Port Harcourt is a gulf city and capital of Rivers State in the Niger Delta area of South South Nigeria and is the centre for the oil industry in the country. English is generally spoken, but Ikwerre (the indigenous language) is also spoken, and Pidgin English is widely spoken across all demography, as found in most parts of the country.
Understand
Get in
By plane
- Port Harcourt International Airport, PHC. There are now direct flights from Europe operated by Air France and Lufthansa. It is also less than an hour in the air if you fly in via Lagos or Abuja.
By train
Rail service to Port Harcourt is limited to a once-weekly train from Kano, via Kaduna run by Nigeria Railway Corporation. The terminus 1 Port Harcourt Central railway station is on Station Rd.
By car
By bus
By boat
- From Nembe by ferry.
Get around
See
- 1 Borokiri Market. by the Bonny Jetty where seafood is sold.
- 2 Port Harcourt Zoo, Peter Odili Rd, Trans Amadi 500003, ☏ 234 8168990035. 0800-1800 Su-F, 0800-1830 Sa. Home of the wasted horse and emaciated lion. ₦ 200.
- 3 Port Harcourt Pleasure Park (Between Army Bori Camp and Airforce base junction), ☏ 234 9094444006. Port Harcourt's tourism investment project and as such probably its main attraction, a park with amusement rides and boat rides, waterways, gardens, playgrounds, restaurant/bar and concert venues.
- Izumini River - an hour's drive outside of the city
Do
Learn
Buy
- 1 Mile Three Market, Ikwerre Rd, Woji, ☏ 234 8159556960. 0600-2200. Port Harcourt's biggest street market. You could probably get lost here. Mile One Market down the road burned down a while back, but should be back now too.
- Fabrics
- Traditional carvings and paintings
- Hand tooled leather boxes and trunks of all shapes and sizes
Eat
Rice, egusi soup with eba or fufu, pounded yam, papper soup, ogbono soup.
Budget
Suya - A kind of spicy meat kebab. Available at the side of any road cooked over charcoal. Wash it down with a Coke, called locally a mineral, or a bottle of the local Guinness or Maltina.
Mid-range
- 1 Spice Route, First floor, Mall Spar, 1 Azikiwe Rd, ☏ 234 8080233092. This Asian fusion restaurant in the Old GRA district offers nice views from its balcony at the mall and doubles as a club for when you want to socialize and drink.
- 2 BCON Restaurant and Hotel, No: 2 yola street, off Nzimiro, amadi flat, Old GRA, ☏ 234 8033275343. 0800-2230. Buffet and a la carte international cuisine and bar next to pool at a hotel.
Splurge
Drink
There is great night life here.
Try Cheers Bar in GRA every Sunday! Place is absolutely packed with guys and girls being treated to awesome music by Nick and Smart. Food is great, service is friendly and the beers are cold!
Also on weekends Wine Bar, Bunga Villa (as the locals call it) and Aristo House are great!
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
- 1 Hotel Presidential, Aba Road, ☏ 234 84 901307. A locally owned hotel, centrally located.
- Mina Hotels is a relatively nice and clean place - the rooms are quite large and do not have that "wet" and old smell other hotels in this price range usually have.
- 2 Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Danag (Swiss Spirit Hotel & Suites Port Harcourt), 79 Ken Saro Wiwa Rd., ☏ 234 703 746-1745, ✉[email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 10:00. 144 rooms & suites along the city's commercial district on the formerly known Stadium Road. From US$50.
- 3 SS3 Boutique Hotel, 10 Raymond Morgan street Phalga, 500001 (in the Rainbow Town district of PH), ☏ 234 7049000123. This is like a cozy compound with a pool sporting a fountain plus hot tub, spa, a/c, wifi, restaurant, and free breakfast. Parking might be kind of tight. ₦ 12359.
Splurge
Le Méridien and Novotel are the two hotels in town which offer high-quality accommodations.
- 4 [dead link]Le Méridien Ogeyi Place, 45 Tombia Street, ☏ 234 84 461770, fax: 234-84-461771.
- 5 Hotel Novotel Port Harcourt, 3 Stadium Road, ☏ 234 84 461540, ✉[email protected].
- Swiss International Mabisel - Port Harcourt (Swiss International Mabisel Hotel), No. 9 Mabisel Avenue, Off Peter Odili Rd., ☏ 234 905 388-6166, ✉[email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 10:00. Well-appointed and comfortable rooms. Its state of the art facilities, and exquisite bars and dining options. From US$ 80.
Connect
You will hardly be able to find your way in Nigeria especially in Port Harcourt unless you have been provided earlier direction.
Stay safe
Port Harcourt is the centre of oil business in Nigeria. Some people have a strong feeling that the oil is "stolen" from them by local government in cooperation with foreign companies. There are frequent riots, worker strikes and regular reports of kidnapping.
Some bars and clubs, nevertheless, seem relatively safe even during the night.