Lagos with older teens/young adult

Travellingwithteens · 2024-05-08T18:17:26+00:00

What things can I plan to do with DC (17&19) while staying in Lagos this summer? I'm happy to use buses, trams, trains etc and I've looked online for a few ideas but I am just going around in circles and thought I'd ask here for ideas from people who have actually been

Thelondonone · 08/05/2024 19:18

Portugal?

BathTangle · 08/05/2024 19:18

Lagos Nigeria or Lagos Portugal??

KomproMatilda · 08/05/2024 19:18

No, Nigeria!

Original poster

Travellingwithteens · 08/05/2024 19:19

Portugal! Sorry 😂

OP posts:

Original poster

Travellingwithteens · 08/05/2024 19:20

Its my first holiday as a single parent. I'm not brave enough to travel that far!

OP posts:

BathTangle · 08/05/2024 19:26

There's a great waterpark near Lagos. There are lots of beautiful beaches (family oriented on the south coast, more wild and surfer places over on the west coast.) We like Sagres and Cape St Vincent lighthouse for a day out, or drive up to Monchique and Foia mountain. I don't know about public transport to these places though as we've always had a car.

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 19:39

The snorkeling is amazing. Not on the main beach, if you take a right and go to the smaller cove. Also you can go on group kayaking trips (or boat trips if that seems too much like hard work!) around all the caves and grottos which are gorgeous. They do glass bottomed boat trips too but I've never been on one of those.

How long are you there for? If it's only a week I'd be tempted to just stick around Lagos - there's plenty to do in the town, the gold church, the museum, the fort, walking along the front and out on the pier, lots of amazing seafood restaurants and little boutiques and curiosity shops, lots of pretty little winding streets to wander around. It's also a very 'cool' backpacker type place full of young people from all over the world and bars etc aimed at them, so depending on your teens they may want to go out together at least one evening while you chill.

If you're going for longer I can make some other recommendations. I lived on the Algarve for five years as a teen (not in Lagos but not too far away), sister and her family still live there and Lagos was and still is my favourite place!

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 19:41

BathTangle · 08/05/2024 19:26

There's a great waterpark near Lagos. There are lots of beautiful beaches (family oriented on the south coast, more wild and surfer places over on the west coast.) We like Sagres and Cape St Vincent lighthouse for a day out, or drive up to Monchique and Foia mountain. I don't know about public transport to these places though as we've always had a car.

Omg yes you HAVE to go to the Slide and Splash waterpark! It's a proper day out and so much fun

Original poster

Travellingwithteens · 08/05/2024 19:44

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 19:39

The snorkeling is amazing. Not on the main beach, if you take a right and go to the smaller cove. Also you can go on group kayaking trips (or boat trips if that seems too much like hard work!) around all the caves and grottos which are gorgeous. They do glass bottomed boat trips too but I've never been on one of those.

How long are you there for? If it's only a week I'd be tempted to just stick around Lagos - there's plenty to do in the town, the gold church, the museum, the fort, walking along the front and out on the pier, lots of amazing seafood restaurants and little boutiques and curiosity shops, lots of pretty little winding streets to wander around. It's also a very 'cool' backpacker type place full of young people from all over the world and bars etc aimed at them, so depending on your teens they may want to go out together at least one evening while you chill.

If you're going for longer I can make some other recommendations. I lived on the Algarve for five years as a teen (not in Lagos but not too far away), sister and her family still live there and Lagos was and still is my favourite place!

Ah this is very helpful thank you! We are there for 2 weeks and more than happy to travel a bit. I've already told them they can go and do their own thing together as they were worried about me being on my own but I'm quite looking forward to it.

Starting to write my list of things to do now!

OP posts:

Original poster

Travellingwithteens · 08/05/2024 19:45

The snorkeling is amazing. Not on the main beach, if you take a right and go to the smaller cove

Do you know the name of the cove? We do like snorkeling

OP posts:

Original poster

Travellingwithteens · 08/05/2024 19:46

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 19:41

Omg yes you HAVE to go to the Slide and Splash waterpark! It's a proper day out and so much fun

Show quote history

Is it good for older teens? We've been to a couple before which weren't that great so they're both a bit wary when it comes to waterparks

OP posts:

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 20:20

I think it's Praia dos Estudantes. You have to either walk through a kind of tunnel to get there in low tide or swim in high tide.

Praia do Camilo is gorgeous too.

Original poster

Travellingwithteens · 08/05/2024 20:25

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 20:20

I think it's Praia dos Estudantes. You have to either walk through a kind of tunnel to get there in low tide or swim in high tide.

Praia do Camilo is gorgeous too.

Thank you. I've just looked at both and they look amazing with the tunnels. My two will love that

OP posts:

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 20:36

Travellingwithteens · 08/05/2024 19:46

Is it good for older teens? We've been to a couple before which weren't that great so they're both a bit wary when it comes to waterparks

Show quote history

I loved it as a teen and love it still 😆 (and have also been to some terrible ones!). A lot of the rides are really quite scary (very high, very steep, very fast etc) and are really aimed more at teens than at children (if that was the issue with the others?). Several are set up so you race each other which is fun. My 24 yr old nephew and his mates still all go in the summer!

IamaRevenant · 08/05/2024 20:48

Train travel in Portugal is really good - very cheap and usually very reliable. If you're there two weeks I would recommend a day trip to Silves which I think is like £5 return and about 40 mins away, it's not on the coast so a bit different. There's a castle on the top of the hill it's set on and lots of history - Silves is the old Moorish capital. They also have a Medieval Fair in the middle of August every year which can be good fun if that coincides with when you'll be there.

Sagres as mentioned by a PP is also lovely, it's a bit further but as I recall the train goes a pretty scenic route along the coast so that in itself is kind of a trip out.

I'm assuming a hire car isn't an option? If it was I'd suggest Monchique in the mountains but I suspect that might be a pain by public transport...