Ikoyi and Victoria Island, the best areas to stay in Lagos
Ikoyi
Ikoyi is found on Lagos Island and the neighbourhood takes up the eastern half of it, though was once separated by a small waterway that was made by the British colonial government.
Ikoyi is said to be the most affluent area of the city and is particularly liked by the wealthier population of Lagos as well as tourists and businessmen. Due to limited space, the area is now one of the most expensive parts to stay in and consist of many four-star hotels, which are found in vertical buildings that offer wonderful views over the Atlantic Ocean.
One of the major tourist attractions is Awolowo Road, which is the main high street and is lined with various stores and shops that sell luxury items and objects like jewellery, electronics, clothes, beauty products and much more. Another decent place to go shopping is the Falomo Shopping Mall, which also has a great number of shops that cover most products.
The main beach is a great one to chill and relax on as well as pursue water activities such as windsurfing, kite surfing, banana boating, paragliding and many others. Other tourist attractions include the National Museum of Nigeria, which is full of historical items and objects that have been collected in the city as well as surrounding areas. There is also an excellent Art Gallery that is found on Ikate Cross Road and is home to many pieces of art from students all the way to national status artists as well as various documentaries on Nigerian culture. Visitors can also try their hand at a range of art classes including painting, weaving, sculpting and dying and there are cultural performances for the public such as dancing and drumming, which is definitely worth a gander and be part of.
There are also numerous other activities to do in Ikoyi with the majority being sport-orientated including tennis, squash, football and swimming. There are also boat cruises, which go from the main pier that can take you around the harbour or you can rent your own vessel out too.
For nightlife, the most obvious option is to head to the Awolowo area as this is where the highest concentration of bars, clubs and restaurants are. A couple of popular places to drink are Havana and Waterside with both having stunning views over the lagoon, live music and decent food menus. This area also has a wide variety of cuisines including Nigerian, Chinese, Indian and South American dishes and for accommodation most hotels are quite expensive but usually come with a shared swimming pool and other useful facilities such as gyms.
Victoria Island
Victoria Island is home to the main business and financial centre of the city and therefore you will find many major Nigerian and international companies in this area. The Lagos Bar Beach along the waterfront offers visitors a great stroll along the promenade where you will find all sorts of performers, cafes, restaurants and shops.
The beach itself is one of the best and most popular in the city due to it being one of the cleanest and is great for swimming. The huge crowd puller for the island though is the amount of world-class malls with Silverbird Galleria and the Mega Plaza being some of the most famous.
The Mega Plaza has a massive amount of shops, which will please and shopaholic and the Galleria has shops too but focuses more on music, films and games as well as being home to five hi-tech cinemas that show the latest blockbuster movies. Other things to see on the island include the Didi Museum, which hosts exhibits on cultural artefacts, sculptures and paintings that have been produced by local, national and international artists. There are also many other sport activities that you can do including tennis, squash, football you can even go along to the Lagos Polo Club to watch a few matches.
For eating and drinking, the best area on the island is around Ajose Adeogun Street as there are various themed bars and clubs including Nigeria’s football legend, Jay Jay Okocha, owning a trendy bar and lots of live bands and DJs play. The food choice along the street is second to none with different cuisines from most of the continents that include various meat, fish and vegetarian meals. Most hotels are found along the waterfront with the majority being quite expensive but you do get treated like royalty and the rooms are incredibly spacious and have fantastic views of Lagos.
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