How to Find Luxury Hotels in Swaziland

Get ready for Swaziland, the smallest and perhaps most quaint country in Africa. People from Swaziland are best known for kicking back and having fun, and their wildlife preserves are just the place to do it.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Passport
• Computer with Internet access

Know Your Destination

1. Enjoy Swaziland by mingling with the locals. Swaziland is the smallest country in Africa but boasts the biggest reputation for hospitality.

2. While in Swaziland, speak English, the official language for business, but know that it is not the country's primary language. The natives of Swaziland speak Siswati, which is similar to Zulu.

3. Get your bearings in Swaziland. The country neighbors Mozambique to the East and South Africa on its other borders.

Choose Your Luxury Lodging in Swaziland

4. Decide when you want to travel to Swaziland. The hot summers last from September to April with peak temperatures in October, and the mild winters run from May to August. To book accommodations, contact the Swaziland Tourism Authority at 011 ([phone]/75 or visit their Web site (see Resources, below).

5. Stay in luxury accommodations in the beautiful Ezulwini Valley where the king of Swaziland lives. Visit the country in August to take part in the traditional Umhlanga Dance or Reed Dance where the king annually selects an additional wife.

6. Stay in a luxury safari lodge inside one of the famous national parks. The Hlane Royal Reserve is an excellent choice for first-class self-service accommodations.

7. Choose luxury accommodations in Mbabane, the country's capital city. Mbabane offers luxury and business hotels to meet the needs of discerning travelers.

Organize Transportation in Swaziland

8. Fly into Matsapha International Airport, north of Manzini, in Swaziland. The airport in Manzini is the Swaziland hub.

9. Consider flying into Durban, South Africa, where buses depart for the capital city of Mbabane a few times a day.

Tips & Warnings

• To limit hassle, hire a private car during your visit, which will allow you to travel throughout Swaziland and into neighboring countries. You'll avoid the problems with taxis that travel only short distances and buses that run slowly and infrequently.
• Beware on the streets of Swaziland. With a legal blood alcohol level of .15 percent and many animals and people crowding the road, the country has frequent traffic accidents.
• One week before your departure, start taking malaria prophylactics.