Benin

While many travelers tend to go to the well known African countries such as Ghana or Nigeria, I loved the experience of going to Benin and experiencing their unique culture, food, and language. Porto Novo is the capital and this is a former Portugueses owned port, with large colonial buildings like the Brazilian-style Great Mosque, formerly a church. I had a good time visiting this city. However, I spend the majority of time in the largest city: Cotonou. Cotonou is just as big as nearby Lagos in Nigeria, with a large international airport that you will most likely land in. The main language is French, however local languages such as Fon, Mina, Aja, and Yoruba. I am fluent in French so it was easy for me to speak and get around; however, if you have no french background, it is not impossible to find English speaking natives in the area as English is taught as a second language in all the schools. Cotonou is a huge fishing port so a lot of the meals evolved around seafood and fish. I got a delicious array of fish/seafood meals on my visit the the prices for food were very affordable, with huge serving sizes.

One of my favorite parts of this visit is going to nearby beaches such as Fidjirosse Beach. This beach is a beautiful stretch of white sand, and blue waters. It is a lovely place to embrace local culture and cool off from the sun. This beach is a favorite spot for Beninese individuals, young and old, to retreat to with families. There are plenty of places to relax and enjoy a nice meal by the beach as well. I especially loved that it is a perfect place for your instagram worthy shorts of the long coconut palms trees, with beautiful scenic water in the background.

For added bonus, you can venture out of Cotonou and visit several of the known tourist attraction locations around the country. I went to Python Temple in Ouidah. As some might know, Benin is credited as the origin of Voodoo; although their version of Voodoo is not to do harm to anyone but to use as protection for their families and homes. In Ouidah, a visit to the python temple, home to some 60 sleepy snakes will give you an unique first hand look of what exactly Voodoo is in their culture. The guide explains some of the beliefs and ceremonies associated with the temple, and you even get the opportunity to hold the python around your neck for an excellent photo to show your friends back home.

Next I went to the village of Ganvié. This stilt village, located in the lagoon of Lake Nokoue, was created for the Tofinu people to stay safe from slave hunters back in the 1700s. They were able to successfully escape the slave hunters by building their homes, schools, churches, and local governments entirely on stilts in the water. It is known as the largest lake village in Africa and as such is very popular with tourists. This protected village has adapted so well to living in these slit homes, that children as young as 5 are already well versed in fishing and navigating their way through the waters in canoes to reach one side of the village from the other. This village is an impressive sight to see and I highly recommend this to anyone who gets the opportunity to visit Benin!