Home >>
Destinations >>
Rest of Africa >>
Basic Facts
Full Name : Kingdom of SwazilandCapital : Mbabane (note Lobambo is the royal and legislative capital)
Time : GMT +2 hours
Currency : Lilangeni (E) (plural emalangeni)
Language : Siswati and English
Getting Around
Rail & BusA train service runs from Durban, through Swaziland, to Maputo in Moçambique. The Royal Swazi Express operates a four-day rail tour from Johannesburg five times a year. Bookings should be made well in advance. There are good bus services including express coaches that connect the major towns, though these are infrequent. Minibuses operate more often, and generally cover shorter distances.
Airports
The national airline and airlines from neighbouring countries fly in to the international airport Matsapha (MTS), north of Manzini. There are a total of 18 runways in Swaziland, but only the international airport has a paved runway.
Roads
There are 3,810 km of highways in Swaziland. The main roads are all tarred, and all other major roads are well-maintained gravel roads. Vehicles drive on the left. The speed limit in urban areas is 60 km/h and on the open road is 80 km/h. Car hire is available. Unfortunately the country has a high road accident rate so be very aware of erratic drivers and animals on the road. Drunk driving could contribute to this as the legal blood-alcohol level is three times that of the normal rate of 0.5% Most petrol stations are open 24 hours.
Passports and Visas
Entry Requirements(as at June 2000)
All visitors are required to carry a valid passport that will be stamped and registered by an official immigration officer or police officer upon arrival, or a visa will be issued free of charge at the airport. There are not many countries from which nationals are required to obtain a visa. If you wish to check up on this, ask your travel agent or nearest Swaziland Consulate. Your nearest South African Consulate may be able to advise. This is a guide only - please check with your nearest Swaziland Consulate for up to date information.
General Accommodation Info
There are a number of superior hotels with casinos that cater for South African tourists, however these can be overpriced. The upside is that they are mostly found in magnificent settings and offer luxurious accommodation. There are many private country lodges with accommodation of an excellent standard which are more affordable if you are on a tight budget. National parks offer self-catering accommodation as well as camping. Some towns have smaller hotels, but are not always of good standard. Accommodation should be booked in advance. Outside the national parks, there are not many campsites. It is generally safe to pitch a tent in the bush, though you should always seek the permission of the headman of the local community first.When To Go
Swaziland has hot summers and mild winters. October is the hottest month. Rain falls in the summer, from December to April, making the countryside green and lush. There are two major Swazi rituals that are worth seeing: Ncwala (first fruit ceremony) which starts the rainy season in late December or early January (according to the moon), and Umhlanga (Reed Dance) which occurs in late August or early September.Currency
The unit of currency is the lilangeni (e - plural is emalangeni), which is divided into 100 cents. It has the same value as the South African rand, which is also generally accepted, although it is no longer legal currency within Swaziland.
Exchange Rate
The emalangeni is fixed to the South African rand. Costs of items are similar to that of items in South Africa, food is perhaps a little cheaper. The game reserves of Swaziland are noted to be of good value.
A general idea of what things costs in Swaziland is:
a beer costs about E6
a can of Coca Cola E2.50
a bottle of water about E3-4
petrol sells at about E2.70 per litre
a roll of 24 exposure print film will cost about E35-40
Banks
Barclays Bank has the most branches throughout Swaziland. Branch times are usually 08:30 - 14:30, Monday to Friday and on Saturdays 08:30 - 11:00. Traveller's cheques can be cashed in banks and most hotels.
Credit Cards
Most leading credit cards are widely accepted. Quite a few ATM machines accept credit cards.
