Lekki on a Rainy Day: An 8-Hour Indoor Plan

Morning: gallery and coffee

Rain in Lekki isn’t drizzle; it's a proper tropical dump that floods Admiralty Way in 30 minutes. Start indoors. 10am at Nike Art Gallery in Ikate; it's five floors of shelter and the best rainy morning in Lagos. Give it two hours.

Noon: drive to Circle Mall in Jakande for lunch at Cold Stone, Coldstone or Ofada Boy inside the mall. If Admiralty Way is flooded, use the back road through Chevron. The mall is your rainy-day anchor: cinema, food court, supermarket, air-con, all under one roof.

Afternoon and evening: cinema and dinner

1pm: Filmhouse or Genesis cinema at Circle or The Palms. Ticket is 4,500 to 6,500 for a standard, 12,000 for IMAX at Genesis Deluxe Maryland if you’re willing to travel. Pick a 1pm or 2pm show.

4pm: shop or spa. Orchid Bianca in Phase 1 does a 2-hour package for 35,000 naira. Alternatively, browse Temple Muse or Alara in Victoria Island for design objects and art books. 7pm: dinner at Shiro at Landmark, or if the rain is truly biblical, order from any restaurant on Chowdeck and eat at your hotel bar.

Where to sleep

In wet season, sleep at a hotel with a real indoor bar and gym. The George, Radisson Blu Anchorage (Ikoyi, 15 minutes out), or a serviced apartment with a covered pool. Avoid places with only outdoor amenities.

Check the flood map before booking. Ikate and parts of Chevron flood regularly. Phase 1 near the bridge, and Victoria Island near Ozumba Mbadiwe, drain better than most.