Benin

My Benin travel summary:

Visited: January 2013

Duration of visit: 5 days

Capital city: Porto-Novo (Cotonou)

Population: 10 million (2013)

Benin travel blog reading time: 5 minutes

• The birthplace of voodoo, blending Catholic and traditional African beliefs.
• A transition from Marxism to democracy and a market economy.
• Rundown Cotonou with street vendors and basic eateries.
• Ganvié – a village built on stilts above the water.

My Benin travel adventure was part of a three-week journey through Niger, Togo and Benin during the winter of 2013.

Togo and Benin have a lot in common. They share the French language, a long and narrow shape along the Gulf of Guinea, and widespread use of bush taxis and moto-taxis in the larger cities.

Benin is the birthplace of the voodoo religion and home to the former Dahomey Kingdom from the beginning of 17^th century to the end of 19^th century.

Vodun is the official religion of the country and an important part of the life of ordinary Beninese.

The Kingdom of Dahomey was a highly militaristic kingdom that developed Benin’s coast into the largest center of the slave trade in Africa. The kings of Dahomey sold their war captives into transatlantic slavery or killed them ritually in a ceremony known as the Annual Customs.

The area was named the Slave Coast because of its once-flourishing slave trade. The last slave ship departed modern-day Benin for Brazil in 1885, just before Brazil abolished slavery.

During the 1970s and 1980s, under Major Mathieu Kérékou, the country adopted Marxist principles, became a one-party socialist state, and was renamed Benin. Later, with financial support from France, it transitioned to a multiparty democracy and a market-based economy.

Today, Benin remains a very poor country, lacking basic infrastructure and struggling with poverty and corruption.

Porto-Novo is the official capital, but Cotonou is Benin’s largest city, main port, and de facto administrative capital. Porto-Novo hosts several cultural festivals celebrating local traditions, but none were taking place during my Benin travel adventure.

Due to the lack of attractions, exciting things to do, or worthwhile places to visit, I decided to skip Porto-Novo altogether.

Cotonou could be a beautiful city, with sandy beaches just a few kilometers from downtown. Instead, it is a mix of zemidjans, rundown buildings, street vendors, and basic eateries.

Zemidjans are motorcycle taxis that carry one or two passengers over short distances in towns and cities.

Riding around on these moto-taxis was the most exciting and cheapest way for me to explore the city. It could have become the most dangerous adventure if something had gone wrong.

Helmets are not yet part of standard safety equipment, and road rules favor the most skilled, fastest, and strongest vehicles. I used zemidjans whenever they were available, and every driver I met was accommodating and friendly. They were always proud to transport le blanc – the foreigner.

For me, Cotonou offered very few architectural landmarks, historical buildings, museums, or major highlights. I spent most of my time wandering around, observing locals, strolling through colorful markets, and chatting with people passing by.

Sitting on a comfortable chair in front of Hotel Le Crillon, enjoying idleness and watching motorcyclists pass by and relaxed locals was my regular afternoon activity.

Since French is the official language, communicating in English was not easy. I had previously improved my French skills, and by the end of the trip I could get by with basic expressions for accommodation, food, and prices.

Marche de Dantokpa is the grand central market, with a wide offer of food, electronics, clothes, fruits and vegetables to more specific items. It is the largest open-air market in West Africa, covering over 20 hectares, with around 35,000 merchants competing for buyers’ attention. The market combines retail and wholesale activity, offering everything from agricultural goods to textiles, jewelry, and cosmetics.

For a country or region where formal commerce is rare, impractical and expensive, informal trade is the most important catalyst of economical movements. Chaotic organization of labyrinthine lanes has its rules and the system of vendors or micro locations has been established based on demand and supply.

I found the fetish market the most captivating, with vendors offering exotic items like monkey testicles and love fetishes.

Ouidah was one of the most active slave-trading ports in Africa. Today, it is best known for its voodoo traditions and ceremonies.

Over two centuries, more than one million Africans were exported through Ouidah before the trade ended in the 1860s.

The 4-kilometer Route des Esclaves, once used to march slaves to the ships, is lined with monuments. Along the way, I observed various fetishes, statues, and voodoo symbols on display. The path ends at the Door of No Return, a memorial arch on the waterfront.

I should consider visiting the annual Voodoo Festival in Ouidah, held every January 10. It attracts thousands of devotees and features singing, drinking, ceremonies, and unique voodoo rituals.

I continued my travel adventure in Benin to Ganvié. The village was built on wooden stilts two meters above the water, with houses, hotels, and restaurants all standing above the lake.

Many of the 25,000 inhabitants live from fishing and tourism. Most non-fishing pirogues are operated by women who actively sell spices, fruits, and other goods at the markets.

Villagers built the settlement in the middle of Lake Nokoué 400 years ago, and its unique history dates back to the era of slavery.

In the 18^th century, the Tofinu people fled to the lake to escape Fon and Dahomey soldiers who sold captives to Portuguese traders.

They felt safer in this remote, water-bound settlement, as the soldiers feared the lake, believing a demon lived beneath its surface.

Ganvié means “we survived” in the local language.

Despite the original threat having long disappeared, the traditions, village structure, and canal-based lifestyle have changed very little to this day. I cannot imagine living this way myself, but spending half a day touring, cruising, observing, and chatting with the local community was inspiring.

Besides Cotonou and its surrounding areas, I also traveled to the northern part of the country on the way toward Niger. Nothing in this region stood out as particularly remarkable, and there were few interesting places to visit or exciting activities to do. People mainly focused on survival through any available income-generating activity, relying largely on farming, commerce, transport services, or government employment.

Benin’s most significant historical aspects include its role as the birthplace of voodoo and a major slave trade departure point. They still shape cultural identity and contribute to a chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere typical of West Africa.

In theory, Benin offers many highlights and things to do, from spectacular countryside to exotic beaches and wildlife-rich national parks. In practice, however, it is not easy or cheap to access these attractions.

I enjoyed the simplicity, the chaos of the local markets, and the hospitality of the Beninese people, even without many major highlights or landmarks.