Ten things to do when visiting Omu Resort

If you’re looking for a Lagos resort that doubles as a zoo, wonderland, water sports area, playground and all round mad-cap fun, Omu Resort is the place to be. The only problem you’ll have, finding the energy to partake in the numerous activities at this gorgeous facility.

When living in a city like Lagos, it's hard to find new places to explore

or holiday activities that won’t leave you feeling like blah. Nigeria doesn’t have many hotspots for tourist attractions and the few that exist in Lagos seem to be beaches, nightclubs and restaurants. This holiday, try something new that features activities both on land and water for kids and adults alike.

Getting to Omu Resort

Omu Resort is located in Ibeju Lekki. I was visiting with my sister on a Saturday and we thought it was one of the areas in the Lekki vicinity. When we got to CMS, we asked a bus driver for direction and he told us it was after Ajah. People who live on the mainland believe that anything after Ajah is a journey on its’ own.

We were coming from Surulere and had already gotten this far. How much longer could it be right? Sadly, it was quite a distance, about 3 hours with traffic (the return journey home lasted two hours). If you’re visiting from the mainland, leave on time, depending on how far away from the Island you live.

What are the best attractions at Omu Resort?

By the time we got to the resort, we were a bit tired from sitting in public transport for such a long time. However, the serene environment and friendly staff at the reception area helped to boost our mood and put us in good spirits to explore.

Go-karting

Once we paid our ticket fare which was N6,000 for platinum and an extra N2,000 for paintballing, we headed straight to the Go Karting section, on the right side of the entrance. The vehicle was in top shape and an instructor was on hand to guide. Left was to break, right to accelerate, two strikes and you’re out!

Zoom!!! I was off, but the steering was harder than I expected and I crashed right into the tyres on the side. Instructor rushes over to help me and says “that’s strike one, another strike and you’re off the tracks”. Ok Boss… I raced off and had fun navigating the track. As we were rounding up, the girl collecting tickets announced that the male lion in the zoo would be fed by 4:30 pm. Our next activity was set

The zoo

I had never been to a zoo before. The one we have in Abuja is a joke, to be honest. (Abuja Zoological garden at Area 1). This place was much better. Parents, children and even workers at the resort started running to the zoo because everyone wanted to watch the live show where the lion would hunt and eat a goat. I was among the runners mind you. I would see a lion for the first time and watch him feed, it didn’t get any better than that! The area was packed, I could barely get close enough for a glimpse.

The lion sat on one side, observing the throng of people coming to pay a visit. Suddenly it sprang up and made a short dash towards the area I was standing. People scrambled away, even with an impenetrable cage to secure the lion. I took the opportunity to make my way forward. The first thing I noticed was the healthy look of the lion, it was well fed and properly looked after.

A man arrived with a goat, coerced the lion inside his lair and dropped the goat in the outer part of the cage. You could have heard a pin drop in that moment. The cage was unlocked and the lion sprang forth. In three short leaps, it had cornered the goat, sunk its claws in the jugular of the goat and killed it. Show over.

We moved on to see other animals in the zoo, it was an impressive number. I saw a spotted hyena (looked exactly like the dumb pack from the Lion King movie), lynx, civet, chimpanzee, monkeys, cobras, pythons, crocodiles, alligators, peacocks, ostrich, horse, donkey and many animals with names I can’t remember.

Kayaking

When we came out of the zoo area, we felt high on the experience and wanted something that required physical activity. We walked up a bit and found the kayaking area where people were paddling boats in pairs or singles. Looked like fun so we got in.

it wasn’t easy for me as I struggled to steer the boat in the direction I wanted. The challenge, however, was the best part and I was sweating buckets mid-way through the journey. My sister, on the other hand, was a pure natural, she had finished and was already eyeing the paintballing section by the time I was going halfway.

Food

We didn’t bring any food but I felt confident there was something to eat around. Crowds of friends gathered for birthday parties, families having fun under canopies, the scent of all the food was making my stomach growl. You can bring your own food and drinks to the resort. There are many canopies and chairs for families to relax and enjoy the day. We found food at a spot beside the Go-kart section. After polishing off a shawarma with coke I was ready for more.

Archery

My next port of the call was archery. I watched it during the 2016 Olympic games and was fascinated by the precision and skill the athletes displayed. Could this be my missed calling? An instructor showed me a few tips and the scoring system. Hitting the white part is zero, black -10, blue- 20, red-30 and yellow-40. I hit the blue twice. Yaay me!

Amusement park

The rides at the amusement park are suitable for adults and kids alike. I didn’t get on the Tilt a Whirl because I just ate (wasn’t going to waste my N1,000 shawarma on vomit). The chair swing ride looked like easy fun and that’s’ what I tried. We were in the air for about 5 minutes, swinging. It was freeing and exhilarating.

Other attractions at the resort

I went on a swing, ok…several swings, tried to be like Oliver Queen but I jumped down after the second set (guess I need more strength training). There wasn’t enough time for paintballing so we kept our pellets for the next time we visited.

You should definitely try Quad Biking, it’s more fun than Go Kart because you have extra room to explore, the controls are easier and best of all…speed baby! Take your kids to SeaWorld to view different species of fish including Shortnose, Abadin, Marble Knide and the African lungfish.

Go for a swim in the wave pool. A swimming pool with artificial waves raining down torrents of water on you. Most people forget to bring a swimwear so it’s mostly kids you’ll find in the area.

Other attractions I saw but didn’t have time to explore include Mini golf area (beside the go-kart arena), wax museum (ask the people at the reception to direct you), horse riding, the butterfly sanctuary and roller skating.

Conclusion

The tragedy for most attractions is Nigeria is poor management and continuity. Omu resort has stayed in business for about 7 years and remains a gem hidden in the idyllic village of ibeju Lekki. For a truly remarkable experience, budget to spend around N10,000 on rides and attractions. There is Shoprite store not far from the venue so get some snacks and drinks on your way. Every visit is winner with the plethora of activities available to you.