São Tomé Travel Guide
Your São Tomé travel guide: real advice on how to plan a trip to São Tomé, the best things to do in São Tomé, calm beaches for swimming and snorkelling, and ideas for a 7-day São Tomé itinerary.
Hello,
from São Tomé
da São Tomé
aus São Tomé
de São Tomé
de São Tomé
Where nature sets the pace
Welcome to São Tomé and Príncipe — slow rhythms, clear water, real coastline. At The Chocolate Islands we focus on careful, local travel: quiet villages, rainforest paths, and the top São Tomé beaches for simple swims, fishing and snorkelling.
Come for colour, not crowds — from weekday city dips to wild south coves — and, in season, respectful whale watching in São Tomé with local crews. This is a São Tomé travel guide written from the islands: where to visit São Tomé for easy lagoon swims, tide-pool snorkelling, and unhurried days, plus the things to do in São Tomé that give back to communities. No rush, no show; just space to see, listen, and be part of something real.
Discover São Tomé: Inspiration for Your Next Holiday
São Tomé City & Streets
Planning a São Tomé holiday? Our São Tomé city guide walks you through the capital’s colonial streets, markets and working waterfront. Or book a guided trip with an English speaking local guide. Easy routes, food stops, and practical tips for a relaxed day in town.
Whale Watching & Marine Life
São Tomé holidays: humpback whale watching , shore viewing spots, and honest boat trip timings with local guidance on when to go and where to look.
Best Beaches in São Tomé
São Tomé holidays: rainforest-fringed beaches and calm coves. Our São Tomé beaches guide highlights safe swim spots, access, and when conditions are best.
Best things to do in São Tomé
Planning São Tomé holidays? See the best things to do in São Tomé: beaches, whale watching, rainforest hikes, roça history, with simple routes, timings and local tips.
Turtle Watching in São Tomé
São Tomé holidays: turtle watching at protected nesting beaches with local guides—see tracks, nesting adults or hatchlings in season, plus where to go and watch responsibly.
Fishing in São Tomé
São Tomé vacation: practical fishing guide to shore and inshore spots, tackle recommendations, and target species by season giving simple, usable advice to get you casting.
Frequently asked questions about São Tomé
Planning a Trip to São Tomé: Costs, Weather, Visas & Safety
Is São Tomé and Príncipe touristy?
No, it’s small-scale. Cruise ships do stop, but passengers often leave the same day, missing much of the island’s soul. There’s no resort strip — just a few high-end stays, quiet beaches, and local life. At The Chocolate Islands, we promote careful São Tomé travel, rooted in authenticity. For a closer look at daily life, see our São Tomé City Guide
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Is it expensive to visit São Tomé and Príncipe?
São Tomé and Príncipe can be affordable if you travel locally. Luxury resorts like Omali start around €170 a night, and Bom Bom on Príncipe can exceed €500. Family guesthouses and small lodges cost far less, and your money stays in the community. Car hire is €35–40 a day, moto-taxis about 20 dobras per ride, and local drinks are cheap — a beer costs 35–40 dobras. For more on costs and planning, see our São Tomé trip planning guide.
What is the weather like in São Tomé and Príncipe year-round?
Tropical reality in São Tomé and Príncipe doesn’t shift by season — it just moves in shade. Days hover in the mid-20s °C, nights dip a touch cooler. From October through May, rain builds a soft green skin over the land, with March and April bringing the heaviest wash. July and August pull back, with drier air and rare showers. Sunshine softens, humidity loosens — every month has its rhythm, and São Tomé’s climate makes travel possible year-round.
Is São Tomé and Príncipe safe?
Petty theft happens but it’s rare — just remember your iPhone could be worth a year’s salary here. Violent crime is very rare. The bigger risks are physical: roads with holes big enough to drown a pig, and open drains you could put a leg into — even in the city. Streets can feel safe to walk at night in terms of crime, but watch where you step.
What are the top things to do in São Tomé?
Slow days work best here. Mix beach time with a north or south coastal loop, stopping at viewpoints and small villages. On calm days, snorkel sheltered coves like Lagoa Azul. Walk plantation history at the roças, and take short rainforest trails to waterfalls inside or near Obô National Park. In season, join whale-watching trips; turtle-nesting walks run roughly October–April with licensed monitors. Markets, seaside grills, and sunset headlands fill the gaps. If you’re using this as a São Tomé travel guide for a first visit, plan 1–2 activities per day and leave weather room—roads are slow and the best moments aren’t rushed.
Everyday moments on São Tomé
São Tomé travel isn’t only beaches and tours. These everyday scenes show the rhythm you’ll meet on a São Tomé holiday or São Tomé vacation—kids by fishing boats, quiet bays after rain, and working coastlines without beach clubs or noise. If this slower pace speaks to you, visit São Tomé with care, take photos gently, and give space to local life. Read more about our approach to careful travel on the About page.
Watch our whales
July–October brings migrating humpback whales to São Tomé. This is a shore-watching place: pick a safe headland with a long horizon, go early on calm days, and scan patiently for blows, breaches, and tail-slaps. We don’t sell trips; our whale-watching guide explains where to look, the best times, and how to watch responsibly (extra space when calves are present, no crowding of boats). Results vary—some days quiet, some unforgettable—but it’s real, unscripted ocean life.
Street Flavours & Fresh Drinks
From busy markets to late-night stalls, São Tomé’s street food is full of life. Watch your drink made fresh in front of you, with local fruits and island energy in every pour. Taste the real rhythm of the city.
Explore our beaches
Explore our complete guide to the top beaches in São Tomé: calm city swims at Praia PM and Emília, snorkelling in São Tomé at Lagoa Azul on flat days, and south-coast coves like Inhame, Piscina, and Jalé with rainforest behind. Expect clear water and uncrowded shores—no beach clubs, just real coastline. Find the best beaches in São Tomé for families, quiet sunrise bays, and easy rock-pool entries, with straight access notes, safety tips, and what to bring.
Things to Do in São Tomé
This São Tomé travel guide keeps plans simple so your holiday doesn’t feel rushed. Start with a north or south coastal loop, stopping at viewpoints, bays, and village grills; distances are short on the map but slow in real life, so plan fewer moves and longer pauses. On calm mornings, snorkel sheltered coves like Lagoa Azul; visibility changes with swell and season. Inland, walk the history of the roças (old cacao and coffee estates) and take short rainforest trails to waterfalls near Obô National Park. Mid-year can bring whale-watching; late-year brings turtle-nesting walks with licensed monitors.
If you’re using this page as your São Tomé tourist guide, mix one beach day, one roça day, and one rainforest day, with a flexible wildlife/boat slot that can shift with weather. Markets, roadside fruit, and slow sunsets fill the gaps. For a first São Tomé vacation, aim for one or two plans a day—the best holiday moments here are unhurried and local.
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Body: Occasional notes from the islands — new guides, trip ideas, and real stories to help plan a São Tomé holiday or São Tomé vacation. Share your own moments from São Tomé travel and we may feature them.