Firstly, Sao Tome is stunning!
From the turquoise beaches to the waterfall cafes to the picturesque city. Everything I heard about this Central African island before my visit is true — and then some 😍
Watch all the breathtaking videos here!
Traveling Here;
São Tomé & Principe is currently visa-free for Ghanaian passport holders. Additional documents include a yellow fever card. Check Sao Tome’s Official Immigration Website for any changes prior to your visit, however.
Accommodation In São Tomé
1. Kenito Hotel
I stayed at the cozy Hotel Kenito for a few days on the island. They had decent rooms with all the facilities working perfectly. The hotel was located in a great neighborhood, they served delicious breakfast at a fee and provided free airport pick-up services.
The English-speaking hotel owner Mr. Kenito was my hero during my stay after realizing the receptionist and the entire service staff did not speak any English at all. NONE at all.
Sao Tome is a predominantly Portuguese-speaking country and I knew this before visiting, I, however, hoped to survive roaming the island with some sort of translation app 😂
My room was $53 per night and it overlooked their beautiful pool. Look them up on Airbnb or Booking.com
2. Eden Valley Lodge
I love unique stays so I booked the “luxury” glamping tent for $61 at Eden Valley Eco-Lodge. The lodge also had a waterfall on the property that I was dying to see.
I will recommend you stay here a couple of evenings on the island. But, only if you don’t have tours planned on those days as they are a little far from the city center.
Look them up on Airbnb or Booking.com
Touring Sao Tome
Now, the fun part! I started my island tours with the southern tours as suggested by my guide. I booked a 2-day package at €200 approximately with a great tour guide introduced to me at the hotel.
The customized itinerary included both the Northern & Southern tours.
The sites I visited in the south included;
- Cascata Mioba
- Roca Agua Ize
- Boca do Inferno
- Pico Cao Grande
- Rolas Island
- The equator
Plus a lot of lovely Praia’s (beaches) along the way
On the northern tour of the island, I spent time at the lovely Lagoa Azul, (blue lagoon) and I am so glad I did, this was the highlight of my trip 😍
I also,
- Visited the Santa Catarina Tunnel (I truly didn’t see the point of that long drive 🫠)
- Had lunch at Neves, the famous crab-eating place, and I loved it. I left still feeling hungry tho 😂
- We also made more beach stops and I requested that we skipped all the plantation/slave-related attractions (if you’ve followed my socials for a while, you know why)
Budget & More
I booked my ticket via the Tap Air Portugal website directly for €350 which was quite pricey for an hour flight but, Tap Portugal is the only airline from Accra to Sao Tome currently so you know how that goes 🫠
For meals, I did check out most of the cafes on the island but ended up only eating at one restaurant throughout my stay — simply because it was the only one that had an English-speaking owner 😂
Restaurant Onda Azul had a lovely open space, and terrific food ranging from €7 to €12. Did I mention it overlooks the ocean? The view at night was especially dreamy ✨ Check them out on Instagram
The official Sao Tomean currency is called Dobra, Euros are however wildly accepted everywhere on the island.
I was warned that were NO VISA ATMs on the island so I traveled with enough cash. I did not want to find out the hard way! 🤣
My all-around budget for this 5-day trip was €1,100 euros including return flights and meals.
Sao Tome island is beautiful and small, and I loved how everyone seems to keep to themselves here.
Ps. I host & plan group trips to Asia and across Africa including Sao Tome. Click Here For More
As always, happy travels!
Nomadic Maajoa 