Weekend Getaway In Lagos: Jaybee Beach Camp At Tarkwa Bay

As with most adventures that involve money leaving my pocket these days, Cassie brought up the idea of going to Jaybee Beach Camp to spend a night camping on the beach, having fun by a bonfire and just generally forgetting the daily struggle that comes with living in Lagos.

It didn’t fit into my budget at the time so we decided to shift the staycation to August. Come August, we started calculating the cost of the staycation and it didn’t fit into both our budgets so we decided to throw it open like we did The Lakehouse Vacation and after a few back and forths, increasing our original number of 5 because quite a number of people were interested, we had more women join us to share the cost and fun.

Jaybee Beach Camp is located on Tarkwa Bay and is accessible by boats from various locations, each with its own price point. We paid 1 000 Naira each for a boat from Bonny Jetty also known as Checking Point, it is right at the back of the American Embassy and a few meters away from Bonny Cantonment.

Locating it was a struggle for most people but after sharing live locations on WhatsApp a couple of times, everyone made it to the Jetty and we were on our way. The boat takes a maximum of 8 people so we had to use two.

We rented two cabins for two nights at 100 000 Naira per cabin. On the Jaybee Beach Camp website, they indicated that a cabin is suitable for 6 people but there’s a sleeping arrangement to fit 9.

There are 2 beds for 4 people to share, 2 convertible couches, 2 roll out mattresses and an inflatable bed. The cabin has a very rustic feel to it and is built on stilts with the bathroom/toilet located below.

The view was a bit disappointing as I expected it to overlook the ocean as stated on their website but in reality, most of the view is an ongoing construction site and expanse of sand. There is a mini garden surrounding the cabins with sturdy swings and benches.

There is the Tarkwa Cafe to cater to food and drinks at Jaybee Beach Camp but that didn’t stop us from bringing our own cereal and drinks to cut down on food expenses.

Breakfast was a disaster consisting of a rude Chef, misplaced orders and terrible food. The “full English breakfast” was tagged at 3 500 Naira per person but we ended up paying 3 000 Naira each to make up for the bad service. We opted to eat dinner from a vendor on the beach and it was also a letdown.

If you can, carry instant meals or foodstuff to make simple meals, there’s a grill and cooker to use to prepare your meals, you could even have a picnic on the beach and buy the coconuts to complete your beach vibes.

During the day, we went to the beach to relax, take in the sights and play in the water. The beach wasn’t crowded and littered like other easily accessible beaches in Lagos. There are a number of activities to partake in while on the beach like volleyball, surfing, football, quad bike, and horse riding.

At night, it got really cold while we were having dinner and the nice caretaker helped us light the fireplace. We gathered round to exchange stories, play truth or dare, dance, and engage in our own makeshift karaoke.

The highlight of the Jaybee Beach Camp staycation has to be the group of people we went with. We played games, exchanged stories, had 1a.m karaoke sessions, talked finances, patronized each other’s businesses and generally just had a good time! The cabins are perfect for group tours and bonding trips, there are two single rooms away from the Cabin area that admits 2 people each if you would like to go alone for a retreat or in a smaller group.

Contact Details

Website: Jaybee Beach Camp

Phone number: 0810 298 7616

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