In Sri Lanka, there are a few options when it comes to tourist SIM cards: Dialog, Mobitel, Hutch, and Airtel. Out of these, the widely used SIM cards are Dialog and Mobitel. Both these ISPs provide a good (not the highest) internet speed. So which is the best sim card in Sri Lanka for Tourists. Let’s dive in.
Which SIM card should I pick as a Tourist?
As a Tourist making calls and sending text messages can be done on any of those said service providers. But when it comes to Internet speed, you need to be cautious. Because most of the time depending on the areas that you will be visiting and staying, the signal strength and coverage would totally depend on that. Specially, if you are planning on visiting areas like Sigiriya, Dambulla, Ella or central Sri Lanka, you need to be very mindful when picking up a SIM card with proper coverage.
This above graph should give you a better understanding about how Dialog and Mobitel provide their coverage throughout the island. In a nutshell, Dialog has more coverage throughout the island, but that doesn’t mean it will always provide the highest internet speed.
Where can I get my Tourist SIM in Sri Lanka?
Unlike in Thailand, you can’t get your tourist sim from 7-eleven (Unfortunately Sri Lanka does not have 7-eleven). There are some places where in small towns and cities where you can get a SIM card apart from the Air Port. These small shops are called “communications”. I know this sounds weird for a native English speaker, but that is how locals say it. You can quickly identify these shops by; 1. Their name which ends with the word “communication” 2. Most of the time these shops provide photocopy, laminating, fax services as well, so they advertise it in front of the shop, Or 3. They have the stickers or logos of Dialog, Mobitel, Airtel or Hutch in front of the shop (most of the time those stickers cover the entire shopfront). Just go and ask for a SIM card, and they will help you with the rest of the process. Even though, please remember that some of these communications might not have this facility.
Most convenient option is for you, that I personally recommend is to get the SIM card directly at the airport. Where you have 3 stalls Dialog, Mobitel & Hutch available in the waiting area of the arrival section.
Can I get an e-sim in Sri Lanka
Yes, You can. At the airport directly you can request an e-sim when buying. But unfortunately only Dialog provide this e-sim facility at the moment.
Additionally you can now get an e-sim online directly from the Service provider via their website. This facility is available with Dialog and Hutch. For Dialog you can purchase it via their WhatsApp channel as well.
How much should I spend on a SIM as a Tourist in Sri Lanka
You can see all the packages and prices here as of this blog’s published date. As you can see, compared to Indonesia or Thailand, in Sri Lanka data packages are a bit expensive, so keep that in mind when you are buying.
Additional tip, when you are booking a hostel or a guest house, check with them if they are using a fibre connection for Wifi, this would help you a lot if you are planning on working during the stay.
In a nutshell, when you are arriving in Sri Lanka, purchase the sim from the Airport itself to avoid any hassle. When choosing the service provider go for either Mobitel or Dialog based on your package preferences which we can recommend as best sim card in Sri Lanka for tourists.