After a long year of hard work, you deserve a treat and you don’t have to go as far as Dubai or London for it. For your enjoyment, we at Jovago.com have put together some fabulous vacation spots in Lagos you should consider visiting this festive period. Whether for fun, food, shopping or just relaxation, we got it all covered right here. Read on!

The Beach

The festive atmosphere dictates relaxation and the beach side is a perfect place for this. Around Christmas to New Year day, the beaches in Nigeria become the favourite destination for family picnics and fun time. The feeling of the sand beneath your feet and the chilly air will set your mind at ease as you relish in the warmth of the sun. Some of the popular beaches on Lagos Island include: Elegushi Beach, Bar Beach, Alpha Beach, Oniru Beach and Eleko Beach. You can take advantage of Christmas hotel discounts to book beach hotels in Lagos.

Ikeja City Mall

The mall hosts about 100 stores with over 25 popular brands, among which are Shoprite, Mr Price, KFC, Silverbird Cinemas, Apple, Nike and Slot – just to mention a few. You will find a lot of fun things to feed your eyes with, and you may spend hours window-shopping and buying without even realising you had spent so much time.

The most visited part of the mall is definitely Shoprite, you will often find shopping carts being hurriedly pushed into waiting vehicles and a lot of other shoppers carrying “the yellow” shopping bags, along the walkway. Note however that the mall usually witness a high influx of people during this period.

Lekki Conservation Centre

Ever thought of going on a challenging feat that may leave you sweaty and jittery? For adventure seekers, the Canopy Walkway at the Conservation Centre may pose a new rewarding challenge for you to experience nature at its peak and exercise. The Canopy walkway currently boasts as the longest in Africa and the second largest in the world, measuring 401m long and 22.5m high at its peak. It is currently a challenge most people have embarked upon only to return midway – it is not a journey for the faint hearted or Acrophobic! The centre also houses a high number of birds of different kinds and animals that you may not find at a regular place.

Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel, Victoria Island

Radisson Blu is a top hotel in Victoria Island, situated at 1A Ozumba Mbadiwe Ave. The rooms, overlooking the City skyline and Lagos Lagoon are fashioned in urban and ocean styles giving visitors stunning scenery. For lovers of seafood and all sorts of local/intercontinental dishes, the buffet session which holds daily at Voyage Restaurant in Radisson Blu Hotel provides one of the best culinary experiences. It is advisable to empty your stomach well before the buffet session so you can fill it up with arrays of sumptuous dishes as there is no room for take away.

The specs of the conference rooms and facilities have also made it one of the most sought after hotels in Lagos by organisations for seminars and workshops. Radisson Blu Hotel is close to City Mall and Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), a center for large and major events in Lagos like ‘Experience’.

Terra Kulture

Terra Kulture is a cultural centre in Victoria Island that promotes the richness and diversity of Nigerian culture, arts and languages. Paintings and sculptures by talented Nigerian artistes are beautifully displayed in the centre. At the bookshop and library, you can buy different books by African writers. There is a theatre where stage drama and musicals are performed from time to time. Also visit the Art Gallery and Craft shop to see beautiful works of art. The Food Lounge serves assorted and traditional meals like Efo Riro and Pounded Yam.

What are you waiting for? Come on! Don’t Dull! Go have some swell time!

•Rita Ohaedoghasi can be reached via rita.ohaedoghasi@jovago.com.

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