Port Harcourt
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) of the Ikwerre people is also spoken at the Ikwerre villages , and Pidgin English is widely spoken across all demography, as found in most parts of the country. Port Harcourt was named after Lord Lewis Harcourt, the Secretary of State for the Colonies in 1913.
Understand
[edit]Port Harcourt generally known as the 'PH City' is one of the beautiful places to visit in Nigeria. Port Harcourt was formed in 1912. In 2016, Port Harcourt was home to about 1.2 million people.
Climate
[edit]Port Harcourt features a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen: Am) with lengthy and heavy rainy seasons and very short dry seasons. Only the months of December to February truly qualifies as dry season months in the city.
Harmattan, which climatically influences many cities in West Africa, is less pronounced in Port Harcourt.
By plane
[edit]- Port Harcourt International Airport, PHC IATA. There are two international flights operated by Qatar Airways and Lufthansa. It is a 1 hr 10 min flight if you fly in via Lagos or Abuja.
- 1 Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, Nigeria. By passenger volume, Port Harcourt International Airport is the country's third-busiest international airport. The airport, which is located in the heart of Nigeria's oil and gas hub, is critical to the country's economic prosperity.
You can easily get into Port Harcourt by plane.
By train
[edit]Rail service to Port Harcourt is not operating as of July 2022. However, The 2 Port Harcourt Central railway station is on Station Rd.
By bus
[edit]There are various bus stations and services available to get you into Port Harcourt. Some of which are:
- God is Good Motors (GIGM): This is a popular bus service that can get you into port harcourt, air-conditioned bus.
- Agofure Motors
- Chisco
- ABC Transport
- Peace Mass transit
By boat
[edit]- From Nembe by ferry.
- Marine Base water front
Get around
[edit]
Map of Port Harcourt
See
[edit]- 1 Borokiri Market. By the Bonny Jetty where seafood is sold.
- 2 Port Harcourt Zoo, Peter Odili Rd, Trans Amadi 500003, ☏ +234 8168990035. Su-F 8AM-6PM, Sa 8AM-6:30PM. Home of the wasted horse and emaciated lion. ₦ 200.
- 3 Port Harcourt Pleasure Park (between Army Bori Camp and Air Force 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
[edit]- Carniriv Festival'. Held annually in the city, it is the oldest carnival in Nigeria and it was established in 1988. The cultural diversity and collective heritage of the local people in Rivers state is firmly rooted at the core of tourism. The Carnival starts few weeks before Christmas, and lasts for seven days combining two carnivals which are contemporary Caribbean style carnival and a cultural carnival which turns the ‘Garden City’ to a very colourful destination.
Learn
[edit]Buy
[edit]- 1 Mile Three Market, Ikwerre Rd, Woji, ☏ +234 8159556960. 6AM-10PM. 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.
- 2 Everyday Supermarket, 93 Woji Road, Elechi. 8AM-8:45PM.
- 3 Emmanuel Shopping Plaza, oromerezimgbu community, No 1 Akegwere Street, Rebisi, ☏ +234 811 736 3336.
- 4 Olison Super Stores, 38 Mbonu St, Elechi, ☏ +234 803 312 6820. 8AM-9PM.
- 5 De-Amiable Supermarket, 52 Elekahia Rd, Oroworokwo, ☏ +234 803 293 1138. 8AM-9PM.
- 6 Ofosco Iyk Supermarket, 13 Ogbuga Street, Ogbunabali, Nkpogu, ☏ +234 706 494 0838. 9AM-6:30PM.
- 7 Godswill Supermarket, Olu Obasanjo Rd, Elechi.
- 8 De Unity & Peace Supermarket, 40 Elekahia Rd, Elekahia, ☏ +234 818 612 8709. 8AM-8:30PM.
- 9 Desire supermarket, 216 Ikwerre Rd, Mgbuosimiri, ☏ +234 703 154 8266.
- 10 New hope supermarket, 42 Azikiwe St, Woji, ☏ +234 807 421 3588.
- 11 Welldone Supermarket, 117 Olu Obasanjo Rd, GRA Phase II, ☏ +234 907 095 7364. 8AM-8PM.
- 12 Whiteolives stores, 159 Woji Road, Elechi.
- 13 Tee N Tee Supermarket, No 3 Egelege, Off Olu Obasanjo Road, D/line, ☏ +234 803 470 3147. 8AM-9PM.
Eat
[edit]Rice, egusi soup with eba or fufu, pounded yam, papper soup, ogbono soup.
Budget
[edit]Suya is 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
[edit]- 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, 2 Yola Street, off Nzimiro, amadi flat, Old GRA, ☏ +234 8033275343. 8AM-10:30PM. Buffet and a la carte international cuisine and bar next to pool at a hotel.
- 3 Native Tray GRA PHC, Phase 2, 1A Onne Road, GRA, ☏ +234 809 182 0000. Daily 9AM-10PM.
- Asia Town, 38 Forces Avenue, Old GRA, ☏ +234 810 662 2000, +234 818 866 2200, info@asiatownnigeria.com. Daily noon-10:30PM. Asia Town is an Asian fusion restaurant, also offering Nigerian and continental cuisines with a menu ranging from finger food, buffet, cocktail etc., and an event centre of 500 seating capacity.
- Jevenik Resturant, 57 Tombia Street, GRA Phase 1, ☏ +234 803 336 1707, +234 803 310 4154, +234 704 378 3970. Jevenik Resturant is located in a serene environment and offers fast food services, sales of drinks and others.
- Pepperoni Foods Limited, 1, Alakahia Road, Off NTA-Choba Road, Alakahia Junction, Rumualogu, ☏ +234 909 262 6664, +234 704 628 0947, info@pepperonifoods.com.ng. Daily AM-10PM). Pepperoni Foods Ltd is an integrated food service company in based in Port harcourt, offering quality services.
- Sundry Foods, 23 Nzimiro Street, Old GRA, ☏ +234 815 659 2811, +234 700 278 6379, info@sundryfood.com. Sundry Foods is a leading food service provider in Port Harcourt for the sales of foreign and local cuisines.
- Margaret's Restaurant, 16 Trans Amadi Road Opposite Silver Valley Estate, ☏ +234 8065293361, +234 8170784702, info@margaretsfood.com. M-Sa 8AM-6PM. Margaret's Restaurant crafts unforgettable dining experiences that tantalize taste buds and leave lasting impressions. Their environment is very serene and beautifulul. You can also make orders and table reservations.
- 12:11 Restaurant, 14 Apara Road, Elechi, ☏ +234 906 000 1211, twelve.11barandgrill@gmail.com. Daily noon-11PM. 12:11 Restaurant is a bar and grill outlet that serves tasty local and international delicacies such as ewedu, jollof rice, chicken and chips, barbecue and lots more, in a beautiful ambiance.
- Bahamas Cuisine, 4 King Perekule, GRA Phase 2, ☏ +234 807 975 6899. M-Sa 9AM-11PM, Su 2-11PM. Bahamas Cuisine is a garden restaurant that provides fresh African and continental meals including afang soup, atama soup, bitter leaf soup, yam porridge and much more.
- Beth Plus Restaurant, Happy street ruporkwu airport road, ☏ +234 806 113 3582, +234 813 707 7932, lolawealth@yahoo.com. Beth Plus Restaurant sell all kinds of African dishes garri and different soups and also different kinds of pastries ranging from meat pie doughnut fish roll to small chops.
- Big Treat, No 1 Stadium Road, ☏ +234 803 610 5417. Daily 8AM-9PM. Big Treat is a restaurant with local and continental meals in their menu as well as a game center with different kinds of gaming equipment among other services.
- Blue Elephant, 59 King Perekule, G.R.A, ☏ +234 803 724 4007. Blue Elephant is a pool side restaurant that serves varieties of professional prepared local and continental meals, and also offers cake bakery and catering services for all events.
- Casablanca Restaurant & Lounge, 2 Sani Abacha Road, ☏ +234 806 662 7541. Casablanca Restaurant & Lounge is a restaurant and bar that serves that cooks African and continental meals such as banga soup, spaghetti, sharwarma, home delivery and lots of other products.
- Chef Ben Aibee, 17 Power Outreach Street, off Chindah by Ada George, ☏ +234 803 730 8929, benaibeeenterprises@gmail.com. Home service cooking. Nigerian and African dish.
- Country Creamery, 8 Okuru Abuloma Link Road Phalga, ☏ +234 703 525 9384, countrycreameryph@gmail.com. Country Creamery, a cozy restaurant mostly used as a hang out spot or a work station in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Offers a welcoming customer service and provides mouth watery pastries, cakes, burgers, pizza and ice creams.
- Cravings Restaurant & Cafe, 20 Elelenwo Street, GRA Phase 1, ☏ +234 803 339 3775. Daily 11AM-11PM. Cravings Restaurant & Cafe is a bar and grill spot that also serves Nigerian delicacies, as well as a salad bar, event place and offers professional catering services for all kinds of events.
- D’Hote Restaurant, 1 Okwuruola Road, off Stadium Road, Rumuola, ☏ +234 803 332 2204. Daily 10AM-10PM. D'Hote Restaurant is a food joint with a classy ambiance, serving different kinds of fresh Nigerian meals such as local chicken soup, banga soup, eba and others at affordable prices.
- De Essence Restaurant, Life Forte Compound Iwofe Road, Off St. Johns, Rumuolumeni, ☏ +234 903 971 9226. De Essence Restaurant serves scrumptious home made dishes, beverages, drinks and offers catering services.
- De Mimi Tasty Fish, 34 Old Aba Road, Rumubiakani, ☏ +234 803 309 9196. De Mimi Tasty Fish is a pub popular for the sales of fresh Sharwama, grilled barbecue, nkwobi, drinks and more in a state of the art facility.
- Eastern Garden Chinese Restaurant & Bakery, 47 Port Harcourt - Aba Expressway, Woji, ☏ +234 902 515 6130, +234 817 644 0757. M-Sa 8AM-9PM, Su 9AM-9PM. Eastern Garden Chinese Restaurant & Bakery serves and delivers varieties of Chinese cuisines and lots of pastries including bread and cakes.
- Exodus Cafe, 2 Chief Ede close off Sani Abacha road, GRA phase 2, ☏ +234 803 482 9616. Exodus Cafe is a standard cafe that offers all kinds of foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Full Moon Bar & Restaurant, 18 Can Link Road, GRA Phase 111, ☏ +234 803 340 0471. M-Th 10AM-2AM, F-Su 9AM-2AM. Full Moon Bar & Restaurant is an indoor and outdoor bar and restaurant that serves tasty Nigerian dishes and drinks such as nkwobi, suya, banga stew, rice, palm wine and so on.
- Genesis Group, 198/199, Rumuogba Estate, ☏ +234 84 556 461, info@genesisgroupng.com. Genesis Group, a Nigerian product service centre offering Chinese, Italian and mixed African cuisine.
- Happy Food Bakery & Restaurant, 2 Nyeweli Nsirim Road Federal Junction by Ada George Road, Mile 4, ☏ +234 805 314 2259, +234 805 688 8889. Daily 7AM-8:30PM. Happy Food Bakery & Restaurant is a Chinese restaurant and bakery that sells freshly prepared meals and pastries such as spaghetti, bread, rice and lots more.
- HomeMade Restaurant, Ada-George Road, Mgbuoba, ☏ +234 903 815 1046. M - Sa 8AM-8:30PM, Su noon-4pm. HomeMade Restaurant is a cozy restaurant with good ambiance and serve organically prepared local and intercontinental dishes including smoothies, relish, dodo, hot-dog, broth, and so on.
- Jojo's Kitchen, Rumuowha-Eneka Road, Rukpokwu, ☏ +234 703 752 9651, +234 901 222 9735, ebimojoan@gmail.com. Jojo's Kitchen is an online food delivering business, offering prompt service of all Nigerian food ranging from okra soup, to afang soup, banga soup, stew and lots more.
- Julsnoni Foods And Bar Restaurant, 86 NTA Road, Mgbuoba, ☏ +234 813 339 0653, jparagon7@gmail.com. M-Sa 8AM-8:30PM. Julsnoni Foods And Bar Restaurant is a kitchen that serves local African delicacies such as isi ewu, nkwuobi, akara and pap, palm oil rice, plantain porridge and more.
- Khings Kitchen, New Airport Road, Eliozu, ☏ +234 907 156 7179. M-Sa 8AM-7PM. Khings Kitchen is a dinning establishment that uses healthy methods and organic ingredients to prepare and serve local and continental meals such as jollof rice, soup, stew and more.
- Krunchee Food, Umuokobo Heritage Mall, Port Harcourt/Aba Express Road, ☏ +234 703 139 3943, +234 805 429 9984, Kruncheefood@gmail.com. Krunchee is one of the most popular meal delivery services in Port Harcourt and with good reason. The meal delivery service offers chef-designed recipes made with quality, responsibly sourced ingredients that can be put together in less than one hour.
- Kusina Karaoke Bar & Restaurant, 44, Bodo Street, G.R.A Phase 2, ☏ +234 809 872 9817. Kusina Karaoke Bar & Restaurant offers wide varieties of Chinese and Filipino cuisine.
- Mama Dumebi Shop, Rumuevolu Road, Rumu Opirikom, ☏ +234 803 278 9873. Mama Dumebi Shop is a local food joint managed by a professional chef with specialty in African dishes such as jollof rice, egusi soup, pepper soup, banga stew and lots of other meals.
- Native Tray, No 1A Onne Road, Behind Studio 24, Opposite Keystone Bank, GRA Phase 2, ☏ +234 814 990 6616, +234 906 254 7754, +234 809 182 0000. Daily 10AM-10PM. Native Tray serves different Nigerian meals such as vegetable soup and eba, onunu and fresh fish stew, among others.
- Nostalgea Cuisine and Bakery, CFC Building, No 45 Aba Road, ☏ +234 806 342 2951, +234 703 894 2882. Nostalgea Cuisine and Bakery makes tasty meals such as amala, gbegiri, efar nro, isiewu and lots of other delicacies at affordable prices.
- Ororo Restaurant and Bar, 45 Tombia Street, GRA Phase 2. Ororo Restaurant and Bar is one of the finest restaurant and bars in Port Harcourt, offering mouth watering menu both Nigerian and international cuisine.
- Osho Kitchen, Ebata Road, behind Skippers Fast, G.R.A phase 2, Rumuadaolu, ☏ +234 803 362 5744. Daily 8AM-9:30PM. Osho Kitchen prepares and serves fresh and tasty African meals such as okra soup, ewedu, amala, and more, in a cozy environment and at moderate prices.
- Peculiar's Lounge and Car wash, Ada George Road, Opposite Mini Orlu Junction, by Okiton Close, ☏ +234 803 487 4768, +234 703 473 1654, peculiarloungeandcarwash@gmail.com. Peculiar's Lounge and Car wash is a bar and restaurant with delicious meals on their menu, also offering steam wash of all kinds of cars, including buses, vans and lots more.
Drink
[edit]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
[edit]Budget
[edit]Mid-range
[edit]- 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, reservations.danag@swissspirithotels.com. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. 144 rooms & suites along the city's commercial district on the formerly known Stadium Road. From US$50.
- 3 SS3 Boutique Hotel, 10 Raymond Morgan street Phalga, 500001 (in the Rainbow Town district of PH), ☏ +234 7049000123. This is like a cozy compound with a pool sporting a fountain plus hot tub, spa, a/c, wifi, restaurant, and free breakfast. Parking might be kind of tight. ₦ 12359.
Splurge
[edit]Le Méridien and Novotel are the two hotels in town which offer high-quality accommodations.
- 4 [dead link] Le Méridien Ogeyi Place, 45 Tombia Street, ☏ +234 84 461770, fax: +234-84-461771.
- 5 Hotel Novotel Port Harcourt, 3 Stadium Road, ☏ +234 84 461540, H5465@accor.com.
- Swiss International Mabisel - Port Harcourt (Swiss International Mabisel Hotel), No. 9 Mabisel Avenue, Off Peter Odili Rd, ☏ +234 905 388-6166, reservations.mabisel@swissinternationalhotels.com. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Well-appointed and comfortable rooms. Its state of the art facilities, and exquisite bars and dining options. From US$ 80.
Connect
[edit]Stay safe
[edit]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.
Cope
[edit]- 1 Choba Park Public Toilet, Choba Park. A public toilet/latrine.