La Campagne Tropicana

Built up over the years as an African-themed retreat on the Ibeju-Lekki shore, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort now covers over 65 acres between the Atlantic Ocean and the freshwaters of Ikegun Lake. Palm trees line 2,000 metres of sand, with lagoon and mangrove forest behind it sheltering monkeys, squirrels, mudskippers and birds including kingfishers and egrets. Chalets mix traditional African furnishings with modern comforts. Some stand on stilts above the Oso river, others sit in the forest as mud-walled houses, and several have their own pool, indoor or out. It is a working resort, not a museum. You can paddle the lagoon by kayak or canoe, take a boat cruise to watch the mangroves, or ride a jet ski along the channel between beach and lake. Horses go out along the sand at sunset. Fishing, swimming lessons and beach football round out the activity list, and a private jetty brings guests in by boat from Lagos Island. Meals lean African with a continental edge, served with palm wine or coconut water. The result reads less like a single hotel than a stretch of coast organised for a stay, land and water both put to use.