Lagos, or Eko as popularly known by its inhabitants and Nigerians in general, with its approximately 21 million residents is the most populous city in Nigeria. The city is located in South-West Nigeria and bordered by Ogun State to the north and east, the Republic of Benin to the west, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The city, which is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and a major world economic hub, is the largest city in Nigeria.
Besides being a commercial city, the city is an important location for African cultural identity, and lots of festivals are held annually in the city. Some of the festivals Lagos is known with include Eko Carvinal, Eko International Film Festival, Seafood Festac Festival, The Lagos Jazz Series amongst others.
All these and others are the reason why Lagos is a must visit or live in for most people.
Have you decided to visit the commercial hub of the nation for business or leisure? Are you making plans to visit but don’t know how you’ll survive in the city. This piece covers all you should know about Lagos before you visit the city.
The Lagos Weather
The Lagos weather is mostly humid with a defined rainy season between March and November due to its location near the Atlantic. Though a tropical city, the humidity is a little less in December and January due to the Harmattan season Nigeria is known to experience.
With proper consideration of the weather in Lagos, the best time to visit the city, if you can choose that, would be between December and March, the harmattan season. If you wish to visit Lagos in any month outside of the mentioned months, be prepared for a rainy experience.
Lagos City is divided into two Parts
Present day Lagos is divided into two districts; the Lagos Island and the Lagos Mainland. The Island is majorly a collection of islands that are separated from each other by creeks and connected by bridges. The island is where most business activities and entertainment Lagos is known for, takes place. It has most of the largest marketplaces and residential areas. The Islands include Lekki, Ikoyi, Marina and Victoria Island.
The capital of Lagos State, Ikeja is located on the mainland and just like other cities in the mainland, is known for its music and nightlife. Some of the other places in the mainland include Surulere, Yaba, Agege, Apapa, Ikorodu, etc.
Lagos is the land of Beautiful Sandy Beaches
Lagos, as you’ve noticed by now, is a coastal city and has several sandy beaches along the shores of the Atlantic. These beaches have served as top tourist attractions and relaxations places as many people troop into the beaches for recreation and fun lifestyle. Some of these beaches include the Badagry beach, Elegushi beach, Oniru beach, Alpha beach, and many others. Few of these beaches are private beaches for individuals who love living a private life.
Transportation in and around Lagos
Lagos can be assessed by air, land or road. The state is served by Murtala Mohammed International Airport which is one of the largest and busiest airports in Africa. It is also the top international air passenger gateway to Nigeria. From this airport, Lagos State and Nigeria can be accessed from different parts of the world.
For domestic travelers with a desire to enter the busy city, road transportation is an option if you’re not able to go by air. Road transportation is the most common option for people visiting Lagos from other parts of the country. Ideally, you can make use of your vehicle or leverage the services of numerous luxury bus operators in Nigeria.
You can also enter the city by water, although most of the persons that use the water body are importers and exporters as Lagos is a major shore.
While in the city, taking a bus, taxi or ferry is the most popular mode of transportation. Lagos has one of the largest and most extensive road networks in West Africa, and various parts of the city are linked by the numerous highways and bridges in Lagos. However, be informed that the roads are usually congested during peak hours due to the population in the city.
As an option, you can hire a private car to move around. Many hotels and serviced apartments in Lagos offer this service, to make your experience superb.
The Lagos State Ferry Services Corporation runs a few regular routes between Lagos Island and Lagos Mainland. Private boats also take passengers across the lagoon and some other creeks.
Things to do, Places to Shop and Places to Eat in Lagos
Lagos offers you many fun activities and events to engage you and make your time in Lagos worthwhile. In one of our previous posts, we outlined the places of interest to visit in Lagos in 2019. This covers all the major sights of attraction in Lagos, places to have fun in Lagos, Malls and Shopping Plazas in Lagos and Places to enjoy good food in Lagos.
Where to Stay in Lagos
It’s usual for people entering Lagos for the first time to have challenges regarding where to stay in Lagos, especially when they don’t know anyone in the city or wish to stay on their own, for personal or business reasons.
To solve this challenge, numerous hotels and luxury apartments offer accommodation services to individuals who wish to have a place to put their head. From the biggest hotel in Lagos to the smallest one, they all offer short let accommodation services that you can trust.
With the boom of the population and the increasing privacy needs of accommodation seekers, serviced apartment providers like Nimbis Nook Apartments provide serviced apartments in Lekki and other parts of Lagos. These apartments which can be short let apartments where you pay monthly rent in Lagos or according to your duration have revolutionized accommodation in Lagos.
A note of warning!
Be careful while going about renting accommodation in Lagos because Lagosians know a JJC (Johnny Just Come) and doesn’t waste a second to defraud you.
For safety, you can contact us to assist you with luxury serviced apartments in Lagos.
