When to go · Cotonou
Cotonou in January
Great month. Dry season; dusty haze; Vodun Day on 10 Jan.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C) / 24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 2
- Crowds
- High
- Benin overall
- Prices
- High
- Benin overall
Verdict
Dry season; dusty haze; Vodun Day on 10 Jan.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than January?
No other month rates higher than January for Cotonou in this guide.
Weather in January
- CotonouHighs around 31 °C (88 °F), lows around 24 °C (75 °F), rain on about 2 daysHighs around 88 °F (31 °C), lows around 75 °F (24 °C), rain on about 2 days
- Coast and lagoons, Benin · Cotonou, Ouidah, Porto-Novo, Grand-Popo, Ganviébest weather
Two rainy seasons; July–August is often a drier, cooler break. Humid all year.
Long dry season season
The most comfortable months for walking, markets and the beach road.
Watch: Harmattan dust haze from December to February; dry, hot afternoons.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
Vodun Day
10 January · Ouidah and around Cotonou
Public holiday; ceremonies and heavy traffic on the Ouidah road.
Christmas and New Year
25 December and 1 January
Family gatherings; restaurants raise prices and taxis are scarce late at night.
Vodun Days and Fête du Vodoun big impact
8–10 Jan (2026 dates; 10 Jan fixed holiday) · Benin
Ceremonies, masks and concerts in Ouidah; national holiday; full hotels.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Benin overall
- High
- Prices · Benin overall
- High
Benin overall: Dry; Vodun Days in Ouidah around 8–10 January. Book early.
High-price month: see what to book ahead.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Cotonou, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Great
Feb: Great
Daytime high
Jan: 31 °C (88 °F)88 °F (31 °C)
Feb: 32 °C (90 °F)90 °F (32 °C)
Night low
Jan: 24 °C (75 °F)75 °F (24 °C)
Feb: 25 °C (77 °F)77 °F (25 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 2 (better)
Feb: 3
Crowds
Jan: High
Feb: Medium
Prices
Jan: High
Feb: Medium
Festivals listed
Jan: 3
Feb: 0
January: Dry season; dusty haze; Vodun Day on 10 Jan.
February: Dry and hot.
Cotonou: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- Light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and sunscreen