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Overview

Escape to another world on our Luxurious Sao Tome and Principe holiday – swim in aquamarine waters and visit cacao plantations.

It takes a little effort to travel to the islands of Sao Tome and Principe. However, if you are keen to explore a unique and authentic destination, it is certainly worth the journey. Unspoilt and largely undiscovered, with miles of lush forest and white sandy beaches, the rewards speak for themselves.

The islands hold a quiet charm of days gone by. There are so many hidden gems to explore, from local markets and monuments, to cacao plantations and secluded beaches. Why not take a boat trip and totally immerse yourself in the landscape, where you can enjoy snorkelling, bird spotting and watching the local fishermen cast out their nets.  You’ll spend one night on Sao Tome, with time for sightseeing before taking a short flight to the island of Principe. Here, you will stay at the luxurious Bom Bom Island Eco Lodge, which is a hidden tropical paradise.

There are 18 tastefully decorated bungalows, set between two private beaches. A charming wooden walkway leads you across turquoise waters to the little Islet of Bom Bom, where you can dine and enjoy a drink. Bom Bom Resort is currently  undergoing major renovation and is due to reopen in June 2024, so our favourite resort has just got even better! We’ve included a good amount of time at the resort because it’s such a beautiful place and there is so much to see and do. You will be provided with snorkelling equipment to use,  so you can swim amongst the fish as often as you like. There are plenty of excursion that can be booked from the resort, so you won’t run out of things to do!

For scuba diving enthusiasts, there are dive centres on both Islands. Sao Tome and Principe sit right on the equator, which means that water temperatures are good for swimming year-round, though visibility is clearest between December and March. Often likened to dives in the Carribean, you’ll soon find yourself swimming amongst snapper, parrot fish, barracuda, moray eels, turtles, and gorgonian sea fans, as well as finding volcanic boulders covered in colourful yellow, orange and red hard corals. PADI open water and advanced dive courses are available, as well as one-of dives. Due to there being no hyperbaric chamber (at the time of writing), dives will be limited to between 10 and 20 meters in depth, but this still leaves plenty of scope for some fantastic tropical adventures.

Contact one of our team to talk through your Sao Tome and Principe holiday options. Max and Ian are our holiday specialists for Sao Tome and Principe and would be delighted to hear from you.

Gallery

Itinerary

Day 1

Your holiday starts with a flight to Lisbon. On arrival, you'll be met for your private transfer and taken to the boutique Solar do Castelo, which is situated just below the castle 'Castelo de Sao Jorge' in Lisbon. Tonight, explore the Alfama district with it's narrow streets and hidden bars and restaurants. Lisbon is a very friendly city and a great place to start any holiday.

Day 2

You'll be picked up for your transfer to the airport and will check in for your flight to Sao Tome. If you're lucky, the flight route will pass the 'Eye of Africa', an amazing landform when viewed from the skies. It's about an eight hour flight which on some days touches down in Accra (you'll remain on the 'plane). On arrival at Sao Tome you'll pass through the tiny airport and will be met for your shared transfer to nearby Omali Lodge. Omali is a luxury hotel on the outskirts of Sao Tome city and on the ocean front. The bay is popular with locals, so Omali's a great place to immerse yourself in to the Santomean pace of life. Relax in the in-house restaurant and perhaps take a dip in the pool.

Day 3

Our guides will meet you for your private tour of Sao Tome City. Capital of the islands, Sao Tome is overwhelmingly Portuguese-Colonial in design. The faded and still impressive colonial architecture stands in testament to these past times. Lunch is included in a local restaurant. You'll visit the Fortress of Sao Sebastian, the city's cathedral, the colourful local markets ... and of course the chocolate factory!

Day 4

This morning you'll transfer to the airport and fly to Principe. It's a 40-minute hop on a turboprop plane, from which you'll catch glimpses of Principe's 'Jurassic Park' rainforest-clad mountains and tropical beaches. Sao Tome is relaxed - Principe is even more so. On arrival, you'll be met for your shared transfer to Bom Bom Principe. Bom Bom is sited on the idyllic north coast of Principe. You'll enjoy access to Bom Bom's private golden-sand beaches, bordered by tropical palms. You can take the bridge to Bom Bom islet and explore this hidden paradise.

Day 5

You'll sit down with Bom Bom's guides, who will help you make a plan for tours and activities whilst you are with them. We'll include a selection of daily activities that you can choose from. Today, you could go snorkelling from one of the hotel's private beaches. Masks, snorkels and fins are provided by Bom Bom. The equatorial waters are warm and clear - you won't have to go far to see plenty of multi-coloured tropical fish!

Day 6

Today you could join a jeep tour of northern Principe. You'll see how life is here in tropical paradise, visit coffee and chocolate plantations, see local communities, tour the tiny capital city of Santo Antonio, have lunch in a local restaurant, tour for views of the impressive towers of rock and mountains of Principe's rugged interior.

Day 7

You could choose to take a boat trip along the northern coast to visit deserted and beautiful beaches. Stop for swimming and snorkelling, perhaps eat coconut fresh from the tree!

Day 8

If you'd like to stretch your legs, you could join a guided walk to the Montalegre Waterfall. On this three-hour guided trek, you'll follow a hiking trail through the rainforest to the abandoned plantation house of Montalegre. Here, there's a chance to enjoy a refreshing dip in one of the island's most beautiful waterfalls.

Day 9

Principe has many endemic birds and today you could take a bird watching trip with a knowledgeable local guide. Many of the tours are a half day or long-half-day so you'll always have time to relax in Bom Bom resort and enjoy the lovely beaches.

Day 10

It's time to leave Principe and return to Sao Tome. for your last night in the islands. In this suggested itinerary, we've included a night at the Omali Lodge.

Day 11

The Lisbon flights depart in the evening. We'll include your room all day so you can use your room and the hotel facilities until it's time to transfer to the airport. You'll return to the UK via Lisbon, connecting tomorrow morning for your onward flight to London.

Guide Price £5,450 per person

We can create a tailor-made holiday to suit your budget.

All of our sample itineraries can be amended to include the things that you love the most. After discussing your preferred options, we send you a detailed itinerary and quote and will always clearly outline what is included within the price of your tailor-made trip. Our guide price for this 11 day holiday includes international flights from the UK, inter-island flights and accommodation in twin share, en-suite rooms whilst on the islands, on a half board basis. We've also included all airport transfers and guided excursions, as detailed in the itinerary. The Solar do Castelo hotel in Lisbon is on B&B basis, so you can take advantage of Lisbon's choice of excellent restaurants. We will use our first-hand knowledge of the islands and Lisbon to plan your perfect holiday package, and we're always on hand to support you whilst you are travelling, via our 24hr contact number.

Accommodation

Our 'Luxurious Sao Tome and Principe Holiday' is designed to give you the best accommodation available on the islands. Everywhere you stay is charmingly luxurious and you'll take excursions which will give you an insight into the culture and a flavour of the islands.

Omali Lodge Comfortable boutique style hotel set in tranquil tropical gardens
Bom Bom Island Eco Lodge Idyllic and exclusive eco-luxury beach lodge set in an oasis of tranquility.

Activities

Explore the colonial heritage of Sao Tome city with one of our guides, before flying to Principe. There will be many subtle highlights on this trip and those wishing to stay longer can add an extension to stay for example at the Roca Belo Monte, or the world-class luxury resort the Sundy Praia.

Snorkelling The ocean surrounding the islands of Sao Tome and Principe in the…
Bird Watching Diving

Location

Situated in the Gulf of Guinea of the west coast of Africa these two islands have a wonderful feeling of idyllic isolation.

Principe It is hard to imagine two islands so close together, yet so…
Sao Tome Sao Tome has a huge amount to offer to those looking for…

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