Experience the best of Cotonou

Cotonou sprawls along a strip of land between the ocean and a lagoon, and is the commercial heart of the country, while Porto-Novo, to the east, holds the title of capital. Motorbike taxis called zémidjans fill its avenues. The Dantokpa Market, among the largest open-air markets in West Africa, sells everything from spices and cloth to household goods, and the red and white Notre-Dame cathedral and the seafront at Fidjrossè offer calmer corners.

Ganvié, a village of houses built on stilts in the shallow water of Lake Nokoué, is reached by pirogue across the lake. Ouidah, west along the coast, was a slave-trading port and is a centre of Vodun, with a memorial road ending at the beach at the Door of No Return. Abomey, further north, was the capital of the kingdom of Dahomey, and its royal palaces are a World Heritage site.

Maize or yam paste served with a sauce of okra, palm nuts or peanuts is the everyday meal, and street stalls grill fish and chicken over charcoal, with fried cheese called wagashi on the side. Sodabi, a spirit distilled from palm wine, is poured at celebrations. The coast is humid all year, and the harmattan dust from the Sahara drifts in between December and February.