Bénin — where voodoo lives

The country

Bénin punches far above its size. It was the heart of the Dahomey Kingdom; it was a major node of the Atlantic slave trade (the haunting "Gate of No Return" in Ouidah remembers it); and today it blends royal heritage, living voodoo tradition, and wildlife-rich national parks.

What to see

• Porto Novo — the quiet administrative capital, museums, architecture
• Cotonou — economic capital, Dantokpa (largest market in West Africa)
• Ouidah — Gate of No Return, voodoo tradition, annual festival in January
• Allada — the annual voodoo festival brings performers from across the country
• Ganvié — stilt village on Lake Nokoué, reached by pirogue
• Dassa — sacred caves and hills
• Park Pendjari — elephants, lions, the largest wildlife reserve in the region
• Tanougou Falls — cascade in the northwest
• Taneka country — traditional villages on the northern hills

Voodoo festival

Bénin's annual Fête du Vaudou falls on January 10th each year. We time several tours around it — the central celebration at Ouidah is the best-known, but village ceremonies across the country are often more intimate.

Safety

Bénin is safe across most of the country. We avoid the northern borders with Niger and Burkina Faso. South and central Bénin are reliably tourist-friendly.