Beaches in Nigeria range from busy Lagos strips with live music to quiet river banks far from the coast, and the right one depends on how you want to spend the day. Some can be reached by road, some only by boat, and each charges and behaves differently.
This guide picks ten beaches, with the location of each, what visitors report paying, what there is to do and what to watch for. Fees change often and are reported by visitors, so confirm the amount at the gate. Abuja has no sea coast, and a short section explains what to do if the capital is your base.
Beaches in Nigeria and Their Location at a Glance
| No. | Beach | State | Reported cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarkwa Bay | Lagos | Boat ₦1,500 to ₦5,000 return, plus a small community charge |
| 2 | Elegushi Royal Beach | Lagos | ₦5,000 to ₦8,000, more at weekends |
| 3 | Atican Beach | Lagos | ₦1,000 to ₦2,000 |
| 4 | La Campagne Tropicana | Lagos | From about ₦7,000 |
| 5 | Gberefu, Point of No Return | Lagos | ₦1,000 plus ₦1,000 each way by boat |
| 6 | Ibeno Beach | Akwa Ibom | Not published |
| 7 | Port Harcourt Tourist Beach | Rivers | Not published |
| 8 | McCarthy Beach | Delta | Boat ride about ₦6,000 to ₦11,000 in an older account |
| 9 | Ndibe Sand Beach | Ebonyi | Not published |
| 10 | Patigi Beach | Kwara | Not published |
The order follows how easy each beach is to reach and how much detail visitors give about it. Landmark Beach in Lagos has closed, so it is left out. Beaches in Nigeria differ more in access than in sand, so check how you will reach each one, by road, by boat or by both, before you set a budget.
Lagos Beaches: Tarkwa Bay to Tropicana
The most popular beaches in Nigeria cluster around Lagos, where the city’s crowds and the coast meet. Our guide to beaches in Lagos and their entrance fees lists more, and these four are the strongest for a first visit.
1. Tarkwa Bay
Tarkwa Bay can be reached only by boat. Boats leave from the CMS or Marina jetties in 15 to 20 minutes, from Mekwe Jetty in about 15 minutes and from Tarzan Jetty in about 25 minutes. Shared boats are reported at ₦1,500 to ₦5,000 return, a private speedboat at about ₦150,000 per boat and the community charge at ₦200 to ₦2,000. A tent or chair costs ₦2,000 to ₦5,000. The bay has a right-hand wave that suits beginner surfers, while Lighthouse Beach next door breaks heavier to the left and has rips. Our guide to Tarkwa Bay Beach has more on getting there.
2. Elegushi Royal Beach
Elegushi, in Lekki, is one of the better-known gate-fee beaches in Lagos. It charges about ₦5,000 to ₦8,000, and weekends cost more, so ask for the weekend rate before you travel with a group.
3. Atican Beach
Atican, at Okun Ajah off Abraham Adesanya Estate Road, is the cheapest on this list at ₦1,000 to ₦2,000. It offers horse riding, volleyball and live bands from Friday, which suits a group on a budget.
4. La Campagne Tropicana
La Campagne Tropicana sits at Ikegun in Ibeju-Lekki, further along the coast than the central Lekki strip, with day access from about ₦7,000. Allow extra travel time, and check what the day fee includes.
What a Lagos Beach Day Costs
A day at Tarkwa Bay adds up to between ₦3,700 and ₦12,000 per person if you take a shared boat, pay the community charge and rent a tent or chair. The gate-fee beaches differ more. Elegushi costs four to five times as much as Atican, so a group of four pays ₦4,000 to ₦8,000 at Atican against ₦20,000 to ₦32,000 at Elegushi. Weekends cost more at several of these beaches, and The Good Beach, for example, charges ₦8,000 on weekdays and ₦10,000 or more at weekends.
Beaches Beyond Lagos: Badagry, Akwa Ibom and Rivers
5. Gberefu, the Point of No Return
Gberefu lies across the water from Badagry. A boat from Badagry takes about five minutes, and you then walk about 20 minutes across the sandy island. The guardians collect ₦1,000, and the boat costs ₦1,000 each way. The ebb and flow of the water is very strong here, so look at the sea and do not swim. Our guide on Lagos to Badagry by boat explains how to reach the town first.
6. Ibeno Beach
Ibeno, in Ibeno Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom, is often described as the longest sand beach in West Africa, and it runs about 30 km from Ibeno towards James Town. The Qua Iboe River reaches the sea here. Among the most beautiful beaches in Nigeria for sheer length, it offers water sports, beach soccer and boating. A beach party on 26 December draws thousands, and an informal board keeps the beachfront clean and safe. Try afang soup, peppered snail and fresh coconut, and look for the fishing boats at Mkpanak at dawn and in the early afternoon. The shore is busiest at peak times, so choose an off-peak time if you want space. It lies in an oil-producing area, so ask locals about conditions before you swim.
7. Port Harcourt Tourist Beach
In Borokiri, Port Harcourt, this creek-side beach has seating along the water. It is liveliest on Sundays from about 3 pm, when DJs play towards dusk. It is a creek-side spot, so expect an evening out and not open-sea surf.
River Beaches in Delta, Ebonyi and Kwara
The natural beaches in Nigeria that lie inland are riverbanks, quieter than the coast and often cleaner.
8. McCarthy Beach, Abraka
McCarthy Beach sits on the River Ethiope near the Gordon Resort Hotel at Abraka in Delta State. The water is clear and aquamarine, and visitors reach the beach by a jet boat ride of about 15 minutes. An older account put the boat at roughly ₦6,000 to ₦11,000, so treat that as a floor. Grilled tilapia is on offer.
9. Ndibe Sand Beach
Ndibe Sand Beach, in Afikpo North, Ebonyi State, has golden sand on the Cross River basin and is a popular getaway. No gate fee is published, so ask on arrival.
10. Patigi Beach
Patigi, in Kwara State, is a Niger River riverfront with fishing and boating, and visitors describe it as a romantic spot. No fee is published, so agree any boat price first.
Beaches in Abuja Nigeria
Anyone looking for beaches in Abuja Nigeria should know that the capital is inland and has no sea beach. The river beaches above, such as Patigi on the Niger, are the nearest kind of experience, so check the road distance before you plan a day trip. A river day out in Kwara or Delta makes a better weekend plan than a long chase for sea surf.
Private Beaches in Nigeria and What They Charge
Private beaches in Nigeria are mostly in Lagos and charge for a managed setting. Visitor reports put public Lagos beaches at about ₦1,000 and up, and private ones at about ₦3,000 and up. The table lists reported fees at some well-known gate-fee beaches.
| Beach | Reported fee |
|---|---|
| Barracuda | About ₦2,000 at the gate |
| Santa Cruz | ₦3,000 to ₦6,000 |
| Oniru | ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 |
| The Good Beach | ₦8,000 on weekdays, ₦10,000 or more at weekends |
| La Campagne Tropicana | From about ₦7,000 |
At Avista Beach Resort in Okun Ajah, thatched huts are reported at about ₦25,000 for 12 hours, which suits a group sharing the cost.
Beach Safety and Timing
- Do not swim where the surf is heavy, and ask lifeguards or locals about rips before entering the water. If a rip pulls you out, swim parallel to the shore and not against it.
- Tarkwa Bay is roughest from April to September.
- Night boat travel is prohibited, and the last boats leave at about 6 pm, so plan your return before then.
- At Gberefu, the ebb and flow is strong, so keep to the shore.
- Carry cash in small notes for gates, boats and vendors.
- Keep valuables out of sight and agree prices before you board a boat.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beaches in Nigeria
What are the best beaches in Nigeria?
Our ten picks run from Tarkwa Bay, Elegushi, Atican and Tropicana in Lagos to Ibeno in Akwa Ibom and the river beaches at Abraka, Ndibe and Patigi.
How much does it cost to enter a beach in Nigeria?
From about ₦1,000 at Atican to ₦8,000 at Elegushi, with extra for boats, tents and chairs.
Are there beaches in Abuja?
No sea beach, because the city is inland. River beaches in nearby states are the closest match.
Which beach is best for surfing?
Tarkwa Bay, where a right-hand wave suits beginners.
Choosing Your Beach
Pick by what you want: Atican for a cheap day, Tarkwa Bay for surf, Ibeno for space and the river beaches for quiet. Take cash, plan your boat times and check the weather before you go.
The beaches in Nigeria that repay a special trip are the ones where the journey is part of the day: the boat to Tarkwa Bay, the walk across the sand at Gberefu and the long shore at Ibeno. Keep your plan flexible, since boats and tides set the schedule more than the clock does, and confirm every fee at the gate before you pay.
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