Should I just buy a local SIM at Bandaranaike airport?

Buying a local SIM at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) is straightforward — Dialog and Mobitel run kiosks in the arrivals hall with passport-only registration, and tourist packages typically cost $7 to $15 for 30 days of data plus calls. Local tourist SIMs are competitively priced, but the queue takes 15 to 30 minutes after a long flight, and you'll need to swap your physical SIM. The ETravelSim Sri Lanka eSIM installs at home before you fly, requires no passport handover at the airport, and connects the moment your plane lands.