Africa > Benin: Weather, Map, Costs and Travel Guide

A little apart in West Africa, Benin is more flourishing than its neighbours and has numerous attractions.

Discover first the official Capital, Porto-Novo, with its mosque, old Brazilian style church, ethnographical museum and of course the Adjara market, vibrant and colourful, where you will find magnificent ceramics.

Cotonou is the other Capital of the country through its dynamic character and economic activities: Its bars and restaurants, the huge Dantokpa market, and the lake city of Ganvie slightly to the north with its houses on stilts makes an appealing destination.

Ouidah is another interesting site, rich from a cultural point of view: Various museums, temples and also the Slave Route commemorating the route followed by the slaves to board the boats taking them from their homeland, and which is now packed with statues and fetishes, but there are also sumptuous beaches here. All these attractions make this destination a must.

Natitingou, in the Atakora Mountains, will be open to discovery by you through its Arts and Popular Cultural Sombas Traditions Museum. This will also be the perfect time for you to discover the Pendjari National Park, a magnificent natural reserve biosphere where the animals live in their natural habitat: You will probably see leopards, lions, cheetahs, jackals, elephants, antelopes and hippopotami amongst others.

One certain thing about your trip is the constant and unwavering warm hospitality shown by the Beninese.

Benin is well served by the major airlines from France and Belgium.
A visa is required to enter the territory.

The currency in circulation is the CFA Franc.
Your provisional budget, although a little higher than for other countries in Africa, is still very reasonable: Plan for around €15 for a reasonable double room and less than €10 for an average meal. You can eat for one tenth of that if you buy local food from the stalls you find on all the streets and in the markets.

Concerning health precautions, make sure your vaccinations are up to date before your departure. Protect yourself against catching malaria from the mosquitoes and get vaccinations against yellow fever and typhoid as well as hepatitis B. Avoid tap water and raw salads and be extra careful to wash your hands before handling food.

Travel in the interior is best undertaken by bus or ‘kia kia’, a local shared taxi, the prices are very affordable.

Finally, one important point to remember whilst you are here is that bartering is part of the way of life so every purchase has to be discussed first, for more or less time.