Introduction to Big Bend, Swaziland Piggs Peak

PIGGS PEAK, a small straggling forestry town along the main road, was named after a French prospector called William Pigg, who discovered gold nearby in 1884, where it was mined until the site was exhausted in 1954. Apart from the attractive surrounding countryside, there's nothing much to see here, but if you're heading to Mallotja Nature Reserve this is a good place to stock up on supplies.

The town's bus station and market are near the Total garage at the northern end of town, where there is also a small shopping centre with a supermarket. There are a couple of banks in the centre of town, but they are unused to foreign transactions, so either summon your patience or hold out until Mbabane. For an overnight stay, the Highland Inn (tel 4371144; R150–200) offers simple, but comfortable, rooms in a pleasant colonial building on the main road on the southern edge of town. Inside, the Woodcutter's Den restaurant serves steaks and other meat dishes at fairly reasonable prices. For a quick snack, The Ranch, in the town's shopping centre, offers fast food, while the Pholani bar alongside does plenty of trade, rocking until late on weekends.

Information by Rough Guides

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