To help inspire or plan your trip to Benin, some of its major attractions for travellers are shown below, including some of the best natural, historical, cultural and adventure sites in the country. These include all of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for Benin which represent the best of the world's cultural and natural heritage.
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Cultural attractions in Benin

Ganvie on Lake Nokoue

Ganvie is an extraordinary village on stilts located on Lake Nokoue. The ancestors of the Tofinou people settled here in the 16th century when fleeing slave traders and they have lived here ever since. The village is reached by pirogue, traditional dugout canoes, which are used by the locals to fish.

Ouidah

The town of Ouidah is the spiritual home of voodoo and was an important centre for the slave trade, remembered today at the old Portuguese fort. The voodoo culture is evidenced at the Python Temple, an important site for Ouidah's ancient snake cult.

Atakora Mountains

The Atakora Mountains in northern Benin are home to a number of traditional tribal groups including the Tamberma, Bessoribe, Betiabe, Wama and Somba. They still hunt with bows and arrows, practice initiation rituals to mark passage through childhood and puberty and live in three storey houses with the ground floor for animals, first floor for the kitchen and top floor for living space and sleeping. This region is a great location for trekking through the mountains between the trial villages and learning more about the their lives and traditions.