Tailor Made Holidays in São Tomé & Príncipe - Highlights

Dive at Rolas Island

Ilheu das Rolas is a tiny islet dissected by the equator, a short boat ride from Porto Alegre. It can be visited for the day but it's worth staying for the weekend to relax and enjoy some scuba diving. The sea around the island teems with marine life and the Pestana Resort on the island has a fully equipped dive centre.

Read more about: Rolas Island

Relax on the beaches of Principe

Although Principe is a smaller island it does boast superb beaches, including the famous Banana Beach which was famously featured in a Bacardi advert.

Read more about: Príncipe

Release turtle hatchlings at Jale Ecolodge

Jale is a small and very rustic ecolodge on the southern tip of Sao Tome. The lodge has a project to encourage the survival chances of the turtles who nest on these remote beaches, and if visiting at the right time of year it may be possible to see the staff releasing the young hatchlings into the sea early in the morning.

Indulge in Sao Tome's chocolate and coffee

The lush climate of Sao Tome is perfect for growing both coffee and cocoa beans and producing wonderful chocolate and coffee. There is a small family-run chocolate factory in Sao Tome town where you can see the process of turning cocoa into wonderful rich dark chocolate and purchase some of the end product!

Take a tour of St Nicholas Falls and Monte Cafe Coffee Plantation

A visit to Sao Tomé would not be complete without a visit to one of the many coffee plantations. Monte Café is a government-run plantation which is now not fully operational but gives a good insight into how coffee is produced. A lovely place to stop along the way is the St Nicholas Falls, which is a spectacular cascade of water surrounded by lush green forest.

Trek in Obo National Park on Sao Tome

Obo National Park covers 300 sq km in total and stretches across both Sao Tomé and Principe islands. It protects parts of all the country's different habitats, including lowland and montane forest, mangroves and sanvannah. Treks here vary from a couple of hours walking to more strenuous all-day hikes. During your walks you will pass through lush undergrowth and tall trees, rivers and waterfalls and cross disused plantations overgrown by the forest. You will certainly see some of the many bird species and may see monekys and bats up in the trees.

Visit Sao Joao dos Angolares Plantation House

There are several large colonial plantation houses on both islands, one of the more impressive of which is the lovingly resotred Sao Joao dos Angolares on the east coast of Sao Tomé. The plantation house has a large veranda with beautiful views out to the coast, and it's a lovely place to enjoy a drink or sample some of the tasty local food on offer.