Benin - Benin

Benin
Location
Coat of arms and flag
Capital	Porto-Novo
Government	presidential republic
Currency	UEMOA CFA Franc (XOF)
Surface	114,763 km²
Inhabitants	9.598.787 (2012 estimate) 8.500.500 (2002 census)
Tongue	French
Religion	Christianity (42.9%) Voodoo (17.3%), Islam (24.4%) and the rest atheists or minor religions (2007)
Electricity	220V / 50Hz (European socket)
Prefix	229
TLD	.bj
Time zone	UTC 1
Website	Tourist Board of Benin

Benin is a continent nation African belonging to the region ofWest Africa. It is bathed by the Atlantic Ocean and bordering the Nigeria to the east, the Niger and the Burkina Faso to the north and the Togo West.

To know

Benin is a fantastic country to visit on its own or in addition to any itinerary in theWest Africa. Here is a great deal of sumptuous temples and ruins of what was once the mighty kingdom of Dahomey (1800-1894). Also, Benin is the birthplace of Voodoo (Vodun according to the spelling hair dryer or Voodoo according to the spelling Italian) and everything that goes with it. To this day, Voodoo remains the country's official religion and an important part of the life of the average Beninese. Benin's national parks are also worth a visit for their wildlife. Benin is also, fortunately, one of the most stable and safe countries in the region for a traveler.

The Republic of Benin, formerly known as Dahomey, should not be confused with the kingdom of Benin, also known as the kingdom of Edo, which has now disappeared and originated in the area west of the Niger river delta. Of this kingdom remains to the present day the state of Edo which is part of the Nigeria and its capital is Benin City.

The name Dahomey was changed in 1975 in favor of the current one, which was chosen for its neutrality, given that more than fifty different linguistic groups and almost as many ethnic groups live together in the country. The name Dahomey was that of the ancient Fon kingdom, and was deemed inappropriate to define the whole nation.

Geographical notes

Benin, compared to its neighbors, is geographically smaller, with a size similar to theHonduras or to the American state ofOhio.

Stretched between the Niger River to the north and the Benin Bay to the south, the elevation of the territory does not vary significantly in different areas of the country. Most of the population lives in the southern coastal plains, where the major cities are also located, including Porto-Novo is Cotonou. The north of the country is mainly made up of semi-arid and savannah-covered highlands, however it can be seen substantially divided into five geographical areas, from south to north: coastal plain, plateau, plateau and highland savannah, northwestern hills and fertile plains northerners.

When to go

To choose when to go to Benin, it is advisable to keep in mind that the climate is hot and humid, with a relative scarcity of rains that are concentrated in the two rainy seasons (from April to mid-July and from mid-September to the end of October). The rainy period in the subequatorial north runs from March to October. In winter, nights can be quite cool due to the harmattan, a dry and dusty wind. The best time of year to visit the country is from November to February, when the temperature is moderate and the climate is dry with low humidity.

Background

THE Portuguese they arrived in the territory of Benin in the 15th century and established important commercial offices in the coastal areas of Benin. Soon after the Portuguese came traders French, Netherlands! Dutch is United Kingdom! British. Over time, the coast of Benin has developed into the largest center of the slave trade in Africa, run by the Fon people, who founded the Kingdom of Dahomey, a highly militaristic kingdom that actively sold neighboring populations to Europeans. As the slave trade increased in volume (10,000-20,000 slaves shipped every day), the coast of Benin became known as the Slave Coast. In this period the port cities of Porto-Novo is Ouidah and quickly became the largest and most commercially active cities in the country, while Abomey became the capital of Dahomey. Between the XV and the XVII it reached its maximum splendor extending for a large part of theWest Africa.

The fall of the Dahomey Kingdom was brought about by the prohibition of slavery throughout Europe in the mid 19th century. In 1892 the French colonized the kingdom in full collapse. On 1 August 1960, Dahomey gained independence from France, under the name of the Republic of Dahomey, which unleashed a long and destabilizing series of coups. Over the course of just one decade, 1960-1972, the government changed hands nine times and suffered four violent coups.

In 1972, Major Mathieu Kérékou, a staunch Marxist, organized the fourth military coup and renamed the People's Republic of Benin. The Kérékou regime proved more effective in maintaining power and reorganized the country on its interpretation of the Maoist model. In 1989, the French government, in exchange for financial support for Benin's troubled economy, persuaded the Benin government to abandon its one-party socialist government and move to a multi-party republic. In 1990, the country was renamed the Republic of Benin and, in 1991, Benin held its first free elections with considerable success and Kérékou lost to Nicéphore Soglo: Benin was thus the first African nation to successfully coordinate a peaceful transfer of power. from a dictatorship to a functioning democracy. Soglo remained president until 1996,

Dance show on the day of Voodoo

Benin remains an extremely poor country, suffering from poverty and corruption. Infrastructure remains in dire shape and the struggling economy is recovering after decades of political turmoil.

Spoken languages

In addition to the official language, the French, the language of the former colonial power spoken mainly in urban areas, most of the various ethnic groups have their own native African language. Fon and Yoruba are spoken in the south, Bariba and Dendi in the north, but there are over 50 African languages ​​and dialects spoken in the country. L'English Is increasing.

Culture and traditions

Linguistic distribution

The nation is made up of over 60 ethnic groups. The main tribes include Fon (40%), Aja (15%) and Yoruba (12%) in the south of the country and Bariba (9%), Somba (8%) and Fulbe (6%) in the north.

The door of no return, a monument to the victims of slavery a Ouidah

It is thought that Vodun (or "Voodoo" as it is commonly known by spelling Anglo-Saxon) originated in southern Benin and was later introduced in Brazil, in Caribbean, and in part of theNorth America by slaves taken from this particular area of ​​the slave coast. The term derives from the fon language, spoken in southern Benin, and means "genius", "protective spirit".

Suggested readings

• Paolo Valente, The tree with red flowers, EMI Bologna 2004/2006.
• P. Valente, Senan's papaya, EMI Bologna 2006.
• P. Valente, Tales of the wind, Edizioni San Paolo, Milan 2007.
• Marco Aime, The clouds of Atakora, Turin, EDT, 2002.
• M. Aime, In the land of kings, Trento, Nicolodi, 2003.
• M. Aime, Foreigners bring luck, Milan, Epoché, 2007.
• B. Chatwin, The Viceroy of Ouidah, Adelphi 2001.

Territories and tourist destinations

Benin is divided into 12 departments which are in turn divided into 77 municipalities.

      Northern Benin - Arid landscapes and tribes.

      Southern Benin - The coast, the capital and most of the tourist attractions.

Urban centers

Monument to Ouidah

The W of the Niger River

Other destinations

How to get

Map showing Benin visa requirements. In green the countries that have access without a visa, in yellow those that need an electronic visa

Entry requirements

Citizens of all countries Africans and those of Macau can enter Benin without a visa for up to 90 days. Citizens of Hong Kong they can instead take advantage of a free visa for 14 days.

Visas can be single entry (USD 40) or multiple entry (USD 45) visas and are valid for 30 days. Visas for citizens Americans cost 140 USD. Single entry visas cost € 70 for all citizens of the Topic: European Union. The same visa purchased through the consulate of London costs £ 70.

In Italy the visa can be obtained at a Benin consulate where you are required to fill in a form, a photo ID, a copy of the plane ticket, and a contribution of 50 euros, however it is advisable to inquire at the competent consulate:

• Honorary Consulate of Benin, Viale Regina Margherita, 1 (TO Milan), ☎ 39 02 59902391, 39 377 1373258, @[email protected]. Mon-Fri 9: 00-12: 00. 
• Consulate of Benin, Via Sabbiona 29 / n (TO Oriago of Aim (Venice)), ☎ 39 041 426 5593, fax: 39 041 5609787, @[email protected]. Mon-Fri 9: 00-12: 00. 
• Consulate of Benin, Galleria Umberto I, 50 (TO Naples), ☎ 39 081 417023, @[email protected]. Mon-Fri 9: 00-13: 30. 

Otherwise, temporary 48-hour visas can be obtained on site, at a cost of 15,000 CFA (year 2013).

Citizens of all countries can apply eVisa online.

Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory for all travelers, regardless of where they come from.

By plane

Entry stamp in the passport

There are many international flights arriving at the main airport of Cotonou. From here you can connect to Paris, Istanbul, Brussels, Tunis, Addis Ababa, Nairobi, Kigali and one other cities in West Africa is central.

By car

There are land crossings with all neighboring countries, but due to conflicts, it is recommended to cross borders only with Togo is Nigeria.

On the train

There are no international rail services to Benin.

By bus

The bus service is very frequent in the country and used by the local population, both for small and long distances. From Cotonou there are buses that reach the Ivory Coast, the Chad, the Niger, the Ghana, the Burkina Faso, the Nigeria and the Togo.

How to get around

By plane

• 6.3558332.3851 Cardinal Bernardin Gantin-Cadjehoun International Airport (IATA: COO) (TO Cotonou). It allows you to reach some of the major national airports, it is also the only international airport from which it is possible to reach some of the major airports Africans, L'Europe, in Belgium is France, and the Turkey. The structure is named after Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, a leading figure in the ecclesiastical world of Benin.  
• 9.6921.63762 Djougou Civil Airport (IATA: DJA) (TO Djougou).  
• 11.1333332.9333333 Kandi Civil Airport (IATA: KDC) (TO Kandi).  
• 10.3761.364 Natitingou Civil Airport (IATA: NAE) (TO Natitingou).  
• 11.0333330.9833335 Porga civil airport (In Porga).  
• 9.3572222.6091676 Parakou airport (IATA: PKO) (TO Parakou).  
• 10.2832.77 Bembèrèkè civil airport (TO Bembèrèkè).  
• 8.0181692.4645818 Civil airport of Savè (IATA: SVF) (TO Savè).  

By car

Road by the ocean, Grand-Popo

The mezzon hired with driver cost more and is the typical means of transport for foreigners. The price depends on the driver and a local is recommended (beninois, i.e. beninese) after negotiation. For example, a three-hour rental car trip from the South Central region along the main highway costs CFAa 30,000 / 40,000, but a bush Taxi it would cost 5,000 / 10,000 CFA.

Traffic is chaotic and the rules of the road are rarely enforced. If you intend to drive in Benin, a International driving permit (PIG). Traffic flows on the right side of the road as in Italy.

Renting a car is not recommended for two reasons: the roads are quite bumpy and often lack signs, and local traffic is usually congested and very unruly. Also for this reason it is advisable to rely on a local driver.

Police roadblocks at night occur regularly and traveling alone with a driver (especially for women) can put the driver in an awkward position by pushing him into extreme situations having to bribe the police.

Traveling by car is only recommended between major cities. For example, to travel from Cotonou to Porto-Novo or from Cotonou a Abomey. Most of the time, you will be required to share the car with many other travelers who are heading in the same direction as you. Traveling by car within the city is not recommended at all due to the fact that it is simply superfluous and uneconomical.

The roads are mostly hard sand, with some main roads paved in cities and on highways between major cities.

State roads

RN 2 at the height of Self in the municipality of Houéyogbé

RN or Route Nationale refers to the Benin state road system. This type of roads includes:

• RN 1 (35 km): Goes from Ouidah to Allada. Main cities crossed: Tori-Bossito.
• RN 2 (77 km): Goes from How to Aplahoue. Main cities crossed: Lokossa.
• RN 3 (81 km): Goes from Sakété to Kétou. Main cities crossed: Pobè.
• RN 4 (91 km): Goes from Akpro-Missérété at RNIE 4 southwest of Kétou. Main cities crossed: Dangbo, Adjohoun, Ouinhi.
• RN 5 (54 km): Goes from Tchaourou to Bétérou. Main cities crossed: Goro, Alafiarou.
• RN 6 (182 km): Goes from Djougou to Nikki. Main cities crossed: N'Dali.
• RN 7 (225 km): Goes from RNIE 2, south of Bembéréké in Korontière. Main cities crossed: Pehonko, Kouandé, Natitingou, Boukoumbé.
• RN 8 (212 km): Goes from Djougou to Banikoara. Main cities crossed: Pehonko.
• RN 9 (67 km): Goes from Tanguiéta at the border Togolese.
• RN 10 (148 km): Goes from Nikki to Segbana. Main cities crossed: Bessassi.

Interstate highways

RNIE 2 between Cotonou is Bohicon

RNIE or Route Nationale Inter-États refers to the Benin inter-state highway system. This type of highways includes:

• RNIE 1 (177 km): Runs along the Atlantic coast from the border Togolese at the border Nigerian. Main cities crossed: Cotonou, Porto-Novo.
• RNIE 2 (729 km): It is Benin's main north-south highway that runs all 785 km along the center of the country from the Niger River to Cotonou. The RNIE 2 crosses the RNIE 4 a Bohicon east of Abomey. Main cities crossed: Parakou, Cotonou, Bohicon, Kassakou.
• RNIE 3 (456 km): It runs from north to south in the western part of the country, running close to the border with the Togo. Main cities crossed: Tanguiéta, Natitingou, Bassila, Bantè.
• RNIE 4 (155 km): Runs along inland from the border Togolese at the border Nigerian and joins the RNIE 2 at Bohicon. Main cities crossed: Aplahoué, Bohicon, Kétou.
• RNIE 5 (106 km): Runs inland from the Togolese border to the Nigerian border north of the RNIE 4. Main cities traversed: Savalou, Glazoué, Savè.
• RNIE 6 (296 km): Runs inland from the Togolese border to the Nigerian border north of the RNIE 5. Main cities traversed: Nikki, Parakou, Djougou.
• RNIE 7 (222 km): Runs from the border Burkina Faso at the border Nigerian. Main cities crossed: Banikoara, Kandi, Segbana.

On boat

There are many pirogues (kayaks / canoes) used for the fishing industry. Normally you can use a pirogue to visit the villages of the lake.

On the train

Benin railway network

Line you exist

Scheduled line

Dismantled line

Border line

There is a railway line that covers half the country from Cotonou to Parakou, managed by Organization Commune Benin-Niger des Chemins de Fer et des Transports also known as OCBN. Although the train takes longer than a taxi, it is a much more relaxing way to travel. First class tickets are only slightly more expensive than second class tickets and are worth the extra expense. The train leaves Cotonou three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday) at 8:00 am, arriving in Parakou at approximately 6:30 pm, and returns the next day, departing at 8:00 am from Parakou railway station, arriving at 18:30 in Cotonou. The first class costs 5,600 CFA, while the second costs 4,000 CFA.

These trains usually stop at Bohicon, which is 4 hours from Cotonou. The fare costs CFA 1,400 for first class and CFA 1,100 for second class.

A tour company also rents colonial-period trains for multi-day sightseeing trips at expensive, but good value (over 50,000 CFA) prices.

By bus

There is an extremely timely and reliable bus system that usually operates on the tour bus model passing through all major cities in Benin every day, and even some international services in and out of Benin. There are many main lines with a range of quality buses. The main systems are Confort Lines is Benin-Routes. Confort Lines seems to provide more routes and on long journeys you can even have water and a small sandwich. Reservations for the Comfort lines can be made in advance by paying 500 CFA at any regional office or by calling 229 21-325815. The bus lines pass through: Porto-Novo, Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi, Bohicon, Dassa-Zoumé, Parakou, Djougou, Natitingou, Tanguieta, Kandi and even up to Malanville.

The buses run on the two main paved roads that run north and south and you can stop the bus at any point you want to get off and for different fares. There is no need to discuss prices with the bus, as they use fixed fares. To get an idea of ​​the prices, buses from Cotonou to Natitingou (or vice versa) cost 7,500 CFA each way, and from Cotonou to Parakou (or vice versa) cost 5,500 CFA. These are examples, because there are also buses that go to Tanguieta and Malanville.

Small local distances are covered by lower quality collective vans that do not have a defined departure time, but depart when they reach the maximum number of passengers on board, and then stop continuously to pick up and drop off people along the way.

By taxi

You can travel between most of the cities in bush Taxi, every day in the main cities, periodically for the more remote ones. The total price for long distances will be a little higher than in the bus while the comfort and safety are significantly lower. Drivers often try to maximize the number of people transported, so you can expect an "intimate" experience with the local population. However, i bush Taxi they offer flexibility that buses do not offer; you can always find a taxi quite quickly (at the autogarre, urban bus stations). Unlike buses, however, prices need to be discussed in advance. The cost depends on the destination and the price of the gas. Ask other passengers how much they are paying and always try to pay on arrival, even if this is not always possible. A decent option for travelers with no budget is to buy all seats in one bush Taxi, or at least all seats in a row. Not only does it avoid having to wait for the taxi driver to fill all the seats, but it's much more comfortable than being crammed with lots of sweaty people! By doing this, you will usually have to advance the driver some money so that he can buy gasoline along the way.

By motorcycle taxi

The best way to travel to any city or village is by motorcycle taxi, also called zem, diminutive of zémidjan . They are very cheap and the drivers know the city well. They are easily recognizable by their matching colored shirts with their identification numbers printed on them. An average ride costs between 100/300 CFA but prices must be discussed in advance and payment is made on arrival. Remember the driver identification number just in case. Choose your driver carefully, as drunk driving in Benin is very common and motorcycle drivers are sometimes involved in criminal tours in major cities. However these guys are generally very reliable if you have to go somewhere and enter a building for example, for a little extra money, they will wait outside for as long as it takes; but it is good not to pay them first!

The bikes have different colors for each city, for example: Cotonou yellow, Natitingou green with yellow shoulders or blue with yellow shoulders, Kandi blue with yellow shoulders, Parakou yellow with green shoulders and Kérou green with yellow shoulders.

What see

Royal palaces of Abomey

Benin is perhaps best known to the world as the birthplace of the voodoo religion: voodoo (in jellied). Voodoo temples, roadside fetishes and fetish markets can be found all over the country, but the best known is the fetish market full of skulls and leather in the Grand Marché de Dantokpa - the incredibly huge and fast-paced market for Cotonou. The most important fetish in the country is the monstrous fetish of Dankoli, on the northern road near Savalou, a good place to plead with the gods.

Benin under the rule of the Dahomey kings was an important center of slave trade, and the Route des Esclaves to Ouidah, which ends at the "Gate of No Return" monument on the beach is a memorial to those who were kidnapped, sold and shipped to the other side of the world. The local museum of Ouidah, housed in a fort Portuguese, surprisingly focuses on the slave trade, as well as other facets of local culture, religion and history, and is a real must for anyone passing through the country.

Abomey was the capital of the Dahomey Empire. Its ruined temples and i royal palaces, I am now World Heritage Sites in Benin, are one of the main attractions of the country. The ruins, their bas-reliefs and the historical museum of Abomey in the royal palace (which contains all sorts of macabre tapestries and even a throne of human skulls) are a testament to the wealth brought to the Dahomey kings by the slave trade, but also to brutality with which they oppressed their enemies, fodder for the human sacrifices and slavery.

Ganvié, with today around 30 000 inhabitants whose ancestors fled from the brutal kings Dahomey by building their city on stilts right in the center of Lake Nokoué, it is undoubtedly a fascinating and naturally beautiful place. It has become a must as it is one of the largest lakeside towns ofWest Africa. But it was partly marred by the unpleasant relationship between locals and tourism. The Ghana could have much more rewarding experiences for travelers interested in West African lakeside cities.

Market a Porto-Novo

While the manic Cotonou is the country's largest city and economic center, Porto-Novo, the capital, is small and one of the most pleasant capitals in West Africa. Most of the country's major museums are found here in the dilapidated architectural heritage of colonial rule French. Grand-Popo is the other popular city for relaxation of tourists, but not for the city itself but for the beaches.

In the north, you will find a very different species of Benin from the mostly crowded and polluted cities in the south, of which Cotonou is a decidedly prominent example. The Pendjari National Park and the National Park W (which Benin shares with the Burkina Faso and the Niger), are considered the best in West Africa for the observation of wildlife and are located in beautiful hilly plateaus.

The singular and eccentric tower-houses of mud and clay, known as nanny, of the Somba people to the north, west of Djougou near the Togolese border, they are a little-known extension in Benin of the types of dwellings used by the Batammariba people of Togo just to the west. Virtually all tourists in this area flock to the Koutammakou Valley, designated by theUNESCO, beyond the border; the part of Benin has the advantage of being even off the beaten track.

More schematically, the things to see in Benin can be highlighted in the following list:

• Taneka ethnicity - Near the inhabited center of Natitingou, in the Atakora mountains in the north of the country we find the characteristic villages built by the Taneka, they are complexes of circular huts with a conical roof that ends with an overturned clay jar to close the hole. The so-called "fetishes" priests are dressed in goatskin, while the grand feticaur he is usually completely naked. Some studies reveal that the Taneka ethnic group occupied these mountains during the 9th century. A.D., some hypotheses trace it back to the mysterious Koma culture, which disappeared many years ago in the north of the present Ghana. The current king of the Taneka has reigned for years over his people which has well over 3,000 subjects!
• Nanny - they are fortified houses, they look like small castles in the bank, built by the people "Somba" as it is called in Benin or "Tamberma" (also called Tammari or Batammariba) as it is called in Togo, even if they belong to the same ethnic group. In fact, the ethnic group is that of the Betamaribé, a population that has remained rather virgin to the influences of colonialism, which has left its lifestyle almost unchanged over the centuries. Maintaining, in fact, their animist traditions, the great fetishes, phallic-shaped, placed at the entrance of their houses, the "Tata", demonstrate this. These singular architectural beauties are built on three floors, at the bottom the shelter for the animals, then the men and on the terraces the crops of the earth are dried. The famous architect Le Courbusier seems to have drawn inspiration from the plasticity of the forms of these fortified residences. For these peculiarities theUNESCO has included the entire valley of the Tamberma among the world heritage sites. The "Tata" are made up of a series of towers connected to each other by a thick wall that can be walked inside, interrupted by a single entrance area, which has the function of trapping any enemies who were then hit by a shower of arrows fired from the 'tall. These incredible fortresses in the forest helped to ward off invasions by neighboring tribes and, at the end of the 19th century, also by the Germans when today's Togo became a colony of the German Empire under the name of Togoland. All the daily life inside the "Tata" takes place on a high terrace, built with logs covered with clay, where they cook, dry the corn and millet crops and spend a good part of their time. These skilled builders use only clay, wood and straw without the aid of any tools. The walls of the "Tata" are made of bench, a mixture of raw clay and straw that serves as a binder. The towers, which end with picturesque conical roofs, are used as granaries, while the other rooms serve as bathrooms, bedrooms, and, during the rainy season, even as a kitchen. The animals are kept on the ground floor, out of the rain. In front of the entrance door there is often a shrine with a fetish, or animal skulls and skins are hung on the walls.
• Vodoon rites - In Abomey you attend a Vodoon rite; always with the full consent of the locals and without being intrusive. Abomey is the cradle of this religion.
• Ganvié - a village of stilts on the lake of the same name near Cotonou. Built during the slave trade, because the kings of Dahomey had the taboo of water and could not recruit slaves who fled to Ganvié.
• Lido of Cotonou - to relax on the beach and bathe in the troubled waters of the Gulf of Guinea.
• Route des peches - literally the fishermen's road that accompanies the entire seafront from Cotonou to the door of no return in Ouidah, immersed in an endless coconut grove.
• Door of no return of Ouidah - Heritage monument ofUNESCO, erected in memory of 12 million black slaves who left Africa from that beach for a terrible and often deadly journey to the Americas. Representing the largest mass deportation in the history of mankind
• Musee d'Histoire de Ouidah - Inside a Portuguese fort contains objects, maps, photographs from the era of the slave trade. Interesting visit.
• Temple of the Pythons of Ouidah - A bizarre place, where dozens of small pythons have infested a small temple.

What to do

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Currency and purchases

UEMOA - Acceding countries map CFA Franc - Map of participating countries

The national currency is the CFA franc (XOF). This same currency is used by all states belonging to theWest African Economic and Monetary Union (Union économique et monétaire ouest-africaine - UEMOA). The West African Economic and Monetary Union, to which the following states belong: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal is Togo, adheres to Economic Community of West African States (Economic Community of West African States - ECOWAS / Communauté Économique des États de l'Afrique de l'Ouest - CEDEAO). Although the Central African CFA Franc (XAF) and the West African CFA Franc (XOF) have always had the same monetary value against other currencies, they are in principle two separate currencies because the competent monetary authorities could change their rate at any time. exchange. Therefore these currencies are "theoretically" accepted only in the countries where they officially circulate. The following states belong to the Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (Communauté Économique et Monétaire de l'Afrique Centrale - CEMAC): Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon is Chad.

ECOWAS - Map of participating countries 1 CFA Franc coin

There are banks in all major cities and most banks have ATMs. Through the MasterCard and Visa circuits you can withdraw cash at the ATMs of Ecobank, Banque Atlantique, BIBE and SGB.

Keep in mind that many businesses and offices, including banks, close for several hours in the middle of the day.

The prices of goods purchased in a shop, restaurant, hotel, bus tickets, etc. they are non-negotiable, unlike almost everything else. Depending on the article, it is not uncommon for foreigners to be quoted at a price that is double the final purchase price.

All kinds of African merchandise can be found throughout Benin.

Below are the links to know the current exchange rate with the main world currencies:

At the table

La Béninoise

Aloko (fried plantains) and fish

In every town / village there are street vendors selling everything from beans and rice, grilled chicken, goat and / or turkey. Prices are nominal.But you have to be careful, and always choose a supplier whose food is still hot and have taken care to keep the bowls covered with a lid and / or cloth.

Signature dishes

• Kuli-Kuli
• Boulets de Poulet avec Sauce Rough (Chicken meatballs with red sauce)

Drinks

Beer is cheap and good! Local pubs (buvette) are on every corner in every neighborhood. It is possible to have a bottle of local beer La Béninoise, Heineken, Guinness, Castel and others depending on the bar. Everywhere it costs around 250 CFA for a small bottle or 500 for a large bottle. In nightclubs, beer is excessively expensive, like 30,000 CFA in a bottle! So stick to the local pubs or avoid buying beer at the nightclub. There is also the vin de palms (palm wine) local, an alcoholic drink made from the sap of the palm tree. A fermented palm liqueur is also available (Sodabi), which costs around 2,000 CFA for a liter and is very strong.

Tourist infrastructure

Benin's habit of rest is in great contrast to Western customs. While most get up before dawn, they all work hard until 12:30, when most take a 2.5-hour siesta. Then go back to work for another 3 hours.

Depending on how far away from work, most Beninese are home before 7pm. Le successive 3 ore vengono consumate preparando la cena, la TV, ballando o mescolandosi con amici e vicini. Quindi è ora di andare a letto intorno alle 22:00, per riposare e ricominciare da capo l'indomani.

Events and parties

National holidays

Essendo una nazione con una forte presenza musulmana, oltre a quelle cristiane, vengono festeggiate le ricorrenze dell'islam.

Safety

Il Paese dal 2011 è tornato in linea generale sicuro, tuttavia la microcriminalità nelle città è diffusa, soprattutto dopo il tramonto, quindi evitare di indossare oggetti di valore e di esibire denaro.

Il modo migliore per stare al sicuro in Benin è quello di essere sempre sempre in presenza di una persona locale di cui ci si possa fidare, come un amico o una guida turistica assunta. Sanno quali aree sono sicure e quali no, conoscono i prezzi delle cose per non essere derubati, parlano le lingue native, sanno quali locali vendono buon cibo sicuro per gli occidentali e quali evitare.

Le donne, evitino di viaggiare da sole, cercando di stare il più possibile in compagnia di altre persone. Non viaggiare di notte da soli: gli attacchi lungo le spiagge sono frequenti e, naturalmente, vicino ad hotel, discoteche e altri luoghi turistici. Ignora qualsiasi persona che vi fischietta durante la notte se si fosse soli. Il Benin è un paese pacifico e le persone sono molto gentili e generose, ma furti e rapine avvengono ovunque, non importa quanto pacifico sia il posto, quindi si dovrà stare in guardia. Se si è vittima di un crimine, contattare immediatamente il Gendarme (polizia).

L'omosessualità è legale in Benin, anche se la stigmatizzazione sociale potrebbe causare problemi. È meglio non ostentarla e non parlarne a sproposito con la gente del posto.

Health situation

Le strutture sanitarie sono inadeguate e la reperibilità dei farmaci è scarsa. Consigliata la profilassi antimalarica, le vaccinazioni contro il tifo, l'epatite A e B e contro la meningite (quest'ultima solo per viaggi nel nord del Paese).

Stare attenti a cosa si mangia/beve e dove lo si fa. Se si ha intenzione di mangiare cibo di strada, assicurasi che sia servito molto caldo, poiché i batteri tendenzialmente non vivranno ad alte temperature. Le cause più comuni di malattia sono i batteri E. coli presenti nella carne poco cotta.

L'acqua potabile è prontamente disponibile, se si volesse acqua in bottiglia c'è "Possatome" - un'acqua di sorgente naturale imbottigliata in città con lo stesso nome. È molto buona e costa circa 500 CFA a bottiglia. TO Cotonou, l'acqua del rubinetto è sicura da bere ma è trattata con cloro e alcune persone potrebbero esserne sensibili.

There malaria è una realtà in Benin. Le zanzare compaiono dal tramonto all'alba e usano l'acqua stagnante per riprodursi. I farmaci sono disponibili solo su prescrizione medica. L'unica vaccinazione obbligatoria necessaria per entrare nel Paese è quella contro la febbre gialla. Gli agenti doganali in aeroporto generalmente non controllano se lo si ha, ma si consiglia vivamente di effettuarla prima di entrare nel Paese per la propria salute. Insieme ai vaccini contro poliomielite, epatite A e B, morbillo, parotite, rosolia, tetano, rabbia e tutti gli altri vaccini standard per l'infanzia (secondo gli standard del proprio Paese di origine).

L'AIDS è un problema in Benin come in tutti i Paesi dell'Africa sub-sahariana; l'uso di un preservativo è altamente raccomandato se si entra in una relazione sessuale con un partner beninese. Altri rischi relativi al sesso non protetto sono gli stessi di qualsiasi altro Paese sviluppato o meno: sifilide, clamidia, HPV, etc.

Se si viaggia in Benin, si consiglia vivamente di parlare con un medico specializzato in viaggi. Chiedere al proprio medico di famiglia o a un infermiera che lavora nella sanità pubblica il nome di una clinica di viaggio nella propria zona. Se possibile andarci circa 6 mesi prima di recarsi in Benin.

Respect the customs

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