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TimetableIn general, the stores are open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 1pm and from 2pm to 7pm. The opening hours of the stores are however theoretical, as the small stores remain open very late in the evening, even all night, and especially 7 days a week. The administrations are open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 12:30pm and from 3pm to 6:30pm.
Budget & TipsExcept in the chic stores of Cotonou, leave your credit card in your suitcase and bring cash.
What's very localExcept in the chic stores of Cotonou, haggling is the order of the day and you'll need to negotiate prices. Here's a tip: divide the advertised price (at least) by two, then increase it little by little until you reach an agreement with the merchant.
Tourist trapsCounterfeits are legion, even exclusive, on every market in the country. Bags, shoes, clothes, soccer shirts - they're everywhere. No one will bother you at customs in Cotonou, and once you're at French customs, you're unlikely to be bothered for a jersey of the Guépards, Benin's national soccer team, or a pair of crudely imitated glasses... After all, it's a question of quantity...
