Cotonou

Ganvie is cool place in the fact that it is a town of 18,000 people who live in the middle of a lake in bamboo huts on stilts. It's a huge tourist attraction in the area but still quite interesting to walk around. I don't really recommend buying souvenirs here as it's not the best deal.

Make sure to see the Fetish market; one of West Africa's wonders... the entire biology of the region displayed before you... in pieces.

Cotonou is the capital of Benin and it is considered a good place to see various Voodoo related attractions since Benin is a center of the Voodoo religion.

Visit the "City of the Kings" in Abomey. It's very interesting. See how leaders in Africa build huge kingdom across several ethnical groups over more than 7 actual countries. Centuaries of History

Go and see Ganvie (a little town on the water in the Bay between Cotonou and Porto Novo) and to the market "Tantokpa" in Cotonou!

Certainly worth it, the Venice of Africa in Ganvie will make a nice (and safe) boat trip, where you will see how some people live on stilts. Ganvie offers souvenir buying galore, and some of the things are really attractive, so bring some extra cash. People friendly, sites varied, lots of photo opportunities here...and generally easy to get to.

a city that never sleeps in a way far different from the western