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Djougou Tourist Places to Visit in Djougou, Benin, North Africa, Africa

Djougou Tourist Places to Visit in Djougou, Benin, North Africa, Africa

Djougou is a city located in the northwestern part of Benin, belonging to the Donga Department, covering an area of 3,966 square kilometers. Djougou is situated around 130 kilometers northwest of Parakou and 460 kilometers northwest of the commercial capital, Cotonou.Djougou is geographically positioned around 430 meters above sea level, between 9°42′ N latitude and 1°40′ E longitude.

Djougou is the largest city of Northwest Benin and hub to hospitals, many different recreational centers, hotels, schools, mosques and churches. Djougou is connected by bus to all the major cities of Benin including Parakou, Natitingou, and Cotonou.

How to reach Djougou?

Djougou has an airport but flights are not regular and the nearest major airport to Djougou is Parakou Airport, where one can get direct flights to Cotonou, served by COTAIR. This airport is located around 135 kilometers from Djougou which can be reached by bus or rented vehicles.

The bus connection of Djougou extends to Parakou, Natitingou, Cotonou and many other northern and southern Beninese cities. By bus, to Cotonou from Djougou costs around 6.000 CFA and takes 7 hours.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Djougou:

The majority of populaces in Djougou is settled by Muslim citizens, followed by Christians. Dendi is a widely spoken language in Djougou.

Djougou houses all sorts of shops and restaurants with different modern features and specialties, although locally made items are popular among visitors.

Things to do in Djougou:

Visiting national parks
Hiking
Cycling

Places of interest in and around Djougou:

Djougou Stadium:

The Djougou Stadium is the important landmark of the city of Djougou, used for football games and different cultural events including dance and music concerts.

Maison de Jeunesin:

The Maison de Jeunesin is a special attraction of Djougou featuring a big screen TV with continuous shows of football games. It is also a venue of other events and presentations.

Djougou Airport:

The Djougou Airport is a modern airport, situated around 3 kilometers away from the heart of the town of Djougou and visitors are allowed to see during day time.

Parakou:

Parakou is one of the important cities of Benin, situated around 130 kilometers away from Djougou. The city is famous for the international market Grand Marché Azeke, Musée en Plein Air de Parakou and Parakou Mosque. Parakou can be reached by bus from Djougou.

Pendjari National Park:

Located around 130 kilometers north of Djougou, the Pendjari National Park is home to around 300 different species of birds, including Pallid Harrier and Lesser Kestrel. The park also houses a wide range animal and flora species which attract lots of tourists throughout the year. It can be explored best through a guided tour.

List of other places of interest in and around Djougou include:

Parakou Mosque
Musée en Plein Air de Parakou
The international market Grand Marché Azeke
Cotonou Central Mosque
W National Park
Cotonou Cathedral
Musée en Plein Air de Parakou
Ancien Pont Bridge
Basilique de l’Immaculée Conception
Alexandre Sènou Adandé Ethnographic Museum
Royal Palaces in Porto-Novo

Best time to visit Djougou:

Probably the beginning and ending months of the year are ideal to travel Djougou.

Accommodation options in and around Djougou:

Djougou houses few standard hotels, so it would be better if tourists reach nearby Parakou or Natitingou or the commercial capital, Cotonou. Here are some top end hotels in Cotonou, around 460 kilometers away from Djougou:

Hotel du Lac
Hotel du Port
Sun Beach Hotel
Sea View Hotel
Hotel Le Zenith
Myosotis Residence Hotel & Spa
Ibis Cotonou
Maison Rouge Cotonou
Benin Marina Hotel
Novotel Orisha Cotonou
Rivoli Hotel Benin
Benin Atlantic Beach Hotel
Residences Celine Hotel
Ancrage de l’Ocean
Azalai Hotel De La Plage

Cotonou Tourist Places to Visit in Cotonou, Benin, Porto Novo, South Africa, Africa

Cotonou Tourist Places to Visit in Cotonou, Benin, Porto Novo, South Africa, Africa

Cotonou is the commercial capital and the largest city of Benin located in the extreme southern part of the country on the Atlantic Ocean coast at 6°22′ N 2°26′ E, around 33 kilometers southwest of Porto Novo, the capital of Benin. Cotonou houses many important government and diplomatic offices of Benin and also hosts the National University of Benin.

Some important tourist favor features of Cotonou include the Cotonou Central Mosque, Cotonou Cathedral and Ancien Pont Bridge. The Dantokpa Market with around one billion CFA Francs business per day and the Port of Cotonou are the other highlights of Cotonou. Cotonou spans over an area of 79 square kilometers and at an elevation of 51 meters above the sea level.

History of Cotonou:

Earlier called Kotonou, Cotonou originated as a small fishing village in the beginning of the 19^th century and becoming a part of the French in 1851 with a treaty with the Dahomean King Ghezo, Cotonou began to develop since then.

How to reach Cotonou?

Cotonou hosts the most important airport of Benin, Cadjehoun Airport, is located around 7 km away from the heart of the city. Along with connection to most African capitals, Cadjehoun Airport also handles flights from Brussels and Paris.

Cotonou is linked to all the important Beninese cities by bus services, but its railway connection is limited to Bohicon and Parakou cities.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Cotonou:

Cotonou is culturally rich city home to many renowned cultural centers, including the French Institute’s Cultural Centre.

The Dantokpa Market is the center of the Cotonou and shopping of Cotonou is the largest local market in West Africa. Other than traditional handicraft products and clothes, visitors can also buy nice goodies imported from France here.

Some nice food corners in Cotonou are as follows:

Mamma Mia
Le Sorrento
La cabane du pecheur
Maquis du Port

Things to do in Cotonou:

Beach exploration
Learning local Fon language
Walking

Tourist places in Cotonou:

Lake Nokoué:

Situated north of Cotonou, Lake Nokoué is a beautiful lake, measuring a length of 11 kilometers and a width of 20 kilometers. The water town of Ganvié is situated on the northern edge of the lake known for fishing, fish farming and boating and is the part of the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Ancien Pont Bridge:

The Ancien Pont Bridge is one of the landmarks as well as tourist attractions of Cotonou known for its historic significance and grand constriction with a modern touch.

Cotonou Cathedral:

The Cotonou Cathedral is a symbolic structure featuring a blend burgundy and white striped architecture, situated in the proximity of the Ancient Pont Bridge, the Cotonou Cathedral serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cotonou.

Cotonou Central Mosque:

The Cotonou Central Mosque is the center of the Muslim devotees in Benin and can reach it by foot or vehicles from the city center.

National University of Benin:

The National University of Benin is the most important university of Benin holding 6 campuses and 19 institutions and its main campus at Abomey-Calavi and was established in the year 1970.

List of the other attractive places in Cotonou include:

Dantokpa Market
Cotonou Friendship Stadium
Fondation Zinsou
Bab’s Dock
Coco Cocktail
Fidjrosse Beach
Marche Dantokpa
Artisanal Center

Ideal time to visit Cotonou:

Cotonou experiences a tropical wet and dry climate and the ideal months to visit Cotonou are January, February, August and December.

Where to stay in Cotonou?

Being a commercial city and top tourist destination of Benin, Cotonou holds an upgraded hospitality industry with around 50 modernized accommodation centers, including resorts and spa, hotels, BB and inns of which most offer advance booking facility through online for visitor conveniences. The major hotels in Cotonou in Benin include:

Ibis Cotonou
Novotel Orisha Cotonou
Myosotis Residence Hotel & Spa
Hotel du Port
Sun Beach Hotel
Benin Atlantic Beach Hotel
Azalai Hotel De La Plage
Ancrage de l’Ocean
Hotel Acropole
Residence Ilefie
Sea View Hotel
Hotel Le Zenith
Hotel de l’Entente
Rivoli Hotel Benin
Hotel Residence les Cocotiers

Places to Visit in Bohicon, Abomey, Benin, Africa

Places to Visit in Bohicon, Abomey, Benin, Africa

Bohicon is a city, situated near the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Abomey, in the Zou Department in Benin, around 130 kilometers northwest of the country’s commercial capital, Cotonou. Bohicon is located at 07°12′00″ N 02°04′00″ E on the railway line leading from Cotonou to Parakou. The city of Bohicon covers an area of 44 square kilometers.

The most important landmarks of Bohicon include the Bohicon Railway Station, Bohicon Mosque and Collège Monseigneur Steinmetz. Bohicon is also home to a church belonging to the Jehovah’s Witnesses and a grand hotel, named Jardin de l’Hotel de Ville De Bohicon. Following Cotonou and Parakou, Bohicon is the 3^rd largest trade center of Benin.

History of Bohicon:

Bohicon is one of the modern cities of Benin, founded in the 20^th century with the establishment of the central market and the railway station. Bohicon was originally called Gboxicon which means “market sheep” indicating the wide sheep market in the area.

How to reach Bohicon?

The Cotonou Airport is the nearest major international airport to Bohicon and handles flights from Abidjan, Accra, Lomé, N’Djamena, Pointe, Accra, Malabo, Abidjan, Bamako, Nouakchott, Brussels, Paris, Amsterdam and many other Beninese and international destinations. The airport is located around 130 kilometers away from Bohicon which can be crossed by bus or train or bush taxi.

Due to its position on the Cotonou–Parakou railway line, Bohicon is easily accessible from all the major southern and northern Beninese cities by train.

Shopping and Food in Bohicon:

Bohicon is known for its upgraded textile industry with products like cushions and mattresses which are accessible at the local market of the city at reasonable prices.

Afitin is a local special food which can be tasted at The Maquis Malodie Market of Bohicon.

Things to do in Bohicon:

Visiting archeological sites
City tours
Shopping

What to see in Bohicon?

Parc Archeologique d’Agongointo:

The Agongointo Archaeological Park or Parc Archeologique d’Agongointo is home to a group of 56 subterranean homes dating from the 17^th to 18^th centuries. It is allowed for visitors from 9:00am-5:00pm every day. Entrance fee, including a guided tour is 2.000F sofa. It is a must visit.

Bohicon Mosque:

The Bohicon Mosque is one of the religious sites, landmarks and tourist attractions of Bohicon. It is frequented by devotees year round for its holiness and tourists for its impressive construction.

The Maquis Malodie Market:

The Maquis Malodie Market is a famous among traders and also attract tourists for many stalls with a variety of traditional crispy and crunchy eateries including omelette.

The Royal Palaces of Abomey:

Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Royal Palaces of Abomey are one of the recognized historic tourist attractions of Algeria and is located in the nearby city, Abomey, around 10 kilometers away from Bohicon. These are more than 10 palaces and were built between 17^th and 19^th centuries during the Kingdom of Dahomey.

Musée Historique d’Abomey:

Located in Abomey, the Musée Historique d’Abomey is a museum describing the history of the Kingdom of Dahomey with artifacts and other well preserved objects from that period. Admission fee is CFA 2500 including a guided tour.

List of the other tourist attractions in Bohicon includes:

Lycée Technique de Bohicon
Collège Monseigneur Steinmetz
Bohicon Railway Station
The Jehovah’s Witnesses Church
Chez Yemadje
Palace of King Kpengla
Palace of King Ghezo
Palace of King Angoglo
Palace of King Agaja

When to visit in Bohicon?

The best time to visit Bohicon is during the months between November and February.

Where to stay in Bohicon?

Bohicon houses a few modernized hotels and for more comfort, visitors can head towards nearby Abomey or the commercial capital of Benin, Cotonou, both of which are accessible by bus from Bohicon. The famous hotels in Bohicon, Abomey (10 kilometers) and Cotonou (130 kilometers) include:

Hotel Dako Bohicon
Jardin de l’Hotel de Ville De Bohicon
Residence Marie-Josee Abomey
Chez Monique Auberge a La Lune
Auberge d’Abomey
Chez Monique
Le Raja Hotel
Hotel Eden Airport
Le Meridien Oran Hotel & Convention Centre
Hotel Residence Le Timgad
Hotel Residence Pomaria
BEST WESTERN Hotel Colombe
Hotel Eden Belabbes
Best Western Plus Liberte Hotel

Tourist Places to Visit in Abomey, Zou, West Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Abomey, Zou, West Africa, Africa

Abomey belongs to the Zou Department in the West African country, Benin, spanning over a total area of 142 square kilometers. Abomey was the capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey and the Republic of Dahomey, which changed as the today’s Benin. Situated around 221 meters above sea level, Abomey is located around 140 kilometers northwest of Cotonou and 170 kilometers northwest of the national capital, Porto Novo.

Abomey is widely renowned for the royal palaces constructed between the 17^th and 19^th Centuries that are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Abomey is also famous as a crafts center. The geographical coordinates of Abomey are 7°11′8″ N 1°59′17″ E.

How to reach Abomey?

Cotonou Airport in Cotonou is the closest international airport to Abomey, located around 140 kilometers away from the midpoint of Abomey and receives flights from Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels, Nairobi, Istanbul and many other European and African cities.

Taxis from the Cotonou Airport to Abomey take around 3 hours and cost about CFA 2000, otherwise one can take bus or train from Cotonou to Bohicon from where bush taxis cost around CFA 300 to Abomey.

A scooter like taxi, Zemi-johns are the special and cheaper way to get around Abomey.

Culture, Shopping and Food in Abomey:

Abomey is one of the cultural identities of Benin holding a group of royal places designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Abomey is famous for traditional shopping, mainly for the traditional items such as bronze figurines, craft work and souvenirs which can be purchased at Musée Historique d’Abomey and Chez Yemadje.

The two famous tourist favor restaurants in Abomey are as follows:

Maquis Delphano
Rasta Cafe

Things to do in Abomey:

Visiting palaces
Shopping
Walking

Places of interest in Abomey:

Royal Palaces of Abomey:

Located in the heart of the city, the Royal Palaces of Abomey are the most important tourist attractions of Abomey, constructed between 17^th and 19^th Centuries by the Fon people during the rule of the Dahomey Kingdom. Some major places include Akaba Royal Palace, Palace of King Agaja, Palace of King Ghezo and Gbehanzin Royal Palace.

Musée Historique d’Abomey:

The Musée Historique d’Abomey is concentrated on describing the history of Abomey, mainly focused on the Dahomey Kingdom. Other than artifacts and relics, one can also spot banners showcasing the torture and war methods used by the former Kingdom. The museum is open from 8:30am-6pm (Monday-Friday) and 8:30am-5pm (Saturday-Sunday), including a guided tour, the entrance fee is CFA 2500.

Chez Yemadje:

Chez Yemadje is a family running craft shop housed inside the palace Rue du Palais Royal. It is open from 7 am-7 pm. Other than purchasing craft works, one can also get the importance of the royal palace.

Bohicon:

Bohicon is a nearby city of Abomey, around 10 kilometers. Bohicon is home to many interesting sites such as the Parc Archéologique d’Agongointo, Bohicon Mosque and Lycée Technique de Bohicon. Bohicon city is also famous for the locally made cushions and mattresses.

List of other places of interest in and around Abomey includes:

Palace of King Tegbessu
Palace of King Kpengla
Palace of King Angoglo
Palace of King Agaja
Palace of King Ghezo
Palace of King Agoli-Agbo
Palace of King Glele

Best time to visit Abomey:

Probably from November to February is the best time to visit Abomey in Algeria.

Accommodation options in Abomey:

Despite being a tourist destination, hotels are limited in Abomey, not more than 10. At this point, one can find hotels in Cotonou (around 140 kilometers) for memorable hospitality services. The prominent hotels in Abomey and Cotonou in Benin are listed below: