Traveling with an Amex - will I be able to use it widely in Eswatinior should I carry a backup Visa/Mastercard?
My experience: Eswatini’s payment system favors Visa/Mastercard heavily. Amex sometimes isn’t accepted and can cause declined payments, especially outside of major urban areas. ATMs at Nedbank or Standard Bank work great with Visa/Mastercard, so carry those and cash in lilangeni to avoid hassles.
Amex in Eswatini felt a bit niche-mostly accepted in luxury lodges and bigger hotels, like at Royal Swazi Spa or Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary lodges. Local businesses and smaller restaurants mostly don’t take it, so bring backup cards like Visa or Mastercard and some cash for day-to-day expenses.
In Eswatini, I had limited luck using Amex, especially outside major hotels and tourist spots. Visa was way easier to use in supermarkets, restaurants, and petrol stations. ATMs usually dispense for Visa and Mastercard only, so carrying backup cards is a must if you rely on cashless payments. Also, avoid depending solely on Amex because local POS machines aren’t always compatible.
I found that Amex isn’t as widely accepted in Eswatini compared to Visa and Mastercard. Most shops, especially in Mbabane and Manzini, take Mastercard or Visa without issues, but Amex acceptance is pretty limited. For smooth sailing, bring a backup Visa or Mastercard just in case, and carry some cash in Swazi lilangeni-it helps for smaller vendors and taxis.