The Lagos travel bucket list

If you are lucky enough to visit the metropolis, there is ALWAYS something to discover. The must-see and must-do list for a tourist is usually long as a day in the city hardly has you visiting a district without becoming utterly enthralled.

While the National Museum, Freedom Park, Tafawa Balewa Square, National Art Theatre, and the Oshodi Market are often a travel hit, Jovago.com, Africa’s No. 1 online hotel booking portal has created an amazing bucket list with 12 other exciting must-dos.

Lagos is famous for its beaches and most of them are located on the island. With more than thirty private and general beaches, basking in the sun is a year-long luxury. Most popular about town are the Badagry, Oniru, Elegushi and Eleko beaches. They offer a range of fun activities. From horse riding to picnics and parties, there are enough opportunities to create memories to last you a lifetime. Also, you can buy handmade crafts from local vendors as souvenirs.

It is hard to deny the appeal of a walk along this landmark in the evening, especially during weekends. The first and only cable-stayed bridge in the country, its hulking towers stand proudly across the large expanse of water that connects Lekki and Ikoyi. With a spread on the Ikoyi skyline in one direction, its a jogger’s favourite. Plus its worth taking as an alternate route when beating the evening traffic becomes a priority.

There is only one spot for Suya - on the ground floor of Mega Plaza located in Victoria Island, and they offer the best in Lagos. They also have a signboard with an inscription that cracks you up. A stick of suya costs about N500 and there are a variety to choose from: beef, chicken, liver and entrails. You can also order sharwarma and fresh juice from Sphinx while you are at it.

Jankara, quite close in proximity to the Balogun market is one of the largest hubs for local accessories and fabrics with native prints. From tie-dyed and ankara fabrics, trade beads and jewelry to pottery and home-grown clothing to herbs, traditional medicines and juju potions, they’ve got it all. The prices are relatively cheap as long as you can make a good bargain. So feast your eyes on a wide selection of accessories and purchase as much as you can.

Go-Karting is a favorite activity for the new-generation in Lagos. Join in on the trend and have fun at the GET Arena. They also serve lovely burgers at an affordable price.

The galleria houses the Silverbird cinemas. The cinema has very large screens in their showrooms and shows the best movies from Hollywood, Bollywood and Nollywood. Visit on a Wednesday for a movie with free popcorn and drinks. The tickets range from N700 to N1500. If you are lucky, you could walk on the red carpet for a movie premiere and possibly get a chance at a selfie with a celebrity, as almost all Nigerian movies host their movie premiere at the location.

Shaunz bar is an amazing spot for karaoke, live band and dance. Its popularity comes from the fact that it's well equipped for a fun night with quality speakers and touch-TV screens for your song selections. One of the thrilling benefits is that you can record your performances on a CD to take home with you . Even if you don’t have it in you to take the stage, the drinks are cheap and the people watching can rate each act from “wow” to “that’s hilarious” to “what a train wreck.” No matter the level of talent however, the entertainment factor is epic.

Muson is the best place to see a play in Lagos. They always have something showing and at different times of the day. The tickets range between N2,000 to N5,000. Enjoy a good time with friends or family. It is also perfect for a date if you just met someone.

Located at the mainbowl of the National Stadium, popular O’Jez restaurant and bar is one of oldest joints in the city. It offers a variety of meals including pepper soups, cowleg (nkwobi) and goat head sauce (isi-ewu). Enjoy these local delicacies from different Nigerian cultures in the evening, either within the facility (upstairs) or open air (downstairs). You stand a chance of running into key players in Nollywood as most of them visit the restaurant frequently.

You can have great fun with the musical Kuti family at the New Afrika Shrine. The children of the late Nigerian Legend, Fela Kuti transformed the original shrine after it was burnt down to suit the modern audience, turning it to an entertainment centre.

At each jam session, you get schooled in African politics as well as have lots of fun listening to good music, dancing, and socializing. Note that the shrine might not be suitable if you are allergic to smoke from cigarettes.

If you are a lover of good music, books, and African artwork, the Jazzhole is a haven for you. The book and record store has a lounge that offers endless Jazz and Soul. The Jazz hole, located in Ikoyi, Lagos, is one of the best music shops and cultural centers in the city and country as it showcases Africa’s strength in literature, music, arts, and more. Visit in the day for good tea and cultural lessons from the proprietor; or in the evening for the live jazz band and an opportunity to socialize.

The Ikeja City mall is one of the first malls built in the country. It holds shops as Mango, Mr. Price, Wrangler, Casabella, and Essenza. It can be fun browsing through these shops. The good thing is you can actually even try on the clothes or get free samples of the perfumes at Essenza without having to pay a thing! Also, there’s cheap food and drinks at Shoprite – the largest grocery shop in building.

This is a feature by Jovago.