Here all the families of the village came to fetch their drinking water. The place, where they fetch the water is at the island, where the church and more buildings of stone are built.
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Benin Travel Guide
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 | Benin Things To Do | Tips 21 - 30 of 68 |  | ||
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 | Ganvie, fetching water |   |  |
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 |  on April 6, 2004 |
In the centre of the Ganvie village we saw a lot of pirogues with all kind of containers. Here all the families of the village came to fetch their drinking water. The place, where they fetch the water is at the island, where the church and more buildings of stone are built. |
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| Fishermen villages at the coast. | | |
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| on April 4, 2004 |
It's nice to take the untarred road from Ouidah to Cotonou along the coast of the ocean. The 40 KM long route shows a beautiful scenery of the ocean and beaches edged by palmtrees. There were also a lot of small fishermen villages along the road, with huts made of palmleaves and with many small boats at the beach. The kids and adults were enthusiastically waving and yelling at us, when we passed. |
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| Floating Village of Ganvie |  | |
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 |  on November 30, 2003 |
The village of Ganvie was established by people trying to escape from the Kingdom of Abomey. In Abomey's folklore, it was said that they should not attack anyone over the water. Since that time, Ganvie has grown to a town of about 15,000. All houses are built on stilts above the lagoon, the market takes place on the water, there are even a couple of "hotels" where you could stay if you wished. The only facilities on land are the cemetary and a school. Ganvie is definitely a tourist trap, but an interesting one, worth the effort. Be careful when you are buying your tickets at the dock that you clear up the "guide" situation. They are not affiliated with they authorities on the dock, so you will need to tip them. Get this hammered out before you get on the boat, or it could turn nasty when you return. But, a good guide is useful to help explain all that you see going on. |
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| Voodoo in Ouidah | | |
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| on November 30, 2003 |
Ouidah is a center of voodoo in West Africa. You feel that there is something different about the town and its inhabitants as soon as you enter the area. Many people have strange looking scars on their chests and glazed looks in their eyes. The most famous voodoo site in town in no doubt the Python Temple, a bit of a tourist trap but nonetheless interesting, especially for the middle school kids on our trip. They will place a python around your neck, for a price. A guide will help smooth out the prices for this. Martine was invaluable in doing this, and we left with everyone happy; the kids because of the pictures of snakes around their necks, and the staff of the temple for the pocket monet they had made today. |
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| Slave Forts in Ouidah | | |
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| on November 30, 2003 |
Ouidah was the location of at least six slaving forts. The only one left is the Portuguese fort. It has now been turned into a museum. From the fort, you can follow the "Road of No Return" to the coast from where the slaves were sent to the Americas. It is very helpful to have a guide on this route. There are lots of sights and legends that you would not see or hear otherwise. Our guide was Martine de Souza. She has worked with the BBC, PBS, National Geographic, as well as many other foreign film crews, and speaks excellent English. She has published her own booklet on the history of Ouidah. You can see a portion of her interview with PBS at the website below |
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| NERICA - New Rice for Africa | | |
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 |  on April 13, 2008 |
The food shortage and harsh conditions of some of the African countries are well known. Many people are short of food, malnourished and unable to feed themelves, relying on aid. NERICA is a type of rice developed in the mid 1990’s designed to address the food shortage in sub-Saharan Africa and the growing demand for rice. It was created from a blend of Asian and African rice and designed to give high yield, shorter growing times, higher protein content and be very hardy and resistant to disease. It can grow in most conditions and is specifically aimed at the millions of small and subsistence farmers in Africa. Even better NERICA was developed in Africa, by this company in Cotonou. I saw NERICA growing in Porto Nuovo at the Songai centre and had some for lunch. Visiting some villages and towns I also saw children eating the rice. What a truly wonderful and worthwhile project! Check out the company website for more details. |
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| Out on lake Nokoué to Ganvié | | |
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 |  on April 5, 2007 |
Although the quay for embarcation can become rather overcrowded with hawkers, punters plus the guides and boatmen, once you've paid and got away this is a brilliant trip. A couple of hours on the water among the fishermen and the to-ing and fro-ing of the locals is very relaxing. Plus some great photo opportunitys. The village is actually built on stilts in the middle of a lake, started as a haven from other marauding tribes. Now much depends on the tourists coming in, as apart from the fishing, obviously there is no agriculture. Price of the pirogue depends on how many you are, so worth trying to wait a while to see if others turn up. Up to 4 people around 5000 cfa each, 5 and up 4000. |
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| Ganvie Village - Benin (Village on Stilts) | | |
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 |  on January 13, 2007 |
This is one of the best tourist attractions in Benin. It is close to the city of Cotonou and a very easy visit to make when you are in Cotonou. As soon as you reach this place you would be see the village in the middle of a lagoon.The history goes to say that the village was built to protect the tribe from the warring Fon tribesmen, who were forbidden to get into the waters. The entire life of the inhabitants circle around the lagoon, there are a few who make a living by the way of tourism, but apart from those all others depend on the waters for their livlihood. The stilt houses are not connected by land hence the entire travel within the village has to also be carried out in a boat. It is an enchanting trip, but the water is dirty and you need to be careful of the small boats that the natives use. |
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| Helping/watching fishermen | | |
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 |  on October 23, 2005 |
Along the coast the fishermen do what fishermen do all over the world - work hard. If youre lucky, you get to watch the beautifully muscular Benin fishermen work. If youre luckier, you can pitch in, giving them a helping hand pushing the boat down the beach. |
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| The Legba - Voodoo Messenger | | |
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| on April 18, 2008 |
The Legba can be seen at the entrance to the villages where the traditional voodoo religion is practised. He represents the messenger between the living and the spirit world and is carved from wood, and given food and drink by the villagers to keep him happy. Some are even protected from the sun by a wooden frame with a canopy. In return the Legba protects the village from evil and illness. Many of the Legbas are hundreds of years old and have lost their original shape but you can see replicas in the museums. The Legba is also a symbol of male fertility in the village and carries a representation of this! |
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More Benin Tips
| Overview | General Tips Tips: 22 - Photos: 13 |
| Restaurants Tips: 22 - Photos: 12 | Hotels and Accommodations Tips: 21 - Photos: 14 |
| Things To Do Tips: 68 - Photos: 62 | Nightlife Tips: 10 - Photos: 3 |
| Off the Beaten Path Tips: 8 - Photos: 5 | Tourist Traps Tips: 3 - Photos: 2 |
| Warnings or Dangers Tips: 11 - Photos: 6 | Transportation Tips: 27 - Photos: 17 |
| Local Customs Tips: 19 - Photos: 18 | Packing Lists Tips: 9 - Photos: 6 |
| Shopping Tips: 6 - Photos: 6 | Sports Travel Tips: 1 - Photos: 1 |
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