According to ejiaxing, Benin (French: Bénin) is a country in Africa bordering Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger and Nigeria. Benin has been independent from France since 1960 and was known as Dahomey until 1975. The capital of Benin is Porto Novo. A number of major cities in Benin are: Cotonou, Godomey, Bohicon and Parakou.
Benin is an elongated country with only a small coast. The largest cities of Benin can be found on this coastline because of the accessibility by sea and the fishing industry. The country is known for its national park “Pendjari National Park” in the northwest with many animals living in the wild such as lions, hyenas, giraffes, elephants and monkeys. The country is also known for its poverty, voodoo rituals, cotton and rubber plantations and the stilt village of Ganvié.
Where is Benin located?
Travel information of Benin
Official name: Republic of Benin
Continent: Africa
Area: 112,622 km²
Capital: Porto-Novo
Country code: BJ, BEN
Population: 11,733,059 inhabitants (2019)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 658 m (Mont Sokbaro)
Distance (Amsterdam – Porto-Novo): 4,717 km
Flight time: approximately 9 hours and 15 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: All (non-essential) travel to certain areas in Benin is discouraged.
Current color code: Yellow, orange and red.
Due to this status, a partially negative travel advice is in effect for Benin.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Benin that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs of Benin, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Benin. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compile your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Benin?
Weather and climate
In the north of Benin the climate is tropical with temperatures around 30 to 35 degrees, with peaks of up to 45 degrees. In the south the climate is subequatorial (2 rainy seasons) and the temperature varies between 20 and 35 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Benin can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Benin can be found at Climate info.
Best time
January, February, March, August, September and December are the best months to travel to Benin. In these months the temperatures are the most pleasant and you also avoid the months with the most rainfall.
Language
French is the official language in Benin. In addition to French, Fon and Yoruba are also spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into French for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Benin.
An e-visa is required to visit Benin. This can be applied for online via the official website evisa.gouv.bj.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Benin: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Benin in France (also for the Netherlands): rijksoverheid.nl.
Consulate of Benin in the Netherlands: consulaatbenin.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Benin, it is mandatory to get vaccinated against yellow fever.
In addition, there are one or more vaccinations that are recommended.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Malaria
Malaria occurs in Benin. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Benin, payment is made with the CFA franc (XOF).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Benin can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
The price level in Benin is much lower than in the Netherlands.
Tip
In Benin it is customary to give a tip of approximately 10%.
Time difference
During our summer time it is 1 hour earlier in Benin.
During our winter time there is no time difference.
Benin has no difference in winter time and summer time.
The local time, date and time zone for Benin can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Benin you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Benin.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Benin.
Electricity
In Benin you can use a Dutch flat plug.
A round plug must have a recess for the grounding pin present in the socket. You need a travel plug if your plug does not have such a recess.
More information about electricity in Benin can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 117
– Fire: 118
– Ambulance: 21301769 or 21300656
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Benin can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Benin can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Benin end in.bj.
Benin official website: gouv.bj.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Benin is 00229 or +229.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Benin? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Benin.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Benin.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Benin.
Holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Benin can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Benin, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travel reports
Are you looking for a travel report about Benin?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Benin. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Benin can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Benin can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Benin? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Benin, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Benin, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Benin.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking at all ages.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Unknown
– Smoking ban: No
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Dahomey was the name of Benin until 1975?
…The python in Benin is a sacred animal?
…Football is Benin’s main sport?
…People practice Voodoo on a large scale in Benin?
… Taking photos without permission is not appreciated?
