'''Port Harcourt''' is a gulf city in the Nigerian state of Rivers and is quickly becoming the capital for the blooming oil industry in the country.
Understand
Get in
By plane
'''Port Harcourt International Airport''', ''PHC''. There are now direct flights from Europe operated by Air France and Lufthansa. It is also less than an hour in the air if you fly in via Lagos or Abuja
By train
From Maidugrui.
By car
By bus
By boat
From Nembe by ferry.
Get around
See
Borikiri Market.
Port Harcourt Zoo.
Izumini River - An hours drive outside of the city
Do
Learn
Work
Buy
Fabrics. Traditional carvings and paintings. Hand tooled leather boxes and trunks of all shapes and sizes.
Eat
Budget
Suya - 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 Guiness or Maltina
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
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
Budget
Mid-range
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. Prices start at around 40-50 USD/night (2005 winter).
Splurge
Try the Meridien Hotel or the Novotel for a a European standard. The locally owned Hotel Presidential has also undergone some renovations lately and is centrally located.
Contact
You will hardly be able to find your way in Nigeria especially in Port Harcourt unless you have been provided earlier direction. However, there is Nigerian Yellow Pages both in print and on the internet at NigerianYellowPages.com [http://www.NigerianYellowPages.com www.NigerianYellowPages.com]
to help those engaging in various business endeavours in Nigeria, and to any interested business/individual wishing to do business with Nigerians [at home or overseas].
Check http://www.oyibosonline.com for detailed street maps.
Stay safe
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.
Before traveling there get informed on recent local situations.
The best source of local information including street maps, places to go and security information can be found on a locally run website: http://www.oyibosonline.com
Cope
Get out