Volcanic Islands. Quiet Coasts. Simple to plan
A Guide to Visiting São Tomé and Principe - where landscapes speak and time slows
Visiting São Tomé and Príncipe means discovering rain-cooled peaks, lava-cut coastlines, and towns where life still runs on conversation. It’s a place to walk, to swim, to wait for the light to change, and to realise nothing needs polishing. The quiet is real, the welcome is too. If you give it days, not hours, you’ll discover São Tomé on its own terms: a small island with generous space, honest landscapes, and the feeling you’ve arrived before the rest of the world. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting São Tomé and Príncipe.
Where is Sao Tome
Sao Tome is a small island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the west coast of Central Africa in the equatorial Atlantic. Part of Sao Tome and Principe, it sits just north of the Equator—west of Gabon and south of Nigeria—with rainforest rising inland from black-sand bays.
Remote and peaceful, it’s largely off most maps for travellers, yet access is feasible via international connections (check current routes). The country feels spacious despite its size: quiet towns, unhurried days, and coastlines shaped by old volcanoes. Give yourself time and you’ll discover sao tome on its own terms.
How to get to Sao Tome
If you are visiting São Tomé and Príncipe, you will arrive by air because there are no regular passenger ferries. Most travellers enter through São Tomé International Airport (TMS), a short drive from the city centre.
The main gateway is Lisbon with TAP Portugal or STP Airways. From Africa, Luanda has direct flights, and some travellers connect through Libreville or Accra when schedules allow. To reach Príncipe, take the domestic flight from TMS, which takes about 40 minutes. Since flights are limited and can change, plan ahead, book early, and check visa and vaccination requirements before you travel.
People of Sao Tome
If you are visiting São Tomé and Príncipe, you will notice that most people live along the coast and in small towns. Daily life centres on family, fishing, small farms, and work connected to old cocoa and coffee estates. Portuguese is the main language, with local creoles widely spoken. English appears mostly in tourism and services. Markets are the social hub, and weekends often mean football, church, and gatherings on the shoreline.
Travellers who keep plans simple, ask local advice, use a driver, and stop in small cafés often see more of the islands. Visiting São Tomé and Príncipe works best at a slow pace, where everyday moments show more of the culture than staged
Sao Tome Climate
Sao Tome has an equatorial climate: warm, humid, and green year-round. Daytime temperatures sit roughly in the mid-20s to low-30s °C, nights are mild, the sea stays warm, and daylight is close to 12 hours (sunset ~5:30–6:00pm).
Rain comes in pulses with two clearer, drier windows most years (roughly mid-December–February and June–September). Showers are short near the coast and heavier in the hills; the south and higher ground are wetter and a little cooler than the north and town.
For planning, think flexible days rather than fixed timings. If you want calmer weather and simpler logistics, aim for a drier window; if you like lush forest and fewer people, the wetter weeks are fine too. Either way, you’ll discover sao tome at an easy, steady pace.
Where to Stay in Sao Tome
Most visitors stay in or near São Tomé city, where you’ll find simple guesthouses, business hotels, and mid-range lodges within reach of the airport. It’s the best base for car hire, logistics, and access to local services.
Away from the capital, accommodation becomes rarer. A few small ecolodges and community-run guesthouses exist near the coast or in the interior, but options are limited and often not listed online. Walk-ins may be possible, but booking in advance—directly with owners or through local contacts—is the safest option to discover Sao Tome.
If you’re heading north to Neves, or south past São João, expect basics: clean rooms, mosquito nets, and meals cooked by the family hosting you. Luxury doesn’t reach these areas, but hospitality does.
Support the Site for Free
When you are visiting São Tomé and Príncipe, booking through the map below helps keep this guide online at no extra cost. The price you pay is exactly the same, and it supports the hours spent checking roads, beaches, tours, and local services so the information stays accurate. It also buys Bilbo the Chocolate Islands dog a bone, or a beer for Carlos and Jack after a long day working on the island. If you find the guides useful for planning your trip to São Tomé and Príncipe, using the map is a simple way to support the project without paying anything more.
