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From Wikitravel

For other places with the same name, see Lagos (disambiguation).

Lagos is the largest city in Nigeria. With an estimated population of 8.8 million inhabitants in the city, or rather 10.7 million in the metropolitan area, Lagos ranks next to Cairo of the largest cities of Africa.

[edit] Understand

[edit] Get in

You can fly in from most European cities (London, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Rome); from Doha, Dubai, South Africa, Ethiopia, and Kenya. There are also direct flights from the United States (Atlanta).

[edit] Get around

You will hardly be able to find your way in Nigeria especially the busy environ of Lagos unless you have been provided earlier direction.

If you are not on a tight budget, you should hire a car and driver, usually available from most of the major hotels and the airport. The price will be around ₦1,000-2,000 per hour, you will be expected to haggle. Talk to the drivers and find one you think will be able to communicate best with as they will be able to tell you things about the places you pass.

Use buses to move around the city if you know the routes. Larger buses are called molue and the smaller mini-Bus type are called Danfo. Buses are often overcrowded to the point where the conductor must stand on the side, with the side door open. Taxis cost more than buses, typically 10 times the price, you will be expected to negotiate the price before you enter and pay on arrival. They are however much safer than buses, especially at night where Buses are often subjected to highway robbery. You should be certain to inspect the Taxi before you enter, Taxis are often in a poor state of repair, balding tires and worn shocks leading to a very bumpy, nauseating ride.

For travelling short distances, you can use motorbike taxis called Okada. These motorbikes are quick, cheap and save a lot of walking but they are also very dangerous. Okada accidents are very common but safety equipment are now provided because the state government and in fact the Federal Road Safety Commission has mandated it. If you want to take the risk, you can safely halve their first price, and usually there are lots to choose from. Choose an older driver as the younger ones are cowboys.

[edit][add listing] See

Tafawa Balewa Square: on the Lagos Island ; be careful never to go there at night as you will almost surely get mugged!

Badagry: the ancient slave port, the whispering palms, the 'sun tan' beach, the bubbly Vespa Market.

[edit][add listing] Do

Lagos is for tourists like England is for food. It's a stereotype and not really true, but you have to put the effort in to see it.

There are a lot of great beaches. Especially if you make the effort to get outside the side (like Badagari). Inside the city, Lekki is about as good as it gets.

There are also lots of markets to see, although it can be very tiring. Usually safe during the day.

There is the Lekki Conservatory down on the Lekki/Epe express way which is really good for relaxation, its a dense park with a few animals and birds, there are walkways and benches to rest on.

Beaches:

• Bar Beach: On Ahmodu Bello Way, Victoria Island.
• Eleko Beach: 56 km, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Turn right just past Total service station, proceed to toll gate, turn left follow road to Rainbow Church sign, turn right onto dirt road. Eleko beach is at end of road.
• Lekki Beach: Turn right at round-about just past estate (about 9 km), Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lekki.
• Tarkwa Beach: Accessible by boat only. boat can be hired opposite American/Indian Embassy. You can also board water taxis for about ₦200 per trip.

Beach Resorts:

• Hermitage Garden Resorts: Hermitage road, Tiye village, near Akodo, Lekki local government.
• La Campagne Tropicana: Lekki

Museums:

• National Museum of Nigeria: Awolowo Rd (Opp Muson Centre), Onikan, Lagos Island. 9AM-5PM daily.
• Didi Meuseum: 175, Akin Adesola St, Victoria Island. M-F 9AM-5PM.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Unless you are in a supermarket or restaurant/bar with fixed prices, you will be expected to negotiate the price you pay for an item down to the lowest the vendor would sell. When you are stuck in traffic, expect to see hawkers selling anything from potatoes to toilet seats to the most graphic pornography. Expect any brand names in these informal markets to be fake, and should you wish to purchase them aim for a very low price.

On beaches, hawkers will be trying to sell their wares. Selling necklaces, fake wristwatches, fake sunglasses and wooden carvings. Don't be tempted to buy any animals, dead or alive, and avoid anything you are told has ivory in it, even though it is probably bone or plastic. There is little enough wildlife, with exception of lizards and insects, in Lagos and the environs as it is.

Beggars are also very common where there is traffic, best advice is if you feel like giving, don't give it to anyone who can walk, talk, see, hear and has all their limbs. Also be aware that giving beggars money from your car window can result in your car quickly becoming surrounded by other beggars.

If you hold a Visa, MasterCard or Maestro Credit/Debit card you can withdraw cash in Naira from various ATM's around Lagos. Visa machines can be found at Standard Chartered Bank. MasterCard/Maestro machines are found in Ecobank and some Zenith Bank branches.

Foreign currency, U.S. Dollars, Pounds Sterling, or Euros can be exchanged in various places, usually near large hotels and the airport. These are not formal bureaux de change and you will need to negotiate the exchange rate. It is strongly recommended that you count your money in front of the exchanger, and don't be afraid to walk away if you are not happy with the deal. Be wary of your safety in moneychanging areas, and take care to make sure you are not followed when leaving them.

Some of the Good Places to Shopping are:

• The Palms Shopping Centre: No 1, British International School Way, Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lekki. 10AM-9PM daily.
• The City Mall: Opp Muson Centre, Awolowo Rd, Onikan, Lagos Island. 10AM-9PM daily.
• Mega Plaza: 21st Century Mall, 14, Idowu Martins Street, Victoria Island. 10AM-10PM daily.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Ikoyi also has a lot of good places to eat. There is a wide variety of cuisines available.

• Reeds - Thai.
• Mr Chang - Chinese
• Havana - Pub Food
• Double Four - Pizza
• Le Saison - Pastries and Sandwiches

On Victoria Island, you will find even more variety and numbers of restaurants.

• The Cowrie Restaurant(in B-Jays\'s Hotel) - Nigerian including the traditional "goat meat pepper soup"
• Thistle Bar & Restaurant - Nigerian
• Il Sorriso - Italian
• Saipan - Chinese
• Pearl Garden - Chinese
• Marco Polo - Chinese
• Pattaya - Thai
• Bangkok - Thai
• Indigo - Indian
• Sherlaton - Indian (Cheap)
• Fusion - Mix of Japanese and Lebanese cuisine
• Churrasco's - Brazilian Steakhouse
• Bottles - Tex-Mex
• Cactus - Pizza & Sandwiches
• Chocolate Royal - American/ Bakery
• Yellow Chili - Nigerian (specialties include Fried Snail with Fries)

[edit][add listing] Drink

Ikeja

• Africa Shrine in Ikeja. With Femi Kuti, son of the legend Fela Kuti.
• Lagbaja's Motherland, Opebi Rd (in Ikeja).
• The Night Shift Colosseum, Salvation Road, Off Opebi Road. Best Music. Well arranged. Big space for dancing and sitting. 9PM-5AM.
• Options, Allen Avenue - Toyin St T point. Good Music, Spacious, 10PM-5AM.
• MetroPark, Isaac-John St, GRA, Ikeja.

Ikoyi

• Bacchus: Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.
• Club Insomnia: Awolowo Road, Ikoyi. If you are looking for a club fair and square then this is it.
• Havana Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road. A very popular pub bar with a good mix of expatiates & Nigerians. Fun & freindly bar staff. Excellent and extensive food menu serving both continental and some Nigerian dishes. Has live bands on Wednesday & Fridays. Also has upstairs bar & dining. Local beer ₦450, Wine (glass) ₦800, bottle ₦3,000+ Spirits (50 ml) ₦900.

Victoria Island

• La Casa: NIghtclub on Victoria Island. Good selection of fine cigars.Very expensive, Local beer ₦900!
• No 10: Owned by Nigerian soccer legend Austin "Jay-Jay" Okocha, it's got a nice restaurant and a trendy bar.
• Pat's Bar: Ajose Adeogun Street (Towards Ligali Ayorinde St end), A sports bar with a rugby theme, Very popular with expatriates of all nationalities. Local beer ₦450, wine (glass) ₦800, wine (bottle) ₦2000+
• 007 bar This James Bond-themed hangout for the young, professional crowd is good for a quiet drink during the week.
• Y-NOT: It is open until 6AM, V.I.P. room is ₦1000 (about £4) and the bar prices are reasonable for Lagos, ₦350-500 for a beer, and the girls are 'very friendly', always keep your eyes open.

Apapa

• Monalido: at Corner of Creek road, Entry ₦500 per person. Good music, sufficient space for sitting. Good, big dance floor. Every one welcome. 10PM-5:30AM. Drinks are at very competitive prices, Nice Food Restaurant as well open till 6AM.
• Club 21: Warf Rd, ₦500 per person. Music, sufficient space for sitting. Big dance floor. Every one welcome. 10PM-3AM. Drinks are at competitive prices.

Yaba

• Koko Lounge: Cool as it gets. Co-owned by Africa's biggest hip-hop star, D'Banj who makes frequent appearances. Wednesday night is comedy nights. Classy VIP. Reasonable prices.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Lagos has many great hotels and many more are being built. There are many 4 star hotels for the price of a 3 star hotel. Try to get a hotel on Victoria Island.

[edit] Budget

• The Stone House Admiralty Lekki Phase I.

   Peerage Retreat & Resort Ltd, Victoria Island.

[edit] Mid range

• Lekki Inn, 911 Ken Uba Close, Lekki Peninsula (second street to the right off Ajiron Rd, off Lekki Expressway (beside Chevron)), ☎ +234-1-877-0240 (info@lekki-inn.com), [1]. Caters mostly to executives from oil companies, banks, etc. Two fully-furnished chalets onsite can be rented for longer-term stays. Food is excellent, typically African or Continental cuisines. The rooms all have marble flooring, so you don't get the "wet" and "moldy" feel some of the other hotels have. The only downside is that there are just 12 rooms, albeit all large and luxurious, so you don't get to socialize too much onsite. Victoria Island with its bars and clubs is a 20-min drive away, and the beaches are close by.  edit

• BADEJO HOTEL1 OJA ST,Musa, 0112348037608353

• Hotel Palais Royal 48, Balarabe Musa Crescent, Victoria Island, [2].
• Hotel Le Chateau 292E Ajose Adeogun, Victoria Island, [3].
• Protea, a South African group, has three hotels in Lagos, all of acceptable standard but not cheap. The prices are reduced if you hold a group loyalty card, the ProKard.

In addition on Ikoyi in Glover St is a small, new serviced aparthotel called La Cour.

[edit] Stay safe

Lagos, like any other sizable city in the world, has its own fair share of crime rates. Scamming and mugging are present, so beware of deals or businesses that sound too good to be true, and do not openly flaunt your possessions, especially in public places. The police are corrupt and inefficient, so it is best that you stick to the law and avoid going anywhere without a trusted guide - especially if it is a first visit.

[edit] Contact

Nigeria has both GSM & CDMA Networks. Most of the International GSM Networks are served here on Roaming Partner Basis. Local pre-activated GSM (SIM) connection can be purchased from any where in entire Country at very cheap rate. Naira 200/- for a SIM.

GSM/3G

• Etisalat: Services: Calls, SMS, GPRS and some most advance feature can be found only on this network.
• Zain: Zain is the former Celtel. Services: Calls, SMS & GPRS Services.
• MTN: Services: Calls, SMS, DATA (Internet) & GPRS Services.
• Glo: Services: Calls, SMS, DATA (Internet) & GPRS Services.

CDMA

• Multilinks Telkom: Services: Calls, SMS & DATA (Internet).
• Visafone: Services: Calls, SMS & DATA (Internet).
• Starcomms: Services: Calls, SMS & DATA (Internet).

In Nigeria SMS (Short Messaging Service) is known as "Text".

[edit] Get out

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