Nine Best Tourist Attractions In Port Harcourt – That You Need To Know

Nine Best Tourist Attractions In Port Harcourt – That You Need To Know

The oil city of Nigeria, located very close to the Niger Delta, is a treasure when it comes to tourist attractions.

And this is because there is always something new to learn about the culture, history, nature, and way of life of the Ikwere, Ijaw, and Obuloma people in Port Harcourt.

The city is not just filled with attractions, but is also full of life, such that there is no dull moment in PH. If it’s business, food, nightlife, or anything else, you’re sure to find it in PH. For tourists and travellers, you might want to grab your camera because there are lots of wonderful attractions to take pictures of.  

Here are the nine best tourist attractions in Port Harcourt that you need to know.

They include the following.

1. Port Harcourt Pleasure Park
2. Port Harcourt Tourist Beach
3. Port Harcourt Zoo
4. Port Harcourt Mall
5. Yakubu Gowon Stadium
6. The Port Harcourt Cultural Centre
7. The Rivers State Museum
8. Bonny Island
9. Isaac Boro Garden

Now, let’s discuss the interesting things about these nine best tourist attractions in Port Harcourt that you need to know. 

1. Port Harcort Pleasure Park

Port Harcourt Pleasure Park is a public recreational park in the city, open to all. The park was opened on May 26, 2017, and it is owned by the government of Rivers State.

Port Harcourt Pleasure Park serves as a tourist centre and revenue generator for the state, and it operates an international staff of Julius Berger Nigeria plc.

The park offers visitors of all ages a variety of facilities, including 5 5-star cinemas, amusement rides, an international restaurant, a swimming pool, picnic areas, and sporting facilities such as basketball courts, tennis courts, and a soccer field.

The park spans over 40 acres of lush, green spaces and is strategically located along the road, allowing people to access it easily and view it from a distance. The park offers a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city and is one of the most popular attractions in Port Harcourt.

 It is located at Bori Camp, Kalagbor Street, City Centre, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Some interesting things to know about the park include

• The park is a great place for families and children to enjoy leisure, have fun, and play in a secure and safe environment.
• Pleasure Park opens from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm every day of the week
• The entry fee varies for adults and children. The walk-in fee for adults is N500, and for kids, N350 and for those entering with a car, the parking fee is N300                             
• Most games at the pleasure park are free, especially the games at the playground; however, the ticket prices range from 500 to 1000, while the boat ride costs 2500. There are over 15 games to enjoy at the pleasure park, which includes

• ClimbingTower
• Pedal Boat
• Paint Ball
• Mini-Golf
• Carousel
• 5DCinema
• 9DCinema
• FIFAPS4
• VirtualReality
• JoggingCircuit
• Water Steps, and more

To play the games, you need to pay through the website or at the venue, and you will be given a receipt for each game you pay for.                                          

2. Port Harcourt Tourist Beach

Port Harcourt tourist beach was created in 1988, and it is a white sand urban beach. The beach provides recreational activities to everyone, young people, adults, tourists, residents, etc. More developments like luxury accommodations, event space, and recreational hubs are on the rise to make the beach more exciting for local and international tourists.

The beach is one of the oldest tourist attractions in the city of Port Harcourt.  Visitors not only get to enjoy the water view, but also get the chance to engage in other fun activities like horseback riding, volleyball, waterboarding and other sporting activities.

At the beach, you can chill at the bush bar bistros where they serve bush meat, palm wine, native dishes and seafood as well.

It is located at Tourist Beach Road, Old Port Harcourt Township, Port Harcourt 500101, Rivers State, Nigeria.

3. Port Harcourt Zoo

 Port Harcourt zoo, also known as PH Zoo, was established in 1974 by Governor Alfred Diete Spiff. The zoo officially opened in October 1975, on Independence Day. Port Harcourt zoo is a state-owned zoological park in Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria.

The zoo houses a variety of animals from different species, including lions, crocodiles, monkeys, and birds. The centre opens from 8 am to 6 pm every day. The zoo is located at Peter Odili Rd, Trans Amadi, Port Harcourt 500003, Nigeria.

4. Port Harcourt Mall

Port Harcourt Mall is a premier shopping destination located in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. The mall is open from 8 to 9 on Wednesdays, with similar hours on other days of the week. The mall features over 50 brands, including a grocery store, fashion outlets, and electronics retailers.

There is a food court, offering various dining experiences and entertainment options like the cinema. 

The mall is located at 1 Azikiwe Road, Port Harcourt, 500101, Rivers State, Nigeria..

5. Yakubu Gowon Stadium

Yakubu Gowon Stadium was initially the Liberation Stadium. It is a multi-purpose stadium used for football matches and serves as the main stadium for Rivers United FC, which was formerly Dolphin FC.

6. The Port Harcourt Cultural Centre

The Port Harcourt Cultural Centre is a significant tourist destination located on Bonny Street, Port Harcourt, that serves as a centre for showcasing the cultural heritage and history of Port Harcourt and Rivers State.

The cultural centre displays works that make it a centre that acts as a hub for showcasing Port Harcourt’s and all of Rivers State’s cultural history, featuring a theatre, a stage, and an auditorium for live performances of cultural dance and plays. At the centre, items like African jewellery, home wares, pottery, and souvenirs are showcased.

The cultural centre is situated in the Rumuosi neighbourhood in the Obio-Akpor council area, close to the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, on the outskirts of Port Harcourt. 

7. The Rivers State Museum

The Rivers State Museum in portharcourt is significant for housing and showcasing the cultural heritage of Rivers State.  The museum was established in 1973. It contains artefacts related to various ethnic groups indigenous to the state, including masks, pottery, and carvings. The theme of the museum is life in the niger delta.

The museum is located in the secretariat complex of the Rivers State government at Harley Street in Port Harcourt, and it features two galleries that display the economic and social life of Port Harcourt city. The museum is open from 8 am to 4 pm, daily, on weekdays.

8. Bonny Island

Another name for the bonny island is the granny bonny island. The island was established by Alagbariya, a hunter who migrated to the Azumini Creek and settled on the island. In recognition of alagbariya, he and his brothers were considered the pioneers of the establishment of the Bonny Island Kingdom, also referred to as the Grand Bonny Kingdom.

 Bonny Island is connected to Port Harcourt through the water taxis that travel along the Bonny River, which is an arm of the Niger delta river. The river is also a site for fishing and transportation of people and goods.

The Kingdom of Bonny, which includes Bonny Island, was a sovereign state in the Niger Delta and is now the capital of the Kingdom of Bonny. Bonny island is situated at the southern edge of rivers state in the niger delta region of nigeria, very close to port Harcourt.

 It is also a local government area, and the dialect spoken in Bonny Island is the Iban language, but many locals speak the Igbo language. The region is known for producing a type of crude oil called Bonny Light oil, and it hosts the largest LNG Gas Plant in Nigeria with six trains. The Federal Government of Nigeria has plans to construct a seventh train to boost gas production.

9. Isaac Boro Garden

Isaac Boro Garden is a public park and outdoor recreation centre situated in the old GRA neighbourhood of Port Harcourt. In Rivers state. The garden was built in 1970 by the federal government. The park was named after major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro, who was a Nigerian nationalist and activist in respect of the significant works he did.

 Key interesting things about this centre

• The park is situated opposite the Mile One Bridge along the Old GRA in Port Harcourt.
• The park is bounded to the south by Bauchi Street, north by Ogbodo Street, west by Ikwerre Road and east by Ohia Street. And the tomb of Major Isaac Boro, a soldier killed in the Nigerian Civil War, lies here
• The park has become a tourist location where baseball and softball are played and a centre for trade fairs and live entertainment. It has hosted the annual international trade fair and continues to serve as a venue for memorable events such as the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, the Workers’ Day and the National Youth Service send-off parade ceremonies.
• The park covers an area of about 13 hectares and is situated along the Aba Road in the heart of Port Harcourt. It features lush green spaces, walkways, recreational facilities, and monuments honouring notable Nigerian figures.
• Key attractions within the park include an amphitheatre, sports fields, children’s play areas, and statues of Isaac Boro and other historical personalities. The park also hosts various cultural events, live performances, and community gatherings.

Conclusion

These tourist attractions do not just tell stories of things that happened way before some of us were born, but they also give us the opportunity to get the feeling of nostalgia and immerse ourselves in the history of Ikwere, Ijaw and Obuloma people of Port Harcourt while having fun.

Visiting places allows you to learn and tour at the same time. The adventure is endless.