Think twice.
Benin’s risk score rose to 54 today, and the US, UK, and Canada all maintain level 2 travel advisories. Global polio and measles notices remain active for all travelers.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Benin
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Think twice.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Polio
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •The best way to stay safe in Benin is to always always always be in the presence of a local person whom you can trust, such as a friend or even a hired tourist guide.
- •For women, avoid travelling alone, try to be in the company of other people as much as possible.
- •LGBT travellers: Homosexuality in Benin is legal, which means that the police and government authorities are there to help you in case of need.
- •There are many LGBT organisations in Benin, most notably Benin Synergies Plus (BESYP), Synergie Trans Benin, Hirondelle Benin.
Staying healthy
- •Watch what you eat/drink and where you eat/drink it.
- •Drinking water is readily available, if you want bottled water there is "Possatome"- a natural spring water bottled in the city with the same name.
- •Malaria is a reality in Benin.
- •AIDS is an issue in Benin as in all sub-Saharan African countries; use of a condom is highly recommended if entering into a sexual relationship with a Beninese partner.
- •If visiting Benin it is highly recommended that you speak to a doctor who specialises in travel.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers looking at Benin are currently weighing the impact of recent political instability, specifically an attempted coup, against their travel plans. There is no consensus or provided data in the source material regarding the actual safety of walking at night, the prevalence of violent crime, or specific scams to avoid. The provided discussion focuses exclusively on logistical planning, transport methods, and itinerary feasibility rather than on-the-ground safety reports or security warnings. Consequently, there is no actionable street wisdom available to confirm if specific areas are dangerous or if standard tourist precautions are sufficient for a solo traveler in the region.
“Should I worry about going to Benin considering the recent attempted coup?
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / E · 220V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 117 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 118
Show the receipts (10 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12