Gulf of Guinea
Two islands in the middle of the Atlantic
São Tomé and Príncipe sits off the equatorial coast of Central Africa, about 250 km from Gabon. Two main islands, a handful of islets, and nothing else around.
Explore
São Tomé and Príncipe
A unique destination where nature, culture, food and surf meet. Every region of the island offers different experiences and unforgettable landscapes.
The journey
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The archipelago
140 km from one island to the other
Both islands are volcanic, covered in rainforest and classified by UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserve. Let us take them one at a time.
The larger island
São Tomé, end to end
Around 50 km from north to south, and everything changes along the way: calm bays in the north, the city and the forest in the middle, wild beaches in the south.
North
Quiet beaches and history
Sheltered bays, old plantation estates and fishing communities. Lagoa Azul is the view everyone recognises.
- Lagoa Azul
- Praia das Conchas
- Roça Agostinho Neto
- Snorkelling and cultural tours
Centre
City, forest and waves
The heart of the island: the capital and its market, the Bom Sucesso botanical garden, rainforest waterfalls and some of the best surf.
- São Tomé city
- Roça Monte Café
- Lagoa Amélia
- Surf and hiking
South
Wild and untouched
The most unspoilt part of the island. Dark sand beaches, the Obô Natural Park and, in season, turtles nesting at dusk.
- Praia Jalé
- Praia Inhame
- Boca do Inferno
- Turtles, surf and trails
Latitude 0°
Ilhéu das Rolas
The Equator runs straight through it. You can stand with a foot in each hemisphere, then go for a swim.
- The Equator marker
- White sand beaches
- Panoramic trails
The other island
Príncipe
Smaller, older and quieter still. One of the most preserved destinations in Africa, 140 km from São Tomé.
- Roça Belo Monte
- Praia Banana
- Trails and waterfalls
- Boat trips
And also
The islets around them
Small, nearly all uninhabited, and reachable on a boat trip. This is where the water turns clearest.
- Ilhéu das Cabras
- Ilhéu de Santana
- Ilhéu Bom Bom
Where we work
One team, both islands
Everything you have just travelled through is ground we work. We build programmes on both islands and in all of these places, always with local guides and at the pace of each trip.
São Tomé
23 places
Our base. This is where we live, teach and guide, beach by beach, every day of the year.
Lagoa Azul Praia dos Tamarindos Roça Agostinho Neto Praia das Conchas Coffee and cocoa plantations Traditional fishing communities São Tomé city Municipal Market São Sebastião Fortress Roça Monte Café Bom Sucesso Botanical Garden Rainforest waterfalls and trails Lagoa Amélia Praia Piscina Praia Inhame Praia Jalé Porto Alegre Boca do Inferno Obô Natural Park The Equator monument White-sand beaches Panoramic trails The local community
≈150 km of ocean
Príncipe
12 places
One of the most preserved destinations in Africa: untouched beaches, rainforest and biodiversity found nowhere else on earth.
Roça Sundy Roça Paciência Roça Belo Monte Roça Porto Real Roça Abade Praia Banana Praia Macaco Praia Bom Bom Praia Boi Praia Salgada Ôquê Pipi waterfall Obô Natural Park
A complete experience. Whether you're after surf, adventure, nature, culture or simply resting in a tropical paradise, São Tomé Surf Travel helps you discover the best places across both islands through authentic experiences, guided by people who know São Tomé like no one else.
Shall we design your trip?
Tell us your dates, how many you are and what you'd like to do. We'll reply with a tailor-made proposal, no strings attached.