Benin Travel Guide

Benin is a country in W Africa bordering Togo to the W, Nigeria to the E and Burkina Faso and Niger to the N. Once containing one of the most powerful empires in Africa (the Dahomey kingdom), Benin has many historical attractions and a rich culture as a result of this chapter in history. The ruins of the Dahomeyans’ temples and palaces can be found in Abomey, whilst Ouidah is a reminder of the slave trade which is where the empire's wealth came from. The Route d’Esclaves in Ouidah was the last trail on African soil for slaves heading for Brazil and the Caribbean. Museums here and in Porto Novo, Benin’s lagoon capital, highlight the resultant Afro-Brazilian culture. Cotonou, on the other hand, is urban Africa at its most frantic and polluted - but not without its own charms, a bubbling nightlife and varied shopping options being just a couple of its highlights.

Aside from the visual treasures of the Dahomeyans gracing the Musée Historique d’Abomey, there are treasures of a different kind on Benin’s dusty streets and palm-fringed beaches. This is the birthplace of the voodoo religion, exported by the slaves and distorted by the movie industry. Voodoo is an important part of everyday life in Benin.

Benin also has a popular wild side. Elephants, lions and crocodiles can be witnessed in nature in the northern wildlife parks, most notably Pendjari, one of the best in West Africa.

Not only is Benin a historically and culturally rich nation, this politically stable country is one of the easiest and more desirable parts of West Africa to visit.

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