In the mid 1600s
the Kingdom of Dan-Homey dominated the region and controlled one of the largest
slave trading operations in West Africa, amassing great wealth. Later Dahomey
became part of French West Africa. Strikes, coups and repressive rule followed
independence in 1960. In 1990 a multiparty democracy was installed and today a
pleasant, peaceful Benin is gaining popularity among visitors to Africa.
The
Country
The country is
almost half the size of the UK. The coastal plains are dotted with lakes and
lagoons, but sandbars obstruct most river mouths. The area is densely populated
and subsistence farmed. Yams, cassava, maize, millet, sorghum, beans and rice
are the main crops. Inland a forested plateau climbs gently through thinly
wooded savannah plains to verdant uplands and the Atakora Mountains.
Accommodation
There are camp sites at most tourist centres and
camping sauvage (pitching a tent in the bush outside cities) is permitted. The
chambres de passage offer dirt-cheap rooms but hygiene levels are usually
pretty low. Budget rooms with fans and outside toilets are relatively
inexpensive. Good mid-range lodgings are found in tourist towns and there are
international class hotels in Cotonou and Hatitingou.
Weather
Generally it’s best to avoid visiting Benin
during the rains. December through to March are the driest months, while August
and early September are also normally rain-free in the South. Here temperatures
are usually below 30º C but in the north it can get to 45º C before
the rains break in June.
Getting Around
In towns you can get around on government-run buses or
zimi-djans (scooter taxis). Taxi brousses (Peugeot 504s) are the main means of
travel between centres. Minibuses are cheaper but take longer. Hire cars are
available, petrol is relatively cheap and the roads are fairly good except
during the rains. Internal rail and airline connections are very limited.
The
People
Many of the
people in the South are Fon. In the central areas you’ll come across the
Yoruba, who thrive on trading. In the north are the Bariba and the Fulani (or
Peul) nomadic cattle herders. Best known, however, are the Somba people.
It’s their small, round, two-storey, castle-like houses called tata sombas
that draw visitors. Most of the rural communities and many city dwellers
believe in fetishes and voodoo. About 15% of the population are Muslims and one
in five professes a Christian faith. French is the official language and some
traders use a pidgin English. However, local dialects are most widely
spoken.
The staple food for most people is starch based — usually
rice, foufou, cassava, yams or sweet potatoes. This is garnished with a sauce
made from peanuts, spinach or other greens, and tomatoes or plantains, cooked
in palm oil. Those who can afford it eat meat stews, snails, smoked goat or
grilled chicken with chilli sauce. Meals are washed down with a home-made
millet brew (chapalo), palm wine or the national beer, la Béninoise.
Arts and Crafts
Benin is famous for its highly-prized bronze
sculptures made using techniques dating back to the 13th century. Don’t
miss the restored, polychrome bass-reliefs at the Palace of Abomay — a
UNESCO historic site. Equally sought after are the richly coloured
appliqué tapestries recording historical royal events. There are also
leather goods, jewellery, and finely carved tables, chairs and ritual masks
available. A great variety of traditional dances and songs are performed. The
festivals are spectacular.
Attractions
Cotonou The city is spread out,
chaotic, lethargic and a little seedy, but it has some excellent markets,
notably the Grand Marché de Dantokpa. There is an array of good places
in which to sample West African (or Lebanese, French, Italian and Asian) food,
a clutch of lively bars and nightclubs, and some fairly good beaches.
Ganvie This stilted bamboo fishing village on Lake Nokoue is
Benin’s top tourist attraction. Visitors can sleep in local houses, at a
quaint inn or at the nearby mainland hotel. Using a knowledgeable guide is
advised. Around the lagoon are a number of less exploited, less expensive
villages.
Ouidah Visitors come to this old slave
trading cenre and voodoo stronghold to see the old fort, the voodoo museum
within it, the 100-year-old Catholic basilica and the fading French colonial
architecture. Many walk the 4km route taken by slaves to board ships, and visit
the fetish villages en route. The Sacred Python and other temples, the Sacred
Forest of Deities and the Brazilian quarters are also interesting.
Port novo The country’s capital, but in name only, this
town is visited for its market, Brazilian style mosque, museum of Ethnography
and King Toffa’s Palace. The surrounding lagoons are dotted with stilt
villages worth visiting if you wish to avoid Ganvié.
Grand popo This derelict slave station boasts a few antiquated
buildings. However, its lagoons, coconut groves and sandy beaches have made it
Benin’s top getaway spot.
Abomey Centre of the
ancient Dan-Homey Kingdom, Abomey’s main attractions are the restored
Royal Palace (now a museum), its twisting alleyways and the Centre des
Artisans.
Dassa zoume This, “the city of 41
hills”, is one of Benin’s most picturesque places. Houses have been
built around huge rock formations. West African Catholics make an annual
pilgrimage to the top of a rock on which the Virgin Mary is said to have
appeared.
Penjari park Penjari is rated one of the
most interesting game viewing parks in West Africa. Its woody savannah plains
are easily accessed, and lodgings and camp sites are available at the park gate
and in nearby villages.
Parc National du “W” du
Niger This forested park spreads into neighbouring Burkino Faso and
Niger. It is open mid-December to mid-May but access requires 4x4. The roads
and camping facilities are limited.
Wildlife
Benin’s parks hold elephant, buffalo, hippo,
crocodile, lion, leopard, cheetah, caracal, serval, warthog, aardvark, baboons
and monkeys, as well as many antelope.
