Things to Do at Oueme River

The Ouémé River flows past Porto Novo in a brown ribbon that carries the lifeblood of Benin's agricultural heartland, its waters thick with sediment from farms upstream. At 510 kilometers long, this is Benin's longest river, and the stretch near Porto Novo teams with wooden pirogues ferrying passengers and cargo between floating markets and riverside villages. The best way to experience the river is from a traditional dugout canoe, where you can feel the current pulling against the paddle and hear the splash of fishermen casting their nets in the morning mist. A two-hour canoe trip costs CFA 15,000 (about $24) including guide, and takes you past stilt villages where children wave from doorways that open directly onto the water. Go early morning when the river is mirror-smooth and you can spot herons fishing in the shallows.

Porto-Novo is about 30 minutes east of Cotonou by shared taxi or moto-taxi, and the river access points are scattered around the city. Your best bet is probably to head toward the central market area and ask for directions to the nearest embarcadère (boat landing) - locals are generally helpful about pointing you toward pirogue rentals. If you're staying in Cotonou, some guesthouses can arrange transport and boat tours together, which actually saves you some hassle.