A VACATION ON A BUDGET: WHISPERING PALMS RESORT

My first vacation or staycation of the year was on a budget to Whispering Palms Resort which is tucked away in the heart of Iworo.

So, why Whispering Palms Resort? Well, honestly, it’s the only accommodation in Badagry that offered all the comforts I needed, plus it’s a resort. It was a no brainer.

THE “ROAD” TRIP

It was 7 am, the car was packed, the engine revved, with @ajalaonthemove, @tumithekoko & I ready to go, the road trip began.

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I know this section is titled the “road” trip but to call the road we took a “road” would be a bit of an exaggeration.

The journey from the main city of Lagos to Whispering Palms took 2 and a half to 3 hours. For an hour of those, we drove on what I can only describe as a makeshift road, a rollercoaster on land, a road perpetually under construction. With loose debris and deep pits, the drive was just a “tad” uncomfortable.

Thankfully, the road didn’t go on forever, after that hour we got back onto a properly constructed road and we were well on our way. Thankfully, we didn’t encounter any traffic (mainly because we went on a Sunday) so, apart from the bad road it was a pleasant road trip.

When you’re in amazing company the not so fun parts of a trip become an adventure, a memory shared.  

OUR ARRIVAL

At a little past 10 am, we arrived. Once we checked in, and we were off to our room for the night.

We had specified the number of people staying in the room (3) and the resort clarified that the Marina Villa would be big enough for 3 people, although it accommodated us it was more suited for 2 people.

Next stop after check-in? BREAKFAST! We hadn’t eaten all day and after that long road trip food was NEEDED.

After a short walk from our little home, we headed to the restaurant. The restaurant was outdoor with a rustic feel to it.

After a breakfast of fried sweet potato chips and egg sauce with sausages, we were taken on a tour of the property.

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THE ROOM

Our accommodation was in a little en-suite one-room chalet or “Marina Villa” as named by the Resort. It had a little porch, the perfect position for reading while admiring the view.

The room had a large double bed, a wardrobe, TV, a couch and a beautiful view from the window.

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RESORT TOUR

From the lagoon front to the zoo, we saw every inch of the resort.

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The tour was a little rushed, our tour guide seemed in a hurry so, within 15 minutes, it was over. However, we still saw a bit of what the resort had to offer:

• An outdoor gym (it was more of a fun obstacle course)
• Lawn tennis course & Volleyball court
• Table sports (pool, table tennis)
• Mini Golf
• The bar & grill spot
• And mini zoo which had a Turkey, Baboon, Monkey, Tortoise & 2 Alligators.

After our rather hurried tour, we napped – HARD.

ACTIVITIES AT THE RESORT

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It’s a large resort, you will definitely find something to occupy yourself with. Here are a few things you can do:

• 4 Wheeled Bicycle: there are 2 types – the 2 seaters and 4 seaters. This was the first activity we did and it was so fun! Although I should warn you, it’s quite a workout for the legs.
• Paddle Boat: another leg workout! I felt like it was leg day at the gym while I paddled. It takes so much effort BUT it does feel nice to be out on the water and feel the wind on your face while you paddle.
• Swimming: The first thing we noticed when we got to the pool was the colour. It’s green! But don’t fret, it’s not dirty, it’s green from the chlorine. We spent 2 hors swimming and enjoying the feel of the water, then we headed back to our room to get ready for dinner.
• Boat Cruise: This is a ride around the surrounding lagoon in a speed boat (we didn’t get to do this).

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You’ve seen the activities offered in the resort, here are a few things you can enjoy around the property:

• Swings
• Outdoor Space
• Mini Golf
• Long Tennis
• Volleyball
• Outdoor Gym

RESORT COSTS

• Food
  • Breakfast (each room comes with a free breakfast):
    • Price: 2,500, comes with a bottle of water.
    • Meals: You have the choice of Pancakes, Sweet Potato Chips, Yam Chips, sausages, egg sauce
    • Drinks: Tea, Coffee, Chocolate drink for 500 each
  • Lunch: We didn’t have lunch but it’s the same price of 2,500. It may cost a bit more depending on how much you buy.
  • Dinner
    • Price: 2,500 and up depending on what you buy
    • Meals: Grilled fish, grilled Turkey, grilled Chicken, Irish Potato Chips, jollof rice, fried rice, jollof spaghetti.
  • The food is quite affordable and the portions are large.

• Accommodation
  • Type:
    • Standard: 20,000 naira
    • Palm View: 35,000 naira
    • Executive Room: 40,000 naira
    • Master Villa Apartment (Sleeps 8): 150,000 naira

• Activities
  • 4 wheeled bicycle: 500 naira per seat (for about 10-15 minutes)
  • Paddle Boat: 500 naira per person (for about 10 minutes)
  • Speed Boat: 10,000 naira

PERSONAL COST BREAKDOWN

• Transportation
  • We got a private driver who drove us to Whispering Palms and back for 30,000 (this was a discount), the usual price apparently is 40,000.

• Food & drink
  • Breakfast(Day 1 & 2): 3,700 – only 2 people were entitled to a free breakfast so we all split the cost of the third (included cost of coffee, tea, chocolate drink).
  • Dinner: 3,500
  • Radler: 500

• Accommodation
  • Palm View room: 35,000

• Activities
  • 4 wheeled bicycle: We paid for the 4 seater at 2,000 naira.
  • Paddle Boat: we went once for 10 minutes and paid 500 naira each.

• Hidden costs
  • It’s compulsory for your hair to be covered before entering the pool. We weren’t told this and I was made to buy a shower cap for 500 naira.

OVERALL REVIEW

• Serenity & views for days: the viewsss!! If there was just something that would make me go back to Whispering Palms it’ll be the peace and serenity and the views.

• Affordable: It’s a 3* resort with charm, so the rates quite affordable.

• Large, hearty meals: The food is worth what you pay, you don’t feel cheated. I couldn’t finish my dinner so packed it back to the room.

• Room to explore: the resort is very spacious, you don’t run out of places to explore.

• Good Customer Service: apart from our poor tour guide, the customer service at Whispering Palms is another reason I would go back. They were helpful and accommodating.

• Everything closes too early: All the activities stop running at 6 pm. The pool also closes at 6. It’s quite inconvenient especially if you spend the day relaxing and want to do some of the activities in the evening.

• It gets dark early: it was dark by 8pm. Pitch black, I noticed there were some street lights, but they were not on.

• The resort needs a little TLC: some little things we noticed
  • The handle to our door came off
  • The fridge in our room was rusty
  • We had no hot water (water heater wasn’t working)
  • The resort doesn’t make wifi available to guests (we asked) even though the website says wifi is available.

Will I go back? Yes I would. It’s a nice break from the hustle and bustle of everyday Lagos life however, I will just be sure to take a portable wifi with me, and keep in mind that all activities close early.

We went for a night, but it was definitely one for the books. Especially since it was my first staycation of the year. Definitely looking forward to future trips, look out for future posts!

TRAVEL TIPS

• Eat before the trip or pack some breakfast/ snacks for the road. We didn’t and we were HUNGRY!
• Tunes for the road – a good playlist never hurt anyone.
• Leave early, there is often traffic on the Badagry Expressway. If possible, go on a weekend.
• Enjoy the road trip, the roads may not be great but come on, you’re going on vacation!
• Whatever car you take make sure it’s high. No small cars, it will be a struggle for them to drive on the bad roads.
• If you’re not a fan of road trips or are not keen because of the bad roads you can go by boat.
• There may be a few hiccups during the trip (no light in the afternoon) but nothing is ever as bad as it seems.
• Pack sunscreen, it is HOT.
• Carry cash, the network isn’t the best and the closest ATM is about 40 minutes away.
• If your network provider is 9mobile, just be warned, 9mobile has very bad network in Badagry.

Happy Exploring!