Calabar is the capital. of Cross River State. The city is an ancient one in the South-East part of the country. It is located on the shore of Atlantic Ocean. The city was strategic throughout its history. Due to its location as part of the places close to the ocean, it was able to attract a lot of activities to itself throughout the recent history. In this post we’ll be looking at the details of Calabar like Calabar postal code, Calabar zip code, Calabar carnival, Calabar Kitchen and other details as well.
In the recent past, we have done features about some other South East cities, and all you need to know about them, read them here like that of (Nsukka), and you can also read about other popular and prominent South-East Nigerian cities like (Enugu) and (Onitsha) here.
Calabar is such a nice city to visit or to reside in. The topography and climate of the city is wonderful. The city is kept clean and administered very well. The people residing in the city are sociable, and it is a great place you can find good things to eat. There are awesome reasons why you should love Calabar, and we would be elaborating these reasons in this post. First, we start with the location before we move on to the history and other details.
Where is Calabar?
Calabar is located in the lower South-East region of Nigeria. It is on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Politically, Calabar is part of the South-South part of the country. It is the capital of Cross River state. It is close to other South-East cities like Uyo, Abakiliki, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and others.
You can get to Calabar or travel to Calabar through air, sea and land. There is Margaret Ekpo International Airport in the city, you can get in through this airport. You can also get to Calabar by road from Ogoja or Enugu or other areas. You can also get into Calabar through the rivers connecting to the city or the Atlantic Ocean.
What is the History of Calabar?
Calabar is occupied by the Efik people. They have a long history of being ruled by their king, and trading and interacting with other ethnic groups of South-East Nigeria like the Ibibio, Igbo, Ikwerre, Ijaw, and so on. Due to its strategic position of being at the Atlantic Ocean shore, the city was able to attract attention to itself in the pre-colonial times as a slave trade port and post.
Thus, it was from Calabar that majority of the slaves raided from the South-East where transported to the New World. When slave trade was abolished, the town became the centre of trade and export of Nigerian goods like spices and palm oil. At the early beginning of British Colonialism in Nigeria, Calabar was a major administrative center of the colonial government as it was made the capital of Southern Protectorate of Nigeria.
With the merging of Northern and Southern Protectorate, the capital was moved to Lagos. Calabar became simply a center for trade and a green town until it emerged as the capital of Cross River state. In the present day, Calabar is recognized as one of Nigeria’s most clean and beautiful cities with great tourist attractions.
How Clean and Beautiful is Calabar?
Calabar is clean and beautiful when compared to other Nigerian cities. During the early 21st century, at the time of the governorship of Donald Duke, Calabar was the cleanest and most beautiful Nigerian city. Well-organized and peaceful.
There are many tourist attractions in Calabar like Obudu Cattle Ranch, Calabar Carnival, Tinapa Studios, and many others. Even though the city ‘s status is not as it was in the past, it is still a clean and beautiful city that’s worth visiting.
Calabar Postal Code
The postal code for Calabar is divided into different codes for different parts of the city. Thus, Calabar postal code is not one single code as there are different codes for the different sections of the city. If you are asked about your Calabar postal code, you should verify where the code belonging to the section of the city you are staying.
The sections and the Calabar postal code include:
Ikot Ansa – 540212
Ediba – 540211
Ikot Omin – 540213
State Housing Estate – 540222
Airport – 540211
Bogobiri – 540241
Goldie – 540243
Eta Agbor – 540242
Dan Archibon – 540251
Uwanse – 540253
Ekpo Abasi – 540252
Stadium – 540261
Egerton Area II – 540261
Egerton – 540261
Essien Area – 540271
Ikorinim – 540281
You should note that many streets fall under this section, so you should know the section your street falls under and use their postal code. You simply know your section by knowing which of these names above your street is closer to. You should endeavor to avoid making mistake in your postal code for Calabar.
Calabar Zip Code
Calabar zip code is same as the Calabar postal code represented above. They are one and the same thing, and are used for the same purpose of sending messages, letters and goods through the post office. Whenever you are required to fill in your Calabar zip code, study the postal code of the different sections of Calabar, know where your street fall under and use it to fill in.
Remember, it is important you don’t fill the wrong Calabar zip code to avoid getting your messages, goods and information sent to the wrong location.
Hotels in Calabar
A good number of hotels in Calabar are five star. Calabar is a developed city, and so, it is expected that the hotels in the city would be excellent. For sure, there are five star hotels in Calabar. There are also ones that aren’t rated high, and are well affordable.
There are over 70 hotels in Calabar, and so, you have a variety of the good, better, and average hotels to choose from. In Calabar, you can get a wide range of lodging price per night for hotels beginning from 6,000 to 50,000 naira per night.
Some of these hotels include:
Transcorp Hotels
Splendour Hotels
Channel View Hotels
Calabar Harbour Resort
Unical Hotel and Conference
Marian Hotel
Pyramid Hotel
Petesville Hotel Limited
Adsuit Hotel
Mangel Hotel
Tinapa Lakeside Hotel
Axari Hotel
Monty Suites
Hotel 45
Etaval Hotel
The Peace Garden Hotel
Dannic Hotels
Satellite Town Hotel
Jorany Hotel
Orange Resort
Calabar Grand Hotel
Calabar Kitchen
Calabar Kitchen is a popular name and trend owing to the fact that in Nigeria, Calabar people are considered great cooks with mouth watering dishes and cuisines. Thus, it is natural to find restaurants all over Nigeria called Calabar Kitchen. Anywhere you see such restaurant, especially if it is owned by some from around Calabar, you are sure to find great and well-cooked meal.
There is also the popular restaurant, Calabar Kitchen that serves Nigerian dishes and soup, located all over Nigeria, especially in Nigeria’s major cities.
Calabar Carnival
Calabar Carnival was introduced during the administration of Donald Duke. It is a colorful festival where there is dance presentation, showcasing of colorful attires, and many more. At its peak, the Calabar Carnival was a major attraction in the country. People attended the carnival from far and wide. Now, the carnival is a shadow of itself.
However, whenever it holds, you can still consider visiting and attending this great carnival. You see the beautiful and green Calabar. You make new friends. You have an awesome experience. You visit good tourist attractions in the state.
Conclusion
Calabar is a great place to visit in Nigeria if you intend visiting a well-managed and beautiful place. In this city, you are sure to find a clean and safe space. There are also good tourist attractions you can visit.