The most impressive lakes in the world

From boiling lakes to vast alpine bodies of water, these are our favourite lakes from around the world. 

Where to visit in Benin

Highlights  Selecting the highlights of a country is a daunting prospect. For a start, it’s virtually impossible for anyone to visit every town, city,…

Voodoo in Benin: the Bradt guide to gods, ghosts and dead people

This animistic religion has over 50 million followers in West Africa.

Parc National de la Pendjari

Quite simply, Pendjari is the greatest savannah national park in all of West and Central Africa. Lion, elephant and cheetah in West Africa? It’s…

Dassa-Zoumé

The best thing about Dassa -Zoumé is the atmosphere; you start to feel the tempo downgrading from the often-hectic coastal lands into something altogether…

Ouidah

One of the most infamous names in the Atlantic slave trade, Ouidah is today the spiritual capital of Benin. If you arrive for the first…

Tanéka Koko

It’s hard to believe that anyone can actually fit inside the houses in Tanéka Koko. It’s as if the entire village has shrunk in…

Ganvié

Ganvié seems to be nothing short of an organic creation – a town where nature went a little off the rails and the reeds…

Possotomè and Lac Ahémè

This is one of Benin’s friendliest little villages, offering a number of interesting excursions out on the lake. One small frustration of travelling around Benin…

Health and safety in Benin

Safety Health With Dr Felicity Nicholson. For up-to-date information on health issues across Africa, click here.  Benin, like most parts of Africa, is home to several…

Tata Somba villages

Visit the medieval-castle-like houses of the extraordinary Tata Somba villages. Southwest of Natitingou a minor road winds through the Atakora Mountains, whose heights reach…

Porto-Novo

It’s easy to pass three or four days soaking up the atmosphere in Porto-Novo, losing yourself among the narrow winding streets and colourful markets.…

Parc National du W

Parc National du W remains probably the epitome of the West African wilderness experience. For many years the Parc National du W (in French, W…

Abomey

It still goes without saying that Abomey should be one of the first places you rush to in Benin. With walls made of blood…

When to visit Benin

Climate Sitting entirely in the northern hemisphere tropics, Benin has a wet tropical climate in the south dominated by a strong monsoon between late…