Benin’s annual Voodoo Festival celebrates both its dominant belief system and the rich and complex history of this small West African nation. Carved out of land between Togo and Nigeria it’s a country of breath taking natural beauty. From palm fringed beaches to Parc National de la Pendjari jungles. It is a country of fetishes and spirits and lions and leopards. It’s a country waiting to greet you with a smile.

The Ancien Pont Bridge in Cotonou with the city in the background. (Image: Shubert Ciencia, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr)

Benin’s Foret Sacree de Kpasse at Ouidah, repository for the country’s most important voodoo fetishes. (Image: David Stanley, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr)

Benin is voodoo country, it’s a society driven by ancient natural rhythms. (Image: David Stanley, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr)

Voodoo guides life in Benin. The way Beninese relate to the world around them is directed by their naturalist belief system. (Image: jbdodane, CC BY-NC 2.0, via Flickr)

A consultation on your future. (Image: Helina Rautavaaran museo, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr)

For the Beninese, belief in God can take many forms. The mosque at Ganvie. (Image: David Stanley, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr)

A Catholic church in Ouidah. (Image: jbdodane, CC BY-NC 2.0, via Flickr)

Benin is where you will find Ganvie, the Venice of Africa. (Image: jbdodane, CC BY-NC 2.0, via Flickr)

Living on the water in Abomey Calavi should not crimp your sense of style. (Image: David Stanley, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr)

Traditional fabric brightens up a Cotonou sidewalk. (Image: Loic Pinseel, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, via Flickr)

Benin is a nation of colour that lives close to the Earth. A market in Cotonou where you can get local produce, herbs and advice. (Image: Helina Rautavaaran museo, CC BY-ND 2.0, via Flickr)

It’s a culture rich in history, as a visit to the historical city of Abomey reveals. (Image: jbdodane, CC BY-NC 2.0, via Flickr)

The Door of No Return UNESCO Heritage site leads to the departure dock that carried African slaves to the New World. (Image: Shubert Ciencia, CC BY 2.0, via Flickr)