Friday: arrival and Phase 1
Land in the afternoon, take the airport shuttle or a booked driver (₦25,000-₦35,000 to Lekki depending on time). Check in by 5pm and do nothing ambitious. Dinner at Cilantro on Admiralty Way — the pan-Asian is genuinely good and the room is loud enough to feel like Lagos. Nightcap at Sailors Lounge on the water. Sleep in Lekki Phase 1.
Saturday: boat day
9am pickup at Five Cowries Terminal on Falomo for a boat to Tarkwa Bay. A shared speedboat is around ₦5,000 return, private charter ₦80,000-₦120,000 for the day. Tarkwa is the sheltered beach on the far side of the harbour — swimmable, calmer than Elegushi, and a full 4-hour hang with fried fish shacks and beach chairs.
Back by 4pm. Dinner at Yellow Chilli on Oyinkan Abayomi in Ikoyi for proper Nigerian — order the egusi, the plantain, and the peppered snail. Sleep in Phase 1 again.
Sunday and Monday: art, market, out
Sunday: Nike Art Gallery at 10am, Lekki Arts and Crafts Market at noon, lunch at Nok by Alara in Victoria Island (book ahead), then Kalakuta Republic Museum in Ikeja if you’re a Fela fan — long drive but worth it. Sleep one last night in Phase 1.
Monday: brunch at Cafe Neo, one last walk on the Lekki-Ikoyi bridge, and out. Fly out from 3pm onward — anything earlier risks Monday morning traffic swallowing your day.
Good to know
Is Tarkwa Bay safe for tourists?+
Yes, in daylight, going through the official Five Cowries or Falomo jetty operators. Don’t accept rides from freelancers at the water's edge — book with a known operator like Tarzan or Texas Connection.
Do I need to book restaurants in advance?+
For Nok by Alara and Shiro, yes, especially Friday and Saturday. Most others take walk-ins but expect a 20-minute wait after 8pm on weekends.