Northern São Tomé tour: Lagoa Azul, Neves & Santa Catarina
Experience a Northern Sao Tome Tour with The Chocolate Islands
Explore the northern region of São Tomé on this full day Northern São Tomé tour. Depart from São Tomé city at 8:00 and trace cocoa history at the Amílcar Cabral plantation and process, continue to Fernão Dias and Roça Agostinho Neto, then walk Praia dos Tamarinhos and pause at Lagoa Azul and Neves.
After lunch at either Santola where you can feast on the best crab on the island, or Mucumbii if sea-food is not quite to your taste, visit the Padrão de Descobrimento da Ilha, Roça Diogo Vaz and the Santa Catarina Tunnel, the only one on the island. Travel in an air conditioned 4×4 with a licensed local guide and full risk insurance, and cover the essential highlights of the north in one day
Ready to Go North?
Tour highlights
Explore the north of São Tomé on a full day Northern São Tomé tour. Begin at the Amílcar Cabral cocoa plantation and find out for yourself why we’re known as The Chocolate Islands, continue to Fernão Dias and Roça Agostinho Neto, then visit Praia dos Tamarinhos, Lagoa Azul and Neves.
Close the route at the Padrão de Descobrimento da Ilha, Roça Diogo Vaz and the Túnel de Santa Catarina. Travel in an air conditioned 4×4 with a licensed local guide, with unhurried stops, and cover the essential highlights of the north in one day.
Visit The Blue Lagoon
Lagoa Azul São Tomé is a north coast cove with clear blue water, framed by baobab trees and a small lighthouse on the point. It is an easy, photogenic stop with open Atlantic views and simple roadside access for photos. The rocky headland and vivid water make it a clean visual contrast to the island’s green interior, adding a crisp coastal moment to your Northern São Tomé tour.
Santa Catarina Tunnel
On the Northern São Tomé tour, Túnel de Santa Catarina is a classic north coast São Tomé photo stop. The short road tunnel, the only one on the island, cuts through a rocky headland beside the sea, giving easy roadside viewpoints of the coastline and open Atlantic.
We stop for quick shots of the stone arch and the cliffs, allowing you to buy freshly picked cacoao from the local kids. No hiking or tickets, just a clean coastal scene that captures the rugged character of the island’s north.
Praia dos Tamarinhos
Praia dos Tamarinhos offers a peaceful beach break on your northern São Tomé tour. This accessible roadside stop along the north coast provides direct access to golden sand and Atlantic views without the need for hiking or entrance fees. Step out of the 4×4 to stretch your legs, capture coastal photos, and feel the ocean breeze before continuing north.
The beach remains relatively quiet compared to southern coastal spots, giving you a genuine sense of São Tomé’s unspoiled shoreline. It’s a quick, worthwhile pause that adds variety to the northern São Tomé tour route.
Santola
Lunch at Petisqueira Santola in Neves is the culinary highlight of your northern São Tomé tour. This simple, family-run restaurant specializes in santola – large spider crabs caught from deep waters off the north coast. The crabs arrive cooked and whole at your table with a mallet, ready for you to crack open and extract the sweet, dense crab meat.
It’s hands-on, messy, and completely authentic – no frills, just exceptional seafood prepared the way islanders have eaten it for generations. The modest wooden building doesn’t look like much, but São Toméans themselves come here for special occasions. Your northern São Tomé tour stops at Santola because this is where you taste real island cooking, not tourist versions of it.
Plan Your Northern São Tomé Tour
This full-day northern São Tomé tour departs from São Tomé city at 8:00 AM and returns approximately 8 hours later. The €80 per person rate includes round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned 4×4 vehicle, professional credentialed local guide, comprehensive insurance coverage, and technical assistance throughout the day. Lunch is served at either Santola Restaurant or Hotel Mucumbli in Neves, with food beverages and dessert not included in the tour price.
The tour operates year-round with nine stops covering São Tomé’s essential northern highlights: Amílcar Cabral cocoa plantation, Fernão Dias viewpoint, Roça Agostinho Neto, Praia dos Tamarinhos beach, Lagoa Azul, Neves fishing village, the Discovery Monument (Padrão), Roça Diogo Vaz, and Santa Catarina Tunnel. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for exploring plantation grounds and the tunnel. Bring sun protection, insect repellent, and your camera to capture the diverse landscapes along the northern São Tomé tour route.
Booking in advance is strongly recommended, particularly during peak travel season. Small group sizes ensure a personalized experience throughout your northern São Tomé adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the Nothern São Tomé tour?
The northern São Tomé tour lasts 8 hours, departing São Tomé city at 8:00 AM and returning approximately 4:00 PM. This includes transportation time, visits to nine northern highlights including Amílcar Cabral cocoa plantation, Lagoa Azul, Santa Catarina Tunnel, and lunch at Santola Restaurant in Neves.
What is included in the tour price?
The €80 per person rate includes round-trip transportation in an air-conditioned 4×4 vehicle, professional credentialed local guide, comprehensive insurance coverage, technical assistance.
What is not included in the tour price?
Lunch, beverages, and dessert are not included in the tour price. While the northern São Tomé tour stops at Santola Restaurant or Hotel Mucumbli in Neves for your meal break, food and drinks are paid separately. Personal expenses, additional snacks, and souvenirs purchased at stops along the route are also excluded from the €80 per person rate.
When is the best time to visit northern São Tomé?
The northern São Tomé tour operates year-round with consistent weather. The dry season from June to September offers clearer skies for photographing coastal viewpoints and cocoa plantations, though the lush green landscapes after rainfall showcase the island’s natural beauty at its peak.
What should I bring on the tour
Bring comfortable walking shoes for plantation grounds and the Santa Catarina Tunnel, sun protection, insect repellent, and your camera
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, advance booking is strongly recommended. Small group sizes ensure a quality experience on the northern São Tomé tour, and availability fills quickly during peak travel months.
Are group discounts available?
Yes, group discounts are available for larger parties. Groups of 3 or more people receive a 10% discount, while groups of 7 or more receive a 15% discount on the standard tour price. This makes the northern São Tomé tour ideal for families, friend groups, or small travel parties exploring the island’s cocoa heritage and coastal highlights together.
Book Your Southern São Tomé Tour
Why Choose Our Southern São Tomé Tour?
Our Northern São Tomé tour is built on careful tourism and it’s a great second day after the longer drive involved in our Southern São Tomé Tour. We live here, we run the route ourselves, and we keep your spend with local people. Licensed São Toméan guides lead the day, drivers are islanders, and lunch is taken in Neves at a locally run restaurant such as Santola or at Hotel Mucumbli. Our costs are transparent and your time with us supports small businesses directly instead of international operators. We recognise, and support the work of the offical São Tomé Tourism agency, and abide by all of their best practices.
The route focuses on real places on the north coast of São Tomé. You see working cocoa at Amílcar Cabral, coastal life at Fernão Dias and Neves, calm views at Lagoa Azul, and historic sites like the Padrão de Descobrimento da Ilha, with the Túnel de Santa Catarina for a clean photo stop. Transport is a 4×4 with air conditioning, guiding is professional and accredited, and insurance is included. It is a straightforward, honest way to experience the north.
