Stop. Put down that map. Your planning is done.

Seriously. You need to read this to understand why Benin is the perfect West African getaway.

First, Benin is a very stable and beautiful country in Francophone Africa. With over 75 miles of coastline, abundant wildlife, beautiful sunsets, extreme hospitality, and infrastructure making it easy to travel around, this small country of 10 million inhabitants has everything you can imagine for your first trip to West Africa.

Benin also holds the title of the birthplace of voodoo with its famous annual Vodun festival. Additionally it’s culturally significant for America cannot be understated, it’s seaport was where literally hundreds of thousands of slaves from all over West Africa were shipped off to the Americas.

My time in this beautiful country, traveling by van, solidified Benin in my mind as one of my new favorite places in West Africa and frankly, I just cannot stop talking about it. So get out a pen a take notes because I am going to give you seven reasons why you need to add Benin to your Bucket List.

Benin’s Slave Trading History

Ghana and Senegal entirely capture the imagination of Black Americans as a place to find their roots, but slaves came from all over West Africa. And for its part, Benin was a prolific trading post. Slavery at times dominated the economy and at other times didn’t, but it’s estimated that over a million Africans, from all over West Africa, left the continent through one of Benin’s ports. Most notably, the seaport of Ouidah has taken strides to confront and honor the history of stolen Africans from its port. In the 1990’s UNESCO worked with locals to create the Slave Route, a 3 kilometer stretch of dirt road from the markets where slaved were sold to the Gateway of No Return, positioned at the opening of the Atlantic was a slave port operated. Along the route are hundreds of statues, murals, and memorials to commemorate the victims of the slave trade. It is an emotional journey that is absolutely crucial to take with a guide. Next to the Slave route is the Ouidah Museum of History, housed in an old Portuguese Fort, which had been used for the slave trade. A trip to the museum is a must to learn about the history of the region, it’s kingdoms,  and the region’s slave trade itself. Just from the Ouidah port, it’s estimated that 1,000,000 souls were shipped. The museum also goes over the history of Voodoo, or Vodun which is another hallmark of Benin culture.

Benin is the birthplace of Voodoo

While this fact may make many people cringe with a bit of fear, voodoo is in every fabric of Benin’s history and modern life. In fact, it is understood that the kind of voodoo practiced in modern-day Louisiana, can trace its roots in Benin. Visiting Benin to learn about Voodoo almost always requires some sort of guide who is in the know. I’d recommend TransAfrica as a top choice. But if you speak French, it’s possible to arrange your own guide once there. Benin’s voodoo tourism really took off after the 1990’s after they held their first Fête du Vodoun in January. Since then it’s a yearly occasion and one of the largest gatherings for voodoo in the world. Keep in mind that voodoo is an official religion and it requires some respect. During the festival and traveling to surrounding areas around the festival you can learn more than you ever thought you wanted to learn, watch religious ceremonies of dance, sacrifice, Benin’s famous mask dances, and generally gain an appreciation for another culture. Also, if you are in Ouidah for all the action, don’t forget to check out the Temple of the Pythons!

Floating Villages

Literally, no visit to Benin is complete without even just a day trip to Ganvié, one of the most famous African floating villages.  It’s about a little over half an hour from Cotonou which is your most likely entry point into Benin unless you travel from Lome, Togo. The small fishing village of 25,000 preserves it’s history and way of life through fishing and tourism.  It’s similar to the floating villages one may see in Vietnam, and its colors are fantastic. The people there are definitely used to tourist, but there’s also some resentment toward an obsessive amount of pictures without permission. Make sure to ask before you snap a picture of someone! It’s definitely an experience to be had and pretty amazing to say you’ve visited the village. If you want to make a full experience out of it; it’s recommended you stay at Hotel Germain. They operate their own boats and their private tours of the village and provide some decent comfort and basic accommodation and food. They also offer excursions and opportunities for wildlife, especially for birders!

Safaris and Wildlife!

If you are looking to round out all of Benin’s cultural experience with some R&R and wildlife exploration, Benin has two fantastic National Parks: Parc National de la Pendjari & W National Park. The W National Park is shared between Benin, Niger, and Burkina Faso and is less developed than the Parc National de la Pendjari. The W National Park is also part of UNESCO and known for rare species of elephants, the African Manatee, Cheetah, lion, and leopard, and many other forms of endangered flora and animals. Because of that, there are lots of reasonable regulations, and it is mainly a refuge.  If you are looking for a sparse adventure, go there. If you are looking for a safari with R&R, check out the Parc National de la Pendjari.

Most people looking for R&R stay at the Pendjari Lodge. It’s a combination of old-style safari meets bush luxury with safari tents, arranged activities, and a limited selection of local food from the restaurant. You can encounter the big five in the park and over 400 types of birds! It is a genuinely exceptional birding paradise and a fantastic way to relax and get up and close with nature. Speaking of relaxing.

Benin’s Coastline and sunsets!

While visiting python temples and walking slave routes you can also stay at one of Benin’s many beach resorts.  While in Quidah we stayed at the Casa del Papa, which was a short dirt road drive away from the city’s main attractions. Casa del Papa sported cabins along the Sea with delicious food, a nightclub, private porches, and a slew of free water activities for guests.  Some of Benin’s other great beaches are Fidjross Beach, El Dorado Beach and Grand Popo Beach. The prices for relaxing at the beach vary. Also, Benin’s waters do have strong currents and unpredictable rip tides, so it’s important to listen to local advice and warnings before just jumping in the water. Nevertheless, I definitely will return to Benin, stay at Casa del Papa again, and spend some decent time just relaxing with the fantastic view and delicious food.

Local Markets & Totally Unique Items

Maybe you’ve been to Ghana, and you are thinking, I’ve visited Makola Market..so I’ve seen them all. No, no you haven’t. Each market in West Africa is unique to the hyperlocal location; offering goods, you can only find in that spot. Furthermore, you’ve never seen Dantokpa Market. Dantokpa is located in Cotonou, Benin and it is one of Benin’s largest markets. It positively affects the senses and can be overwhelming, but it’s also a place where you can find pretty much everything. There’s even a fetish market within Dantokpa. But beware, the fetish market is not for the faint of heart, but it is genuinely fascinating. If you don’t speak French, I’d recommend traversing this market with a guide (the one you hire at your hotel or before) to help you learn a bit more about each item. But don’t ask them to bargain for you because you need to do that yourself. Also, the other markets of Cotonou are literally located adjacent to the market but are primarily inside. The City Center Mall is known for jewelry, fabrics, and currency exchange. The Missebo market is also a place exclusively for locals, and you can find a bit of everything here but mostly clothes and food. Of course, the prices vary, and you may walk away with more than you can carry!

Benin’s Northern Villages – Stepping back in time

If you have the energy, then make sure to drive 6 hours north to visit Taneka and the Tata Somba Village. The villages have preserved a particular part of their town as a time capsule, and their housing is much like it has been for hundreds of years. This is definitely a place you need to go on a guided tour because it is easy to miss from the road! The history of the people of Taneka is on display in the village and today just over 300 people live there in much the same way they have for centuries. In the pre-colonial times, they built a wall around them to defend themselves from slave catchers. Nowadays, the tourist who visit may be able to meet the chief, get invited into a home, and learn more about cultures and traditions. During ceremonies and religious celebrations, the village population can soar to thousands. The Tata Somba Village of the Somba people is also well known for their housing structures. Circular houses with straw roofs, and multiple levels masterfully built for temperature control. The villages are used to tourist and absolutely reserve a portion of their town for historical and tourism purposes while in the background you can find aluminum and tin roof modern homes. Stepping into the Tata Somba village is like stepping back in time. Because this operation is so well run you will often find whole families outside, in traditional clothing, totally prepared for the gawking tourist. When we went, we were given a dance performance of traditional dance and later had a chance to buy handmade arts and crafts. We bought a ton. I admire the villagers and the chief for their innovation, a way to preserve their history and culture, teach weary tourist about it, and find a way to utilized ecotourism to the advantage of the village. If you have extra days, this is definitely worth at least an overnight visit!

Now I’ve convinced you, right?

So now that you are on Google Flights looking for round-trip tickets to Benin, let me give you some tips!

Getting There & Visas

First, you will need a visa to visit Benin. You can only secure this visa about 60 days before travel. It’s not too hard to secure, but the close cut off is always nerve-wracking for me since there’s no visa on arrival. Because flights can be expensive into Benin, most people choose to fly into Lome, Togo and drive to Benin. While Togo is not my favorite place in the world, Lome does have some nice hotels, beaches, and an interesting fetish market to check out. If you are choosing to fly into Lome, then there’s the option of the Entrant visa which allows for entry into Togo & Benin. The only caveat is that you cannot go to any other country before using that visa. We made that mistake, and our permits to Togo and Benin were invalidated, and we found out at the border to Togo. Luckily, Togo does allow for visa’s an arrival with proof of yellow fever vaccination, a passport, and $30 to 85 dollars depending on your desired length of stay. Once in Togo, you can visit the Benin embassy and risk being a few days delayed to get your visa to Benin, but you will need passport pictures. OR you can just get two different visas 60 days before travel. It was not the most accessible system but compared to what many have to go through it’s relatively painless. Always check the countries’ state department websites for the latest information.

Money

Second, both Benin and Togo use CFAs, so it’s easy to pick up money in Lome, Togo from an ATM if you happen to be traveling there. I got all my money in Togo and didn’t get any money while in Benin, so I don’t know the situation there. But I imagine in airports, and at hotels, there’s always a way.

How Much will I spend while there?

Third, Benin is relatively cheap. Hotels range from 30 dollars to 110 dollars a night. Especially if you choose beachfront hotels. The beer is also pretty cheap, about less than a dollar a bottle, and the average inexpensive meal for two will cost you around 7 dollars. If you go to a fancy restaurant with a 3-course meal, you are looking at spending $30 to 40 dollars for two people. Most of the entry fees for museums and attractions are also cheap and at times negotiable. You can get around spending relatively little the entire time; especially if you are converting CFAs to USD or Euros. Nevertheless, you may find yourself paying an arm & leg on luxury expenses when it comes to your safari or at a market booth if you are terrible at negotiating. But also keep in mind; that extra 5 dollars to you translates to roughly 2,800 CFAs, in a country where the national per capita income is USD 2,260. I always believe when I am traveling to lower-income countries, it is my duty to spend locally and contribute to the economy. There are problems there as well, but that’s for another blog post.

Where to stay?

Fourth, Here are my hotel recommendations:

Casa del Papa in Ouidah, Benin

Jeco Hotel in Dassa-Zoumé, Benin

Hotel Tata Somba in Natitingou, Benin

Pendjari Lodge in Parc de la Pendjari

Auberge de Grand Popo in Grand Popo, Benin

Safety

I can’t speak much on this because I was with a guide or a group most of the time. I didn’t have any issues traveling around Benin and we were riding in a bus and a van; making us a pretty good target. I walked around by myself a bit and did not feel unsafe. Of course, everyone needs to follow common sense practices because there are pick-pockets everywhere and just like in any big city or place where there’s a lot of tourists; there’s always a chance to get robbed. But again, since I was always with a group I had no problems, I can imagine there are some schemes where people offer to show you around if they find you by yourself and then demand money for their services afterward, but you can avoid all that by simply saying no or arranging ahead of time for a tour with a local. Also the language can be a real barrier if you do not speak French. For that reason, I would recommend hiring a guide to take you through some of the tourist areas and to drive you around the country. The roads are better than in Togo and comparable to Ghana. They are mostly paved with some potholes and are not always well marked. Once in the city, driving around gets down right crazy and so it’s better to have an experienced driver. Also, for the sake of respectability; not everyone wants their picture taken without permission. Especially when at the market. Ask before you take pictures and consider buying a product after you do.

Wanna learn more about exploring West Africa’s Voodoo culture? Check out my blog post on 14-days of West African Voodoo!

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