Camping At The Beach In Lagos!

I am always eager to discover new spots in Lagos and as my friends and I approached Tarkwa Bay which is ten to 15 minutes away on any jetty from Lagos Island for surfing lessons (another thing you didn’t know you could do in Lagos) I was eager to discover what this destination holds. On getting there, I ran off with another friend to check out the newly erected hotel in sight as I knew I wasn’t going to surf.

We were welcomed by a, “Please ring the bell” sign and we tugged on the twine attached to the bell.  After a few tugs, the manager of the facility approached us and we told her we were interested in viewing the hotel. She obliged and took us around. Alas! We were introduced to Jaybee Beach Camp which has purpose built beach cabins as accommodation for anyone who wanted to spend the night at the beach. There are a total of three cabins on the premises with each cabin accommodating a maximum of six people.

Upon Arrival

It was a one of a kind experience…an experience you ordinarily wouldn’t get in this part of town. Located right in the middle of Tarkwa Bay and Lighthouse Beach, the sound of the waves from the deck of the cabins is sure to help you relax and forget all about the chaos and traffic of the city. Without a doubt, going to the beach is relaxing but spending the night at the beach? Relaxation on steroids!

Tip: You are probably sceptical about spending the night at the beach in Lagos, but there is adequate security in this facility. There was no guard when we made enquiries but be sure to request a guard when you want to spend the night. We got an armed guard and everyone felt safe.

What’s in the cabin?

The cabins were very comfortable and had everything you ask for, beds, pots, pans, cutlery, fridge, fans, grill, fire place and even Wi-Fi! The owner of the cabins is definitely an experienced camper and he ensured everything needed for camping was put in place. The facility also houses a lovely restaurant, which serves decent meals. You are allowed to bring in food or drinks if you don’t intend to buy food at the restaurant. This comes at no added cost.

Tip: If you intend to spend the night at the cabins, do not bother with bringing your cookware or silverware. We packed all these and realized they were not necessary as the facility provided everything. They just ended up being excess baggage.

What did we get up to?

Our itinerary was packed and engaging. We kicked off with everyone getting settled in their cabins and getting acquainted with the environment and comments like “This doesn’t even feel like Lagos”, “I cannot believe we are 15 minutes away from the traffic and madness in the city”, “One night is too short!” were shared. We spent some time at the beach sipping on coconuts and playing games. We also had water guns and the guys interested in surfing took an hour surfing lesson and we left the beach at about 6 pm. Night time, we roasted marshmallows by the bonfire set up by the facility.  After which we had barbeque chicken, fries and sausages for dinner.

The morning after we set out to Lighthouse Beach for some yoga and meditation. It was the perfect weather and scenery to stretch out our tensed muscles from a stressful work week.

Tip: Go with friends and be sure to take your own entertainment, as Tarkwa Bay doesn’t have a lot except surfing and volleyball. The jet skis and quad bikes are all privately owned. However, the manager at the beach camp stated getting quad bikes and fishing trips are in the works. Hopefully this will be put in place when you visit.

Tarkwa Bay itself is a vibrant beach, with no water sports, but vibrant nonetheless. If people watching, soaking in the sun and sipping on coconuts is your thing, you will definitely love this beach.