Bird-watching is excellent throughout Benin. Top spots are the Parc National de la Pendjari for savanna species, and the coastal areas around Grand-Popo and Ouidah for water birds.
The Benoise coastline is a long strip of open beach, but the best beaches can be found in Grand-Popo, Ouidah and just to the west of Cotonou. The seas are often rough with dangerous undertows and some small surf.
Hiking is rewarding around Dassa-Zoume and Save.
Shopping
Shop for tapestries, ritual masks, wooden statues, ebony products,
vodou fetishes, brass items, bronze work, interesting pottery (found primarily in the villages of Tourou and Adjarra) and locally produced art. Be on the lookout for a local wooden board game called
aji. Played with beans on a wooden board with 12 carved cups, it's like chess in that the moves are simple, but the strategy is complex.
Shopping Hours: Monday-Saturday 9 am-1 pm and 4-7 pm. Some shops open 8 am-noon Sunday.
Local Tours
Reputable tour companies based in Cotonou include Agence Africaine de Tourisme (B.P. 2508; phone 2131-5414; http://www.aatvoyages.com) and Concorde Voyage (B.P. 0306; phone 313-413).
Day By Day
Allow about a week for a tour of the southern half of Benin. If you want to visit the north as well, allow for about two weeks. Those travelers concerned with comfort should arrange to go on an escorted tour (booked from home) that covers as many of the sights listed below as possible. Anyone traveling independently on a low budget must be prepared to encounter a certain amount of discomfort, transportation delays and, outside Cotonou, accommodations that are far from deluxe.
If the political situation permits, we recommend that Benin and Togo be seen on the same trip. However, Togo has been experiencing some turmoil in recent years, and you should make sure things are fairly settled there before you include it on your itinerary. The drive between Lome, Togo, and Cotonou, Benin, only takes a couple of hours, and the scenery along the coastal road—fishing villages and beaches—is very nice (it's also the best road in this part of West Africa).
Day 1—Arrive Cotonou. Relax and walk the town to get oriented.
Day 2—Walk and sightsee in Cotonou and make an afternoon trip to Ganvie.
Day 3—In the morning, go to Ouidah. Return to Cotonou to overnight. (Travelers driving from Togo can visit Ouidah on the way.)
Day 4—Depart early for Abomey, about a four-hour drive north. Spend the day visiting the many sights, and overnight there.
Day 5—Head northwest, stopping at Taneka Koko. Overnight in Natitingou.
Day 6—See wildlife at Pendjari National Park. Return to Natitingou.
Day 7—Leave early, stopping for an hour at a traditional Somba village on the way. It's a very long drive (about eight hours) back to Cotonou.
Day 8—Depart Benin.
If more time is available, visit the area around Cove, add two days at the beach in Grand Popo or visit Togo (if the political situation is stable).
