Dantokpa Market
Marché Dantokpa
One of West Africa's largest open-air markets, stretching along the Cotonou lagoon. It sells everything from fabrics and spices to voodoo ritual items.
Dantokpa Market (known locally as Tokpa) lies on the north shore of the Cotonou lagoon, next to the New Bridge. It covers about 20 hectares, with tens of thousands of traders each day, and is a hub of trade for Benin and across West Africa. The main building and surrounding streets are arranged by product: Dutch wax-print fabrics and other Wax cloth, plastic household goods, fresh and dried fish, and herbs. The most distinctive section is the voodoo 'fetish market,' which sells animal bones, amulets and other ritual objects. The market is crowded and muddy, so it is best to go in the morning, follow a local guide, keep valuables close to your body, and ask permission before photographing people. Bargaining is the norm.
Opening hours
About 07:00–19:00 (some stalls closed on Sundays)
Nearby sights
- Fondation Zinsou
- Cotonou Cathedral (Notre-Dame-de-Miséricorde)
- Centre de Promotion de l'Artisanat
- Place de l'Étoile Rouge
- Amazon Statue (Monument de l'Amazone)
- Fidjrossè Beach
- Ganvié
- Bouche du Roy