Best places for a unique itinerary on Príncipe island

Paradise exists and sits right off the coast of West Africa. It’s called São Tomé & Príncipe, a tiny country made up of two islands in the Gulf of Guinea. From my visit, I summarised the most beautiful places for a unique itinerary around Príncipe. A visit is not complete without also spending time on São Tomé island, so don’t forget to also check part I of this post, covering the best places on São Tomé!

Being a former Portuguese colony and centre of Atlantic slave trade, its history is as fascinating as it is cruel. Rain forest and gruelling volcanic rock formations cover most of the islands’ surface. The ever-humid climate makes them the perfect place for coffee, cocoa and tropical fruits to thrive. São Tomé & Príncipe gained independence late, in 1975, around the same time as other Portuguese colonies in Africa such as Cape Verde.

Since independence, the country has been stable and peaceful, which is another benefit for prospective visitors. Nonetheless, the São Tomé & Príncipe barely gets 15000 tourists a year and few operators go there. The number is increasing though and facilities for tourists are kicking off. So if you want to explore this little corner of paradise before the world does, now is the time.

A unique itinerary on Príncipe Island

Roça Belo Monte & Praia Banana

Anyone remember a Bacardi Rum commercial from 1991? I wasn’t old enough to drink rum in that year, so I didn’t know this apparently classic commercial until I visited the beach on Príncipe Island where it was recorded, Praia Banana. First of all, kudos to the cameramen who got down to this beach, hidden behind thick jungle, with all their equipment for a 58 seconds’ commercial. I understand why they picked the beach though – it is idyllic, sheltered and yes, it does look like a banana when seen from above.

The entry to the steep trail taking you to Praia Banana starts at Roça Belo Monte, a former Portuguese plantation house now turned into a peaceful boutique hotel. From the roça you cannot only get to Praia Banana, but also several other beaches and trails. If I had to pick a place to stay on Príncipe, without considering whether or not it would set me back several hundreds of euros a night, it would be Roça Belo Monte.

Roça Sundy

Another restored plantation house is Roça Sundy. It is now a very nice hotel. If you’re into astronomy, like my travel companion, you might have heard about Sundy: at this plantation house, Sir Arthur Eddington set up his telescope in 1919 after a long boat trip to demonstrate Einstein’s theory of general relativity during an eclipse.

The vibe there is completely different compared to Belo Monte. The old workers’ houses are still inhabited making Sundy an active village. Local women dry their laundry on the lawn of the plantation houses whilst chickens and pigs run around. Don’t expect the same remoteness as at Belo Monte, but instead a lively environment, small museum and opportunity to see the small chocolate factory in action.

The Bay of Spires

São Tomé & Príncipe is famous for its towering volcanic features dotted around the islands. The best ones can be seen from the water, via a boat tour in the so-called Bay of Spires (Baía das Agulhas). It’s easy to find a fisherman who will take you out on his boat for a small fee. However, these are typically rickety boats and reports of motors packing up at sea are regular. We opted for an organised trip via Bom Bom resort. Not only they have nice, safe boat, we could also borrow snorkel equipment and made a couple of swimming stops to watch the variety of colourful fish.

Pico Papagaio

The highest point of Príncipe, the 947m Pico do Príncipe, is out of reach for the regular hiker. Pico Papagaio, the one but highest point, is more accessible and makes for a great half day hike. The trail took us through thick jungle and past a small dilapidated roça. Having a guide was a must for this hike as route finding was not always obvious. In many places the trail needed clearing before we could pass. We went up in the rain with limited visibility, but shortly after we reached the summit, the sky opened and we got to enjoy the views.

Bom Bom island

Bom Bom island, and the resort with the same name, are a great base for a couple of days. We spent one night here as to not put too much pressure on the wallet and spent the rest of the time on Príncipe in a simple guesthouse in Santo Antonio.

Bom Bom island is a tiny islet, connected to “mainland” Príncipe by a 150m long wooden bridge. Even if you are not staying in the resort, you can visit and take on the 1 hour trail around Bom Bom island. This will take you to the rocky summit of the island as well as to a black beach at sea level. Even though the trail is short and marked as “easy”, there are a few treacherous points with steep drops and slippery underground. Several other trails depart from Bom Bom, another classic being Ribeira Izé. It’s also a great place for birding, but the rain jeopardised most of our birdwatching plans.

A cascata Oquepipi

Many pretty waterfalls are dotted around São Tomé & Príncipe, especially when we visited in September as the of the wet season started early. The best one I’ve seen though is Oquê Pipi. The few photos do not reflect the beauty, as I kept my camera packed away to avoid water damage. Indeed, the waterfall produces a lot of mist and splash. Our guide immediately jumped into the lake a the bottom of the waterfall, but I stayed clear of the icy water!

We ran out of time to walk onwards to the remote and deserted Roça Infante D. Henrique. This feels like massive unfinished business from my trip to São Tomé & Príncipe.

Miradouro Santa Joaquina

The hike to Santa Joaquina viewpoint is another lovely half day hike. The trail was easy compared to Pico Papagaio, but the views were equally rewarding. From the summit point, we could see Santo Antonio sitting in the bay, surrounding by uncountable shades of green.

Santo Antonio’s diners

Even fewer tourists make it to Príncipe than to São Tomé and the tourist infrastructure on the island is limited. Even in the island’s capital, Santo Antonio, you might struggle to find a restaurant on spec for supper. It was never an issue though, as Príncipe’s residents happily welcome guests for dinner at a small cost. These are typically elderly ladies cooking for tourists and locals alike as a form of income. Our host at Príncipe Residencial guesthouse arranged the best home cooked food for us every evening at locations across the capital, which was a unique itinerary in itself.

Beware that power cuts can sometimes sabotage dinner plans. Santo Antonio’s electricity grid is powered by generator serving the various neighbourhoods according to an obscure rota system. And sometimes it breaks down. Unexpected power cuts mean cooking can be complicated.