Year in year out, millions of Nigerians take time off their busy schedules to relax and explore tourist attractions around the world. Calabar, the state capital of Cross River State, is one of Nigeria’s famous travel destinations that attracts numerous tourists from all over the world as seen during the well-known Calabar carnival. Popularly referred to as Canaan city, Calabar is home to a few of the best family vacation spots in Nigeria.
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To get more enjoyment from your family vacation to this land rich in culture, here the best places to visit in Calabar
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The Tinapa Lakeside Resort
The Tinapa lakeside resort is a tourism and business resort. This free trade zone is the least well-known of all famous vacation spots in Nigeria. Located about 45 minutes north of Calabar, Tinapa is about 80,000 square metres big. It houses an entertainment strip with a casino, an 8-screen digital cinema, children’s arcade, restaurants, a mini amphitheatre, a night club and pubs.
The amusement park in Tinapa is sure to thrill any family that visits. There is also an artificial tidal lake which feeds from the Calabar river. The popular Ebony Life TV network is just a distance from the 243-room Tinapa Lakeside Hotel.
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Calabar Marina Resort
The Calabar Marina resort is one with a fascinating history as it sits on the water mouth of Calabar. This resort stands near the old slave trade sites where an estimated 30% of slaves that left the shores of Africa were deported. In recent times, it has become a preserved historical site and recreation centre. Some of the interesting spots you’ll find here are the iconic slave history museum, hotel, restaurant, night club and a carousel for children. The view of the Calabar river seen from this holiday resort in Nigeria is extraordinary.
Some of the interesting spots you’ll find here are the iconic slave history museum, hotel, restaurant, night club and a carousel for children. The view of the Calabar river seen from this holiday resort in Nigeria is extraordinary.
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National Museum Calabar
The Calabar museum is housed in the beautiful old British governor’s building. This is one of the historical places in Nigeria and the best place to unravel the history of Calabar. The museum has a fascinating collection covering Calabar’s days as the seat of the Efik Kingdom, the slave and palm oil trade ad the colonial period.
An entrance fee of N100 will let you in to see the fascinating historical relics here. Calabar has a long history of colonial rule and this museum aptly represents the era. If you want to know about things pertaining to the colonial times in Nigeria, then the Calabar museum is your haven. Although no cameras are allowed in the museum, the antiquity, exhibits and artefacts at the museum will engage your attention for several hours.
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ALSO READ: 5 Museums You Must Visit in Nigeria
Slave History Museum Calabar
The Slave history museum in Calabar located at the marina resort is a must visit vacation spot for any family travelling to the city for the first time. This historical place in Nigeria is one of the major tributes to the hundreds of thousands of people shackled in agony and shipped away to far-away lands, never to see their homeland again. Visiting this museum walks you down memory lane of slave trade era witnessed by the people of Calabar and its environs.
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There are some artistic paintings in the gallery of the museum that will pick your interest. Also contained in the museum are the names of those who fought to stop the heinous trade and the dates each country finally agreed to abolish the trade. The statue of Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther, a former slave who became the first African Anglican bishop in Nigeria is one of the notable ones to watch out for in the museum. Did you know that Herbert Macaulay was a grandson to Rev. Ajayi Crowther? I bet you did not know. All the more reasons you should go visit this museum.
At the museum, you are sure to find history students and other people on vacations as well.
Kwa Waterfall
The Kwa waterfall is a breath of fresh air with the Kwa Sand beach nearby for a peaceful afternoon relaxation. Kwa falls is one of the most interesting places to visit in Nigeria. It is a spectacular waterfall with sparkling natural water which falls eternally through the mounds of igneous rocks on the steep gorge of the headwaters of the Kwa River. Located in Akamkpa Local Government area of Cross River state, the Kwa falls is a beautiful and serene place with good rural road access.
A deep plunge pool forms at the bottom of the waterfall. The fall is characterised by a well-arranged staircase of 234 steps from the plane down to the rest of the cloudy waters. Nature lovers will appreciate the undulating landscape as well as the tropical mangrove forest of Mahogany, Ebony and Spruce trees that surrounds the fall.
