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#Benin
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Visit Benin
Once known as Dahomey, Benin was renamed in 1975 as a way to provide its three areas of different ethnic and political systems a foundation of neutrality. For centuries before the Colonial period, the kings of this nation would sell captives and prisoners directly into slavery, shipping them to the New World.
That brought wealth and power to the nation, but it was fleeting. Nearly a century of political upheaval and colonial change brought state centralization to Benin’s business community. By 1979, almost all economic activity became state controlled. People fled and the money dried up. To stay afloat, the government of Benin took nuclear waste disposal contracts from the Soviet Union.
It wouldn’t be until 2006 when an election that was labeled as being “free” and “fair was held in Benin. The country has continued to stabilize since then, with constitutional reforms helping to shape future governments so it can become less centralized.
Visiting Benin means a rare opportunity to view ancient ruins from the kingdoms of Dahomey. It is also the birthplace of Vodun beliefs, which means the “voodoo” culture is quite strong in the country. The market in Contonou has almost anything one might ever need for any purpose.
The best way to visit Benin is to be with someone local whom you trust. Hired tourist guides can help show which areas are safe and which prices are fair. The country is generally peaceful, but more than the usual precautions should generally be taken.
With enough planning, Benin can be a profound experience.
Travel and vacation in Benin
Here you can find information about travel and holiday trips to Benin. You will find travel deals as well as general travel information, guides, “good to know” and facts about Benin. You will also find updated current weather and forecasts.
Map and distances
Country map and calculation of distances
Rent your transport
Vacation by "own" transport is easy and in most cases the cheapest solution.
Rent a car
Search best prices on renting a car, search among all larger rental companies
City Guides
Good to know
Info
National Tourist Information Benin
Weather and forecast
Largest cities
See the list of the largest and most important cities in the country, and the size of the cities by population.
Important: the informations are from various external sources. If you are using the informations professional please seek official confirmation whether the figures are actual or not. Last update august 2017
| Rank | City | Pop |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cotonou | 780.000 |
| 2 | Abomey-Calavi | 385.755 |
| 3 | Djougou | 237.04 |
| 4 | Porto-Novo | 234.168 |
| 5 | Parakou | 163.753 |
| 6 | Bohicon | 125.092 |
| 7 | Kandi | 109.701 |
| 8 | Lokossa | 86.971 |
| 9 | Ouidah | 83.503 |
| 10 | Abomey | 82.154 |
Official National Holidays
Below you can see the list with official national holidays in the country.
| Date | English | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Fixed |
| January 10 | Traditional Day | Fixed |
| May 1 | Labor Day | Fixed |
| May 25 | Ascension | Fixed |
| June 5 | Whit Monday | Fixed |
| August 1 | Independence Day | Fixed |
| August 15 | Assumption | Fixed |
| October 26 | Armed Forces Day | Fixed |
| November 1 | All Saints' Day | Fixed |
| November 30 | National Day | Fixed |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Fixed |
| December 26 | Boxing Day | Fixed |
| Eid ul-Adha | Eid ul-Adha | Variable |
| Prophet's Birthday | Prophet's Birthday | Variable |
| Easter | Easter | Variable |
| Easter Monday | Easter Monday | Variable |
| Eid ul-Fitr | Eid ul-Fitr | Variable |
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Social media links
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Benin Covid-19 / Coronavirus
Travel restrictions / Travel advice
Any country may restrict travel without notice. If you live in the UK and are currently travelling abroad, you are strongly advised to return now. For actual updates on travel restrictions see official website at gov.uk
Foreign travel advice
The FCO advises British nationals against all but essential international travel. See actual travel advice on official website at gov.uk
Medical travel advice
Official and updated medical travel advice during the COVID-19 / Coronavirus outbreak, see WHO official website
Medical recommendations
The actual medical recommendations during the COVID-19 / Coronavirus outbreak can be found at WHO official website
Latest travel news
Here we insert the "breaking news" when news regarding travel in relation to covid-19 / coronavirus appear. The news will stay here until it is moved to a permanent article where it will appear.
