Dantokpa — known locally simply as Tokpa — is widely considered the largest open-air market in West Africa, spreading across more than 20 hectares on the eastern bank of the Cotonou lagoon. Everything sold in Benin passes through here at some point: dried fish, bolts of wax-print fabric, motor parts, live animals, fetish medicines, and electronics.
The best strategy is to give yourself two or three hours and wander without a shopping agenda. The fabric section is especially rewarding, with traders from across the region selling Dutch wax prints and locally produced pagne cloth. Near the lagoon edge you will find the fetish market section, where herbalists and spiritual practitioners sell ingredients that range from dried chameleons to powdered bark — a remarkable window into West Africa's living voodoo tradition. Arrive before 10am to avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds.