Things to do in Benin

Walk through the UNESCO-listed Royal Palaces of Abomey, once home to kings of the Kingdom of Dahomey.

Glide by pirogue through Ganvié, the largest lake village in Africa, built entirely on stilts over Lake Nokoué.

Stand at the poignant archway on Ouidah's beach where millions of enslaved Africans were shipped across the Atlantic.

Witness thousands gather in Ouidah for the annual National Vodun Day, featuring elaborate ceremonies, trance dances, and traditional music honouring the ancestral religion that birthed Haitian Vodou.

Lose yourself in West Africa's largest open-air market, sprawling along the lagoon in Cotonou.

Wander among the distinctive two-storey mud fortresses of the Batammariba people in northern Benin's Atacora region.

Go on a safari drive through Benin's premier wildlife reserve, home to West Africa's largest remaining population of elephants, plus lions, hippos, buffalo, and hundreds of bird species amid savanna and waterfalls.

Hop on one of Cotonou's iconic orange motorcycle taxis—the zemidjan—to weave through chaotic traffic, past colourful murals and bustling street corners, for an adrenaline-fueled local transport experience.

Enter the small, dimly lit Temple of Pythons where dozens of royal snakes rest coiled on altars.

Trek into the Atacora foothills to reach the Tanéka mud-brick hamlets, perched on hillsides among sacred forests.

Join locals for an evening walk along Fidjrossè Beach, where fishermen haul in their catch, food vendors grill fish over charcoal, and live music drifts from beach bars beneath swaying palms.

Browse contemporary African art at this striking museum in Ouidah's restored colonial buildings.

Explore the Beninese portion of this tri-country UNESCO park, a vast mosaic of Sudanian savanna where elephants, cheetahs, buffalo, and the rare West African giraffe roam along the meandering Niger River.

Savour amiwo, a rich corn dough cooked in tomato sauce with smoked fish and shrimps, served at plastic-table eateries across Cotonou.

Tour this self-sustaining agricultural research farm in Porto-Novo that trains farmers across Africa in organic techniques.

Explore the faded grandeur of Porto-Novo's da Silva district, built by freed slaves who returned from Brazil.

Scale the rooftop terrace of a tata somba to survey the rolling green hills of the Atacora.

Sip the cloudy, slightly sour homebrewed tchoukoutou at a village compound in northern Benin.

Admire the distinctive red-and-white striped basilica in the heart of Cotonou.

Paddle by pirogue to the lesser-known fishing hamlets near Togbin on Lake Nokoué's shores.

Study the bas-reliefs and artefacts depicting the Mino—the feared all-female regiment of the Dahomey kingdom—at the Musée Historique d'Abomey inside the royal palaces.

Dance until dawn at one of Cotonou's open-air maquis bars, where DJ sets blend Afrobeats, coupé-décalé, and R&B under neon lights.

Take a motorised pirogue across Ahémé Lake to visit communities that live by traditional fishing and water lily harvesting.

Walk the 4km Slave Route in Ouidah from the auction square to the beach, passing the Tree of Forgetfulness, the Zomachi memorial, and Vodun shrines.

Enjoy tender chicken smothered in a tangy onion-lemon sauce, served over fragrant rice at a shaded garden restaurant in Natitingou.