Why go
- Largest city in Benin.
- Known for Cotonou Cathedral, Haie Vive district, Fondation Zinsou museum, Dantokpa Market.
- Served by Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport (COO).
History
Cotonou is the seat of government and largest city of Benin. The official city proper population was 679,012 in 2012; however, over two million people live in the larger urban area. The urban area continues to expand, notably toward the west. The city lies in the southeast of the country, between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Nokoué.
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 19 airlines, 18 direct destinations
- Ethiopian Airlines ET (DH8, 757-200, 737-700) · 5 routes: Abidjan, Abuja*, Addis Ababa, Lome*, Niamey*
- Senegal Airlines DN (A320) · 5 routes: Abidjan, Bamako, Dakar, Douala, Libreville
- Mauritania Airlines International L6 (737-700) · 4 routes: Abidjan, Bamako, Brazzaville, Pointe-noire
- Hapagfly HF (Embraer 170, A319) · 3 routes: Abidjan, Accra, Lome
- Pacific East Asia Cargo Airlines Q8 (732, 737-300) · 3 routes: Brazzaville, Libreville, Pointe-noire
- Varig Log LC (737) · 3 routes: Brazzaville, Douala, Pointe-noire
- World Scale Airlines W3 (CRJ-900, 737-700) · 3 routes: Dakar, Douala, Lagos
- Air Burkina 2J (M87) · 2 routes: Lome, Ouagadougou
- Chicago Express C8 (146) · 2 routes: Bata, Malabo
- Dennis Sky DH (ATR 72) · 2 routes: Bamako, Libreville
- Air Canada AC (A330-200) · 1 route: Abidjan*
- Air France AF (A340-300) · 1 route: Paris
- Brussels Airlines SN (A330-200) · 1 route: Abidjan
- Camair-co QC (737) · 1 route: Douala
- Kenya Airways KQ (737-800) · 1 route: Nairobi
- Lufthansa Cargo LH (A330-200) · 1 route: Abidjan*
- Royal Air Maroc AT (737-800) · 1 route: Lagos
- South African Airways SA (A320) · 1 route: Pointe-noire
- United Airlines UA (A330-200) · 1 route: Abidjan*
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport (COO). Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: COO has direct flights to 18 destinations on 19 airlines (incl. Abidjan, Douala, Pointe-noire, Bamako, Brazzaville…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Embarcadère pour Ganvié, 12 km).
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Cotonou, Bénin. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.