Car hire
Exploring beyond Lagos is easiest with your own wheels — compare prices for Lagos:
Car hire in Lagos
Nigeria
Lagos
Africa's loudest, most self-assured night out.
- Best forNightlife · Culture seekers · Groups of friends
- In December32°C · 8 rainy days
- Ideal stay3–4 nights
- Approx. flying time~15h 20m from Los Angeles
Lagos, Nigeria
Open in Google Maps
Powered by Geoapify · © OpenStreetMap contributors · © OpenMapTiles
- CurrencyNGNNigerian naira
- LanguageEnglish
- Local time10:24same time as the UK
- PlugsType D / GUK plugs fit
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+234
Why go
Twenty-odd million people, a lagoon, an Atlantic beachfront and an economy that never stops improvising. The city splits between the mainland, where most of it actually lives, and the islands of Victoria, Ikoyi and Lekki, where the galleries, restaurants and bars cluster. It is loud, fast and creatively dominant across the continent, with music, film, fashion and art all running through here. Nothing about it is restful, which is rather the point.
Most visitors need a visa arranged well ahead, and a local contact makes an enormous difference to how the week goes. Traffic shapes everything, so stay on the side of the water where you plan to spend your evenings rather than crossing bridges twice a day. December is the peak social season, with prices to match. Anyone after beaches and calm should treat this as a city stop, not a holiday.
- Ideal stay
- 3–4 nights
- The vibe
- Loud, ambitious, relentlessly creative
From our guides
Lagos runs on Afrobeats and audacity, from rooftop lounges in Victoria Island and Lekki to the sweat-and-horns communion of the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, where Femi Kuti keeps his father's flame burning on Sunday nights. December — Detty December — is the season, when the diaspora flies home and the whole city becomes one long concert. Arrange drivers in advance; the traffic is part of the plot.
Featured in Ten cities where the night never really ends
Things to do
-
Nike Art Gallery
Four floors of Nigerian art in Lekki, free to enter and generous with its time, and one of the easiest introductions to the country's visual culture.
-
Lekki Conservation Centre
Protected wetland with a long canopy walkway strung above the trees, plus monkeys and monitor lizards. A genuine break from the traffic.
-
Freedom Park
A former colonial prison on Lagos Island converted into a cultural venue, with live music most weekends and outdoor tables under the trees.
-
Tarkwa Bay
A sheltered beach reached only by boat from Victoria Island, with calm water and a small settlement behind the sand.
-
Balogun Market
The sprawling fabric market on Lagos Island, best entered with someone who knows it. Wax prints sold by the yard are the thing to buy.
-
Suya after dark
Thin skewers of beef rubbed with groundnut and chilli, grilled at roadside stands late into the night. Ask for raw onion with it.
Getting there
-
Fly to
Lagos (LOS)
Nearest airport to Lagos, about 16km away as the crow flies.
-
Then
To Lagos
Murtala Muhammed International (LOS) is in Ikeja, and the drive to Victoria Island or Lekki takes anything from forty-five minutes to well over two hours depending on traffic. Arrange a driver or hotel transfer in advance.
-
On the ground
Getting around
Getting around means a car with a driver or a ride-hailing app, with the Third Mainland Bridge the usual link between mainland and islands. Lagoon boat services can beat the road at rush hour.
Public transport: Bus rapid transit corridors, a new rail line and the ubiquitous danfo minibuses all exist, but visitors almost always use booked cars.
Flights
Los Angeles Lagos, Nigeria
Fly from anywhere — search 4,000+ airports worldwide.
Roughly 15h 20m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
Check dates and prices
Pick your departure date, then your return.
Search flightsNot sure when? Compare fares across a whole month.
Flight times are estimates; prices open on Google Flights.
When to go
Daytime highs run from about 27°C in August to 32°C in February. Driest December to February; wettest in September, with rain on about 27 days.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
December32° · rain 8 daysHot with rain most weeks.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
International and regional chain hotels on the island, plus serviced apartments and boutique guesthouses. Budget options exist mainly on the mainland, and standards vary widely.
-
Best base overall
Victoria Island
The business and hotel district, with the widest choice of secure rooms, restaurants and rooftop lounges, and the shortest hops to Lekki. Traffic in and out is the daily tax.
Find stays in Victoria Island -
Best for nightlife
Lekki Phase 1
Where a great deal of the newer bar, club and restaurant scene has moved, with serviced apartments and boutique hotels alongside. Getting back across the bridge late can take an hour.
Find stays in Lekki Phase 1 -
Quietest
Ikoyi
The old residential quarter, leafy and low-key, with a few upmarket hotels and the calmest streets on the island. There is far less on your doorstep after dark.
Find stays in Ikoyi -
Best value
Ikeja GRA
On the mainland by the airport, with cheaper hotels and the New Afrika Shrine within reach. You are a long, unpredictable drive from the island's restaurants.
Find stays in Ikeja GRA
Worth knowing before you book: December, the Detty December season, books out months ahead at premium rates. Arrange an airport pickup and a driver with the hotel; the traffic makes anything else a gamble.
Search everything else in Lagos by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Visas
- Nigeria requires a visa for most visitors and the process takes time, so start it well before booking flights.
- Traffic
- Journeys are measured in hours, not kilometres. Arrange a car and driver for the day rather than hoping to hop between areas.
- Cash or card
- Cards are widely accepted in island restaurants and hotels, but keep naira in cash for markets, tips and boat crossings.
- Safety
- Standard big-city caution applies: no phones out in traffic, agree fares before setting off, and avoid walking after dark in unfamiliar areas.
- Timing
- December is the busiest and most sociable month, with flights and rooms priced accordingly. Rains peak between June and September.
Similar places
Further afield
Related articles
Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Lagos?
Daytime highs run from about 27°C in August to 32°C in February. Driest December to February; wettest in September, with rain on about 27 days.
How long should I spend in Lagos?
Our suggestion: 3–4 nights.
How do I get to Lagos?
Murtala Muhammed International (LOS) is in Ikeja, and the drive to Victoria Island or Lekki takes anything from forty-five minutes to well over two hours depending on traffic. Arrange a driver or hotel transfer in advance.
Do I need a car in Lagos?
Yes, a car makes a real difference here. Bus rapid transit corridors, a new rail line and the ubiquitous danfo minibuses all exist, but visitors almost always use booked cars.
What currency and language are used in Lagos?
Currency: Nigerian naira (NGN). Language: English. Plugs: type D and G.
Who is Lagos best for?
Best for nightlife, culture seekers and groups of friends. In a phrase: loud, ambitious, relentlessly creative.