5 Things to Do in São Tomé and Príncipe
2. Gastronomic Experience at Roça São João dos Angolares
4. Obô Natural Park Biodiversity Trail
5. Southern Beaches Experience
1. Marine Turtle Watching
One of the most memorable experiences you can do as a wildlife enthusiast in São Tomé and Príncipe is turtle watching.
Female turtles (green, hawksbill and leatherback in Príncipe with two additional species, olive ridley and loggerhead, in São Tomé) come to deposit eggs on certain beaches between November—December.
If you want to see (and assist) the hatchlings scampering to the sea, plan your trip from the latter part of January to the end of March, when this wonderful experience can be enjoyed at night.
On Príncipe Island, the location of choice is a 1,400m-long beach, Praia Grande, which isn't too far away from Roça Belo Monte.
You’ll drive to a point where vehicles are parked, then walk for about five minutes downhill to the beach. The initial section of the trail is made of steps created by using old car tyres. It can comfortably be done using flip-flops.
Once on the beach, your guide will take you to the Kaxi Tetuga Museum – a cabin made of reusable materials painted in blue. It houses an informative exhibition, enabling you to learn all about marine turtles, their ecology and the conservation issues these wonderful animals are up against.
Fundação Príncipe oversees marine turtle conservation on the island through its 'Protetuga' project. Funds raised through tourist visits to the sites are used to benefit the residents, reinforcing the message that living marine turtles are worth more than dead ones.
As my excursion was on 29th March, 2023, it was to see the hatchlings. When I got to where the museum is located, I met two of the Beach/Marine Monitors, who guard the nests identified with wooden markers. Each has a date and number on it.
The Importance of Beach Monitors on Príncipe
PICTURED: One of the Beach Monitors sprints to prevent a feral dog and kites from predating a nest where hatching was about to start.
Marine turtles face a number of (as I saw first-hand) serious threats.
When females lay – or, after they've deposited eggs – the nests are often predated by feral dogs and pigs, both of which are in evidence all over both islands.
Then, as the hatchlings are about to surface, it apparently changes the nature of the sand and feral dogs can pick up the scent and start digging. Inevitably, a swarm of yellow-billed kites forms quickly and they circle the site, swooping down to capture as many hatchlings as possible, even from the shallow water.
I watched this happening. At one point, one of the Beach/Marine Monitors sprinted like an Olympic athlete to the other side of the beach (pictured), as he spotted a feral dog digging in the sand with kites quickly gathering in the air above. The Beach Monitors intervene whenever they can. But they work only in daylight hours, so any nests hatching at night are at the mercy of predators.
The hatchlings that most tourists see are the so-called ‘lazy ones’, which the Beach Monitors gather when the hatching activity has been identified at a nest site.
The stronger hatchlings, which have successfully dug their way out to the surface, instinctively scamper off to the ocean. The weaker hatchlings which aren't able to dig their way out – or, which may be deemed at too high a risk from the ever-present predators – are gathered by the Monitors and placed in a safe container.
It's these which wildlife enthusiasts are then invited to come and see, when the Beach Monitors conduct the controlled release.
While the release was happening, I was able to photograph and film the hatchlings, but tourists may not touch them. The Beach Monitors chased off a couple of loitering feral dogs and I tried to help keep the kites at bay. But, they're persistent, and caught a few hatchlings which had made it into the shallow sea.
At the end of the afternoon, I left Praia Grande absolutely elated following our experience, while also appreciating the sterling work being undertaken by Fundação Príncipe, the conservation 'arm' of HBD Príncipe.
2. Gastronomic Experience at Roça São João dos Angolares
PICTURED: Palate cleansers on offer before lunch at Roça São João dos Angolares
Another activity which should be high on your visiting list is the culinary experience on offer at the very atmospheric Roça São João dos Angolares. Here, for just €25, you'll be able to enjoy a ten-course lunch including six starters, two mains and two desserts, all of which are beautifully presented.
Illustrious chef João Carlos Silva has restored the former colonial plantation house with great thought.
PICTURED: Roça São João dos Angolares' old building on São Tomé Island.
And, in the spacious restaurant with its open-plan kitchen area and panoramic views, he also occasionally gives culinary classes.
The property has an interesting art gallery, where your guide can take you around and give interpretations of the artworks. All of these have been created by talented local artists such as the sculptor, TiVo.
The restaurant is about a 90-minute drive from Omali Lodge.
PICTURED: An example of the fine artwork on display in the gallery at the Roça.
3. Bay of Needles Boat Trip
PICTURED: Príncipe Island boasts stunning scenery, including the spectacular tropical rainforest that meets the deserted coastline.
If you do only one activity on Príncipe, this has to be it.
During a motorised boat trip, you’ll be completely awestruck by the astonishing scenery. The so called ‘needles’ are insanely steep, imposing rock formations (basalt plugs) clad in equatorial rainforest. Whereas with the colour of the water, it's simply unbelievable – turquoise, aquamarine and sundry, other intensely beautiful shades in-between.
There’s a chance to enjoy some snorkelling and swimming in the warm waters, too. HBD does an impeccable job with this particular activity.
You'll depart from Sundy Praia at 9:00am, all being well weather-wise. After 20—25 minutes in the boat, you'll arrive at the snorkelling and swimming spot in Baia das Agulhas, where you stop for about an hour.
There are no reefs; the sea bottom is rocky but I saw a good variety of colourful tropical fish. Visibility is excellent and you’ll spot a few urchins and perhaps an octopus or two. Snacks are served on the boat afterwards. And, ordinarily, you'll be back at Sundy Praia by lunch time.
My photos didn't capture the grandeur of the scenery, but there are some great images on our website by photographer Scott Ramsay, who did a photo shoot for HBD.
4. Obô Natural Park Biodiversity Trail
PICTURED: A guide searching for endemic birds along the Biodiversity Trail in Obô Natural Park. This photo shows the slippery, muddy nature of the trail.
This is a must if you're keen on learning about and experiencing natural history. From Omali Lodge, the drive to the Obô Natural Park office is about one hour via settlements like Trindade on the slopes above the capital. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is required because roads in some places are in need of repair.
The outing is generally marketed as a trail to the crater lake, Lagoa Amelia, which is the source of many of São Tomé's rivers. But, as is mentioned in the Bradt Guide, it's really not the lake as much as the rainforest trail that people come to enjoy.
From the park office where vehicles are left, the trail is about a 3.2km walk uphill (with one short downhill section).
Once you've passed through cultivated plots of plantain, cassava and beans, you enter into the luxuriant rainforest of Obô. Begin ascending in altitude – think Bwindi in Uganda or Ranomafana in Madagascar, as the slopes are quite steep and muddy. You'll need surety of foot. Not only that, but the heat and humidity add to the challenge.
I would strongly advise a walking pole, footwear with firm grip and a rain jacket plus a dry-bag. Take a change of clothing to leave in the vehicle in case of rain. Raincoats and umbrellas will not help if the rains are hard and persistent.
After fantastic birding, I reached the crest of the mountaintop at about 12:00pm and, while I was taking a break at a sitting area, the heavens opened.
It bucketed down solidly until about 4:30pm. So, local guide Gabriel advised me to return to the vehicle quickly as he (accurately) reckoned the rain was not going to let up. The trail had transformed into a torrent, so I was completely soaked – but it was warm rain, so actually fun!
After you've explored the Biodiversity Trail, it's worth doing the short walk (level terrain) in the Botanical Garden next to the Park Office.
There, you'll see many endemic plants, including tree ferns, hardwoods, orchids and, perhaps most notably, the giant begonias. After that, a lunch stop at Monte Café is a wonderful idea.
PICTURED: The impressive giant begonia is endemic to São Tomé and can be seen at the Botanical Gardens by the Park HQ or around Lago Amelia.
5. Southern Beaches Experience
PICTURED: A young couple at Praia Inhame Beach, with Ilheu das Rolas (where the Equator Marker is located) in the backdrop.
The sites covered in this circuit are about a two-hour drive from Omali Lodge along roads that are rough once you're in the southern region of São Tomé. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential for the journey and I had a very comfortable Suzuki jeep.
The scenery in places really evokes images of classical equatorial Africa, with verdant forests and cultivated plots with tropical crops such as Plantain, Cassava and Papaya. You'll get what the guides call an ‘African massage’.
The first stop on the circuit is a Mangrove boat trip (done by local fishermen). You'll then drive to lovely Praia Inhame, where you can enjoy a swim off the white sand beach and have lunch at Praia Inhame Eco-lodge.
While I don't usually recommend this lodge for our clients, unless you're adventurous or specifically requesting it, people who wish to see marine turtles should stay a night here – just be aware that it's basic.
Praia Inhame is absolutely delightful; people who were there were clearly enjoying the place. The eco-lodge has a nice restaurant. And, in the grounds, there's a turtle hatchery while on the beach – as is the case at nearby Praia Jalé – you'll see many markers for turtle nests.
What is travelling around São Tomé like?
Travelling around southern São Tomé really does evoke images and memories of mainland tropical Africa.
The very comfortable Suzuki jeep I travelled in was perfectly suited to the rough roads. In the image above, I stopped for an impromptu spot of birding, which produced the likes of São Tomé paradise flycatchers, São Tomé weavers and Island bronze-naped pigeon, among others.
PICTURED: Turtle nest markers on Praia Jalé, the most remote of the southern beaches in the excursion.
Why Travel to São Tomé and Príncipe with Rainbow
The aim of this post is just to share some ideas of experiences I most enjoyed during March 2023. This is in a destination labelled appropriately by some in-the-know as the 'fashionable getaway of choice for the worldly, eco-conscious traveller'.
Many other exciting activities are possible in São Tomé & Príncipe, such as a boat trip on Príncipe to the north-eastern beaches, during which you can see exquisite beaches like Praia Banana.
If you're planning to visit in July—August, whale watching is a possibility as that's when humpback whales are present around Príncipe.
Some of our more energetic clients have enjoyed taking on the likes of the Pico Papagaio hike on Príncipe. It's also been a pleasure to have arranged for ardent birders to notch up excellent sightings of some incredibly rare endemic species, such as dwarf olive ibis, São Tomé fiscal and even São Tomé grosbeak.
That said, one of the most magical experiences I had on Príncipe was watching many, many African grey parrots flying free over the forest canopy – a real privilege and something very special.
If you're a culture enthusiast, you must definitely factor in a visit to the Museum and Old Fort in São Tomé city (pictured above). During this, a professional guide will be able to deliver an excellent and moving briefing on the country's turbulent history.
