São Tomé and Príncipe

⚠️ Timetables, opening hours, prices and access conditions may change without notice, for reasons beyond our control (season, weather, decisions by operators, venues or local authorities). Before every trip, check the information with the relevant authorities and service providers. Entry requirements and local rules (reserves, quotas) are subject to the same caveat.

Sitting on the equator in the Gulf of Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe is Africa’s second smallest country: two volcanic islands cloaked in equatorial forest, some 150 km apart. Nicknamed the chocolate islands, the archipelago was the world’s leading cocoa producer in the early 20th century, and six of its roças, the great colonial plantations, have been on the World Heritage List since 2026. Phonolite peaks, waterfalls, deserted beaches, humpback whales and sea turtles make up a well-preserved natural world, now entirely designated a biosphere reserve. Tourism here remains low-key and unhurried.

Where is São Tomé and Príncipe?

The archipelago lies in the Gulf of Guinea, roughly 250 to 300 km off the coast of Gabon. It is made up of two main volcanic islands: São Tomé, the larger, about fifty kilometres long, and Príncipe, some thirty kilometres long and much narrower, to the north-east, along with many islets such as Ilhéu das Rolas, which straddles the equator. The country covers 964 km² and has around 220,000 inhabitants, the vast majority of whom live on São Tomé island.

The capital, São Tomé, stretches along Ana Chaves Bay in the north-east of the main island. The highest point is Pico de São Tomé, at 2,024 metres, in the heart of Obô Natural Park, which protects cloud forest and endemic species. The south of the island bristles with volcanic peaks, including the famous Cão Grande. Príncipe, wilder still, has just one small town, Santo António, and its forests run straight down to golden sandy beaches.

History and culture

Portuguese navigators João de Santarém and Pêro Escobar reached the then uninhabited islands on 21 December 1470. The Portuguese developed sugar cane plantations worked by enslaved people brought from the mainland, followed in the 19th century by coffee and cocoa. By 1905 the country was the world’s top cocoa producer, thanks to a system of plantations, the roças, which relied on the forced labour of thousands of serviçais from Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde. Independence was declared on 12 July 1975.

The mostly Creole population brings together the Forros, descendants of the first mixed-race inhabitants, the Angolares, a fishing community in the south, and descendants of contract labourers. Portuguese is the official language, but you will also hear Forro, Angolar and Principense Creoles. Traditions blend African and European influences, such as tchiloli, a masked theatre inspired by a 16th-century Portuguese play about Charlemagne, or the Auto de Floripes performed on Príncipe. Music, dance and leve-leve, the art of taking life slowly, give the islands their charm.

What to see in São Tomé and Príncipe

In São Tomé, the capital is best explored on foot: the cathedral, the Fort of São Sebastião now housing the national museum, the market and colourful colonial façades. But the soul of the country lies in its roças: six of them, Monte Café, Água Izé, Diogo Vaz and São João on São Tomé, Sundy and Belo Monte on Príncipe, have been UNESCO-listed since 2026. Several can be visited, and some offer rooms or well-known restaurants. In the south, Ilhéu das Rolas lets you stand on the equator marker.

Nature is the other big draw. Pico Cão Grande, a phonolite needle rising out of the southern forest, is the country’s iconic image. Hikers explore Obô Natural Park, its waterfalls such as São Nicolau and Lagoa Amélia, a crater carpeted in vegetation. On the coast, Boca do Inferno blasts spray between the rocks, and Lagoa Azul in the north offers turquoise water beneath baobab trees. On Príncipe, the Bay of Needles and its volcanic spires are a spectacular sight from the water.

Beaches, sea and nature

Beaches are plentiful and often deserted, fringed by coconut palms and forest. On São Tomé, favourites include Praia Piscina, Praia Jalé and the coves of the south, as well as Lagoa Azul for snorkelling. On Príncipe, Praia Banana, Praia Macaco and Praia Grande form a string of wild bays, reached by boat or along dirt tracks. Currents can be strong on some ocean-facing beaches, so ask locally and preferably swim in sheltered coves.

Underwater and offshore, the archipelago offers memorable encounters. Humpback whales visit its waters during the dry season, roughly from July to October, and several species of sea turtle nest on the beaches, mainly from October to March. The forests are home to many endemic birds, orchids and giant begonias. Príncipe became a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2012, and the designation was extended to São Tomé in 2025, making the country the first to be entirely designated a biosphere reserve.

Getting there and getting around

There are no direct flights from France. São Tomé International Airport (TMS) is served from Lisbon by TAP Air Portugal and by STP Airways, operated by euroAtlantic, as well as via Accra with TAP, via Libreville with Afrijet connecting with Air France, or via Luanda with TAAG. From Paris, the simplest route is through Lisbon. Frequencies are limited and vary with the seasons, so check schedules with the airlines before booking.

To reach Príncipe, STP Airways operates flights of about 40 minutes between the two islands, with a baggage allowance limited to 15 kg. Locally, taxis are the main form of transport, so agree on the fare beforehand. Motorbike taxis are widely used but call for great caution. Hiring a car, often with a driver, lets you explore the coasts and the interior; the main roads are in reasonable condition, but it is best to avoid driving at night outside the capital.

Best time to go, budget and entry requirements

The climate is equatorial, hot and humid all year round, at around 26 to 27 °C. The rainy season runs from October to May, with a relative lull in December and January. The best time to visit is the gravana, the dry season from June to September, which is cooler and ideal for hiking and whale watching. The south and interior of São Tomé remain very wet even in the dry season. September to November is quiet and often offered at reduced rates.

The currency is the dobra (STN), pegged to the euro at about 24.5 STN to €1; bring euros in cash. French citizens need no visa for a stay of under 15 days, and beyond that a visa is required; EU citizens generally have the same rule, but check for your nationality. Your passport must be valid, and a departure tax may be charged in foreign currency. Malaria is present and yellow fever vaccination is recommended. Accommodation and domestic flights make the budget fairly high.

Essentials

Your questions answered

Nearby islands: Bijagós Islands, Saloum Islands, Cape Verde and Madeira.

Photo : Antoniodabreu, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons