Indian Ocean Islands eSIM: Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka
They look close together on a map and they are entirely separate countries for your data plan. Here is how coverage works across the Indian Ocean and how to avoid buying the wrong thing.
The Indian Ocean islands are a common two-centre holiday — a few days in Sri Lanka or Dubai, then a week on an atoll — and they are a common source of the wrong plan, because nothing here shares a country list by default.
Each one is its own country
Maldives — Dhiraagu and Ooredoo cover the inhabited islands and most resorts well. 4G reaches far more of the atolls than visitors expect, including many resort islands. Seaplane transfers and liveaboards go offline.
Mauritius — small, dense and very well covered. See the Mauritius guide. Note that Rodrigues, 560 km away, is sometimes treated separately.
Seychelles — Airtel and Cable & Wireless cover Mahé, Praslin and La Digue well. The outer islands are a different matter.
Sri Lanka — Dialog, Mobitel and Hutch give good coverage across the island, including the hill country and the coast. The train through the tea plantations has patchy signal and excellent views.
Reunion — French territory, and usually not covered by a France or EU plan. Check by name.
Madagascar — the outlier: coverage around Antananarivo and the main towns, very thin elsewhere.
What people get wrong
- Assuming a Maldives plan covers a Sri Lanka stopover. It does not.
- Assuming an EU or France plan covers Réunion or Mayotte. Usually not.
- Assuming resort Wi-Fi is fast. In the Maldives it is frequently satellite-backed and shared.
- Buying a large plan for a resort week where you will barely use it.
How much data
| Trip | Suggested data |
|---|---|
| Maldives resort week | 1–3 GB |
| Sri Lanka, two weeks touring | 8 GB |
| Mauritius or Seychelles week | 3 GB |
| Two-centre trip (Sri Lanka + Maldives) | Buy per country, or a regional plan listing both |
Resort weeks need very little. Touring Sri Lanka needs a real plan — you will navigate, book trains and use ride apps daily.
Practical notes
- Seaplane and speedboat transfers in the Maldives are offline and weather-dependent.
- Liveaboard dive boats are offline for days by design.
- Sri Lankan trains are booked ahead and the popular hill-country route sells out.
- Cyclone and monsoon seasons differ by island group — live weather is the main reason to carry data.
- Ride apps: PickMe and Uber in Sri Lanka; taxis and transfers elsewhere.
Indian Ocean eSIM FAQ
Does one plan cover the Maldives and Sri Lanka? Only a regional plan that lists both. Country plans do not.
Is resort Wi-Fi enough in the Maldives? For a switch-off week, usually. For anything time-sensitive, bring your own data.
Is Réunion covered by a France plan? Usually not — check the list. Same caution as French Polynesia.
Which island needs the most data? Sri Lanka, by a distance, because you actually move around.
The bottom line
Treat every island group as its own country, because for your plan it is. Buy small for resort weeks, buy properly for Sri Lanka, and check Réunion and Rodrigues by name. Compare coverage on the destinations page.
