Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
Footnotes
São Tomé & Príncipe, Africa
Vital statistics
Capital: São Tomé city (Príncipe: Santo António)
Population: 216,000
(8,000 on Príncipe)
Language(s): Portuguese (official), plus several creole languages
Time: GMT (no daylight saving)
International dialling code: +239
Visas: Not required by UK nationals for stays up to 15 days. Money: Dobra ($), currently about $28 to the UK£1. ATMS are rare outside São Tomé city, and credit cards are accepted only at major hotels and resorts. Bring euros to change into dobras.
When to go
June to September: This is the main dry season, although rain is always possible. There’s also a short dry season from midjanuary to mid-february, which is rather hotter. During these periods, the sky is often cloudy, so conditions are best for hiking – temperatures remain around 27°C.
Humpbacks migrate past Príncipe between August and October. October to mid-january and mid-february to May: These are the wetter months, when days may switch from clear blue skies to heavy downpours; orchids bloom in the rains. Turtles nest between November and March, with hatchlings racing for the sea from September to April.
Health & safety
Ensure you have had two hepatitis A jabs and your tetanus cover has been boosted in the last 10 years. For other immunisations to consider, check fitfortravel.nhs.net. Malaria is present on São Tomé but rare on Príncipe; cover arms and legs, apply insect repellent in the evenings, and consider prophylaxis. Cuts and grazes quickly become infected in this hot, humid climate – always clean, apply antiseptic and cover. Crime is rare, particularly on Príncipe, but keep an eye on your belongings.
Getting there & around
TAP Air Portugal (0345 601 0932; flytap.com) flies from London and Manchester to São Tomé via Lisbon with a short stop in Accra; flight time is around eight hours, from £742 return. Several airlines, including TAP, offer daily connections from the UK to Lisbon. Ideally allow an overnight stay to be sure of catching the early morning flight to São Tome.
STP Airways (+351 218 437 040; stpairways.st), the islands’ national carrier, makes the 35-minute hop between São Tomé and Príncipe six times weekly; return fares start at around €170 (£150). Book well in advance for high season. The ferry between the islands takes at least eight hours and is not recommended; a number of ships have sunk, most recently in April 2019. Local transport on São Tomé consists of yellow taxis and shared minibuses running set routes;
on Príncipe, there’s no public transport as such – locals rely on hitching. A recommended local operator for tours on Sao Tomé is Navetur (+239 222 2122; navetur-equatour.st).
Cost of travel
Theoretically, travel is very cheap: basic guesthouses cost from around £20pp, and simple meals are just a few euros, plus perhaps $35 ( £1.20) for a local Rosema beer. However, flights are expensive and most excursions depend on transport organised through hotels. Budget between £150 and £200 daily for a goodstandard hotel, food and activities.
Accommodation
On São Tomé, Omali Lodge (+239 222 2350; omalilodge.com) has one of the island’s best restaurants. It’s convenient for the airport. B&B doubles from €250 (£215).
HBD (‘Here Be Dragons’) runs Omali plus three properties on Príncipe, developing sustainable, low-volume tourism and employing around 600 locals. Sundy Praia (+239 999 5000; sundyprincipe. com) consists of stylish tented villas above the namesake beach, with an excellent restaurant. Halfboard doubles from $755 (£650).
Roça Sundy (+239 999 7000; hotelrocasundy.com) has guest rooms in both the beautifully restored grand colonial house and the former stable block. The joy here is meeting the inhabitants
of what was formerly the island’s largest plantation. The beach at Sundy Praia is a short walk. Halfboard doubles from €220 (£190).
Food & drink
Everyday cuisine is simple – grilled or fried fish, feijoada (bean stew), rice and fried bananas or breadfruit is a common meal. Look out for the more traditional dishes, particularly calulú stew with fish or chicken, or molho no fogo, a spicier fish stew; these generally need to be ordered a day in advance.
Imported Portuguese beers (Sagres and Super Bock) are common, but local Rosema beer,
sold in unmarked brown bottles, is also fine. Other local favourites include palm wine, sold in bottles stopped with paper twists, and cacharamba firewater.
Further reading
São Tomé & Príncipe (Bradt, new edition due February 2020) Equador by Miguel Sousa Tavares (Bloomsbury, 2009), novel set on the islands during the colonial era.