Abomey

Introduction

Abomey, also called Agbome, is the capital of the Zou Department in Benin. The commune spreads across 142 square kilometres of the country's southern interior.

Getting there

Abomey has no station of its own, so you reach it through nearby Bohicon, which is linked by rail to Cotonou and to Parakou in the north, with three departures in each direction every week. From Bohicon, bush taxis make the short hop to Abomey.

• Baobab Express Bus runs to Bohicon on new air-conditioned buses with Wi-Fi, with a focus on security and punctuality.
• Bush taxis connect Bohicon with Cotonou; the ride from Cotonou is long, around three hours.
• Cheaper but slower public buses are also available.

Getting around

Abomey has no public transit network, metro or tram, so you'll get around by zemidjan (motorcycle taxi), on foot, or in a hired car. Zemidjans are the workhorse of local transport — cheap, fast and easy to find — and they're the practical choice for short hops across town. Agree your destination and the fare before you set off, since meters are rare and inflated "tourist rates" are common. Ride-hailing apps such as Gozem and Yango offer metered rides and are typically cheaper than negotiating, but availability in Abomey is more limited than in Cotonou, so treat them as a bonus rather than a guarantee. Rechargeable T-money cards can be used to pay for zemidjan rides, saving you from fumbling for change. Private taxis cost more but are the most comfortable option and the only realistic one if you're carrying luggage; for a day of sightseeing around the palaces and surrounding area, hiring a car and driver through your hotel is the most comfortable approach.

The historic core, including the royal palace complex, is compact and genuinely walkable, so you can cover the main sights on foot. The catch is the climate: midday heat and dust make walking uncomfortable and, at the hottest hours, unwise, so walk in the cooler morning and late afternoon and use a zemidjan to bridge the middle of the day or to reach anything on the edge of town. Note that Abomey's transport gateway is its neighbour Bohicon to the east, where trains, buses and many long-distance taxis actually stop; from there you cover the last leg into Abomey by shared taxi or zemidjan. Shared minibuses known as trotros only depart once full, so build in waiting time, and shared bush taxis fill quickly with no fixed schedules, so arrive early.

Where to stay

Abomey has only a few motels, and none are of particularly good quality, so set your expectations accordingly. The Auberge d'Abomey is the dependable choice, with clean rooms that are ventilated or air-conditioned; ask for one of the doubles near the restaurant, which are larger than the others. Sun City sits a bit outside the city but has some rooms with a jacuzzi.

If you would rather base yourself nearby, Bohicon has the Majestic Hotel, which has a swimming pool.

Food & drink

For a proper sit-down meal, head to the Auberge d'Abomey, where you can have a good international meal.

What to see and do

Abomey's defining sight is the group of Royal Palaces, earthen structures raised by the Fon people of the Dahomey Kingdom between the mid-17th and late 19th centuries and recognised on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Each king had a new palace built for himself, and the surviving examples are named for their rulers: the Akaba, Gbehanzin, Glele, Agaja, Tegbessu, Agoli-Agbo, Ghezo, Angoglo and Kpengla royal palaces. The walls carry large numbers of bas-reliefs and artworks depicting everyday life of the kingdom, including war, sacrifices and methods of torture. The palaces were largely built with wealth acquired through the Atlantic slave trade, in which the Dahomey were among the main beneficiaries, capturing people from neighbouring ethnic groups to sell to Europeans.

Nearby, the Musée Historique d'Abomey holds artefacts and relics from the area, with banners showing the torture and war tactics of the former kingdom and the throne of Ghezo, which was built on top of human skulls. Admission includes a guided tour of about an hour. When you want to slow down, Chez Monique offers a peaceful garden with artwork pieces to rest in.

Three days in Abomey

Day one: Base yourself in Abomey, the historic heart of the Zou Department and the seat of the old Dahomey Kingdom. Settle in at a guesthouse such as The Auberge or the Majestic Hotel, then take a zemidjan or a shared ride to get your bearings. If you arrive via Bohicon, the Baobab Express Bus is a straightforward way in, and from Bohicon you can reach Abomey quickly. Use the afternoon to wander the town and get a feel for its Fon heritage before a quiet evening.

• Check in at The Auberge or the Majestic Hotel
• Get around by zemidjan, or use Gozem or Yango for a private ride
• Agree on your fare before you ride

Day two: Give the Royal Palaces your full attention. This UNESCO World Heritage List site, also known as Agbome, holds the memory of the Dahomey Kingdom, and each palace compound recalls a different ruler, among them Akaba, Gbehanzin, Glele, Agaja and Tegbessu. Take your time moving between the courtyards and let the scale of the place sink in. In the evening, return to town for a meal and rest.

• Spend the morning and afternoon at the Royal Palaces
• Look for the compounds associated with Akaba, Gbehanzin, Glele, Agaja and Tegbessu

Day three: Use your last day to slow down and take in more of Abomey's everyday life, then plan your onward travel. Cheaper shared rides and zemidjans make short hops easy, and a rechargeable card or app keeps your transport simple. If you are heading further afield, connections run toward Cotonou and Parakou, and Bohicon is close by for buses. Note that private rides cost more than shared ones, so choose what suits your budget before you set off.

• Explore Abomey at an easy pace
• Arrange onward travel toward Cotonou, Parakou or Bohicon
• Decide between shared and private transport in advance