November 2019: My favorite travel destinations tend to be islands, especially seldom-visited island nations. One of the highlights of my travels is São Tomé, a former Portuguese colony with a mysterious, mountainous interior covered in rainforests, dotted with abandoned plantations, and home to warm, welcoming people.
What makes São Tomé special is its lack of mass tourism—there are no mega-resorts, and every visit feels like a journey of new discoveries.
I traveled to São Tomé as part of a larger West Africa trip that also included Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Senegal. To reach the island, my friend Richard and I took the daily direct flight from Accra, Ghana, operated by TAP Air Portugal-The Slave Castles of Ghana | Venture The Planet.
About Sao Tome
São Tomé consists of two islands—São Tomé and the more remote Príncipe, which I didn’t visit on this trip. A former Portuguese colony, the country retains its Portuguese language as a lasting legacy.
São Tomé Island is largely undeveloped, with few roads. Most of the population lives in fishing villages along the coast or in the capital city, São Tomé. A single paved road circles much of the island, but it has long, rough stretches riddled with potholes and unpaved sections. The west coast, however, remains wild and roadless, protected within the Obô Reserve—the very area I hoped to explore.
The best way to experience São Tomé is by self-driving, allowing for the freedom to navigate its remote landscapes and uncover its hidden gems.
Location of Sao Tome
Island Map
A Hard Landing
Day 1: Our arrival into São Tomé was a little nerve-wracking. We landed in the evening during a thunderstorm, and the runway sits in a precarious location at the base of a mountain. It felt as if the pilot forced the plane down to avoid a missed approach, which would have required maneuvering around the mountain and attempting another landing in the midst of the storm. Heavy thunder and flashes of lightning lit up the sky outside our window as we made our descent.
Of all the landings I’ve experienced—including those I’ve made myself while flying Cessna planes in general aviation—this was the hardest I had ever felt. When we touched down, there was a huge, backbreaking jolt, followed by a collective scream from the passengers. For a split second, I thought we had missed the runway and were about to crash into an obstruction like a tree or a building. I braced for further impact, but fortunately, the plane slowed to a stop, and we taxied to the terminal safely.
Our plan was to pick up our rental car at the airport and drive across the island to Praia Jalé, a remote sea turtle nesting beach. The drive would take two to three hours, with some rough, isolated stretches of road, all in the middle of a storm.
A Portuguese man seated next to us, who lived on the island, strongly advised against driving at night for safety reasons. It was probably good advice, but we had a schedule to keep, and besides—I’ve always enjoyed a challenge.
One of the first logistical hurdles was that there were no working ATMs on the island, and credit cards were rarely accepted. This included the rental car I had booked, which required me to wire money in advance. The rental manager personally met us at the airport to hand over the car, which turned out to be comically small with almost no ground clearance—far from ideal for the rugged roads ahead in the rain. To make matters worse, it was handed over to us with an empty gas tank. The manager apologized and gave us directions to a nearby gas station.
Driving in São Tomé is similar to driving in England, on the opposite side of the road, and the rental car was a stick shift with a fussy clutch. But this kind of challenge is all part of the adventure.
After about 20 frustrating minutes trying to figure out how to fuel up while impatient drivers honked at us, we finally set off into the rainy night, navigating our way with my offline GPS on Maps.me—ready for whatever the island had in store for us.
The coastal road was completely empty. Once we left the capital, there were no other vehicles sharing the road with us. The route wound through mountainous stretches of jungle, with cliffs dropping off to the sea as we hugged the coastline.
Thankfully, the rain stopped, and for the first two hours, the drive was actually pleasant. The quiet, the cool night air, and the rhythmic twists and turns made for an almost tranquil journey.
But the last hour was a different story.
The pavement abruptly ended, giving way to steep, muddy tracks that bordered on requiring 4WD—which our tiny rental car definitely did not have. Several times, I was certain we would get stuck, but somehow, we kept pushing forward, navigating through the deep ruts and slick inclines.
At last, we arrived at our remote guesthouse, perched on the sea turtle nesting beach of Praia Jalé, at what was quite literally the end of the road.
Beyond this point, the western coastline was completely roadless—the only way to reach it was by boat.
Green Sea Turtle laying eggs
Our guesthouse was run by the local village as part of a joint effort between a sea turtle conservation organization and the community, aimed at promoting eco-tourism and protecting nesting turtles.
There were only a few beach cottages, all without electricity, offering a simple but immersive experience. When we arrived, the village caretaker was waiting for us. He led us to our rooms, which were lit only by candles, casting flickering shadows on the walls.
After quickly dropping off our bags, we set off toward the beach with our guide to search for sea turtles.
It didn’t take long before we stumbled upon a green sea turtle, busy laying her eggs in the soft sand. We spent about 20 minutes watching in quiet awe, witnessing a process that had been repeated for generations on this very shore.
Afterward, we walked along the beach, hoping to spot more turtles, but exhaustion from the long journey caught up with us. Too tired to continue, we decided to call it a night and retreated to our candlelit cottage, falling asleep to the sound of the ocean waves.
Villager taking measurements of sea turtle laying eggs for research
My Jale Beach beach bungalow that opened to the ocean
Day 2: I woke up to paradise. Stepping out of my rustic cottage, I was greeted by a long stretch of sandy beach, bordered by lush jungle that seemed to spill onto the shore. As soon as the first light of dawn broke, I jumped out of bed and set off to explore.
Walking along the quiet beach, I came across fresh tracks in the sand—evidence of sea turtles that had come ashore during the night to lay their eggs. Though I didn’t see any turtles that morning, the sight of their tracks was a reminder of the life thriving in this remote sanctuary.
As I wandered, I kept a watchful eye on the towering coconut trees, wary of the occasional coconut crashing down from above—a natural hazard in this otherwise perfect island escape.
Jale Beach
We had breakfast on the beach with a few sea turtle researchers from Portugal, chatting about places to explore in the area and learning more about their conservation work in Jalé. Their passion for protecting the turtles added a new layer of appreciation to our stay.
With their help, we arranged for a local fishing boat and village crew to take us to the remote western coast of Obô Reserve. My goal was to land on some of the secluded coves, explore the rainforest, and do some snorkeling—a rare opportunity to experience one of São Tomé’s most untouched regions.
Jale Beach
We met the boatman and his son in the nearest village, where they had prepared their small fishing boat for our journey. From there, we set off on our day trip to the remote, roadless western coast of Obô Reserve, eager to explore its hidden coves, dense rainforest, and untouched waters. The further we traveled, the more it felt like we were venturing into one of São Tomé’s last true wildernesses.
Village kids playing along the beach
Village kids with homemade body boards
The boat trip was spectacular as we made our way along the untamed wilderness of São Tomé’s west coast. Towering volcanic plugs—massive remnants of ancient eruptions—rose thousands of feet above the rainforest, their peaks shrouded in dark rain clouds.
We passed isolated coves, some of which still held the crumbling ruins of Portuguese plantations, long abandoned and reclaimed by the jungle. The contrast of clear turquoise waters crashing against jagged black volcanic rock and dark sand beaches made for a landscape that felt both otherworldly and untouched.
I couldn’t help but wish we had a full week to properly explore the Obô Reserve, trekking through its dense rainforests, hidden waterfalls, and wild coastline. One day simply wasn’t enough.
Obo Reserve
A waterfall I hiked to from a remote cove our boat stopped at for a few hours
Volcanic Plug
Plantation ruins
We stopped at a remote beach where the ruins of an old Portuguese plantation stood, partially overtaken by the jungle. Curious, we hiked into the crumbling structures, only to discover that a family was living inside.
They greeted us with warm smiles, welcoming us into their home and proudly showing us around, even introducing us to their pet pig. Despite the decaying walls and overgrown surroundings, they had made a life for themselves within the remnants of colonial history.
Throughout my time in São Tomé, I would come to realize that locals living in the ruins of old Portuguese buildings was a common sight—a striking reminder of the island’s past and present intertwined.
Family living in Plantation ruins
Fetishes of animal parts hanging in doorway believed by family to ward off evil spirits
Plantation ruins
After our day trip to the Obô Reserve, we headed back and found a different hotel on a white sand beach—Praia Inhame Eco Lodge. Unlike our previous stay, this lodge had electricity and a restaurant, though it never seemed to be stocked with much food. What it did have, however, were incredibly strong caipirinha drinks, which made up for the lack of meal options.
Hotel Beach with lots of giant sea crabs
Day 3: In the morning, we set off in our rental car along the coastal road with no real plan, simply exploring fishing villages as we went. Each time we pulled into a village, people gathered around us, smiling and waving, welcoming us with warmth and curiosity.
In one fishing village, I asked a man if there were any coconuts we could buy. Without hesitation, he walked a mile down the beach to the nearest coconut tree, climbed it with ease, and returned with an armful of fresh coconuts for us to drink.
It was common for little kids to walk alongside us, eagerly holding our hands as we wandered through their villages. Their friendliness and excitement made every stop along the way feel special, turning a simple day of exploring into an unforgettable experience.
Man looking for coconuts for us
Fishing village
In the villages, we came across more ruins of Portuguese plantations, and as we had discovered before, no matter how dilapidated the building, there was always a family living inside. These remnants of colonial history, now crumbling and overtaken by nature, had become homes for those who had little else. It was a striking contrast—grand estates from another era, now serving as shelters for families making the most of what remained.
Plantation Ruins on Roadside
Our progress was repeatedly slowed by flat tires. I soon discovered that our spare was also punctured and flat, leaving us with no backup. Fortunately, each time we had a flat, we happened to be near a village where a mechanic would quickly come to our aid. In total, we had three flat tires, and each time, the repairs were handled efficiently by local mechanics for about $10 per repair.
We also had a brief run-in with corrupt police at one of the occasional impromptu checkpoints along the main coastal road. Most of these stops were routine—officers would check our rental car documents and my driver’s license before waving us on. However, at one particular checkpoint, an officer claimed our vehicle documents were incorrect and demanded that we pay a fine.
I knew this was a lie, as previous officers had inspected the same documents without issue. Instead of arguing, I simply smiled and played dumb, pretending not to understand what he was talking about. As he grew increasingly frustrated, I pulled out my phone and began calling the rental car manager, which seemed to be enough to make him lose interest. With a dismissive wave, he finally let us go, and we continued on our way.
from time to time we would come across villagers selling bushmeat on the side of the road like monkeys or even snakes like in this photo.
Then of course we came within sight of Sao Tome’s most famous landmark, the huge volcanic plug-Pico Cao Grande, that rises up in the distance
Pico Cao Grande
The most fascinating Portuguese ruins we came across were those of the Roca Água Izé hospital, built in 1928 and now completely abandoned—except for the families who had made it their home. Of all the places we visited, this was perhaps the most touristy, though São Tomé’s version of “touristy” still felt quiet and off the beaten path.
As soon as we arrived, local guides eagerly competed for our attention, each wanting to be the one to lead us through the ruins. We eventually paid $10 for a guide to take us around town, which turned out to be a good decision. Walking into an abandoned hospital where people were now living felt intrusive at times, but having a guide helped smooth over any awkward encounters and made the experience feel more welcome.
Portuguese era hospital
Portuguese era hospital
Portuguese era hospital
Portuguese era hospital
Day 4: On our last day on the island, we took our time exploring as we made our way back to the capital to catch our late afternoon flight to Ghana. In a random village, we noticed a sign indicating a plantation and decided to follow the road, expecting to find yet another abandoned Portuguese ruin. Instead, we were completely surprised to stumble upon a beautifully preserved working plantation, which also housed a hotel, a fine dining restaurant, and a stunning balcony overlooking the bay.
Even more unexpectedly, we learned that this establishment was owned and operated by São Tomé’s only Michelin-starred chef and his family. The discovery felt magical, as if we had unknowingly driven into a hidden world of luxury and culinary excellence.
Overwhelmed by the beauty of the place, we decided to relax in hammocks on the balcony, soaking in the ocean breeze and the peaceful atmosphere. The chef, as it turns out, is famous in Portugal and France, known for his expertise in São Toméan cuisine.
We liked the place so much that we decided to stay until dinner to experience his cooking firsthand. When the food arrived, it did not disappoint. Course after course was brought out by the attentive dining staff, each dish more impressive than the last. By the time we finished, we were completely stuffed—but beyond satisfied.
To top off an already unforgettable experience, the proud and smiling chef came out to greet us personally, thanking us for dining at his restaurant. It was the perfect send-off for our time in São Tomé, a final taste of the island’s warmth, hospitality, and unexpected discoveries.
Roca S.Joao dos Angolares-Sao Tome’s Only Michelin Starred Restaurant Run By a Local Chef
Fancy Dishes
View from Roca S.Joao dos Angolares
Sao Tome town
Before flying out of São Tomé, we took some time to wander through the charming capital, soaking in its street markets, colonial Portuguese architecture, and laid-back atmosphere. The city had a gentle, unhurried pace, with colorful buildings, friendly locals, and a mix of old-world charm and island life. It was the perfect way to bid farewell to São Tomé, reflecting on the incredible experiences we had on this remote and beautiful island before heading to the airport for our flight back to Ghana.