São Tomé was until recently, one of those destinations for “traditional travellers” with all-inclusive packages directly to the hostel, with little contact with local population and culture and that skip the small natural paradises the island hides. In the last years, as a response to the drop in the flight’s price, there are more and more travellers exploring the island.
São Tomé will conquer your heart
7 Waves beach, São Tomé (credit: Susana Anastácio)
After three weeks in the island and of falling deeply in love with it, I feel the expression that better explains the different opinions you’ll hear about the country is that first, it will feel odd, but then you just can’t avoid falling in love with it.
It is necessary to travel with an open heart, give some time to the mind to adapt to the new reality and leave the judgements aside. Once you overcome the initial clash, living the experience of this charming island will only bring one doubt to your mind: Should I go or should I stay?
What are the reasons that have been attracting more and more travellers to São Tomé?
Proximity
São Tomé is about 6 hours far from Lisbon. It’s a tropical country with warm waters, sweet fruit and rhythmic music, really close to Europe. Adding to that the significant drop in the flight’s prices in the last two years and a modest increase in accommodation.
Visa is not necessary for the European Union and USA citizens for stays until two weeks making the trip logistics easier.
Language
For Portuguese natives of fluent speakers, São Tome is a destination where the language barriers don’t exist. Although there are many dialects, namely crioulo, Portuguese is the official language, and any crucial information, restaurant menus, museums information, everything will be in Portuguese. The population, at least the youngest also speak Portuguese, even in the most remote areas.
Safety
São Tomé has an almost inexistent public criminality. Streets are safe during day or night, with the usual precautions of any other city or country. This applies to São Tomé city as well as other smaller locations.
An unexplored country
It’s harder and harder to find a desert beach, do a trekking’s with any noise but the nature sounds or having dinner surrounded only by locals. In São Tomé this is still possible. Even though the recent tourism increasing, you’ll still be one of the first to have all the experiences the country and to offer an authentic taste.
It’s most likely that soon this won’t be possible anymore, for that São Tomé is a trip to do as quickly as possible!
The beach and the weather
The charms of the island go way beyond the paradisiac beaches, but there’s no way out, we need to talk about it. Being at a beach surrounded by a dense forest with nothing but nature as far as you can see, or swimming under the rain because the weather allows it, are rare opportunities.
Besides that, the diversity of landscapes is enormous, with black sand beaches, different blue tones and different surroundings.
The food
Speak about São Tomé and not mention food should be forbidden! The island is exceptionally abundant due to the tropical weather and the fertile soil. It’s not even necessary to go to a restaurant to taste the best flavours of this land, from mangos, cocoa, bananas, papayas, among many other fruits, it’s completely addicting.
There are also national dishes, like Calulu, but fish is the king! Always fresh, and most likely fished by the same person who later cooks it for you!
A visit to the past
São Tomé is a History lesson! A trip to the country is a confrontation with our own History, mostly for Portuguese, but for any colonial state. The discomfort of having a local reporting the massacres and exploration carried out by the Portuguese, even stronger because of an inappropriate reverence that you can still feel. Nevertheless, learn in real places the History once heard from a teacher or read at a book, is undoubtedly an important step to understand the country.
São Tomé is a unique destination! The wild state in which it presents us makes the delights of adventurous that search the wold for real authentic experiences. Don’t wait any longer, join this trip to paradise!
