Mbabane

Mbabane is the capital city of Eswatini (Swaziland). It houses Sibebe Rock, one of the biggest mountains in Africa.

Get in

• 🌍 King Mswati III International Airport (SHO  ^IATA). The only commercial and international airport. Swaziland Airlink connects Manzini (and essentially the rest of the country) to Johannesburg.  

You can easily travel to Mbabane from South Africa and Mozambique. Several mini-buses travel between Maputo and Manzini/Mbabane. Regular bus service is provided between Johannesburg and Durban.

If you drive your own car, you will find good tarred roads and several petrol stations/shops on the main roads.

Minibus taxis to South Africa leave from the taxi rank near Swazi Plaza. There are Minibus Taxis from Mbabane to Mbombela in South Africa.

Get around

The city center is walkable, with malls and other administrative buildings.

See

The town itself offers not that much. There are no big attractions. The city centre consist of two small malls, a taxi and bus range, a hotel and at some days open markets.

• Sibebe Rock (8 km northeast of Mbabane.), ☎ [phone]. Swazi trails E30. (updated Apr 2015)
• Tourist information office, Sozisa Road (Cooper Centre), ☎ [phone]. 8am-4.45pm. Free maps of Mbabane and Eswatini and info on places to stay all over Eswatini. It does not seem to be there anymore. (updated Aug 2016)

Do

There is a Swazi cultural village close by and a game reserve. There are several factories around Mbabane which sell traditional hand-made Swazi candles.

Buy

The town is modern

Rocka swazi clothes at E300.00 each which ranges from traditional to urban wear with contacs and shops around the city [phone]//[phone]

• 🌍 SuperSpar. (updated Aug 2016)
• Shoprite supermarket. (updated Apr 2015)
• Pick N Pay supermarket. (updated Apr 2015)
• Fist National bank. It has an ATM. (updated Apr 2015)
• 🌍 Nedbank. It has an ATM (updated Aug 2016)
• Standard bank, Swazi Plaza. It has an ATM (updated Apr 2015)

Eat

Traditional foods such as bhatata sweet potatoes, and traditional emasi (sour milk) is one of the nice food to enjoy.

Drink

Would be best to visit during the traditional ceremony when the traditional brew emaganu is being celebrated. At this time, emaganu (marula) brew is drank across the country.

Sleep

• 🌍 Mantenga Lodge, Mantenga Road , Ezulwini Valley (15km from Mbabane), ☎ [phone]. Has 38 rooms, each with its own en-suite bathroom. The rooms are tastefully furnished and are equipped with air conditioning and television, including satellite channels. 
• Bombasos Backpackers N Lodge, 404 Lukhalo road Mbabane (off pine Valley road), ☎ [phone]. Camping/dorm beds. E80/145. (updated Apr 2015)
• 🌍 Veki's Guesthouse, 233 Somhlolo Road. The most unhelpful staff you will ever encounter. The place only has seven rooms. (updated Aug 2016)
• 🌍 Crisovik Guesthouse, 521 Mbhilibhi Street, ☎ [phone]. A well-hidden guesthouse with shared bathrooms off Mbhilibhi Street. A sign dangling on the fence saying "Right of admission reserved" indicates the presence of the guesthouse. E390. (updated Aug 2016)

Stay safe

Cope

Embassies

• United States, 7F, Central Bank Bldg, Mahlokohla St, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. M-Th 7:30AM-5PM, F 7:30AM-1:30PM. 
• Republic of China (Taiwan), Makhosikhosi Street, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 08:30-17:00 M-F. Unusual in that this is an official embassy, as Swaziland/eSwatini is the only one in Africa recognizing Taiwan/the ROC. 

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