As the birthplace and the of one of West Africa’s most powerful kingdoms, Benin once had a historical renown that extended far beyond its borders. More recently the country has shrugged off Marxism to embrace to embrace democracy and capitalism with characteristic fervour. Visitors to surprising Benin will find remnants of the vast palaces of the formidable Dahomey empire, take boat rides through villages built entirely on stilts, see hippos eyeballing them from murky rivers, stop off deserted beaches where slave ships once sailed and see stunning indigenous architecture.

January and February (the dry season)

Witnesing the life-affirming ceremonies of traditional Beninese dance Visiting the ancient of Abomey, home to one of West Africa’s largest palaces Bowing before Legba upon entering the Sacred of Ouidah Boating to Ganvie, an extraordinary stilt village in the middle of Lake Nokoue Spying elephants, hippos and lions at Parc National de la Pendjari Relaxing on the long, palm-fringed beaches of Grand Popo

Read Bruce Chatwin’s The Viceroy of Ouidah, which tells story of a Brazilian trader stranded on the ‘Slave Coast’ in the 17 th century

Listen to Angelique Kidjo, Gnonnas Pedro, Nel Olivier and Yelouassi Adolphe

Watch Globe Trekker: West Africa – Mali, Benin and Burkina Faso for a visual tour of the region

Eat pate de mais (mashed maize) with either meat, cheese or gombo (okra) sauce

Drink La Beninoise, the local beer, or sodabe, the local rocket fuel

Neh – ah – deh – gbohng? (how are you? In the local language, Fon)

Voodoo fetishes; smiling faces; fishing villages on stilts; poachers; multiple coups; elephants and hippos

The name of the de facto capital, Cotonou, means ‘mouth of the river of death’ in For, referring to the role the town played in the exportation of slaves; on Voodoo Day (10 January) people meet on Ouidah’s beaches to pray for good health

Temple Semassou is dedicated to the wife of Dahomey king Aglong, and to gynaecological deformations. Semassou is said to have given birth to a fetish instead of a child; the fetish was buried here and the temple built about it. Nearby is a large white fetish sans penis. lt is believed that a female tourist broke off the oversized erect penis and kept it as a souvenir. Previously local women would straddle it to ensure their future productivity.