Lagoon & Coast
4 days · Year round · From 620 000 F

Lagoon & Coast

Ganvié by pirogue at dawn, Porto-Novo's Afro-Brazilian streets, Grand-Popo's empty beach.

[ 6°28′ N, 2°25′ E ]

Four slow days along the water. The stilt town of Ganvié at first light, the quiet capital Porto-Novo, the mouth of the Mono river and the palm beach of Grand-Popo. A short journey on its own, or the gentle end to a longer one.

Duration
4 days
Group
Up to 8
Season
Year round
Experience
Lagoons & coast
Highlights
  • Ganvié at dawn by pirogue, before the day boats
  • Porto-Novo's Afro-Brazilian houses and the Honmè palace
  • The Bouche du Roy, where the Mono meets the sea
  • A night in Grand-Popo with nothing to do
Day by day

The journey

  1. Day 1Night in Porto-Novo

    Cotonou and Porto-Novo

    Airport meeting, the Dantokpa market if you have the energy, then the road to Porto-Novo.

  2. Day 2Night in Grand-Popo

    Ganvié at dawn

    On the water before sunrise. Breakfast in the stilt town, then west along the coast road.

  3. Day 3Night in Grand-Popo

    The Mono and the sea

    Boat to the Bouche du Roy through the mangroves. Afternoon on the beach.

  4. Day 4

    Ouidah and departure

    The Python Temple and the beach at Ouidah on the way back to the airport.

The route

Where you go

  1. 01Porto-Novo[ 6°30′ N, 2°36′ E ]
  2. 02Ganvié[ 6°28′ N, 2°25′ E ]
  3. 03Grand-Popo[ 6°17′ N, 1°49′ E ]
  4. 04Ouidah[ 6°22′ N, 2°05′ E ]
Where you stay

Nights along the way

Chosen for where they are and who runs them. Rooms are confirmed with your dates; we tell you the exact houses when you book.

  1. Stone terraces of the hotel above its long turquoise pool
    The lobby, its shelving lit and hung with Beninese art
    The bar under a glass chandelier, green velvet seating
    A tennis court in front of the hotel, palms behind
    An afternoon by the pool
    Cotonou

    A five-star hotel on the marina

    The first and last night of most journeys, with the Atlantic on one side and the lagoon on the other.

    Terraced stone balconies over a long pool, a lobby hung with Beninese painting and sculpture, a bar under a glass chandelier, a spa and tennis courts. Close enough to the airport to arrive late and leave early without losing the day.

  2. A wooden deck over the lagoon with parasols and loungers
    A pirogue on a palm-lined channel, from above
    The lagoons

    A lodge over the water

    Wooden decks on stilts, a shower under the trees, pirogues at the step.

    Small lodges built out over the lagoon, where the day starts with fishermen going past and ends with the water gone still. Rooms are simple and cool; the food is grilled fish and what the market had that morning.

What's included
  • Private driver throughout, English and French speaking
  • All road transport in an air-conditioned 4×4 with driver
  • Accommodation as described, breakfast included
  • All entry fees, permits and ceremony contributions
  • Airport meeting and transfers in Cotonou
  • Round-the-clock support from our Cotonou office
Not included
  • International flights
  • E-visa fees
  • Travel insurance, which we require
  • Lunches and dinners unless stated
  • Tips and personal purchases
Dates & prices

Departures

Scheduled small-group departures. Private departures run on any date from two travellers.

DatesDurationPer personAvailabilityBook
Nov 21 – 24, 20264 daysFrom 620 000 F≈ €9458 places leftBook
Dec 26 – 29, 20264 daysFrom 650 000 F≈ €9905 places leftBook
Jan 9 – 12, 20274 daysFrom 620 000 F≈ €9458 places leftBook
Feb 6 – 9, 20274 daysFrom 620 000 F≈ €9458 places leftBook
Mar 6 – 9, 20274 daysFrom 620 000 F≈ €9458 places leftBook
Gallery
Young paddlers racing a pirogue past the stilt houses of Ganvié
The coconut coast from the air, fishing boats offshore
A wooden deck bar over the lagoon, under parasols
An afternoon by the hotel pool in Cotonou
Questions

Good to know

How do I pay?

A 30% deposit confirms your dates. Pay in FCFA by MTN or Moov mobile money, or in euros by card. The balance is due 45 days before departure.

Can I travel on other dates?

Yes. Every journey runs privately on request, from two travellers. Private departures carry a small supplement outside the dry season.

Is Benin safe?

The south and centre are calm and welcoming. For the far north we follow the latest government advice and adapt routes with our local partners; we will tell you plainly if a leg has to change.

From

620 000 F

Request this journey
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