IMPORTANT:  You can to use your existing phone if you make sure it is unlocked. Having a good smart phone for using Whatsapp and general internet use is very worthwhile. It is very cheap to buy a sim card on arrival. An Airtel sim costs 500MK and 1GB of data costs 2850MK. You can save money on data by buying larger bundles but bundles are only valid for 30 days after purchase.

3G reaches most of the country and 4G is becoming more and more widely available.

There is no Wi-Fi in Malawi except in better hotels, hostels and restaurants. Another advantage of bringing a good smart phone, is that it is very handy to “hotspot” off your phone for using internet on your laptop!

Power cuts are common in Malawi, so bringing a power bank is advised to charge your phone during these times.