PLUS all travel on one number. Comparing apples to oranges—we literally had NO daily connectivity solution before Plans.

What That $446 Extra Buys Us

CRITICAL: This comparison is misleading. $100/year = travel SIMs only, NO home connectivity. Holafly Plans = home + travel, one number, unlimited data.

What we actually get for $546/year:

1. Daily connectivity in Vietnam (home base):

• Work from home (Zoom, email, uploads)
• Navigation around Da Nang
• Banking, food delivery, daily life
• Priceless—we had NO solution before Plans

2. ALL travel covered (4+ countries tested):

• Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, upcoming Bali
• Never buy SIMs
• Same number everywhere (2FA works!)
• Saves 4+ hours/year

3. Unlimited data for content business:

• Upload 4K videos anytime, anywhere
• Never ration data (20-30GB/month usage)
• Hotspot sharing
• Business essential, not luxury

4. Mental bandwidth:

• Never think about connectivity
• One bill, one number, done
• Psychological freedom

For Different User Types

Digital nomads (10+ countries/year): Absolute no-brainer. You'd spend $500+ buying SIMs anyway.

Frequent travelers (5+ trips/year): Makes sense. Time savings + unlimited data justify cost.

Occasional travelers (2-3 trips/year): Questionable. Buying SIMs cheaper. Consider monthly Plans instead ($58.41/month × 3 months = $175).

One trip/year: Don't get Plans. Buy single-country eSIM for that trip.

Content creators (any travel frequency): Worth it. Unlimited uploads pay for themselves.

Families sharing hotspot: Excellent value. One plan shared = $45.52/month ÷ family members.

Holafly Plans vs Single-Country eSIMs: Decision Tree

Get Holafly Plans Annual ($546.26) if:

✅ You travel to 5+ countries per year
✅ You're a digital nomad/perpetual traveler
✅ You're a content creator needing unlimited uploads
✅ You share hotspot with family (split cost)
✅ You value convenience over cost optimization
✅ You need one consistent phone number
✅ Your time is worth $30+/hour

Get Holafly Plans Monthly ($58.41/month) if:

✅ You travel 2-4 times per year
✅ You want flexibility to cancel
✅ You're testing if Plans fits your usage
✅ Your travel is concentrated (3 months intensive, 9 months home)

Skip Plans, Buy Single-Country eSIMs if:

❌ You take 1-2 trips per year max
❌ Trips are to same country repeatedly (buy local SIM once)
❌ Budget is primary concern
❌ You're comfortable managing multiple SIMs
❌ You use minimal data (5GB or less)

What We'd Change About Our Usage

Month 1-3: Kept Vietnam SIM Active (Waste)

Mistake: Ran dual SIM (Vietnam local + Holafly Plans) first 3 months.

Why: "Backup in case Holafly fails."

Reality: Holafly never failed in Vietnam. Paid for Viettel unnecessarily 3 months ($15 wasted).

Lesson: Trust it. Cancelled Viettel month 4, never looked back.

We Didn't Make Many Mistakes

Honestly, 11 months went smooth:

• Read activation instructions carefully (worked first try)
• Trusted the coverage (no backup SIM needed)
• Used it for home + travel seamlessly

Only "mistake": Worrying it might not work well enough. It did from day 1. Should've trusted it immediately instead of being cautious first few weeks.

Month 8: Should've Set Data Usage Alerts

Problem: Can't see data usage in Holafly app.

Solution we implemented:

• iPhone Settings → Cellular → Current Period stats
• Reset at start of each month
• Check weekly

Wish: Holafly app had usage tracking built-in.

Why We're Renewing for Year 2

Reason 1: It Just Works

Eleven months, zero major issues.

Every Hong Kong trip: Works.
Every Thailand trip: Works.
Daily Da Nang: Works.
Uploading 4K videos: Works.
Hotspot sharing: Works.

"Boring reliability" is the highest compliment for connectivity. Holafly Plans is boring. And that's perfect.

Reason 2: It's Our ONLY Connectivity Solution

This isn't "Plans vs buying travel SIMs." It's "Plans vs having NO daily connectivity at home."

Before Plans, we had no home connectivity solution in Vietnam. Just bought SIMs when traveling (~$100/year).

Plans gives us:

• Daily home connectivity in Da Nang ✅
• All travel connectivity (4+ countries) ✅
• One phone number (2FA, business) ✅
• Unlimited data (20-30GB/month) ✅

$546/year isn't expensive for home + travel unlimited data. It's our complete connectivity infrastructure.

Reason 3: More Travel Planned

Year 1 with Plans (May 2025-May 2026):

• Vietnam daily use (home base)
• Thailand trips
• Cambodia trip
• Hong Kong trip

Year 2 (2026-2027) planned:

• Bali June 1-17, 2026 (first Bali trip!)
• More Southeast Asia travel
• Maybe Japan
• Maybe South Korea

Confidence in coverage: 11 months across Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong = zero coverage issues. Bali will work perfectly too based on coverage reports.

Reason 4: Business Dependence

We run a YouTube channel from our phones.

Upload schedules are non-negotiable. Sponsors expect content on time. Brand deals require responsiveness.

Can't risk: "Sorry, couldn't upload because ran out of data."

$546/year = business insurance. We'd pay double if needed. Connectivity is our business infrastructure.

Holafly Plans: The Verdict After 11 Months

What Holafly Plans Actually Is

It's connectivity infrastructure, not a product you think about.

Like electricity. You pay, it works, you forget about it.

It's freedom from data anxiety.

Upload when you want. Browse when you want. Share hotspot when you want. Never ration.

It's time savings compounded.

No airport queues. No researching SIMs. No managing multiple accounts.

It's simplicity.

One bill. One number. One login. One eSIM. Done.

After 11 months as our only connectivity: It just works.

Who Should Get It

Definitely get Holafly Plans if you:

• Travel internationally 5+ times per year
• Work remotely while traveling
• Create content (photos, videos, social media)
• Share hotspot with family/team
• Value time over money
• Want to never think about connectivity

Consider carefully if you:

• Travel 2-4 times per year (monthly might be better)
• Always visit same country (local SIM cheaper)
• Use minimal data (5GB or less monthly)
• Travel infrequently (1 trip/year = skip Plans)

Don't get it if you:

• Rarely travel internationally
• Budget is primary concern
• Comfortable managing multiple SIMs
• Don't mind airport queues

Our Honest Recommendation

We're renewing for year 2. That's the review.

Not because we're ambassadors (we'd be honest either way). Because after 11 months, Holafly Plans has become invisible infrastructure. We don't think about connectivity anymore. We just create, upload, travel, work.

Is it worth $546/year for us? Absolutely. Home connectivity, unlimited data, all travel coverage, same phone number, business reliability—all worth it.

Would we recommend it? To the right person, yes. To everyone, no. Know your travel frequency and needs first.

Get Holafly Plans (If It Fits Your Travel Style)

Our Plan:

Holafly Plans Unlimited Annual - $546.26/year with THEDUFRESNES

What we pay: $546.26 once per year, forget about it for 12 months

What we get:

• Unlimited data in 160+ countries
• Unlimited hotspot (share with laptop, family, everything)
• Same phone number everywhere (2FA works)
• Mental freedom from data management
• 11 months proven reliability (renewing for year 2)

Get Started:

Step 1: https://holafly.sjv.io/6yWy0q

Step 2: Choose "Holafly Plans"

Step 3: Select Annual or Monthly

Step 4: Enter THEDUFRESNES at checkout

• Annual: 32% off (saves $232.54) = $546.26/year
• Monthly: 10% off = $58.41/month

Step 5: Install eSIM before traveling

Step 6: Stop thinking about connectivity

The Bottom Line

Holafly Plans after 11 months: It works. That's what matters.

We live on it. Work on it. Travel on it. Create content on it. No backup SIM. No local SIM. Just Holafly Plans.

20-30GB monthly. 4+ countries. Unlimited uploads. Zero major issues. Renewing year 2.

Not exciting. Not revolutionary. Just works. And "just works" is exactly what connectivity should be.

See you out there. 🌍✨

The Dufresnes | Official Holafly Ambassadors Since May 2022 | 11 Months Holafly Plans Real Usage | 20-30GB Monthly Actual Data | Renewing Year 2 | THEDUFRESNES Verified May 2026