I'd advise any visitor to first stop at the Peace Corps office in Cotonou to talk to current PCVs about more updated information on places to go. It is located in quartiérs Jonquet, which is the red light district.
Bénin Guide - Places To Go
Bénin, West Africa
PLACES TO GO
Cotonou
Cotonou is the economic capitol of Bénin. This is where the international airport is located. It also is where the embassies, banks, and best hotels are. It is a big, smelly, exciting African city.
Cotonou is divided into several quartiérs. Here are a few that may be useful to you.
I'd advise any visitor to first stop at the Peace Corps office to talk to current PCVs about more updated information on places to go. It is located in quartiérs Jonquet, which is the red light district. There are parties all night long here in the local buvettes. Be careful here at night though, I know of several people who were robbed in Jonquet.
Quartiérs Hai Vive is a fun place to visit. This is where a lot of ex-patriots hang out. There is a nice yovo restaurant called Livingstone's if you want to meet other westerners. It is quite cher (expensive) though. Near Livingstone's you can find some men from Niger who sell silver jewelry and little leather boxes. Be cautious, you have to bargain hard to get an okay price. It's not all real silver also. There are a couple of places to stay here too.
Quartiérs Ganhi is where to go to exchange money. Many people I know exchange money illegally. This is a little risky though. Best to stick with Ecobank, a big West African bank that will give you an okay rate. Expect to stand in line for a long time, and you'll need a passport. You will need to bring money to exchange and not an ATM card, because as of 2003 there were no places that accepted ATM cards. There also is a nice little marché (market) in this area where you can get raw food as well as clothes and cheap African bootleg CDs. Check out some of the newest music! They will play the CD for you right there so you know that it works and that you like it. As with everything, the price is negotiable.
There are many places to stay in Cotonou, in every price range. Some of them are pretty disreputable, so again, I'd advise you to hunt down some current Peace Corps volunteers and find out where they stay. One place that I can full heartedly recommend is hotel du Lac which is where Peace Corps volunteers splurge to stay at. It costs about $50 per night, has AC, hot water, a big pool.
There is a nice little Centre Artisanal (artisan center) where you can buy touristy things like beads, jewelry, fabric, woodcarvings, drums. These things are not cheap though.
No trip to Cotonou is complete without a visit to Dantokpa the huge marché located in the center of town. You can find anything and everything that you could ever imagine there. Take it slow, and just ignore the guys who offer tours (they will try to rip you off). There is a really interesting Voudoun (voodoo) section with creepy dried animals, charms, snakes, etc. I've found the men there to be really friendly and interesting. They are willing to answer any respectful questions and explain their beliefs. There also is an awesome fabric selection, especially in the cavernous three story building that sells only fabric. There is hand woven and dyed things, wax prints, fabric from India, fabric in every imaginable print and price range. Fabric is pretty expensive, so don't expect the price to go down all that much. I find Dantokpa to be exhausting and overwhelming. People are constantly grabbing you and yelling at you and trying to get your attention and to buy what they are selling. I'd advise you to make several short trips there, preferably early in the morning when it is cool, rather than one long trip.
