Cross River State · Nigeria
Where to stay in Calabar
Calabar is a city in Cross River State, Nigeria, home to about 371,000 people.
- Nearest airport
- CBQ4 km · Margaret Ekpo International Airport
- Currency
- NGNnaira
- Time zone
- Africa/Lagos
- Language
- English
About
About Calabar
Calabar ()(also referred to as Callabar, Calabari, Calbari, Cali and Kalabar) is the capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was originally named Akwa Akpa, in the Efik language, as the Efik people dominate this area.
Calabar is one of the oldest trading centers in Nigeria. The city is set on a natural hill overlooking the Calabar River. Calabar had been inhabited by the Efik speaking people since at least the 17th century and became a center for slave trade at the dawn of the trade. After the abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in the 19th century, the city became a major port for palm oil trade and other export and import commodities to and from the hinterlands.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Calabar
See
There is a lot of colonial architecture in the older parts of Calabar that are around Henshaw Town, Duke Town and the waterfront areas.
- Duke Town Hall
- Drill Monkey Rehab Centre
- Duke Town church
- Hope Waddel Training Institution
- The Marina Resort
- National Museum
- Slave History Museum
Do
- Tinapa Resort
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Calabar
5 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Marina Resort, Calabar | 2007 | 4.7 km |
| Axari Hotel & Suites | 7.0 km | |
| Calabar Harbour Resort Spa | 5.6 km | |
| Tinapa Lakeside Hotel | 11.5 km | |
| Transcorp Hotels | 2.2 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Calabar
Calabar has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 397 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Calabar: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Margaret Ekpo International Airport (CBQ), about 3.8 km from the city centre in a straight line; Akwa Ibom International Airport (QUO, 27 km) and Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (QOW, 135 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
Calabar is about 1 hour from the city of Lagos by plane. Calabar is about 25 minutes from Port Harcourt and has an International Airport.
Getting around
The local authorities have made a great effort to make the streets safe by enlarging them, removing potholes, and adding stripes between lanes. Local taxis are not advisable as the cars are very old and quite often the drivers are not particularly experienced. As long as you are careful Calabar is quite safe.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CBQ · Margaret Ekpo International Airport
QUO · Akwa Ibom International Airport
QOW · Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport
Questions
Calabar: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Calabar?
Calabar has no month that is both mild and dry by the measure used here. February is the warmest month, with average highs of 33 °C; August is the wettest, with about 397 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Calabar?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Margaret Ekpo International Airport (CBQ), about 3.8 km from the city centre in a straight line; Akwa Ibom International Airport (QUO, 27 km) and Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport (QOW, 135 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Calabar?
naira (NGN).
Nearby
Destinations near Calabar
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.