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Travel Guide
Visiting Benin
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Avoid Some Regions
UK FCDO: Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Updated 2025-12-15
Discover
Top Attractions in Benin
The most iconic and unmissable experiences this country has to offer.
UNESCO World Heritage
Royal Palaces of Abomey
The Royal Palaces of Abomey represent the remains of twelve successive rulers' courts built between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries for the kings of the Kingdom of Dahomey. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, the complex spans 47 hectares and preserves extraordinary bas-relief murals, ceremonial thrones, and royal artefacts that collectively tell the story of one of West Africa's most powerful pre-colonial states.
Ganvie
Ganvie is a stilt village built entirely on Lake Nokoué, roughly 25 kilometres north of Cotonou, and is home to around 30,000 people of the Tofinu people who established it in the seventeenth century as a refuge from slave raiders. Visitors arrive by wooden pirogue and find a self-contained community with its own markets, schools, and places of worship, all accessed by boat. UNESCO has recognised it as a world cultural heritage site.
Wise
Your bank marks up every USD you spend in Benin. Wise doesn't.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free ATM withdrawals up to your limit
- Pay in local currency at the real rate
4.8 ★ App Store·4.8 ★ Google Play
Airalo eSIM
Your phone plan was built for home. This one was built for Benin.
- No SIM swapping
- No data roaming charges
- Active in minutes
4.7 ★ App Store·4.6 ★ Google Play
Health & Safety
Health & Emergency Info
Before You Travel
Before you travel check that: your destination can provide the healthcare you may need you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant. Emergency medical number Call 118 and ask for an ambulance. Outside Cotonou, there may not be an emergency response. You are likely to have to get local advice and arrange transport to the nearest medical centre. Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment. Vaccine recommendations and health
Full health advice (FCDO) →Emergency Numbers
Police117
Ambulance112
Fire118
Health information sourced from UK FCDO. Always consult a travel health professional before departure.
Practical Info
Travel Essentials
Travel Guide
Frequently Asked Questions About Visiting Benin
Entry requirements vary by passport. Check the requirements for your specific passport on the Benin page at Yoogo.
Benin uses the West African CFA franc (XOF), which is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of approximately 656 XOF per euro. Cash is essential for most transactions, as card acceptance is extremely limited outside a small number of upmarket hotels in Cotonou. Bring euros to exchange for a favourable rate, and withdraw local currency from ATMs in Cotonou before heading to other regions.
Urban areas in the south such as Cotonou, Porto-Novo, and Ouidah are generally manageable for travellers who take standard precautions against petty theft. The far north, including areas near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, carries higher risks and is subject to advisories from several governments. Always consult your government's official travel advisory before departure and review it again close to your travel date.
Zémidjans, the ubiquitous motorcycle taxis whose name means 'get me there fast' in Fon, are the quickest way to cover short distances in towns, with fares negotiated before departure. Shared minibuses (bush taxis) connect cities such as Cotonou, Abomey, and Natitingou, though journey times can be long on unpaved roads. Car hire with a driver is the most comfortable option for reaching Pendjari National Park and other remote sites.
The most comfortable period is the dry season from November to February, when temperatures are lower and rainfall is minimal across both the south and north of the country. The annual Voodoo Festival takes place in Ouidah each January, making that month particularly lively for cultural travellers. The south experiences two rainy seasons (roughly April to mid-July, and mid-September to late October), while the north has a single wet season from June to early October.
French is the official language of Benin and is used in government, education, and commerce throughout the country. Fon and Yoruba are the most widely spoken local languages in the south, while dozens of other indigenous languages are used in different regions. English is not widely spoken, so a basic command of French or a translation app will be very helpful outside tourist-facing businesses.
A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is required for entry into Benin, and all travellers over nine months of age must present proof of vaccination upon arrival. Malaria is present throughout the country, so anti-malarial medication is strongly recommended regardless of itinerary. Consult a travel health clinic or GP six to eight weeks before departure to discuss hepatitis A, typhoid, and other recommended vaccinations.