Ouidah
A coastal town of Benin that is the main centre of Vodun, once a port of the slave trade and now the site of the Vodun Festival.
Practised and told of here
Best time: January 10, for Vodun Day.
Ouidah, also written Whydah, was a major embarkation point of the Atlantic slave trade. It now hosts the Temple of Pythons and the Route des Esclaves, which ends at the sea at the Door of No Return.
The Vodun capital
January 10, Vodun Day, was made a national holiday of Benin in 1996, in a reversal of earlier state campaigns against the religion. Thousands gather at the beach in Ouidah for a day of drums, dances and masked figures such as Egungun, who represent ancestors. The Vodun religion has a priesthood and a body of teaching, and it is recognised by the state.
Pythons and the Route
The Temple of Pythons holds snakes sacred to the god Dangbe. The Route des Esclaves, about four kilometres, links the town to the beach with monuments. Haitians, Cubans and Brazilians come to find roots, and the town's feeling about slavery is part of every visit.
Visiting
Ask before taking pictures of ceremonies, and expect to pay a fee for photography. Do not touch the pythons unless a guide invites you.
A respectful visit to Ouidah
Living communities are not a show. Ask before photographing a person or a ceremony, and follow local rules.
- The Temple of Pythons Visit the temple of the python god.
- Route des Esclaves Walk the road to the sea.
- The Door of No Return Stand at the memorial arch.
- Ouidah Museum of History Learn the history in the Portuguese fort.
Written by the EveryJaadu desk with AI assistance. Background: "Ouidah" on Wikipedia. Opening hours, markets and ceremonies change; check locally before travelling. If something is wrong, tell us.
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