Every
year, millions of Nigerians take time off their busy schedules to relax
and explore tourist attractions around the world. We travel EVERYWHERE.
You see us in China, Chicago, Nairobi, Canberra and everywhere in
between. With the recent woes of the Naira however, many are choosing to
look inward for their holiday destinations and even if you have no such
considerations, it’s always nice to try something new isn’t it?
Last month, Team HAI and Team MeddleLane emerged finalists at Fayrouz L’Original 2 after the semi final which
held at the Tinapa Events Centre. The real story however, was that the
show inadvertently exposed one of the best-kept tourism secrets in the world right here in Nigeria. It is the awe-inspiring city of Calabar.
Here are the top 5 attractions to see when you visit Calabar.
1. The Tinapa Lakeside Resort
This
is probably the least well-known of all of the famous attractions in
Nigeria. Tinapa is a tourism and business resort cum free trade zone
located about 45 minutes north of Calabar city. Tinapa is about 80,000
sq metres big and houses an entertainment strip with a casino, an
8-screen digital cinema, children's arcade, restaurants, a mini
amphitheater, a night club and pubs.
There
is also an artificial tidal lake that feeds from the Calabar River, and
an amusement park. Away from the 243-room Tinapa Lakeside Hotel is the
popular Studio Tinapa now home to the first Global black entertainment
and lifestyle network Ebony Life TV.
2. Marina Resort
The
Marina Resort in Calabar sits on a great historical site, the water
mouth of Calabar. It stands near old slave trade sites, where an
estimated 30% of the slaves that left the shores of Africa were
deported.
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Today,
the Marina Resort is a preserved historical site and recreation center.
Here you will find the iconic slave history museum, hotel, restaurant;
night club, a carousel for the children and extraordinary views of the
Calabar River. For the L'Original contestants who got to spend a whole
day before the show exploring Calabar, it was a truly once-in-a-lifetime
experience.
3. Calabar Museum
Housed
in the beautiful old British governor's building overlooking the river,
the museum has a fascinating collection covering Calabar's days as the
seat of the Efik kingdom, the slave and palm-oil trade, and the colonial
period. Open between 9am and 6pm daily, the Calabar Museum charges an admission fee of N100.
An
interesting part about Calabar Museum is that it was designed and
constructed in parts in Glasgow, and transported to Nigeria over a
series of shipments. Calabar has a long history of colonial rule, and
this museum represents the era. The museum has also preserved precious
papers and documents pertaining to the colonial times.
The
museum offers free guided tours during off-peak periods. You can gain
an in-depth knowledge about the colonial past of Calabar at the museum.
There is a big library that holds legal and constitutional documents in
their original forms. The upper floor has been preserved with original
furnishings of the time when it was used by colonial settlers. The
antiquity, exhibits and artifacts at the museum can engage the attention
of interested visitors for several hours. Unfortunately no cameras are
allowed in the museum.
4. Summit Hills
This
is a 367 hectare real estate development outside the city centre which
has as its main attraction the imposing International Convention Centre.
There
is also a hotel, recreational facilities, a golf course, a nature
reserve, a purpose-built hospital and residential accommodation. Summit
Hills is to put it frankly, a jaw-dropping development which when fully
completed, will herald the arrival of Calabar as a destination city in
Africa and beyond.
The
impressive mixed-use lifestyle development combines convention,
recreation, arts, culture, housing and healthcare facilities all within
an exclusive and idyllic location which is serviced by some of the most
excellent transport links in Nigeria including the Margaret Ekpo International Airport bypass and West Africa’s first completed monorail linking to the city centre, Tinapa and the Calabar Free Trade Zone.
The
train ferries passengers between Summit Hills and the Tinapa Complex,
allowing smooth access to Studio Tinapa, Tinapa Shopping Centre, and the
Tinapa Water-park.
Is that awesome or what?
5. Food. A looot of food.
Delicious
Efik/Ibibio/Anang delicacies are not in short supply here! Here in the
erstwhile land of the fattening room, food is taken very seriously. If
you want to sample the true culinary delights of Calabar, we recommend
that you leave your hotel and take a walk around the city. There are
several local restaurants and mobile food stalls offering the best of
local and regional cuisine.
For the contestants at L'Original 2, this was one of the biggest attractions of the whole experience. There were the usual favourites like Afang, Edikan-Ikong and E
A fantastic culinary experience which is better experienced than described.
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