Introducing Cotonou

Benin’s commercial capital is an unlovable example of urban Africa, and spending a day here is like being locked in a car with a chain-smoking speed freak. The zemi-johns (scooter taxis) swarm down the boulevards like kamikaze pilots, filling the air with fumes that only clear at night.

The city does have its positives, of course – the country’s best hotels, nightlife and shops, and the sprawling Grand Marché du Dantokpa are found here.