Places: Nice, France

While the French Riviera is not exactly the ideal place to travel when on a tight budget, you can still manage to have a great time without spending a huge chunk of change. With it’s beautiful turquoise waters, famous Niçoise salad and soupe de poisson and the vibrant and bustling Vieille Ville (Old Town), Nice — the most popular holiday destination in the French Riviera — provides nothing short of mega sensory overload!

Getting To/From:

Because Nice is a major European holiday destination, it isn’t the cheapest airport to fly into. Many budget airlines do fly there, however, such as easyJet and Vueling. Taxis in Nice are not cheap so I recommend taking the airport bus for 4 €, which will take you on a route along the beach and ending near the Old Town.

You might also chose to arrive at the gare Thiers (main train station located in central Nice) from Marseilles, Monaco or Genoa. If you plan to spend several weeks or months in the French Riviera and will be traveling by train frequently, it is worth applying for the ZOU! card. It costs around 30 € and is good for 50-70% off all train fares within the defined PACA (Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur) region.

Budget Accommodation:

Hotels in Nice are expensive so your best bet when staying in the city is to book a hostel or find a room / apartment for short-term rent on Airbnb. My personal favorite hostel(s) in Nice are the Villa Saint Exupéry Gardens and Villa Saint Exupéry Beach. The gardens hostel is further out of the city but easily accessible by tram and is situation on top a hill in an old monastery — very ideal if you are looking for a quieter stay. The Beach Hostel is centrally located, close to train and bus stations and has a very lively bar at night. Both have a great happy hour deal of 1 € beers and offer free breakfast of 10+ types of cereals, toast with jam and coffee and teas.

Budget Dining:

On almost every street corner in Nice you will find a boulangerie (bakery) where you can get cheap croissants, baguettes or what ever fancy pastry your heart desires. Pair that with some meat and cheese from the local supermarket (Casino is the most affordable supermarket), and you have yourself a very cheap “French” meal!

If you look in the right places you can find inexpensive cafes, kebab shops and pizza places all over the city. Pizza Pili makes quality pizzas for as little as 6 €. You can even find some local delicacies on a budget — moules et frites (mussels and fries), Niçoise salad and fish soup — just make sure to stray away from the main tourist areas!

Free Things To Do:

The lovely village of Èze

Hitting up the beach in Nice is an obvious decision to make. The main beach is great but if you want a little privacy for sunbathing “au natural,” I suggest heading slightly east of the port to a beautiful and more private area filled with rocky cliffs and mounds, where you can easily claim your own private sunbathing cliff if you arrive early enough in the day.

Visiting the medieval village of Èze is a must-see attraction while staying in Nice. It will cost you a few Euros to get there and back but the breathtaking scenery from a medieval village overlooking the French Riviera will make it all worth while. If you feel up for a nice hike, take the bus there and then hike down where at the bottom you can catch a train back to Nice. This trail was done many times by Nietzsche and you will quickly see why he spent so much time there.

Entertainment:

Nice doesn’t have the wildest nightlife on the French Riviera (Cannes is better suited for that) but there are several bars and clubs worth noting for a night out in the town. Most bars and clubs close around 2 AM.

L’Abat Jour is a good underground (literally, it is underground) electronic music club located in the Old Town.

On Wednesday nights join some of the younger expat crew for Quiz Night at Snug And Cellar in Old Town and also enjoy some pretty decent pub food while there.

For a more alternative experience, Le Volume often has local bands playing everything from metal to reggae. Le Volume is located on Rue Defly, as is in walking distance from Old Town.

* Important Tip:

When taking the tram in Nice, always make sure to validate your ticket! If you get caught on with no ticket or an unvalidated ticket you will be fined 40 € on the spot! They accept no excuses — trust me, I learned this the hard way 😉

Places: Mbabane & Manzini, Swaziland

Swaziland is a country many people have never heard of. It is surrounded on all sides by the much more popular tourist destinations of South Africa and Mozambique — but Swaziland has a charm all it’s own. If you want to escape the every day life of “western” civilization, Swaziland’s pristine natural beauty (and lack of McDonald’s) will certainly leave you in awe.

Getting To/From:

Unfortunately South Africa’s backpacker-oriented Baz Bus no longer travels to Swaziland but you can find plenty of cheap bus lines and mini buses going to both Mbabane and Manzini from major cities in South Africa (Johannesburg and Durban) and Mozambique (Maputo).

Hiring a car in South Africa is generally affordable, but keep in mind that not all borders between Swaziland and it’s neighboring countries are open 24/7 and can often be crowded. Make sure to be aware of any visa restrictions before arriving at the border. And be weary when driving in Swaziland as it is a common occurrence to be pulled over by the police and asked to pay a “fine,” which then goes into their pockets!

Budget Accommodation:

If you want a true “African experience” I recommend staying in the Sondzela Backpackers. This is budget backpacker accommodation at it’s finest — located in the heart of Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary. You will have warthogs and nyalas right outside the front door, not to mention a swimming pool, garden, braai (bbq) area and bar! There is also limited free parking and once at the hostel, you are just a short walk from the Mlilwane rest camp.

Budget Dining:

If you are feeling adventurous, Swaziland has loads of street vendors selling food alongside the main roads in town, including the infamous “walkie talkie” — fried chicken heads and feet. That certainly is not for everybody though, but just like every other country Swaziland has convenience stores and supermarkets so you can cook your own food or have a braai. If you want some simple fast food, you can try Pie King, where for a few lilangeni you can get yourself a decent (by fast food standards) steak & kidney pie.

Shopping:

Visit the Manzini Market to browse through a wide range of African handicrafts, local foods and even household items. If you plan to buy anything remember that it is very possible to negotiate prices, but keep in mind that while a few dollars means nothing to you, it could easily feed a family for several days!

If you are in Malkerns you will for sure want to swing by Swazi Candles. They handcraft beautiful candles of all shapes, sizes and figures. They make for wonderful and unique gifts from Swaziland!

Entertainment:

Malandela’s House on Fire – this is the place to crack a cold beer and get into the true Swazi spirit. It is an open venue where you will hear music, spoken word, poetry or anything at all and dance until the wee hours of the morning.

Game Parks:

Mlilwane – This is the most laid-back of the Big Game Parks. It is ideal for people who want to spend their time horseback riding, hiking, bird watching or taking low-key game drives. All activities can be arranged at the main rest camp.

Hlane – Hlane is the park for the real adventure seekers — this is where you pre-arrange game drives in Land Rovers with a guide who will get you upclose and personal with lions, cheetah and elephants! I find this the least accommodating of the parks so it is best left for a day trip.

Stone Camp at Mkhaya

Mkhaya – This is my favorite of the three game parks. I recommend splurging for a night and staying in the stone camp. You are literally within the park so don’t be startled to see an antelope while you are on the toilet or find that a monkey has thrown your toothbrush on the ground! It isn’t a rugged as it sounds as you are provided with comfortable beds and linens, mosquito nets and your room is lit up for you each night with kerosene lanterns by the wonderful Stone Camp staff. Each night a buffet-style meal is served around a campfire which may include impala, wildebeest or other (non-endangered/over-populated) game. Your stay at Mkhaya must be pre-arranged, as they only have certain pick-up and drop-off times at the main gate. You will not be disappointed with your stay at Mkhaya!