By Sam Adeleke
Looking for an authentic experience of African elegance and sophistication? Think La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort. Yearning for that unique, inimitable mix of nature, culture and nurture? Think La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort. Welcome to Nigeria’s first 65-acre beach resort, home to the world’s longest swimming pool! Yes, you read that right, it is the world’s longest swimming pool, a majestic piece of art and architecture with a mind blowing length of 120metres.
Tucked away from the fast-paced hustle and bustle of the Lagos mega city, La Campagne Tropicana is an African themed 4-star resort that prides itself as the only resort in Nigeria with a blends of traditional hospitality with intercontinental outlook, thanks to its serene coastal location at Ikegun village, in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos state, Nigeria.
La Campagne Tropicana was founded in 1984 by Otunba Wanle Raphael Akinboboye, and it has grown in leaps and bounds ever since. Over the years, the resort has excelled in its management of nature’s complimentary gifts – the fresh water lake, an accessible mangrove forest, and the pristine sandy beach.
So how does it feel like to enjoy La Campagne in twenty hours?
Sometime in early 2017, we contemplated on a team bonding exercise at the office. We needed a day off work to refuel and rejig. Then we laid all cards on the table, weighing the various getaway options we had in Lagos. At the end, La Campagne Tropicana carried the day. Why? No other destination had the serene, peaceful and traditional African hospitality we desired in a getaway La Campagne.
The D-Day came and we set off that Friday morning. For many of us on the team, it was our first trip to La Campagne, so the anticipation was high and the excitement at fever pitch. Accessing the resort is pretty easy. Depending on the Lekki Epe Expressway traffic, La Campagne is ideally a 1.5 hour drive from Victoria Island/Lekki axis and 2.5-hours from the Lagos mainland. Watch out for the Eleko Beach junction after driving past the new Ajah bridge, Abraham Adesanya Estate Roundabout, Lagos Business School, Corona School and Coscharis Motors. If you are not sure of the junction, don’t hesitate to ask. The folks there are friendly. However you can also rely on your smartphone map apps to get you there.
We arrived the resort in good time and made our way to the reception. As we entered, a traditionally-clad lady accosted us with the resort’s signature Yoruba greeting, welcoming us to La Campagne in style. We were asked if were on a day trip or passing night, then tea was offered. Ideally, visitors are usually offered free calabash of palm-wine to calm down after the long drive to the resort, but unfortunately we weren’t.
Talking about entry fees, the gate pass is currently N5000 per adult – without corkage or N6000 with corkage. In other words, if you’re bringing food and drinks you will have to pay more, as against coming in with no food and drinks. Gate fee for Teenagers and Children are N3,000 and N1,500, respectively. You can however call the resort ahead to negotiate for discounts if you’re coming with a large group. For solo and day trippers, the price might not go lower than that. But hey, never say never.
Back to my story. We finished the checking in formalities at the reception, hopped into our cars and drove about 500 metres into the resort from the gate. And guess what? We were mesmerized by the facilities we met on ground. It was everything we hoped and longed for. The resort parades 29 amazing chalets with African-themed room categories such as Kodi, Osho, Obi-Eze, Obailerigi, Anago, Ilerimi and Lava. The cheapest goes for N60,000 per night or $165/night. And trust me, it was worth every kobo!
We checked into the Kodis and Obi-Eze. They had king-size beds and world class bathroom facilities, wireless internet connection, complete with mini-bars, additional two-storey double beds, and well-equipped kitchen with tea and coffee facilities. A very fascinating thing about each apartment was the idea of using talking drums instead of doorbells or intercoms as mode of communication to the resort’s staff. What a vivid reminder of traditional African village settings where drums played significant communication roles in their daily lives. Meanwhile, luxury tents for camping are also available on request.
So we settled in, rested for about an hour and headed to the resort’s restaurant. It was christened ‘Ebi-Oh!’(a Yoruba phrase for ‘I’m so hungry!’). Nothing could be more perfect! Thankfully, a sumptuous lunch buffet was already waiting for us. It was a delicious combo of continental and traditional cuisine. We were so hungry and famished from the long trip and check-in stress that we literally digged in with reckless abandon. And yes, the food was good. Really good!
For those who prefer room service at hotels and resorts, please ditch the idea at La Campagne. Nothing can be compared to having your meal under a thatched roofed restaurant with the ocean view, accompanied with sea breeze and soft traditional music. It’s priceless and therapeutic. There’s nothing like it!
We were also fascinated by the “Yoru’Bar”, one of the many bars at the resort. It was a beautiful word play on the Yoruba tribe name. Palm wine, local beer and the regular soft drinks are all available.
After lunch, we rested for a few minutes and headed out for some recreational activities. We had a whole range of options to choose from which include canoeing, quad biking, hiking, horse riding, beach volleyball, beach football, snorkelling and ocean water fishing. You can’t possibly do all in a day.
As we trudged along the beach to the Kayaking spot, two fascinating attractions caught my attention. The first is SIMI (a Yoruba word for REST), a set of gorgeous beach beds that can be rented for the day or night. It’s a bespoke concept in beach relaxation where couples can cuddle in small nest-like rooms built just few inches away from the sea. Each of the SIMIs are complete with a small dining tables, beds draped in mosquito nettings, and electric sockets to charge your phone and gadgets. An open shower area is also attached to each SIMI. To rent a SIMI, you’ll need to part with N10,000 for a day time experience and N25,000 for an overnight stay.
The second attraction that caught my fancy is the resort’s 120-metre swimming pool by the beach. It is the longest of its kind in the world, with small islands within and pool bars on the side-lines. The sight was grand and alluring, the stuff of creative ingenuity.
After some selfies with the SIMIs, we moved on to the games arena. We were so pumped about Kayaking that we couldn’t wait to get into the water and sail away into the Mangroves. At N1,000 per head, the instructor eased me into the kayak after ensuring my life jacket is properly strapped to my body. You need to experience it to understand the feeling.
How blissful and rapturous it was! Sailing, paddling and gliding through the mangrove waters of La Campagne. Now some of the Kayaks could take more than one person, so we had the instructor join those who were scared to paddle and sail solo. In all, it was a beautiful ride. The tide was calm and the sun provided a picturesque backdrop for stunning photo ops.
Next on the list was horse riding. Not many of us were interested in it though. One of us hopped on the horse, riding and galloping with swag and suave. At some point she started panicking when the horse started shaking its body. Before we could say Bingo, she suddenly switched to her local language yelling at the horse owner to bring her down. We laughed and laughed till our bellies started aching. What a funny sight it was!
She finally got down from the horse and joined us on the beach pitch for football. The sun was beginning to set at this point. Two female captains emerged and each chose their teams. The game started on a beautiful note, boys and girls running around chasing a ball into the net. After ten minutes, everyone started panting.
It was a funny but sorry sight! Even after pausing to catch our breath, we still couldn’t continue with the high energy required for the game. We had to stop and call it a day. It was a fun-filled experience after all. Goals were scored, banters were thrown and everyone had enjoyed themselves to the fullest.
Done with group activities, everyone departed to explore the resort individually. For me, I did my favourite pastime, which is running towards the ocean, squealing and yelling, then running away as the waves chase me back to shore. Childish stuff, right? You bet! And while I was at it, others went for a beach walk, some went swimming and a few just retired to their apartments to rest.
Other activities we didn’t have time to explore include Catapulting, Beach and water volleyball, Skiing, Kick Boxing, Canoeing, Boat riding, Quad Biking, Archery, Table Tennis, Pool/Snooker, Ocean water fishing, Aqua Aerobics.
Dinner was on point. As expected, the food was rich in variety. And yes, it was a buffet. Just like lunch, dinner was even more romantic, thanks to the dimly-lit lanterns in the thatched tent. The ocean waves and breeze made it all the more alluring. What else can one ask for in life?! Dinner was simply bliss!
The next morning, we had breakfast at ‘Ebi Oh’ restaurant. As we walked in, a live band was already on standby, dishing out a mix of Afro, Reggae and High Life Yoruba music. We watched and enjoyed them as we munched breakfast. The music got to a crescendo that two of us got up to dance with the band when they couldn’t resist the urge anymore. What a memorable experience it was! Breakfast like no other! A perfect way to end our getaway at La Campagne Tropicana.
On a final note, if you are concerned about safety and security, La Campagne Tropicana is guarded by trained security personnel 24/7/365. So you’re safe across board. If you also need security escorts, car hire services and airport transfers, La Campagne is poised to provide these services upon request. Now you can say La Campagne Tropicana three times without blabbing!
*****
Sam Adeleke is a travel and tourism professional and the CEO of TravelWithSam.com. He worked with Afro Tourism from 2014 to 2019. This article was originally published in S.E.E. AFRICA Nigeria edition.
