For travellers interested in either historical or religious Benin, Ouidah is the ideal destination. Once Benin's only port, it was the centre of the slave trade in this region and an active commercial town. Today, the practice of traditional religion, known as voodoo remains strong, and is one of the main reasons travelers come to Ouidah.

Attractions

The Voodoo Museum or Museum of the History of Ouidah (Musée d'histoire d'Ouidah)

Originally part of an old Portuguese fort, this museum now traces the area's slave trading history as well as the ancient history of Dahomey (as Benin was once known). Among the items on display are old maps, photos and voodoo fetishes; there is also a souvenir shop. The museum is open every day, with an entrance fee of 1500, which includes a one-hour guided tour.

The Slave Route (Route des Esclave)

This pathway is the original route the slaves walked from the center of town to the coast to board the ships; its about a 4 km walk. Tourists can take this walk independently or a guide, and will travel through three main villages en route to the beach. In the last village, there is a beautiful memorial erected in tribute to the Africans who left their homeland from this point. The walk is free but if someone offers to be your guide, you must pay that person (agree on price beforehand).

The Python Temple (Temple des Serpents)

Snakes maintain all kinds of symbolic significance in voodoo culture. This sacred temple is now one of the chief tourist attractions in Ouidah but there is not really much to see here, other than the reptiles, which takes all of a few minutes and will cost you as much as an hour in the Voodoo museum.

The Sacred Forest

This pretty park is the site of a towering tree, which is said to have sprung to life when the ancient King Kpassé, founder of Ouidah, disappeared. There are a variety of statues of African deities here and you can walk through the park for a small fee.