Ilhéu das Rolas is also known on São Tomé & Príncipe as the “Equator Island”. Indeed, the equator passes right through this little islet off the south coast of São Tomé Island. There is something about standing on the equator. If you’re not into geography, Ilhéu das Rolas should still be part of your itinerary around São Tomé. Walking trails around the island are plenty and easy to follow. You will also find pretty beaches to chill and snorkel. In this post, you will find all you need to know for planning your visit and exploring Ilhéu das Rolas.
How to get to Ilhéu das Rolas?
Getting to Ilhéu das Rolas takes a 20 – 30 minutes’ boat trip from the “mainland”, São Tomé island. For the crossing, you have the option of taking the daily ferry organised by the Pestana Hotel (the island’s resort) or asking your hotel to organise a boat and skipper for you.
When walking around the nearby town of Porto Alegre, fishermen will approach tourists and offer (cheap) crossings to Ilhéu das Rolas in their fishing boats. My short advice is – don’t do it. Even though the distance is short and the bay looks sheltered, the channel is treacherous. Accidents with fishing boats do happen and it is not unheard of that the outboard motor will pack up at sea, leaving rowing as the only option to get back to shore.
Option 1: Pestana Hotel ferry
The Pestana’s ferry is a safe option. The boat is large and well-maintained. It goes back and forth twice a day from the Porto Baleia pier (outside Porto Alegre). It carries tourists, but also staff going to work at the Pestana and supplies.
At the time of my visit, the morning departure was at 1010h, but it is advisable to check locally in case it changes. The price of a round trip was 15 euros and in addition you pay a landing fee (resort fee) upon arrival.
Option 2: Praia Inhame’s skipper and boat
We discovered that some guesthouses also arrange the crossings. Praia Inhame, where we were staying, offered this service. Basically, some hotels on the mainland have their own boat which they rent out to guests for various excursions. We examined Praia Inhame’s boat and opted to use it for the crossing. The boat was a well-maintained carbon fibre boat with a 40 knots outboard motor – quite a difference from the wooden fishing boats with a 10 knots engine we’d seen. Having a private boat meant that we could plan to arrive on Ilhéu das Rolas before the Pestana ferry carrying lots of tourists. We had the landmarks to ourselves at arrival. The cost was comparable – 20 euros per person for the round trip. Since the skipper dropped us on a beach at the village and not at the hotel pier we avoided the resort fee.
It was a clear, nice day when we visited Ilhéu das Rolas and the trip went perfectly fine. Even so, the crossing was rather rocky and I can totally see why the channel is considered treacherous. If you get sea sick easily, the larger Pestana ferry may be a better option.
Where to stay when exploring Ilhéu das Rolas?
There is one hotel on the island (a pricey Pestana resort) which looked pretty run down when we visited. I considered spending a night there when planning the trip, but decided against it since the hotel has a pretty nasty reputation for its dealings with the communities on Ilhéu das Rolas. We stayed on the mainland and instead just used the Pestana’s pool to shake of the salt after diving.
We opted instead for a cabin on the “mainland” at Praia Inhame. It was a lovely relaxing place for spending a few nights. Staff were disappointingly unhelpful, but the cabins were nice, the views great and the on-site restaurant excellent.
Another accommodation option in the south is Praia Jalé. It is considerably more cheap and cheerful compared to Praia Inhame – the cabins are basic and the restaurant is merely a glorified snack bar. However we were greeted by friendly staff when we popped over there for lunch.
There are other accommodation option in and around the nearby town of Porto Alegre. Those I saw looked very basic and I could not find any online.
What to see and do on Ilhéu das Rolas?
The equator landmark
Ilhéu das Rolas is called “equator island” for a reason and visiting the landmark that marks the equator is the first thing most people do. Because we took a boat arranged by our hotel rather than the Pestana ferry, we arrived on the island well before the other tourists and had the landmark to ourselves.
Fun fact: the equator doesn’t really cross through the landmark (I guess somebody picked the spot because of the scenic location). The point at 0 zero degrees latitude is measured down in the fishermen’s village.
Jungle trails and view points
Several easy trails are dotted around Ilhéu das Rolas. I didn’t find a good map outlining them, but in a nutshell, there is a coastal trail going around the island and several other trails crossing through the dense forest. The Pestana resort arranges maintenance so you will find the key trails in good condition. Also the island is small enough that you can just head off without worrying about getting lost.
After walking up to the equator landmark, we followed a trail up to the old lighthouse and telecom mast, hoping for nice views of the mainland. However, the dense forest made it quite impossible to see far. The trail around the island, although much lower, offers the best views. The best spots for views and photos are marked and set up as rest places with benches and shade.
Snorkeling and SCUBA diving
A snorkelling or diving trip is a must when exploring Ilhéu das Rolas. Although the coral is not as lively and colourful compared to some of the famous reefs, the variety of fish and rock formations make the experience interesting (if you are really lucky you might see turtles).
A PADI diving outlet, Dive Tribe, organises snorkelling and scuba diving off the island. I did two dives with them (organised ahead of time) whilst my friend went snorkelling. They also took us for a boat tour around the island. If you prefer to stay on the surface, renting kayaks is another option.
Beach & pool time
I’m not big on sitting on the beach or at the pool, but after the diving it was nice to take an hour to relax at the Pestana resort’s pool. Anyone can walk in and out of the hotel and nobody challenged us when we sat down at the pool, used the showers to soak off the salt and had a rest.
Alternatively, several pretty beaches are on Ilhéu das Rolas many of which are sufficiently enclosed to be safe for swimming. Praia Café (Coffee Beach) is the most famous one and easily accessible from the resort. Praia Pesqueira is the landing beach for fishing boats down at the village and also easy to reach. Hanging out there wasn’t such a peaceful experience for us as local kids continuously approached us to offer guiding services and sell trinkets.
Shopping, eating & drinking
Tourist facilities on Ilhéu das Rolas are very limited. The one hotel, the Pestana Resort, is a good back-up if you are short of food or water, but definitely not my first choice. The fishermen’s village (population <70) is the best place to go for a nice lunch or fresh juice. Going there is also a nice way to generate some business for the locals, who apart from fishing and low-paying jobs at the resort don’t have a means of income. Several homes profile themselves as “cafés”, with a few tables and chairs outside, cooking the catch of the day to order. To avoid waiting for a couple of hours whilst the lady of the house prepares the food from scratch, it is best to pop to the village as soon as you arrive and agree a time for lunch. We had a nice meal of fish, rice and baked bananas.
If you want to take a souvenir from Ilhéu das Rolas, have a look at the local craftsmen who set up stalls in the village and along the trails during the day. Prices are low – much lower compared to shops and markets in and around São Tomé. I felt bad about bargaining and bought two sizeable wooden carvings for 10 euros.
Continuing your trip on São Tomé & Príncipe?
After my trip, I summarised the most beautiful places for a unique itinerary around São Tomé. A visit is not complete without also going to Príncipe island, so don’t forget to also check part II of this post, covering the most beautiful places on Príncipe!
