During early April of 2026 we spent a week in one of the least visited countries in the world: São Tomé and Príncipe (STP). We split our time between the island of Príncipe and the island of São Tomé. We found the latter to be a lot more developed and easier to travel than the former (and smaller) one.
São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is an island country in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa. It consists of two archipelagos around the two main islands of São Tomé and Príncipe, about 150 km (93.21 mi) apart and about 250 and 225 km (155 and 140 mi) off the northwestern coast of Gabon. With a population of 201,800 (2018 official estimate), São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest and second-least populous African sovereign state after Seychelles.
Traveling in STP was a joy, but also a bit of a challenge. As independent traveling, we rely on existing tourist infrastructure to explore a new place. Because most people seem to stay at resorts or ecolodges when visiting STP, the available infrastructure for those traveling independently was quite limited, especially on the island of Príncipe. Fortunately, we didn’t let that stop us, and we were able to organize our own excursions, and see the sights we wanted to see. At the end, we found the experience to be extremely rewarding and incredibly memorable.
We also chose to only get one SIM card for one of our phones, which we only used for phone calls (I know, we are crazy!) Instead we only used whatever available wi-fi we had. It was honestly refreshing to travel this way, and to show our children how to problem solve on the spot rather than having all the answers a click away. That’s how it used to be a decade ago or so, right? Because of this, we relied heavily on our Bradt travel guide, which was quite helpful.
Preparing For The Trip
To prepare for our trip, our main focus was on having the right gear, and making sure we were up to date with our immunizations.
Health
For this trip, we knew we had to make an appointment with a travel doctor to get malaria pills. For the consultation we used Consulta do Viajante, and it was wonderful! We paid less for a family consultation that included the four us, than we would’ve paid for just one at the hospital, and we received excellent advice.
During our consultation, we learned that not only did we need malaria pills, but we also needed to get immunizations for rabies, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, and tetanus if we hadn’t already received them or if they had expired. It was important to do the travel consultation at least 3 weeks before our departure because the typhoid fever vaccine is an oral 3-dose vaccine that takes 2 weeks to act.
What To Pack
Considering what to pack for a trip is always an important decision. When you are traveling to a less developed country, packing the right and necessary items is even more important! Here’s a list of what we packed for our trip. We were happy to have all of these items with us, so I strongly recommend you add them to your packing list for São Tomé e Princcipe.
- Insect repellent to use on your skin, and high DEET spray for your clothes.
- Sunscreen with high SPF. The sun was quite strong and it was easy to burn without sunscreen.
- Sun hats
- Snorkel gear
- Rash guard for snorkeling
- Water shoes. Some beaches are rocky so water shoes make things easier.
- Hiking shoes. A must if you plan on doing any walking in the rain forest, or venturing inland.
- Headlamp or torch. Power can be unreliable and you’ll be happy to have a source of light with you.
- Battery pack to recharge batteries if the power is out.
- Hand sanitizer
- High energy snacks like granola/date/fruit bars
As part of our medical consultation with the travel doctor, we put together a very comprehensive First Aid kit that contained:
- Medication for severe diarrhea
- Rehydration packets
- Paracetamol/Ibuprofen
- Thermometer
- A prescribed antibiotic in case of infection
- Antihistamine cream.
Fortunately, we didn’t need any of these meds other than the antihistamine cream to help with mosquito and other bites. However, having them gave us peace of mind, especially after seeing how hard it would’ve been to access some of these basic medications during our trip.
Getting There And Around
Getting to São Tomé and Príncipe from Lisbon is quite easy. In fact, all flights going to STP originating in Europe stop in Lisbon. This means you could combine your trip to São Tomé and Príncipe with an extended layover in Lisbon! TAP Airlines offers 2 direct flights to STP every week, and 2 returning flights each week as well. The flight is technically not a direct flight because there is a stop in Accra. If your final destination is STP, you simply stay on the plane while people get off and on in Accra.
Since 2015, citizens of the EU/EEA, UK, UA, Canada, Brazil and Russia no longer require visas for stays up to 15 days. Stays longer than 15 days still require a visa. Make sure to check out the STP embassy website for your country for the most updated requirements.
All people arriving in STP are required to pay a tourist tax of 25 Euros. Children under 12 years of age are exempt from this tax. The tax is paid at the airport before entering the baggage claim area and after going through immigration. You can pay with card or in cash. Make sure you keep the receipt for your payment as you will be required to show it upon departure.
Once in São Tomé, the best way to get around is to rent a car. We rented a Suzuki Jimny with Privilege Tours, and were super satisfied with our experience. The car was in excellent condition, they were timely and responsive, and drop off was super smooth as well. If you are renting a car to go around the island, you will need a vehicle that can handle rough and unpaved roads. I think that’s all they rent on the island, but I wanted to mention it just in case. To rent a car you will need to get an international driving license unless you have a Portuguese driving license. Fortunately, Joe switched his license upon moving to Portugal, so that was easy for us!
If you plan on visiting Príncipe like we did, you can book your flights with STP Airways. STP Airways flies small propeller planes to and from Príncipe 3 times a day every day. We were advised against renting a car in Principe, so we didn’t rent one.
Itinerary
We arrived in São Tomé International Airport around 5:30 in the afternoon, and spent our first night at Hotel Kenito. This hotel was close to the airport, which was perfect for catching a flight to Príncipe the next morning. After checking into our hotel, we set out on foot to get dinner at Onda Azul, which I think was our most delicious meal of the trip!
The next morning we had a driver pick us up and take us back to the airport to catch our flight to the island of Príncipe.
Príncipe (3 nights, arriving early morning on the first day)
We arrived to the tiny airport in Principe just 45 minutes after taking off from São Tomé. After a short wait, we got our bags and then met the driver who took us to our home for the next 3 nights.
Where we Stayed
For our stay in Principe, we used Booking.com to book a house on the southern part of the island, near Roça Terreiro Velho and Oque Pipi waterfall. We chose this location because we wanted to be close to the Obô Natural Park of Príncipe, and honestly, because options on the island were slim when looking for something other than resorts or ecolodges. This house looked well-equipped, the reviews were great, and the location promised an immersive experience in the rainforest of Principe.
After a 45-minute drive, with the last 15 being on muddy hillside tracks, we arrived at the house. It was easy to see why the owner advised us against renting a car. The road to the house was a mix of mud, giant pot holes and puddles!
During our stay In this house, all our meals were prepared by the caretaker of the property, Mary. She brought us breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday for a pre-established fee. All of our main meals featured different types of fish, and they were delicious! For breakfast we tried fruits we’d never tried before, and Mary served us some of her home made coffee, a delicious type of Robusta coffee. Everyday, she carried all the foot inside a bucket perched on top of her head, while riding behind her husband on their motorcycle!
We definitely stayed in a remote location, in an already remote island. Some benefits of this were being in the middle of the rainforest, and seeing an incredible variety of birds from our veranda every day. In the evening we would see the endangered and endemic Principe fruit bat flying by, and eating fruits from nearby trees. At night, the sounds of the rainforest lulled us to sleep. It was truly a wonderful and unique experience!
The main challenge with being this remote was not having easy access to much of anything. If we wanted to do an outing, we had to walk 20 minutes on a path through the rainforest to a secluded beach where we’d be picked up by a boat. Oh, and that secluded beach was definitely a perk of where we stayed too! We went there everyday! We loved the walk through the rainforest, and the snorkeling at the beach was pretty great too.
This stay worked well for our family, but it might not work for everyone. Our kids had to face some discomfort, like encountering a giant spider in the bathroom. We had no wi-fi, and the power was out half of our stay. But all of this actually led to some great quality time together, playing cards using our headlamps, sitting down on the veranda birdwatching, and reading, when we were not at the beach or on an outing.
What We Did in Principe
On our first full day in Principe, we went for a boat ride around the entire island, with stops along the way. This was a good way to see a lot of the beaches and snorkeling spots in Principe. We coordinated with the house caretaker, and he got a fisherman to take us. The boat outing, which lasted the entire day, cost 200 Euros for the 4 of us and didn’t include anything other than the boat ride. There’s a company that advertises rides around the island at the airport in Principe, so you could contact them too. The price for the excursion seems to be pretty standard.
The first stop on the ride was Bahia das Agulhas, which is considered the best snorkeling spot on the island, and with good reason! We spent a good hour there, finding lots of fish. If you visit and want to snorkel, head to the left side of the beach, by where the rocks are, to find the best spots!
Afterwards we stopped at a couple of other beaches to do some snorkeling, but they weren’t that good. Once we turned the northern side of the island, we stopped at Praia Boi. This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. The water there was incredibly clear, and the white sand gave it an unreal turquoise color.
When it became obvious that our boat tour didn’t include a plan for lunch, we asked our boat captain to take us to find food. Fortunately we had packed snacks with us, so nobody was starving. Our next stop was a small village on Praia Salgada to go look for a store. This settlement was much smaller than Santo Antonio, which is the smallest capital city in the world. Here we stocked up on treats at the tiny convenience store, and also got some beverages for the boat ride. The amenities available were very basic and limited, but it was interesting to see this tiny town.
The other days we walked down to our beach, Praia do Periquito, to snorkel and play in the water. We were the only ones there every single time, which was so special!
We had planned on hiking to Cascata Oque Pipi, which is about 30 meters tall, and one of the most beautiful in Principe. Unfortunately, we had a lot of night storms while we were in Principe, making the trail too muddy to hike. The waterfall was just a 45 minute hike from where we were staying. On the bright side, we could see it from the beach, so that was nice!
We didn’t explore the interior of the island because we didn’t have a vehicle. Honestly, the idea of driving on muddy tracks was a bit daunting anyways. At the end, we were happy with what we did during our time on the island.
São Tomé (3 nights, 2 full days and 2 half days )
After our time in Principe, going back to São Tomé felt like a luxury! Once again we chose our lodging through Booking.com. We stayed in this hostel-style bungalow called Gente d’aqui, owned by a very nice Portuguese man who is truly investing in the community. Our bungalow was just a few feet from the ocean cliff, which meant we fell asleep with the sound of the roaring waves every night. As an added bonus, the ocean breeze kept the mosquitoes away too!
Gente d’Aqui is located about a half hour drive from he airport, near Roça Água Izé, and a 5 minute walk from Boca do Inferno. We absolutely loved this stay! It included a delicious breakfast, wi-fi, and you could tell João, the owner, really cares about the environment and the community he belongs to in São Tomé.
Our days in São Tomé island were a mix of exploring, lounging by the beach, tasting the best chocolate in the world, and just enjoying the leve-leve (slowly slowly) vibe of the island.
What We Did in São Tomé
Ilhéu das Rolas
The most popular excursion people do when visiting São Tomé island is a day trip to Ilheu das Rolas to stand on the equator line. The drive from São Tomé city down to Porto Alegre on the southern end of the island takes about 2 hours. From Água Izé it was around an hour and a half.
We had read that there is a boat that leaves daily from Porto Alegre to Ilheu das Rolas at 10:30am, so we planned for that. Once we arrived in Porto Alegre, it was unclear where said boat left from, so we asked someone in town about it. Instead of directions, this person offered to take us to the island on his boat for 15 Euros/person (the fair price according to the internet!), and we agreed. We parked our car, followed him to the beach, and waited for him to get his boat ready. Just 15 minutes later we were heading to Ilheu das Rolas!
After we arrived on the island, we arranged to have lunch prepared and delivered to Praia Cafe (the next beach over from the dock) at 13:00. If you do this day trip independently, I definitely recommend you do this. Food was delicious, and it was served on picnic tables right by the beach, under the shade of the trees! We just hung out by the beach, and the food was delivered by our boat captain when it was ready!
Before lunch, we hiked up the small hill to where the equator marker is. The walk was pretty easy and straight forward, taking no longer than 20-25 minutes. You basically start by going through town and then take the first right (where the house with colorful railings is) and start heading into the rainforest. At the next fork, you turn right and head up the hill on a shaded path. We encountered an older man at the fork who asked to be our guide, and then told us to go the wrong way when we politely declined. Joe had studied the map ahead of time, so he knew where to go. At that same moment, our boat captain arrived. He had been told to “keep the family company” by the woman at the restaurant–so sweet! After that, he quietly walked behind us up to the equator marker.
After the short hike to the equator marker, we took the trail back down. When we reached the fork again, we turned right to head to Praia Cafe. To get to the beach, just bear right and you’ll get there in no time. The beach was gorgeous, and the snorkeling was not too bad. We spent the rest of our time hanging out at the beach, swimming and snorkeling.
After lunch, around 2:30pm, we asked our boat guy to take us back to Porto Alegre. We could’ve stayed longer, but we didn’t want to do the drive back to our hostel in the dark. The road was overall in decent shape, but there were some nasty potholes that would be hard to avoid in the dark.
Pico Cão Grande
The mighty Pico Cão Grande is a dramatic, needle-shaped volcanic rock tower in São Tomé. Pico Cão Grande was formed when magma hardened inside a volcano’s vent and the surrounding softer rock eroded away over millions of years. It rises to about 663 meters above sea level and stands roughly 370 meters above the surrounding rainforest. It is one of the world’s most striking volcanic plugs
We got the best views of Pico Cão Grande on our drive to Ilhéu das Rolas. I guess we were lucky to get such great clear views because this giant sometimes sits surrounded by clouds. You can also see Pico Cão Pequeno, the smaller counterpart to Pico Cão Grande, from Ilhéu das Rolas,
Lagoa Azul
On one of our full days in São Tomé, we decided to head to the north shore to check out a few sights. Our first stop was Lagoa Azul (blue lagoon). This small turquoise water beach is surrounded by baobab trees and fossilized corals, and it is a lovely snorkeling spot, especially on the right-hand side of the lagoon. We saw a great variety of fish there, some of which we hadn’t seen in Principe. This is such a gem of a place!
As a warning, we had read on our book that the popularity of this spot has attracted some muggers in recent years. As a result, you should not leave your belonging unattended. Don’t leave valuables inside the car either because of potential break-ins. We’ve been mugged in the past, and because we were the only ones at this beach when we arrived, we were cautious. We took turns snorkeling while the other kept an eye on the surrounding. Fortunately, it was all good. Around late morning, some souvenir sellers started to arrive, and we completely relaxed.
We had read that it was possible to find scorpions at Lagoa Azul. Apparently they hide under some of the volcanic rocks on the right side of the beach. Our kids set out with long sticks to turns some rocks, but didn’t find any. Maybe you’ll have better luck than us if you go looking for them!
Praia dos Tamarindos
After our snorkeling outing at Lagoa Azul, we drove 20 minutes to Praia dos Tamarindos. This beach is one of the best on the island, and it is fringed by tamarind trees, an indigenous African tree known for its tart edible fruit and hight quality wood. In São Tomé, the leaves are also used as an anti-parasitic. This was a lovely stop and our kids ran straight from the car into the ocean! As an added bonus, there was a young man selling coconuts for 1 euro. These coconuts were different than the ones we’ve had before, with a fleshy inside you spooned off. Definitely worth the 1 euro to try one!
Claudio Corallo Chocolate Factory
We had never heard about Claudio Corallo‘s chocolate until our visit to São Tomé. Turn out, he produces what’s been called “the best chocolate in the world.” He has a cocoa plantation on the island of Principe, and you can enjoy a fabulous in-depth tasting session lead by Mr. Corallo himself. If you are in São Tomé and want to experience chocolate that is superior to anything you’ve ever had, then book a guided tasting with him.
To book tickets, head to their office on Av. Marginal 12 de Julio (Rua do Municipal), 978, from Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 14:30. Guided tasting take place at 15:00 and 16:30 and last about an hour. It cost 40 euros for our family to do the tasting, and we ate a lot of chocolate during the tasting. All tastings are conducted in Portuguese, but the tasting transcends language. I absolutely recommend this experience! We also bought chocolate to bring home. You can also purchase his chocolate in Lisbon, Paris, and Palo Alto, but the price is siginificantly lower when you buy it at his São Tomé factory.
Praia Sete Ondas
This beach was just a 7-minute drive from where we were staying and it quickly became a favorite. This laid-back tropical beach features a distinctive rolling wave pattern that seems to arrive in rhythmic sets. Framed by lush forest and a long stretch of dark sand, it offers a raw, unspoiled atmosphere that feels far removed from the rest of the world. This beach embodies the island’s slow “leve leve” lifestyle, with a couple of eateries, and nothing else to do but enjoy!
We spent a decent amount of time at this beach. We came here to end the day after an outing, or to relax in between excursions. It was just the perfect beach to hang out at. The beach itself was super safe for children, so we could all relax and enjoy. Plus, having Coconut’s Bar e Restaurante made it easier to spent even more time at the beach because we could get food and drinks beachside! As a side note, they have an amazing sand box area filled with toys for little kids!
Roça Água Izé
The abandoned roças (plantations) of São Tomé and Príncipe are remnants of the islands’ once-booming cacao and coffee industry. This industry was built on enslaved labor and Portuguese colonial power. All of these once booming plantations were left to decay in the tropical heat after the islands gained independence. After independence, the Portuguese suddenly left. Today, these crumbling colonial estates, slowly overtaken by jungle, offer a striking glimpse into a complex and layered past.
One of the biggest, most photogenic, and also most visited plantations is Roça Água Izé. This plantation was built in the 19th century as one of the island’s largest cacao plantations. It was there where commercial cacao production started. The plantation included a hospital, workers’ housing, and grand colonial buildings. Today, parts of the complex are still inhabited, while much of it stands in atmospheric ruin.
To visit Roça Água Izé, we went on a guided walk with Jose, a nice young man who worked at our hostel, and who lives in the plantation. You are allowed to visit the plantations free of cost, but Jose explained that locals don’t like it and will tell you to pay to visit it. Jose took us on a lovely walking tour that started on our hostel, past the beach, onto a cacao cooperative, and then to Roça Água Izé.
We spent about 3 hours walking around the plantation. Jose was a great guide, and the people in the plantation were welcoming of us. It was definitely a side of the island’s history we were happy to learn more about.
Associacão de Produtores de Cacau de Qualidade de Água Izé
The first stop on our guided walk around Roça Água Izé was this cacao cooperative. The cooperative is right next to the plantation, so it’s super easy to visit. If you have a chance, we recommend visiting it. At the cooperative we learned about how the cacao pods go from slimy seed pods to cacao beans that are ready to produce some of the best chocolate. A visit to a cooperative is a great way to complement your visit to Claudio Corallo’s tasting room.
Boca do Inferno
Boca do Inferno was just a short walk from our hostel. We visited this beautiful natural site at the end of our walking tour. Boca do Inferno is a dramatic natural blowhole where powerful Atlantic waves crash through volcanic rock, sending bursts of spray high into the air. It’s a quick but striking stop that captures the island’s raw, untamed beauty. The best time to visit would be during high tide.
Jose told us a local legend linking the Boca do Inferno in São Tomé and Príncipe with the more famous Boca do Inferno in Cascais. According to the story, a knight would ride its horse into the roaring waters of São Tomé’s Boca do Inferno and vanish beneath the waves. The same knight would then miraculously emerge from the Boca do Inferno in Cascais. It was as if the ocean had carried him through a hidden underground passage between the two distant coasts.
Safety
São Tomé and Príncipe remains a very safe country. Generally, we felt safe everywhere we went in STP. People on the island explained to us that because the islands are so small, everyone knows each other, so crime doesn’t really take place there. Remember that it is always wise to take common precautions and keep valuables out of sight. We heard about some rare incidences of phone theft, which makes sense given that your smart phone costs more than a person in STP will make in an entire year.
Language
There are many languages spoken in STP, but the official language is European Portuguese, which is used in administration, education, and daily life, and spoken by almost all of the inhabitants of all islands. That being said, the Portuguese spoken on the islands has some grammatical differences that the traditional European Portuguese. If you speak Portuguese, even a little bit, you’ll find STP easier to travel than if you don’t. This might explain why 90% of the travelers we met, or came across during our trip were Portuguese.
As independent travelers, we talked about how challenging it would’ve been to travel in STP if we didn’t speak Portuguese. Because of this, I strongly recommend you learn some Portuguese if you are planning a trip to STP that doesn’t involve staying at resorts or ecolodges where they help you with the planning and organizing of activities and excursions.
Final Thoughts
We flew out of STP in the evening with an overnight flight to Lisbon, and quick stop in Accra. Once home, we had time to process the experience, and we agreed that our trip to São Tomé e Principe was fabulous. In fact, it inspired us to consider going on more trips like it! We honestly felt a million miles away from the world. We were removed from all news, and were fully immersed in the present moment. It was such a luxury, and so healing to spent time away from it all in such a beautiful place!
