São Tomé Island Holidays

São Tomé is the larger of the two islands, home to the capital (also called São Tomé) and where the international airport |(Nuno Xavier Aeroporto) is located. 

Most visitors to São Tomé are nature-lovers, keen to try hiking in the interior, where most paths are cleared by athletic guides wielding machetes.

One compelling sight is the country’s stately roças, which seem straight out of an Isabel Allende novel. Some are huge, with castellated gates and forlorn, semi-derelict hospitals. Others are reviving as the world awakes to the joys of São Tomé’s delicious organic chocolate. A century ago, these islands were the world’s largest producer of cacao, and you can take estate tours to learn how this tropical fruit gets turned into the prized bars and drinking powders now available in gourmet shops in the UK.  Please do note however, that Sao Tome is a very poor country. 

We are able to arrange privately guided excursions for you to various parts of Sao Tome, depending on what you are interested in. A tour of the capital, Sao Tome takes in the Municipal Museum; S. Sebastião fortress, Nacional Library, Historical archive, Presidential Palace /“Pink palace”, Cathedral, Municipal Market, Coco Market and Our Lady of Conceição church. 

Those keen on a bit of light adventure could head to the Southern Sao Tome beaches: on this full day trip, you can  explore some of the most beautiful landscapes in São Tomé in a leve-leve (easy, unhurried) pace. Stops you can incorporate include a Mangrove for a boat trip, lovely Praia Inhame beach; Jalé beach and Piscina beach. At all 3 beaches, you'll see markers of Turtle nests if you're there at the right time of year and it is possible by arrangement, to do some Turtle watching.

Or head inland on the Mountains and Coffee outing, during which you travel into the heart of the island and get to know the most iconic sites where coffee is produced. Visit Trindade town Santa Clara plantation, Batepá historical place, Monte Café plantation, the Botanical Garden - Bom Sucesso and the Cascata de São Nicolau waterfall.

Keen natural history enthusiasts should not miss Obô Natural Park hiking and Lagoa Amelia. Enjoy the views from the volcanic crater of Lagoa Amelia after discovering the rainforest and its rare birdlife. See various endemic Orchids, Giant begonias and other plants in the Botanical Garden of Ecofac. For serious birders, we are also able to arrange excursions with a birding expert guide; let us know in advance if you're keen to seek out the rarer endemic species.