Eswatini has a long tradition of skilled craft-making. Woven baskets are perhaps the most famous — each one is made by hand using local grasses and natural dyes, and the patterns can take days or even weeks to complete. No two baskets are exactly alike, which makes each one a small piece of art.
At the market you will also find woodcarvers shaping bowls, animals and masks out of locally grown timber. Watching a craftsperson work — their hands moving with practised confidence — gives you a real sense of how much skill and patience goes into every object.
Beaded jewellery is another highlight of the markets. Swazi beadwork uses bright colours that often carry meaning — different colours can represent things like love, friendship or good health. Children sometimes learn to make simple beaded bracelets from a young age, carrying on a tradition passed down through generations.
The atmosphere at the markets is friendly and fun. Vendors call out greetings, music plays from nearby shops, and the smell of freshly cooked food drifts through the stalls. For many visitors, spending a morning at Manzini market is the most colourful and memorable part of their trip to Eswatini.