Be The Best Cotonou Marathon

The Race

History

Be The Best held its first Cotonou marathon on 24 April 2022. The organiser calls the 2027 race the sixth edition, and the fifth was held on 22 February 2026. In 2026 the full-marathon winners were Atiah Koogo in 2:21:54 and Arusei Peninah Jerop in 2:46:28.

The course

The marathon starts and finishes at Place de l’Amazone. The route heads east first, past the Jardin de Mathieu, Notre-Dame Cathedral and the third bridge, then through La Roche, SOBEBRA, Ciné Concorde and CEG Yagbé to a turnaround. It returns through the eastern corridor to the Blue Zone, Trois Banques and Place des Martyrs, then follows the airport corridor to Bio Guéra, Erevan and Fidjrossè. A second turnaround at Carrefour Club des Rois on the Route des Pêches sends runners back to the Amazone. Eight arrondissements are crossed. No elevation data, surface detail or gradient figures have been published for the 2027 route.

The 2026 line is flat. It runs between 5 m at km 24.3 and 8 m at km 17.6, starts at 7 m and finishes at 5 m, and no climb or descent reaches 10 m. The steepest 200 m on the chart is 0.8%. The line turns at km 10.1, 8.6 km east of the start in a straight line, passes the start area again at about km 20, and turns at km 31.4, 10.5 km west of the start.

Km 0 to 10: the eastern arm.The line leaves Place de l’Amazone on Boulevard de la Marina and runs east. It is on Avenue du Gouverneur Général Clozel in Placodji at km 3, on the RNIE 1 in Énagnon at km 6 and in Tanto at km 9, then turns at km 10.1. Learn the landmark names, because a map app may route pedestrians differently.

Km 10 to 21: back through the centre.The return runs through N’vènamèdé at km 12 and onto the RNIE 1 in the 4th arrondissement at km 15. It follows Avenue Pape Jean-Paul II at km 18 and passes the start area at about km 20, then reaches Haie-Vive and Cocotiers at km 21.

Km 21 to 31: the Route des Pêches. The line runs west on the Route des Pêches from about km 24, through Djomèhountin, Djako Daho at km 27 and Togbin-Fandji at km 30, and turns at km 31.4. The turnaround sits at Carrefour Club des Rois.

Km 31 to 42.2: back to the Amazone.The return repeats the Route des Pêches east through Togbin-Fandji at km 33, Djako Daho at km 36 and Djomèhountin at km 39, then rejoins Boulevard de la Marina for the finish at Place de l’Amazone. No barrier opening or side of the road leading into the finish has been published.

Course Map

The map shows the 2026 line from Place de l’Amazone east along the coast to the first turn, back through the centre and west along the Route des Pêches to the second turn, with the shared start and finish and the two turnarounds. The 2027 route may differ. Tap a marker for details, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.

What to wear

February is hot and humid in Cotonou. Monthly climate averages for 1992 to 2021 give a mean low of 26 and a mean high of 32 degrees, humidity around 81 per cent and about 30 mm of rain. Those are monthly averages and not a 07:00 reading, but expect warmth and humidity from the start. The coast does not guarantee a breeze. Wear light, breathable kit, and bring sun cream and a cap. No discarded-clothing collection scheme was found.

Entry

Entry is online through Be The Best’s event page. The individual marathon fee is XOF 25,000 from 1 August to 30 November 2026 and XOF 30,000 from 1 December 2026 to 31 January 2027. At XOF 765.876 to the pound (1 September 2026), that is about £32.64 and £39.17, so treat the sterling figures as a guide before card charges. A two-person offer costs XOF 45,000. The rules let the organiser move to the next price band when an allocation sells out, and no entry cap was found.

Entrants must be at least 20 by 31 December 2026. A medical certificate is required. It must be less than a year old, signed, and state that there is no contraindication to competitive running. Overseas residents must provide one even if they hold a federation licence, and the rules accept certificates in French, English, Spanish, German, Italian or Portuguese. Registration is personal and normally non-refundable. Bib transfers are prohibited, and a deferral request is allowed if it arrives before 15 January 2027. No ballot or qualifying time was found. Make sure the category says 42.195 km and names the February 2027 edition, because the similarly named December event has its own checkout.

The rules set a six-hour limit, but the day’s programme ends at 12:30, 5 hours 30 minutes after the 07:00 start, so plan for the shorter figure.

For UK passport holders, FCDO requires a visa, applied for online at least seven days before arrival, a passport valid for the stay and proof of yellow-fever vaccination. TravelHealthPro lists a high malaria risk and recommends advice four to six weeks before travel. Pendjari and W national parks are not appropriate extensions under current advice.

Fast Runner / GFA Standards

No ballot, qualifying time or guaranteed-entry route has been found.

Race Weekend

Expo

Collection is at Place de l’Amazone: Thursday 18 February and Friday 19 February from 10:00 to 18:00, and Saturday 20 February from 10:00 to 20:00. There is no race-day collection and no postal delivery. Bring your confirmation, official photo identification and your medical certificate. The village has an evening programme, but the bib desk does not follow it. Collect on Thursday or Friday if you can, so that a missing document can still be fixed. During the visit, check the waiting area, the bag counter, the toilets and your route back.

Getting to the Start

The start is at 07:00 at Place de l’Amazone, and arriving an hour early means 06:00. There are two police-assisted pedestrian approaches and waiting zones by distance. No gate-opening time or recreational pen system was published. Arrange a driver before dawn if you are staying away from the Boulevard de la Marina, and ask your hotel when breakfast starts, because the buffet may open too late. Urinals and a bag counter are promised, but no hours or size limits are given. Carry the minimum and leave passports at the hotel. The finish has a welcome area with volunteers and Red Cross support. Agree a reunion point outside the restricted area.

Nutrition on Course

The organiser lists bottled water at 13 points, about every 3.5 km after km 5, and sugar and fruit at four points, in the table below. The rules say refreshments are provided about every 5 km, which does not match the list. Sports drink and gel supply were not specified, so carry the fuel you train with.

Spectating

Supporter zones are named at the Blue Zone, Place des Martyrs, Erevan, Fidjrossè, SOBEBRA, Ciné Concorde and Bio Guéra. No crowd sizes, kilometre labels or race-day transport were published. The simplest plan is the finish area at Place de l’Amazone, because start and finish are in the same place. Choose one western zone (Erevan or Fidjrossè) or one eastern zone (SOBEBRA or Ciné Concorde) and stay there. Roads are closed during the race, so travel before the closures. Timing is by judges and not by chip, so do not promise live splits.

Post-Race Food

The finish lists sugar and fruit and no full meal. Hotels are the dependable option. Orisha, at Novotel and ibis on Boulevard de la Marina, serves international food, and ibis advertises 24-hour snacks. L’Instant at Golden Tulip Le Diplomate serves local and international dishes and has a pool bar for lighter choices. Saveur d’Afrique at Azalaï Hotel Cotonou serves African and international food. Check Sunday hours and menus before you plan.

Where to Stay

Start and finish are at the same place, so the choice is how to reach Place de l’Amazone under race closures. None of these hotels is an official marathon hotel.

Boulevard de la Marina

Novotel, ibis, Sofitel and Golden Tulip are on this corridor, which is the first place to look. Check the pedestrian approach in person.

Airport side and Fidjrossè

Airport-side hotels suit a short trip, but the route uses the airport corridor, so a normal transfer time is not a race-day guarantee. Fidjrossè is a coastal base west of the centre, and part of the route passes through it.

Central and eastern Cotonou

Azalaï suits a wider city visit and needs a race-morning transfer.

Recommended hotels

Booking timeline

The first fee band runs to 30 November 2026 and the second to 31 January 2027, subject to allocation. Book a flexible room and fly in by Friday so you can collect your number on Thursday or Friday. Apply for the visa at least seven days before arrival, and arrange malaria and yellow-fever advice four to six weeks before travel. Keep Sunday night if you can, so your flight does not depend on the finish time. In the final week, check the route, the cutoff, the bag counter hours and your hotel’s breakfast time.

See & Do

Four places around Cotonou, one of them a separate trip.

Amazone esplanade

The race venue and a monument to the Agodjié. Return outside the race restrictions for a short visit.

Port graffiti wall

Contemporary murals near the port. Choose a short section in daylight.

Ganhi market

The modern market near Notre-Dame. Check trading hours.

Ouidah heritage sites

The Captives’ Route and the Gate of No Return, on a separate trip from the city. See the itineraries under After the Race.

After the Race

The race is on a Sunday in February, so the excursions start on Monday. Ouidah and Porto-Novo are each about an hour by road, and the longer circuit adds Abomey.