Play at Mountain View International by BON Hotels
Eswatini packs an enormous amount of culture, tradition, scenery and activity within its borders.
Big things come in small packages. Despite being a pocket-sized mountain kingdom, Eswatini packs an enormous amount of culture, tradition, scenery and activity within its borders.
The size of the country means that most attractions can be visited on a day trip within easy reach of the Mountain View International Hotel.
Sibebe Rock
Hiking trails are marked across the span of Sibebe Rock, the second-largest monolith in the world that rises a sheer 350 m above the Mbuluzi River. Find Out More
Malolotja Nature Reserve
With its many rapids and waterfalls is a hiker and birder paradise. Find Out More
The Mkaya Game Reserve
The best place to see the rare and endangered rhinoceros, while Hlane Royal National Park and Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary offer horseback and bicycle safaris. Find Out More
Mbabane Craft Market
A must to buy local crafts directly from the crafters, particularly the distinctive colourful hats, woven baskets and jewellery made from plants and flowers. Find Out More
Ngwenya Glass
This legendary actory makes glassware and glass ornaments from recycled glass bottles. Find Out More
Swazi Candles
Another Swati institution, makes distinctive world-famous candles in traditional colours and patterns. Find Out More
Weather, Regulations and Travel Tips
It’s a year-round destination with hot, wet summers and dry, cool winters. For wildlife viewing, the best time is May to September, and in summer (October to April), the scenery is gorgeously lush and green with plenty of birdlife, local culture and attractions. The lowland areas are hot and humid in summer, while the highlands around the capital Mbabane are cool and clear. Bring extra layers for the cool winter mornings and evenings. Malaria is low risk and is confined to the eastern lowlands, leaving the hotel malaria free! Both the South African rand (ZAR) and the Swazi lilangeni (SZL) are accepted currency in the country, with a parity exchange rate. Credit cards are accepted throughout, and you can draw ZAR or SZL at any ATM using an international credit or debit card. Find Out More
Tradition and culture
Eswatini is a proud Kingdom, with protocols and traditions that are entrenched, and the Swati royal family is treated with respect. Many traditional events involve members of the royal family such as the annual Reed Dance. Most Swazis live in rural communities, observing a traditional way of life and farming sugarcane, maize, cotton, rice, citrus, cattle and goats. They are a respectful, polite and soft-spoken nation with instinctive warmth and good manners. English is not widely spoken outside the city, and it creates goodwill if you learn a few words of conversational Siswati. Find Out More
Wildlife
Big Five game reserves in Eswatini are small enough to ensure a viewing experience that is up close and personal. Most parks accommodate walking safaris, and in parks such as Mlilwane, you can ride horses or bicycles right up to the animals. Find Out More
Food
The Swatis have a distinctive cuisine, with staple foodstuffs given a local twist that is worth exploring. Porridge, for instance, is not the cooked oats that we know but rather a dish made from a wide variety of ingredients such as pumpkin, groundnuts, cornmeal and fermented milk. A favourite drink is a juice made from the marula fruit. And of course, the famous African braai is given a local flavour with ostrich steaks and indigenous side dishes. Find Out More
