Ganvie

is a stilt village about one hour, by car, north from Cotonou, is also known as the Venice of Africa. Ganvie lays in Lac Nokoué/Lake Nokoué.

With it’s population of around 20.000 people it’s a large village and probably the biggest stilt village in Africa.

The Tofinu people founded the village in the sixteenth or seventeenth century, while running from the warriors of the King of Dahomey whom wanted them to be slaves.

They were afraid of water so the Tofinu people build their city on stilts and the islands in the lake.
The inhabitant’s life of fishing and fish farming. Tourism is another source of income. Since 1996 it is added on the tentative list of the UNESCO World Heritage in the category Cultural.
The village can be visited by boat from Abomey-Calavi. By motorboat it takes around 1,5 hour and by pirogue ca. 2,5 hour.
There are some simple hotels to stay in Ganvie.