Health and Safety in Benin

Yellow fever is present in the country of Benin, and a vaccination certificate is needed upon entering the country. Malaria, hepatitis A, polio, tetanus and typhoid fever are recommended for immunizations. Waters in Benin are potentially contaminated. Boiling the water is good but it is recommended to use bottled waters that are widely available. There are also some soft drinks (sodas) and beer around. Dipping in some ponds may not be good also because there are some parasitic worms that can damage the liver called Bilharzias. Avoid milk and dairy products. Eat only well cooked meat and fish.

Benin is safe but you must take extra precautions upon traveling. There are lot of pick pockets and bag snatchers in markets and other crowded places that have many tourists. Beaches around Cotonou have few incidents of armed robbery reported as well in the beaches near hotels. There is a lot of business scam also in Benin. Don’t go traveling at night because there are many roads that are unpaved and several streets have no lights. It is very helpful if you have knowledge of French in order to talk to citizens of Benin and when hiring a tourist guide. Avoid public places, political rallies and street demonstrations. The trafficking of drugs and weapons is common, and locals carry increasing numbers of weapons; so be cautious. It would be a good idea to listen to local media for reports on crimes on some areas. Upon traveling be sure to lock the doors of your car and to prevent carjacking of your vehicle.