How To Travel From Douala-Cameroon To Lagos-Nigeria

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE TRAVELING

Travelling has never been an easy exercise. It requires research, strength, finance and by extension the will mind.

Travelling can be intra or inter urban movement. In this cases, travelling is limited to movement either from one neighbourhood to another within the same city , and or travelling from one urban town to another respectively.

For the purpose of this document, we will discuss vividly about traveling within inter-urban movement, and dwell more on international traveling, with Douala -Lagos by sea as the example of our extract.

Bear in mind that, before travelling as mentioned earlier above, you must try to carry out a little research about your itinerary in order to avoid unforeseen circumstances which may affect your budget.

Traveling from Douala – Cameroon to Lagos Nigeria all in West Africa ,entails proper planning, given that , one has to move from one country to another.

You must verify whether or not a visa will be required. But fortunately, Cameroon has a convention with Nigeria that permits holders of Cameroon passport travel to Nigeria visa free and can stay in the country for Upto 90 days before establishing a resident permit.

Our point of departure will be ‘Rond point Deido’- Douala Littoral region- Cameroon, through to Idenau to Oron Akwa ibom state Nigeria, then finally our destination in Lagos
Bare in mind that, you will require an international travel passport as a Cameroonian, but that does not mean you cannot travel by sea to Nigeria without a passport, but for convenience reasons, it’s advisable .

You can easily get a motorbike popularly known as bend-sikin to Bonaberi car park ( Gare routière Bonaberi) for Fcfa300,at press time.

At the park, this will be the estimated cost separated for each stop:
Bonaberi – Limbe: Fcfa2500. This journey takes approximately 2hours 30mins everything being equal
Limbe mile4 – Idenau: Fcfa2000. This journey takes approximately 1 hour 30mins,everything being equal.

Idenau – Oron by speed boat : Fcfa30,000.
During this journey, be sure to hold the following items:
. National Identity Card ( NIC)
. Passport, ( not mandatory but very important)
Live jacket ( could be rented from speed boat drivers but if you have the means to get a decent one, do so) and people with a live-jacket have higher chances of survival in case of accident.Extra plastic bags to protect your travel bags and phone against water.Preferably travel with slippers.

From Douala to Idenau be sure to meet the following police/ gendarmerie checkpoints.
. Miondo bar ( police) still in Littoral Region
. River moungo ( usually for drivers)
. Miselele ( 70% of the time, passengers usually step out of the car for id check)
. Barombi camp ( not usually)
. Idenau gate ( 90% of the time passengers step down from the car for NIC check)

These are just the most common control checkpoints you should note. The list is not exhausted but the mentioned checkpoints are the ones you will often get stopped-at.

The amount boat companies may demand from you varies depending on the agency . But in most cases your transport fare will include police and yellow fever card settlement in Idenau.

The Idenau wharf is secured by police and the Cameroon BIR.
During your journey plan, avoid journeys that will lead you to arrive in Idenau in the evening because you will be forced to sleep in Idenau.

Boat agencies have a time limit whereby no boat is allowed to travel to Nigeria for security reasons.

Remember that , Idenau wharf to Oron wharf will take you at least three hours of sailing, and can go above that time depending on the boat driver’s experience and weather condition.

The boat driver is usually accompanied by an assistant who is responsible for guiding the boat driver’s direction in times of difficulty ( bad weather, high waves).

This journey can be enjoyable if you have no scare in you to take the high sea.
Just like traveling by road, you will see other passenger and cargo boats of different sizes taking different routes, and it is possible to hold your phone or camera to take pictures for a ‘survenir’, mindful that, your gadget may fall in the sea.

While in the waters, for some reasons you will rarely meet Cameroon military force but on the contrary, Nigeria water counts about five control posts and in each, you will have to spend money before sailing through. In this light, you should prepare an extra Fcfa15,000 or naira for control settlement knowing that FCFA is accepted as a legal tender in the water, even if you may not use the complete amount in its entirety.

Upon arrival, the Nigerian immigration officer at the border may require to pay an extra N5000 before entering the country, although this information is not 100% applicable.

While in Oron, it will be advisable to book a cheap hotel, as there are many affordable hotels in Oron ranging from 5000 naira and above. Reserving a hotel will make you have some rest and prepare well for your long bus journey to Lagos.

Most bus agencies in Oron depart early in the mornings for Lagos and it is necessary to reserve your journey a day before your departure. In this light, travelers should do well to go and reserve their bus tickets after booking their hotel.

There are a good number of travel agencies in Oron : AKTC, Young Shall Grow , GUO, AbC transport and a few others. But Young Shall Grow looks more professional in their parks in Lagos.

The journey from Oron to Lagos takes approximately 10hours and you will have to agree with your bus driver if you don’t have a passport and if your passport was not stamped at the immigration in Oron wharf.

This will prevent unnecessary delay from the police control on the road.
Your journey will probably have few stops-overs for either quick resting or to have some food to eat.
Depending on the agency you take, your arrival terminal will vary in Lagos.

You can contact us through the comment section if you have any questions about this journey or you need any travel assistance using this itinerary.
Prons:
. Cost efficient
. Fast
. Gaining Experience
. Discovery
Cons:
. Risky
. High sea

Bon Voyage