Let me be honest: Lagos isn't for everyone. It's loud, chaotic, traffic-strangled, and occasionally overwhelming. But Victoria Island — the narrow strip of land between the Lagos Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean — is where the city's creative energy concentrates into something extraordinary. Here's what to do with your time there.
Five stories of Nigerian contemporary and traditional art, housing over 8,000 works. Chief Nike Davies-Okundaye built this collection over decades, spanning textiles, painting, sculpture, and mixed media. Free entry. The rooftop has city views.
I spent two hours here and could have stayed four. The textile collection alone — indigo-dyed adire cloth, hand-woven aso-oke — is museum-quality. And unlike most galleries of this caliber, you can buy directly from the artists represented.
Pro tip: Go on a weekday morning. Weekends get crowded, and the five-floor walk-through is better without jostling.
A 78-hectare nature reserve with a 401-meter canopy walkway suspended above mangroves and forest. It sways. Your heart rate increases. The views are worth the vertigo. Entry: 1,000 NGN.
Spot monkeys, crocodiles, and peacocks from above. Early morning on weekdays is the move — weekend crowds can create literal traffic jams on the walkway. Off the Lekki-Epe Expressway, allow 2-3 hours.
Suya — spiced grilled beef on skewers — is Lagos's signature street food, and the best spots are along Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase 1. A portion costs 500-2,000 NGN depending on quantity.
The suya spice blend (yaji) varies by vendor: ground peanuts, chili, ginger, onion powder, and secret ingredients nobody will share. Eat where the queue is longest. The meat should be charred on the edges, pink in the center, and so peppery your lips tingle for an hour.
Other must-tries: jollof rice (the Nigerian version — don't tell Ghana I said this, but it's excellent), puff-puff (fried dough balls, sweet and addictive), and asun (spicy grilled goat that'll make you rethink every goat dish you've ever had).
A cultural center on Tiamiyu Savage Street combining gallery, theater, bookshop, and restaurant. The live theater performances are the highlight — Nigerian playwrights tackling contemporary themes with humor, anger, and extraordinary talent. Theater tickets: 5,000-10,000 NGN.
The restaurant serves Nigerian dishes (3,000-8,000 NGN) and the bookshop stocks African literature you won't find at home. Check their events calendar before your visit.
A former colonial prison on Broad Street, Lagos Island (a short drive from VI), converted into an open-air cultural venue. Jazz nights, Afrobeats performances, art exhibitions, and food vendors under the stars. Free entry during the day; ticketed events in the evenings.
The colonial-era architecture — arched doorways, stone walls — creates an atmospheric backdrop that's uniquely Lagos. The Wednesday and Friday night music events draw a mixed crowd of locals, expats, and in-the-know tourists.
Victoria Island's most popular beach. Buzzing on weekends with live DJs, grilled suya, cold beer, and the kind of energy that makes you forget you're an introvert. Entry: 1,000-2,000 NGN. VIP cabanas available.
The Atlantic surf is rough — this is a party beach, not a swimming beach. Don't fight the waves; dance on the sand instead. The sunset vibe with Afrobeats blasting from three different sound systems is pure Lagos energy.
The former home of Fela Kuti, inventor of Afrobeat (the genre, not to be confused with Afrobeats plural). Now a museum documenting his life, music, and activism. Located in Ikeja — not on Victoria Island, so plan for 1-2 hours of traffic.
Entry: 1,000-2,000 NGN. Small but powerful. Personal items, album covers, photographs, and the infamous underwear collection. If you know Fela's music, this is a pilgrimage. If you don't, start with "Zombie" and "Water No Get Enemy" before you go.
A permanent market on the Lekki-Epe Expressway selling woodcarvings, bronze work, beaded jewelry, textiles, and paintings. Bargaining is expected and aggressive — start at 30-40% of the asking price and work your way up.
Quality varies wildly. The bronze Benin-style heads and carved wooden masks are the best buys. Avoid anything that looks mass-produced. Allow 1-2 hours and bring cash.
Sky Restaurant & Lounge (Eko Hotel) has panoramic views of the Atlantic and the Lagos skyline. Cocktails run 5,000-10,000 NGN. The sunset from up here — the ocean on one side, the city's controlled chaos on the other — is a defining Lagos moment.
Hard Rock Cafe Lagos on Landmark Boulevard is another option, with the lagoon views and international-standard cocktails.
December in Lagos is a cultural event unto itself. International Afrobeats concerts, art fairs, film premieres, beach parties, and general celebration. Art X Lagos (November) kicks it off, and the energy carries through New Year's.
If you can visit in December, do it. If you can't, any time from November to March (dry season) works well. But December Lagos is a different animal entirely — louder, faster, more dressed up, and completely unforgettable.
Pro tip: Book accommodation and flights early for December. Prices spike 100-200% and the good spots fill up.
Use Bolt or Uber for transport (2,000-8,000 NGN within the island). Lagos traffic is legendary — avoid 7-10 AM and 4-8 PM. Get a local SIM card (MTN or Glo, ~2,000 NGN with data) at the airport immediately — you'll need it for navigation and ride-hailing.
Stay street-smart. Don't display expensive phones or jewelry. Use only registered ride-hailing apps. Victoria Island and Lekki are relatively safe, but Lagos rewards awareness.
And dress well. Lagos is the most fashion-conscious city I've been to in Africa. People notice what you wear. You don't need designer labels, but make an effort. Lagos will match your energy.
For the full live-music experience, read our story of experiencing Afrobeats in Lagos. Our complete Victoria Island travel guide has the logistics. And Accra in Ghana offers a complementary West African city experience.
