The 10 Best Things to do in Sao Tome and Principe
What to Do in São Tomé: Explore Culture and History
Wondering what to do in São Tomé and Príncipe? Start with the islands’ essentials: forest viewpoints like Pico Cão Grande, quiet snorkeling at Lagoa Azul, the Equator mark at Ilhéu das Rolas, the blowholes of Boca do Inferno, and time in old roças like Água Izé and Agostinho Neto. São Tomé’s best things to do blend history and landscape — like a quick stop at Forte de São Sebastião and the National Museum by the bay. This gentle travel guide shares what to do in São Tomé without the rush: coastlines, culture, short hikes, and slow drives. If you’re collecting ideas for things to do in São Tomé and Príncipe, this page keeps it real — practical, personal, and timed with daylight.
Pico Cão Grande São Tomé’s Volcanic Spire
The road south curves through small villages and deep green, until suddenly the spire appears — black rock against grey sky, standing still above the trees. It rises over 300 metres from the forest, a solid piece of volcanic earth that looks like it doesn’t belong here, but somehow does.
Visiting Pico Cão Grande is one of the most memorable things to do in São Tomé. For travelers seeking dramatic landscapes, this towering volcanic spire is a highlight, making it a must-see among the many things to do in São Tomé. Even from the roadside, it inspires awe, reminding visitors why things to do in São Tomé extend far beyond beaches and forests — the island’s wild heart is visible here.
Ilhéu das Rolas Where the Island Crosses the Line
At the southern tip of São Tomé, the land gives way to sea again — and if you keep going, just a little further by boat, you’ll cross the line. Not a border, not a fence. Just a quiet mark where the world splits in two.
Visiting Ilhéu das Rolas is one of the most memorable things to do in São Tomé. Boats leave from Ponta Baleia — sometimes arranged through the resort, sometimes with local fishermen. The crossing is short, maybe 20 minutes, and the boat feels like part of the experience: salt spray, open water, the island shrinking behind you.
On the other side: soft beaches, a few walking trails, and a tiled map marking the Equator. Most visitors take a photo with one foot in each hemisphere — a quiet ritual, playful but real. For those exploring things to do in São Tomé, this crossing is a highlight.
It’s an easy half-day trip, often paired with the drive past Pico Cão Grande. You don’t go to Rolas for adventure. You go because the line is there, and crossing it — even for a minute — feels like one of the essential things to do in São Tomé.
Boca do Inferno Where the Island Roars Back
The road south pulls you closer to the sea, and then the land opens — black cliffs, restless waves, and that deep, guttural sound the Atlantic makes when it finds a way in.
Boca do Inferno means “Mouth of Hell,” but it doesn’t feel like danger — more like a reminder that the island still belongs to the ocean. On rough days, the swell forces water through the rocks and throws spray into the air. On calm days, it’s quieter, but the edge is always there. The place holds its own tension.
It’s just off the road toward Santana, easy to miss if you’re not looking, and just as easy to stop for. A few minutes here is usually enough. You watch, you listen, you leave with salt in your nose and something stirred.
For travelers chasing São Tomé’s wilder moments, this is one of them — short, sharp, and real.
Claudio Corallo — São Tomé’s Chocolate Workshop
Tucked behind a garden in São Tomé City, this workshop doesn’t chase tourists — it makes chocolate. Slowly. Carefully.
There’s no script. Just roasted beans, worn tools, and the deep scent of something made with care. You might taste. You might just listen.
It’s not for show. It’s for real.
Praia Banana Where the Curve of the Coast Feels Like a Secret
It’s the beach you’ve seen on postcards — or maybe screensavers. A soft crescent of golden sand, tucked beneath palm trees, with water that shifts from bright turquoise to deep blue in the space of a breath.
Praia Banana isn’t big. That’s part of it. It curves gently, perfectly, as if someone whispered “paradise” and left it there. The sea is calm. The trees are tall. If you come early, you might have it to yourself — just you, the breeze, and the sound of water folding in on itself.
Some say it’s the most beautiful beach on the islands. It’s hard to argue.
Roça Sundy Where Relativity Met Reality Under Island Skies
Once a grand plantation, now a place where science, history, and nature quietly meet. In 1919, under the shadow of trees and a total eclipse, Einstein’s theory of general relativity was proven right here — light bending with gravity, and the universe shifting in understanding.
Today, the whitewashed buildings still stand. You can walk the same paths, sleep under the same sky, and hear echoes of both labor and legacy.
Roça Sundy doesn’t shout. It just stays — present, storied, and still looking at the stars.
Praia Jalé Where Turtles Trace the Shore in Silence
At the edge of the island, where roads end and forest thins, Praia Jalé waits — a quiet beach where sea turtles return to nest.
You can sleep steps from the tide, in a simple eco-lodge with no distractions but the waves. During nesting season, the sand tells a story — of life arriving, and returning.
Stillness lives here. And sometimes, so does wonder.
Obô Natural Park Where the Island Breathes in Green
A sanctuary of forest and mist, Obô is São Tomé’s wild heart—forest, mangrove, and highland moor, all in one. It spans nearly a third of the island, and its ancient canopy holds orchids, ferns, and moss-draped trees, alongside birds and frogs found nowhere else.
From the lowland trails to clouds higher up, the wild stretches on—and then Pico Cão Grande appears, a stone tooth rising from the verdant fold.
Here, the island shows what remains—untamed, essential, alive.
Lagoa Azul Where the Water Glows and Baobabs Watch
On the northern edge of São Tomé, a patch of turquoise opens between rock and reef. Lagoa Azul is small, still, and so clear it feels lit from below.
Snorkelers drift over coral. Baobab trees lean toward the sea. A red lighthouse keeps watch from the bluff.
It’s an easy stop — and one that stays with you.
Baía das Agulhas Where the Spires Rise from the Sea
On Príncipe Island, the Bay of Spires is a dramatic coastline where volcanic rock towers rise from the jungle to meet turquoise waters. Dense forest hugs the shore, and the spires stand like ancient sentinels.
It’s one of the must-see things to do in São Tomé and Príncipe — wild, quiet, and unforgettable.
Ilhéu de Santana Where the Rocks Rise and the Sea Whispers
A small islet off São Tomé’s northern coast, Ilhéu de Santana emerges from the Atlantic like a quiet sentinel. Rocky cliffs meet the water, crowned with dense forest, and the sea laps softly against its shores.
One of the must-see things to do in São Tomé and Príncipe — peaceful, hidden, and shaped by time and tide.