Benin Travellers Guide: Visitor Information
Money / Currency Safety advice Health Issues Visas
Weather Commuications Electricity Public Holidays
CFA (Communaut Financiaire Africaine) Franc (CFAfr) = 100 centimes. Notes are in denominations of CFAfr10,000, 5000, 2000 and 1000. Coins are in denominations of CFAfr500, 200, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5 and 1. Benin is part of the French Monetary Area.
credit Cards have very limited accetance
International direct dialling is available.
Some mobile phone roaming agrememnts exist but coverage is limited
Post to europe takes around 3 to 5 days, surface mail can take up to 2 months
International dialling code: ++229
Electric Power is 220V running at 50Hz. The Plug types used are :
Round pins with ground
UK Foreign and commonwealth office
US State Department
Australian Foreign affairs
Canadian Consular affairs
World health Organisation
Centre for Disease Control
Visa are required for all except nationals of Denmark, Germany, France, Sweden and many African countries. A 15 day visa generally requires 2 photos and is issued within 24 hours, If travelling overland it is possible to get your visa are the main Togo-Benin border crossing at Ouidah. Visas can be extended once on the country.
Please contact your local embassy before travel as visa requirements regularly change.
Visa Requirements
North Benin has a tropical two season climate, with the hot and dry season between November and May, and a wet and humid season between June and October.
To the south the climate is equitorial with a long dry season from december to march, and a short dry eason from July to Septmber. March to July is the time of the great rains and September to October the short wet period.
World meteorological Organization
National Weather service
| 1st January | New Year's Day |
| Easter Monday | |
| Ascension Day | |
| 1st May | Workers Day |
| Whit Monday | |
| 1st August | Independence Day |
| 15th August | Assumption Day |
| 26th Oct | Armed Forces Day |
| 1st November | All Saints' Day |
| 30th Nov | National Day |
| 25th December | Christmas Day |
| Ramadan Ad-el-FITR Maouland |
The dates of Muslim holidays are observed following the sightings of the moon |