Benin

One of the safest destinations for travellers in West Africa, this French-speaking country boasts a rich and complex culture, wildlife including elephants, hippos and lions, sprawling lakes, and imposing colonial buildings. The birthplace of voodoo and a major node for nearly 300 years of African slave trading, Benin is a place of contrasts and many-layered histories.

Head to Lake Ahémé for relaxation and wildlife-spotting, not forgetting a visit to the large, vibrant village of Possotomé. At Lake Nokoué, you can see the region’s famous stilt village, which houses upwards of 24,000 Tofinu people in bamboo huts which are set on tall stilts, many kilometres into the lake’s waters. Former royal capital Abomey is home to UNESCO World Heritage-listed royal palaces, majestic earthen structures built between the mid-17th century and late 19th century and filled with artworks and bas-reliefs depicting historical events. In the palaces can be found Abomey’s Historical Museum, which is home to exhibits including a throne mounted on human skulls. Benin’s present-day capital is the laid-back, Portuguese-influenced city of Porto Novo, which boasts visitor attractions such as the fascinating Museé Ethnographique de Porto Novo, a colourful, early 20th-century mosque built in the Brazilian style, and the innovative, informative Songhaï Agricultural Centre.