Capital: Porto Novo | Language: French | Currency: West African CFA (franc) | Religion: Christian, Islam, animism, voodoo | Population: 11 million

Benin is the birthplace of Voodoo, and that alone makes it sound tempting. There’s Ouidah, the town nicknamed the ‘Voodoo Capital’ and all that comes with it. But there’s more to Benin – whether you’re after history, culture, traditional ways of life, or nature (think rugged beaches).