Best Tourist Places to Visit in Manzini, Swaziland, South Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Manzini, Swaziland, South Africa, Africa

Manzini is a city and the administrative centre of the Manzini District in Swaziland, situated nearly in the heart of the country, around 40 km southeast of the country’s capital and largest city, Mbabane. Located on the MR3 road, Manzini is the second largest city of the country, renowned as the commercial hub of Swaziland. Manzini is also famous for its annual events, including the Swaziland International Trade Fair and educational institutions, including Nazarene High School. Manzini geographically coordinates with 26°29′ S latitude and 31°22′ E longitude.

History of Manzini:

Earlier called as Bremersdorp, Manzini emerged as a trading post in 1885, served as the headquarters of the British colonial government, but with the destruction of the town during the Anglo-Boer War, the capital was relocated to Mbabane. Manzini gained city rights in 1994.

Connectivity to Manzini:

Manzini is situated around 10 km away from the only commercial airport in the country, Matsapha International Airport. The airport handles flights from the South Africa’s largest city, Johannesburg, served by Airlink and Swaziland Airlink.

Located in the centre of the country, Manzini is well connected through road to all the major cities in the country, including the capital Mbabane. Manzini houses many travel agencies, where visitors can get cars and bikes for rent for local travel and airport travel.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Manzini:

Swaziland International Trade Fair is the largest annual event of Swaziland, has been organized in Manzini since 1920s. There are many nice and tourist favor shops and restaurants in Manzini and for more options, visitors can head towards the nearby cities Mbabane or Lobamba.

What to do in Manzini?

Walking
Shopping
City tours

What to see in Manzini?

Nazarene High School:

The Nazarene High School is one of the prominent educational institutions in Manzini, especially noted for having successful school choir.

Matsapha International Airport:

Located at an altitude of 632 meters, Matsapha International Airport is the only commercial airport of Swaziland, situated around 10 km west of Manzini. It is a nice airport, featuring all basic facilities, including shopping options.

Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary is Swaziland’s oldest preserved site, situated near the city of Lobamba, around 25 km west of Manzini. It is the highly visited reserve of the country, famous among mountain bikers and horse riders.

Mkhaya Game Reserve:

The Mkhaya Game Reserve is one of the top tourist destinations of Swaziland, situated around 55 km southeast of Manzini. It is home to a large number of bird species, including Grey-headed Bush-shrike, Pygmy Kingfisher, Narina Trogon and Purple-crested Turaco.

Other interesting places in and around Manzini include:

King Sobhuza II Memorial Park
National Museum of Swaziland
Malkern Valley
Somhlolo Stadium
Mbuluzi Game Reserve
Hawane Nature Reserve
Blue Lagoon Leisure Park
Chubeka Trails
Swazi Candle
Grace Christian Fellowship International Church
Royal Swazi Sun Hotel
Ezulwini Handicrafts Centre
Yebo Art Gallery
Somhlolo National Stadium
Hlane Royal National Park

Best time to visit Manzini:

The best time to visit Manzini depends on visitors’ interest, though the most popular time is from June to August.

Accommodation options in Manzini:

Being the commercial hub of the country, Manzini houses numerous upgraded hotels, vacation rentals, BB and inns that are shared between all parts of the city with excellent amenities, of which most hotels offer advance booking facility through online for visitors’ convenience. The major hotels in and around Manzini include: