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Benin

Ganvié on stilts, the slave route and the land of voodoo.

Capital
Porto-Novo (Cotonou = economic capital)
Currency
CFA franc (XOF) — fixed parity with Cameroon's CFA
Flight from Douala
~1h45 from Douala (direct)
Time difference
GMT+1 (same time as Cameroon)

Benin packs in an intense, living history: the lake city of Ganvié, the Slave Route and the Door of No Return in Ouidah, the royal palaces of Abomey (UNESCO) and the Vodun Days on 10 January. Short flight, CFA parity and a quick online e-Visa.

Formalities

The visa, step by step

Visa-free
How to apply
Allowed stay
90 days
Cost
Free
Processing
Immediate on arrival

How to apply

Benin is visa-free for African nationals (90 days). No prior steps.

Required documents

  • Passport valid 6 months
  • Round-trip ticket & accommodation
  • Yellow fever certificate

Good to know

  • •Per Passport Index: visa-free 90 days for Cameroon.
  • •The evisa.bj portal remains available if an online formality is required.
How much it costs

A one-week budget

Backpacker
180 000 FCFA
/ week, excl. flight
Comfort
420 000 FCFA
/ week, excl. flight

Round-trip flight from Douala / Yaoundé

180 000 FCFA–312 000 FCFA

Direct ~1h45; 4-8h with a stopover (Lomé, Abidjan, Lagos).

Indicative round-trip price: it varies widely by season, layover and how early you book.

Where the money goes (backpacker estimate)

🏨96 000 FCFA
🍽️54 000 FCFA
🚕33 000 FCFA
🎟️60 000 FCFA
Hostel
6 000 FCFA–12 000 FCFA
Mid-range
16 800 FCFA–36 000 FCFA
Nice hotel
54 000 FCFA–120 000 FCFA
Tailored

Budget simulator

Comfort level
Estimated total budget
360 000 FCFA
Must-sees

What to do there

1

Ganvié

Lake village on stilts, pirogue visit.

2

Slave Route (Ouidah)

And the Door of No Return.

3

Temple of Pythons

And the sacred Kpassè forest in Ouidah.

4

Vodun Days (10 January)

Major voodoo festival.

5

Royal Palaces of Abomey

Kingdom of Dahomey (UNESCO).

6

Porto-Novo

Afro-Brazilian architecture.

7

Grand-Popo

Beach and the Mono lagoon.

Itinerary

One week, day by day

  1. D1

    Arrival in Cotonou: Dantokpa market and seafront.

  2. D2

    Day trip to Ganvié by pirogue.

  3. D3

    Ouidah: Slave Route, Door of No Return, Pythons.

  4. D4

    Relaxing at Grand-Popo (beach, Mono lagoon).

  5. D5

    Drive to Abomey: Royal Palaces of Dahomey.

  6. D6

    Porto-Novo: historic centre, Afro-Brazilian mosque.

  7. D7

    Craft shopping in Cotonou and departure.

✓

Travel checklist

A printable list (or save as PDF) so you forget nothing.

Travel checklist — Bénin

Before you leave

What to pack

Visa sources: evisa.bj

Indicative data (June 2026), reliability moyenne. Visa rules, prices and timelines change: always confirm with official sources before booking.

They did it

Traveler reviews

LN
Cameroon→Benin

“Benin is beautiful and full of culture, with so much to visit: Ganvié, the Temple of Pythons, Grand-Popo, Cotonou… It's magnificent. Only downside: I wasn't really into their cuisine.”

📌 For accommodation, I recommend the Fidjrossè neighbourhood in Cotonou.

October 2024Solo7 dAs expected (≈ Cameroon)Visa-freeRecommends
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