Country 16/196: Benin
Destination: Cotonou
We were staying at the lovely Villa les Orchidées hotel, which is located at the beautiful Obama beach. It gave us the chance to watch the sunset at the beach, which is always a very romantic experience.
But romance is not the only thing you can find in Cotonou, the city also offers a fair share of excitement. For starters, there are taxi drivers on motorbikes, which can take two persons at a time, so we drove around the city with one of those most of the time (because it’s cheaper than regular cabs and it’s way more fun 🙂 ). The capital of Benin is a vibrant city full of art, kind people, and life. 🙂
Things to see and things to do
- Obama beach
- Dantokpa Market
- Fondation Zinsou
- Cotonou Central Mosque
- Etoile rouge
- Cotonou Cathedral
- Grande Mosquee de Zongo
- Cotonou Lighthouse
- Place des Martyrs
- Eldorado beach (in our opinion this beach is totally overrated; we found the Obama beach to be much nicer)
Where to stay
As mentioned above, we were staying at the Villa les Orchidées hotel. The room was beautiful, colorful, comfortable, and it had a funky light show feature. The food at the hotel was delicious and there was a pool table at the pool. The people were very friendly and the vibe was super chill.
Are you planning a trip to Cotonou? Here you can get a room with a 10% discount!
Budget
Accommodation prices vary from 10 USD to 275 USD (8.5 to 235 EUR). However, there are some very nice options for couples at a very low price. The cheapest way to travel within the city is by motorcycle taxi, to travel from one city to another you can take a bus or a bush taxi. Local transportation prices are usually low. Food prices vary from pretty expensive in upscale restaurants to very cheap at roadside stands.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Benin is from October to February, during the country’s dry season when humidity is a bit lower and the temperatures a bit cooler.
Environmental issues
One of the most alarming environmental issues in Benin is severe desertification due to prolonged droughts caused by global warming. Forests used to serve as a natural shield against desertification, but due to uncontrolled agricultural practices and fires, 59% of those forests are gone. Desertification is affecting the water supplies. By now, only 55% of rural residents have access to safe drinking water. Poaching is threatening wildlife populations and causing biodiversity loss.
Romance and adventure
There are plenty of romantic sights to be found on the coast of Benin. Most of the country’s top travel destinations, such as Cotonou, Ouidah, Porto-Novo, Ganvie, and Pendjari National Park offer many adventurous and romantic things to see and to do.
196xLOVE
Found lots of LOVE in Benin. 😉 ♥
Honeymoon rating of the visited destinations: ♥♥♥♥♥♡♡♡♡♡
* Note: This is NOT a general rating of the country, it is merely our personal opinion of the mentioned site(s) as honeymoon destinations, based on the level of tourism development, the number and quality of romantic and adventurous activities and sites it offers, and safety. We strongly believe that every country is beautiful in its own way, they may simply be more or less honeymoon oriented/friendly.
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