Category: Benin

Benin

Bye Bye Benin – Short and sweet!

Yes three days is a short  time to stay in a country but I was both mentally and physically exhausted by the traveling challenges and the language barrier (and I do speak French). My aim was to speed through Togo to reach […]

Benin

Ouidah – Door of no return

Just a short walk from my hotel there was a three kilometer dirt path, which is commonly known as the slave route. It would have started at the market where more than one million shackled and desperate men, women and children were traded and then lead along […]

Benin

I stayed at the Hôtel Diaspora in Ouidah – great location

This modest hotel is located directly on the beach and is about 5 minutes walk from the infamous door of no return and the museum. The rooms were clean, the air conditioning was excellent and the staff were friendly and spoke […]

Benin

Ouidah – How I almost stayed at a luxury spa.

Firstly the town is pronouned Wee-dah and it is situated on the southern coast of Benin. I went here from Abomey. It was horrendous and it will give you an idea of just how awful I found the traveling. Although there was a […]

Benin

Abomey – A vanished kingdom

For 300 years, from the early 17th century Abomey served as the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey. It was established by the Fon people who were the dominant ethnic group at that time. Today the dozen structures that make up […]

Benin

I stayed at the Bis Hotel in Abomey – decent enough!

For just under $40 this hotel in Abomey is a decent choice. There is a small patio just outside the room where you can enjoy the quiet and peaceful ambiance. Tinyteddy certainly enjoyed it. The room which is clean comes […]

Benin

Benin Transportation or lack thereof.

The transport in Benin, and I am equally applying this to Togo is a nightmare. The system mostly used in these countries is called bush taxis. These are either small vans which seat about 10 people or simply ordinary cars […]

Benin

The Market Cotonou – an assault on the senses

My accommodation was directly across the street from the market. This place is everything you want from an African market. The People. The produce. The vibrancy. Even the dirty side streets have a certain charm about them. This is the […]

Benin

I stayed at the Hotel Jericho as the phantom guest!

.First of all this place is horrendously difficult to find and when we did find it it ended up being in an unmarked building, quite literally down a dirt track and on the 4th floor. The two men who always […]

Benin

Cotonou – Absolute Chaos!

And it didn’t take me long to figure that out!  Cotonou is not only the largest town in Benin with a population of more than a million but it is also its economic center. Even though it is not the […]