Trip report - solo trip to São Tomé and Príncipe (small photo album in post)
I have just spent two weeks in the tiny nation of STP. I found very little information online about this country so this might help a few of you planning on visiting!
Getting there/Visas
TAP Portugal fly Lisbon - Accra - Sao Tome everyday. You can also get there on a, less regular, flight from Libreville. On arrival it is VISA FREE for EU/US/Aus/NZL citizens + various African nations including ECOWAS. You do need a yellow fever certificate to enter.
Getting around
On the island of Sao Tome, there is one main road that goes all the way around. You can flag down these big yellow (Yas) buses and just say the village/town you want to get off at. It is a couple of euros to travel the whole length of the island. One bus had 26 people in it. (They are 9 seaters). Even for West Africa's incredibly lax public transport standards, Sao Tome took it to another level. To get from Sao Tome to Principe, you can fly (expensive) or go by boat (cheap but dangerous).
Currency
Dobras. Can't be traded outside of STP. Best thing to do is bring euros. Can exchange them at bank on the island (bad rate). The best thing to do is go on the Main Street in the capital city. Here, there are numerous people who will shout 'dobras, dobras' at you. Exchange with them. It feels illegal but is not.
Language
Portuguese, Portuguese, Portuguese.
Spanish is a little useful, as is French. English is virtually useless. I got by by pointing around a lot and speaking in my, limited, French.
Things to see
Places to stay (Sao Tome)
Best bet is AirBNB. Hotels tend to be very, very expensive. Cheapest I found was 25 euro a night.
Roca Sao Joao dos Angolares is well worth a visit. Amazing 10 course lunch in the most beautiful village.
Places to stay (Principe)
Unless you can afford the very expensive, your best bet is this in the main settlement of Principe. Lovely owner who, speaks English! Principe is almost impossibly beautiful with a ridiculous amount of wildlife and insanely beautiful beaches. I did day trips out to the expensive resorts. When I got to one of the very expensive resorts, the guard quoted me 85 euro for the day. I asked if there was another way. He said 'or you pay me small, small'. I paid him 3 euro and I was in! Snorkelling here was amazing. Lots of turtles. Best bet for this is either Sundy or Bom Bom.
Overall Conclusion
- If you want a typical trip to West Africa, this is not for you. The island was more like the Caribbean with great rum, fantastic beaches and far less spicy food than the rest of West Africa.
- It is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. The people were so, so, so nice. (Lowest per capita crime rate in Africa). Living in Togo, the waste and dirt is pretty disgusting. STP is clean and has almost no tourism. Go now! In 5/10 years, I can bet it will be insanely popular.
- There is no hostel scene. You are not going to meet a whole load of backpackers. Most travellers I met were people working in West Africa.
Submitted April 29, 2019 at 09:54PM by swingingpendulums http://bit.ly/2PF4kV0
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