Safety in Eswatini

The general picture: Eswatini is one of the calmest countries on the continent, and people are unusually welcoming to visitors.

After dark: don't walk around Manzini or Mbabane at night. Have your hotel call a taxi, which costs a few dollars.

Malaria: the low-lying east, including Hlane, carries a moderate risk. Take advice on prophylaxis if your trip includes those parks, and use repellent at dusk.

In the reserves: never leave the vehicle outside the designated camps. Lion and hippo are both present, and hippo cause more injuries than anything with teeth.

Valuables: watch your pockets at the busy bus ranks and don't display expensive cameras or phones.

Health: HIV prevalence here is among the highest in the world, which is worth being aware of.

Politics: discussing the monarchy or the king with strangers is taboo and can create serious problems. Check your own government's travel advisory before travelling, since there have been periods of unrest.

Eswatini is a small kingdom between South Africa and Mozambique, one of the world's last absolute monarchies. Street crime is markedly lower than in South Africa.

Mbabane and Manzini. Pickpockets at markets and bus stations, and theft from cars. Nobody walks at night.

Taxis. Shared "kombi" minibuses are the local transport. A foreigner is better off with a car or a taxi through a hotel.

Craft markets. Swazi baskets, candles and glass are of excellent quality and sold at fixed prices in cooperatives. Haggling is not the custom there.

Reserves. Hlane, Mlilwane and Mkhaya are small and well organised. Book directly.

Currency exchange. The lilangeni is pegged one-to-one to the South African rand, which is accepted everywhere. There is nothing to cheat on.

The monarchy. Eswatini is an absolute monarchy and criticism of the king is unacceptable. Counter-terrorism legislation has been applied to political activists. A foreigner should take part in nothing political.

The political situation. The country has seen protests suppressed firmly, with curfews and internet shutdowns. Conditions are worth checking.

Photography. Military installations, police and royal residences and palaces are categorically off limits. Royal ceremonies are photographed only with permission.

Umhlanga and Incwala. Traditional ceremonies that attract tourists. Rules of conduct are strict, photography is restricted, and dress is modest.

Drones. Permission is required.

Drugs. The law is strict. Eswatini is a cannabis producer, but buying is illegal.

Same-sex relations are formally criminalised.

Driving on the left. Mountain roads with livestock; nobody drives at night.

HIV. Eswatini has the world's highest adult HIV prevalence. This does not affect an ordinary tourist trip but matters for any medical procedure and in personal contact.

Malaria. Risk in the eastern lowlands during the November-to-May rains. The western highlands are free of it.

Vaccinations. Hepatitis A, typhoid and rabies. A yellow fever certificate is required from arrivals out of endemic countries.

Water. Safe in Mbabane and the larger towns; bottled in rural areas.

Tuberculosis. Prevalence is high.

Healthcare. Weak. Anything serious means evacuation to South Africa, which is close and simplifies matters. Insurance is needed.

Nature. Reserve rules: do not leave the vehicle and do not approach the water — hippos and crocodiles.

Emergency numbers: 999 police, 977 ambulance.

Eswatini sits mid-table in Africa on corruption, and police are generally correct with tourists.

Checkpoints. These occur on the roads with document checks.

Reporting theft. Reports are taken and certificates issued. English is official alongside siSwati.

Political periods. Protests bring curfews and the internet has been shut off. A foreigner should stay clear and not film.

The South African border. There are many crossings and the procedure is simple. Many people come for a day from Kruger or Johannesburg.

What actually matters. Eswatini is markedly calmer than South Africa for street crime, which makes it a convenient stop. The main risks are the roads, malaria in the east, and the political situation.

Emergency number is 999.