The smallish country of Benin is perhaps not one that everyone has heard of before. This destination in West Africa sits wedged between the much bigger Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, and the even smaller Togo (I mean Togo is even smaller than Benin). It’s capital is Porto Novo,
Today I’ve got a number of photos to share with you all. I know from the start that these aren’t my best photos overall, but they still are very interesting I feel. I stayed in Cotonou, in the south, when I was there and had a night in Parakou. Cotonou is the biggest city in the country, and from there I was able to visit Ouidah, on the coast, a place with a terrible past where people were sent as slaves to the New World. There’s a museum there in a fort, a temple famed for its pythons and some colonial buildings.
Ouidah is not too far from the beach and the ‘Porte de non Retour’ – the port of no return, which is specifically where the boats left from. There is a monument there, and at the time I was there I met some people tavelling around West Africa in a sort of military first aid jeep.
Ganvie is a ‘floating village’ as they call it, a village on a lake on stilts. I took a pirogue – a local boat – for a tour one day. Unfortunately I was having a bad day in more ways than one – I had been ripped off by the man in charge of collecting money for all the boats and had my back up. Completely unrelated to that I can’t help but notice today that most of my photos there are at very poor angles. Ahhh well.
Parakou is a day’s train ride north of Cotonou. It has little to recommend it but I will talk more about it this Thursday when I detail my trip from Cotonou to Niamey in Niger, a mighty two-day epic journey. For now, I hope you find these pics insightful or interesting in some way!
From the Historical Museum in Ouidah. 
Basilica of Ouidah 
Ouidah road.
Interesting statue on road to Port de non Retour, 
Monument to the slaves on the Beach, Port de non Retour.
Where the boats leave for Ganvie 
Through a window at Ganvie 
Small market at Ganvie 
On a boat heading to the village of Ganvie. 
On the pirogue Lake Ganvie. 
Boats for Ganvie
As always thank you so much for your visit today! Take care wherever you are! More on travel in Benin on Thursday! May the Journey Never End!
Andy's World Journeys 
Nice…thanks for sharing
Thanks for visiting!
I know very little about west Africa. Thanks for this window into life in Benin!
Thanks my pleasure!
Very interesting shots. A nice glimpse into a country I know very little about.
Thanks for visiting much appreciated!
In a few pictures it is possible to get an idea of the country, on the development gap compared to Western countries. It is also necessary to meet people to see that there is something else interesting.
Thanks sir!
I volunteered with an NGO that used to run some projects in Benin, but otherwise I know nothing about this country. Thanks for sharing your experience there.
My pleasure thanks!
Wow very cool… I’ve never even heard of Benin! Bummer to hear you were ripped off, that always puts a damper on a travel experience that’s for sure.
I wasn’t ripped off that badly all said but it sadly affected my mood that day.
I think you had PLENTY of photos to share of Benin on your blog. I’ve heard of Benin as a Francophone country, but otherwise, I know absolutely nothing about the small, African country. Thanks for introducing us to Benin, and I’m curious to learn more about it!
Lol yeah plenty of pics but not the number I usually take so to post this many some aren’t so good. Thanks for popping by!
May the journey truly never end Andy!
These are awesome photos, I’ll like to say and sorry about the rip off. Shit happens.
How did you cope with the French and did you carry any python on your neck?
I was ok with je parle une petit Francais! I passed on the python lol
Haha.
I’ve heard of Benin and can “sort of” place it on the map, but know nothing about this country. Thanks for the tour. Looks like it has some nice coastline.
thanks for dropping by!