Planning a Perfect Day of Sightseeing In Lagos

The dozens of popular sights and attractions located within Lagos metropolis, including historic sites, museums, art centers, shopping hubs, and hip neighborhoods, makeLagos an absolute option for a  retreat. If planning a vacation to Lagos or any other destination has cost you quite an amount of bucks, you will certainly want to get our money’s worth. Naturally, you would come up with exhaustive itineraries, carefully structured to achieve an all-out bang-for-the-buck by occupying every spare minute of the vacation. 

However, there are certain risks pertaining  to planning a day of sightseeing that can ruin your trip if you do not planning careful. In that regard,Jovago.com, Africa’s No. 1 online Hotel booking portal, has 5 tips we believe every traveler should consider while planning a day of sightseeing in Lagos.

Do not over-schedule.

Most times, when you are visiting a place, especially if it is your first time or you feel it’s a one-off trip, you are anxious to see everything a destination has to offer as you are afraid that you may never return. As a result, you cram up your schedule and end up stressed, unhappy and exhausted at the end of the day. You probably might not even remember all you’ve seen. You need to resist succumbing to the fear, instead do your research in advance, focus on those activities and attractions that truly appeal to you. Take it easy, it is not a task, but a vacation – your time off. Lagos is a very large city with abundant sights and this can be overwhelming. Understand that you cannot possibly see it all, at least not in a day or even a week.

Carry some change in local currency

In Lagos, it pays to always have a bit of change with you at all times, as there is a high chance you will need it to for a smooth outing. While admissions into most of the tourist sites and attractions are free, there are still some where you might find that little unexpected payments are required. For instance, almost all the beaches would request a token for parking space or entrance. Also, the Policemen you encounter on the roads might decide to ‘celebrate’ you and you would be required to ‘grease their elbows’. Furthermore, it is important that the change is in local currency – Naira. While the dollar, pounds or any other foreign currency may seem enticing, Nigerians prefer to work with what they know and are used to. Offering foreign currency might suggest to them that you are trying to swindle them or avert making payments requested or required. Again, if you are lucky to find someone willing to change the currency, the rate might be ridiculously higher than the norm. Also note that ATM cards might not be a good idea either as not all these sites have the POS machine.

Plan for intemperate weather.

More often than not, Lagos exhibits extreme weather conditions. Consider the climate where you are headed, and then plan realistically. Depending on the time of the year you are visiting, it is essential to have protective accessories for relevant weather conditions. If you are visiting from November to May, it would be smart to pack sunscreen, a sunhat, hand towel and a bottle of water before going off on your tour; and if it is from late May to late September, you might want to pack an umbrella, shower cap, raincoat, rain boots/wellies and possibly a piece of paper with the contact of a boatman, as who knows, you might need a ferry to move around the streets. There is no reason a rainy day or a scorching sunny day should put a damper on your vacation.

Pack light

Ensure you take along only the essentials – wallet, cell phone, guidebook, maps, bottled water, IDs, sunscreen, portable umbrella, etc. Also make sure it all fits in just one bag. Too many bags will not only get tasking and tiresome in the long run, but might attract attention, and you do not want undue attention while touring Lagos.

Keep your cell phone handy.

The worst thing that could happen to any tourist in Lagos is getting lost or disoriented without a cell phone. The cell phone is essential as it  enables you to keep track of your movements (with help of Google Map and GPS tracker), make confirmations on a destination as per hours, directions, or admission and also stay connected with your travel companions, local contacts and even hotel staff. It could serve as a camera as well, with which you could make videos  and take pictures of things you find interesting.  Carry your phone with you, even if you don’t plan to use it. You may want to turn it off and use it only when you want or need to, to conserve battery power (especially if you do not have a power bank). If your cell phone doesn’t work here in Lagos, you can rent one or get a new SIM card, they are very cheap here.