Benin

Welcome to Benin

The birthplace of voodoo and a pivotal platform of the slave trade for nearly three centuries, Benin is steeped in a rich and complex history still very much in evidence today.

A visit to this small, club-shaped nation could therefore not be complete without learning about spirits and fetishes and the Afro-Brazilian heritage of Ouidah, Abomey and Porto Novo.

But Benin will also wow visitors with its palm-fringed beach idyll of the Atlantic coast, the rugged scenery of the north and the Parc National de la Pendjari, one of the best wildlife parks in West Africa. Lions, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and hundreds of other species thrive here.

In fact, Benin is wonderfully tourist friendly. There are good roads, a wide range of accommodation options and ecotourism initiatives that offer the chance to delve into Beninese life. Now is an ideal time to go: the country sits on the cusp of discovery.

Highlights

See the remains of the ancient palaces in Abomey, the former capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey
Shop at the region’s largest market, Grand Marche de Dantopka
Hunt the ‘big five’ on a wildlife safari
Hold a python at the Temple of the Sacred Python
Spot hippos on the Oueme River
Sample the local beer in Parakou