Did Wills and Keith invite you to their big day? Dont be upset. Instead, let us tell you about a place where royals, as well as a few crocodiles building villages, will be happy to entertain you.
Benin, a tiny former French colony nestled in the greenest corner of West Africa, is the original home of the much-maligned Voodoo religion. As befits the homeland of a religion famous for its dolls and zombies (both are more Hollywood fantasy than Benin reality), Benin is steeped in magic, here kings sit on thrones wherever you look, and gods and ghosts appear on the left, right and in the center.
Follow these guidelines for the best places in Benin to hang out with royalty and before you look back, you’ll have so many royal friends your blood will start to turn blue.
Abomey
When you travel to a city whose walls are said to be covered in human blood, and the king still has a throne made from human skulls, know that an unusual experience awaits you. Abomey, once known as Dahomey, was one of the most powerful and brutal kingdoms in West Africa, and its immense royal complex still dominates the city today. As home to Benin’s most important royal family, this is undoubtedly the place to mingle with royalty. In fact, there are two kings in Abomey, one of whom wears a silver mask on his face that covers his mouth and nose so as not to accidentally swallow the germs of mere mortals.
Ganvier
Ganvier, located on Lake Nakue, is a surreal sight even without the help of kings and crocodiles. When we say that Ganvier is located on Lake Nakue, we really mean it. The village literally stands on stilts in the middle of the lake waters and looks like the giant algae have taken steroids and turned into a living village. But how did Ganvieh come about? In the 18th century, the rulers of Dahomey acquired the annoying habit of capturing and enslaving all members of the smaller kingdoms. To prevent a similar fate for his people, King Abodohue turned into a heron and flew through the countryside until he found a place far enough away to rebuild his kingdom. This place was the center of Lake Nakue, and in order to build a village on the water, King Abodohue turned from a bird to a crocodile, and then convinced the other crocodiles of the lake to help him rebuild the village.
Waida
Waida is Benin’s spiritual center (and former port of the slave trade), home to many attractions related to voodoo and royalty. In the sacred forest of Kpassa, you can shake the leaves for the king. These vile Dakhomeans once again raged and attacked the Xveda people. Their king, King Kpassa, was not thrilled to have his head removed from his body, so he ran away and turned into a tree. Today the tree / king is still standing and pilgrims come to mingle with him.
Allada
It may not look very attractive today, but the small town of Allada is of great regional importance. The city was founded by the son of a princess who slept with a leopard, and, unsurprisingly given this background, it is a major center of Voodoo and home to one of Benin’s most important kings. It is often possible to arrange an audience with the current king; for this you need to dress smartly, kiss the ground in front of the throne and expect surprises – after all, this king has the magical ability to turn into whatever he wants.
From whatever side you look, Benin is full of great mystery. Literally.