Lilongwe, named after Lilongwe River, is the capital and largest city of Malawi. It has an estimated population of about 1 million people. Located in the central of the country, it is an important economic and transportation hub for the country and neighboring Zambia and Mozambique.
Lilongwe features a humid subtropical climate with pleasantly mild winter and warm summers. It has lower temperatures than expected for a tropical city. It experiences a short wet season from December to March while the rest of the year is a dry season. The government and public institutions dominate the city’s economy. The city also incorporates the manufacture of tobacco and other major economic activities among them banking, retail trade, construction, transport.
There are various attraction destinations for visiting tourists in Lilongwe. The city has experienced a rapid increase of expatriate community in the recent past. This has positively boosted tourism development with a rise of hospitality utilities such as international restaurants. The city offers a wide diversity of internationalized cuisines including Indian, Italian, Chinese and Korean food. The USA owned hypermarket, ‘Game’ which is located opposite Shoprite in Lilongwe stocks almost all products. Though expensive, Game Walmart offers both locals and tourists with an accessible modern shopping experience. In Lilongwe, there is also the South African chain supermarket, Shoprite, located in the city center. Tourists pass through here to stock up. Shoprite also incorporates Chicken Inn and other fast food inns.
The Old Town Mall is also a must visit while in Lilongwe. It is located off Chilambula on the left as one drives away from the Lilongwe Sunbird. It incorporates a grocery store which lightly caters to expat tastes with imported wines and food. It also has a DVD rental shop, craft galleries, a bookstore and two favorite restaurants (Mamma Mia’s Italian Restaurant and Serendipity Café).
The Lilongwe Wildlife Center is also a quite popular attraction for tourists and expats. It is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center that offers excellent tours of its wilderness zone. It has a wide range of wildlife.
Expats and tourists who are interested in learning and partaking in golfing activities can visit the Lilongwe Golf Club. It is quite affordable and has an excellent but challenging 18-hole golf course.
