Benin – An Undiscovered Gem

Benin is a minuscule nation in the West of Africa that borders Nigeria and Togo. The country is small in size, but there are a number of tourist attractions in the country that includes museums, national parks and more. Also, the country is home to the old town of Abomey, which was declared a world heritage site by the UNESCO.

Benin is home to a number of interesting sites. There are a number of excellent sights and attractions here. There are not many facilities or top class resorts located here, but if you are willing to rough it out a bit, there is no better destination.

Porto Novo is the capital of Benin, and has a history that spans centuries. There are quite a number of sights here. You will find that there are quite a few influences of Brazil, right from the food to the architecture and others.

This is because the city of Porto Novo was a refuge for numerous African Brazilians who arrived here after getting emancipated. The Porto Novo Museum of Ethnography is home to a great collection of Yoruba masks and more. The Da Silva museum is yet another excellent option.

Abomey is one of the main attractions in the country. The city was the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey, which existed in the ancient times. This is one of west Africa most important location.

Cotonou is home to number of attractions such as the Ancient Pont Bridge, the Cotonou Central Mosque, Contonou Cathedral and more.

Benin has some of Western Africa’s best wildlife. There are some excellent wildlife parks here, such as the W National Park, the Pendjari National Park etc, which are best visited when the season is dry.