MEET

SO TOM

AND PRNCIPE

Welcome

Enjoy a safe
and calm
ecotourism
in a paradise
destination,
in the middle
of the Equator.
An exclusive destination, wild, unique and
unparalleled, filled with exoticism, magic,
warmth, joy and hospitality. A place in the
centre of the world where time seems to
come to a standstill.
A privileged combination of luxury and relaxation, sports and adventure, in an untamed and incomparable natural setting.

One thousand and one

ways of living the islands

Relax on a deserted
beach or soak the
vibrant energy in the
most unexpected
places.
Dive into the most spectacular sea,
practice snorkelling, scuba diving or
spear fishing. If you enjoy big game
fishing, you can find in its rich waters all kinds of species, such as
swordfish, saw-fish, tuna, barracuda and dorab wolf-herring.
Discover a multitude of water
sports or create your own adventures penetrating the tropical forests. Release the adrenalin and enjoy the thrills of potholing, canoeing
down the mangroves or hiking in
the tropical forests of the islands.

Let yourself be surprised by the colours of nature in the Botanical Gardens and the Ob Natural Park. Admire life in the wild: whales, dolphins,
turtles, exotic birds, monkeys and
tropical fish. Sail to Ilhu das Rolas to
see the Earth splitting into two as it
crosses the equator. Soak up the local culture, its history and enjoy gourmet meals in the Casas das Roas.
Enjoy the city, its rhythm, its people
and have a drink in some of the stylish places in town

HISTORY

The Islands of Chocolate

Discovered on 21st December 1470 by Portuguese navigators, the archipelago takes
its name from the apostle Saint Thomas,
a saint venerated on this date.
The islands experienced an ongoing process of colonisation for 500 years.
Its strategic location converted them into
a profitable slave market and a port for pirates.
The economy has developed around the
major crops the so-called Roas first
sugar cane and later coffee and cocoa.
The islands of So Tom and Prncipe are
known as the Islands of Chocolate, because this was where cocoa was introduced for the first time in Africa.
In 1913, So Tom and Prncipe became
the largest producer of cocoa in the world.
On 12th July 1975, after several uprisings
and a decolonization process, the islands
finally achieved their independence and
became the Democratic Republic of So
Tom and Prncipe.

Culture

Fusion
of flavours
The archipelago of So
Tom and Prncipe has a
unique and original cultural
heritage that results from
the mixture of Portuguese,
European and African influences.
A Creole culture that expresses itself through a
wildly rich folklore, dance,
music, painting and cuisine.
A chest of secrets in which
fables and ancestral tales
are blended and passed
down orally from generation to generation with European traditions inherited

from the colonial past.

Religious feasts are celebrated according to the
customs of the Catholic
Church to the rhythm of
war dances.
Cultural expressions and
celebrations such as Socop, Usa, Puita, Tchioli and
the Tragdia do Marqus
de Mantua, a typical dance
not to be missed. The latter is considered the pinnacle of national culture that
constantly reinvents itself.

Sun and beach

Castaway
for a day
If youve dreamed of finding
pristine beaches with crystal
clear water, whose temperature is ideal at any time of the
year, where you can enjoy the
sun or lie in the shade of a coconut tree, feeling you have
discovered paradise alone
youve dreamed of So Tom
and Prncipe.
Bathed by the Atlantic Ocean,
the archipelago has many

If youve dreamed
of finding pristine
beaches, youve
dreamed of
So Tom and
Prncipe.

paradise beaches and virgin

coves in which you can feel
as if you are a castaway for
a day. You might think youve
just woken up in the middle of
an ad for a tropical drink, and
what you have at your feet is
not a scenario but a paradise
to discover. Where else would
you see thousands of sea turtles arriving on the beach to
spawn before moving on their
way?

Ecotourism

For those
who love
the untamed
The exuberance of the
islands, a result of their
volcanic origin and of
thousands years of evolution, untouched by the
continent, have made
them a true treasure of
biodiversity.

Stay at the Casas das

Roas.
Old colonial mansions
of the late 19th century,
refurbished and fully integrated into the rural
environment and in the
context of the island.

Dare to enter the Ob

Natural Park, a magnificent natural sanctuary
inhabited by hundreds
of animal and plant
species, many of which
are endemic. Dive into
the virtually unexplored
seabed that surprises
us every day with the
spectacular discovery of
unknown species.

The ideal starting point

to live the islands like a
native. So Tom and
Prncipe is aware of its
legacy and works with
the international community towards the
protection and rational
preservation of its ecosystems.

flora

Natural
evolution
So Tom and Prncipe has
the privilege of having an
original lush flora, unique in
the world.
Adapted to the conditions
of the islands, many of its
secrets are waiting to be
discovered.
Its tropical forests that
cover an extensive area of
the archipelago have been
classified by the scientific
community as the second
largest area of biological interest of more than 75 forests in Africa.
The forests are home to
about 983 species, 136 of
which are endemic, for example, giant ferns, numerous varieties of wild orchids
and more than three feet
tall begonias.

So Tom has a botanical

garden specialised in the
flora of the islands.
The garden is part of the
International ECOFAC programme (Forest ecosystems in Central Africa).
It is the gateway to the Ob
Natural Park.

Unique flora
and tropical
forests.

fauna

Life
in pure
state
The worlds
rarest birds.

To talk of the fauna of So

Tom means talking about
a paradise for nature lovers.
Its seas, rivers and tropical
forests are transformed
into unique ecosystems
which are home to hundreds of animal species,
many of which are not yet
classified.
Whales, sea turtles, dolphins, flying fish or cucumbas (mudskipper), the only
fish that can breathe in and
out of water, are only some

examples of its treasures.

Its forests are considered a
gift to bird lovers.
They are home to more
than 55 types of different
birds, 15 of which are endemic, species considered
as the worlds rarest birds,
or birds observed only on
very few occasions, live in
trees along with monkeys,
colourful insects and other
animals.

Comfort, exclusivity
and respect for nature

So Tom and Prncipe offers a wide and thorough

range of hotels. Urban hotels for those who love urban excitement and action.
The Casas das Roas for
those who prefer nature.
Fully equipped hotels and
exclusive resorts for those
who seek luxury and comfort. Built with style, respecting the landscape
and architecture of the is-

Accommodation

lands, and located in dream

spots, they become true
oasis of leisure, rest and
entertainment where you
will feel like a king for a day.
The hotel offer is being
complemented with the
construction of new luxury
hotels and a casino.

Geography

In the southern hemisphere

000-126
North latitude
720-726
East latitude

The archipelago of So Tom

and Prncipe is located in the
Gulf of Guinea, 300 km off the
West
African coast. Its 1,001
km2 spread over two main islands, So Tome and Prncipe,
as well as numerous islands
and uninhabited islets, make
it the second smallest country in Africa.

With 150,000 inhabitants,

these volcanic islands are
on the same imaginary line
of the equator.
Covered by a dense mass
of tropical forest and
crossed by many rivers and
waterfalls, this is a land of
contrasts: wild beaches of
fine sand and crystal clear
waters or desert peaks,
such as Pico de So Tom,

the highest point of the island standing at 2,024 meters high.

with hundreds of animal

and plant species, 153 of
which are endemic.

Known as the beautiful

islands, they have never
been connected to the African continent. So, after
thousands of years of evolution and the limited presence of man, So Tom
and Prncipe has become
a sanctuary of biodiversity,

The average temperature is 30 C. So Tom and

Prncipe has an equatorial
ocean climate divided into
two seasons: a rainy season and a dry season. In
So Tom and Prncipe, you
can enjoy over 1,760 hours
of sunshine a year.

In the northern hemisphere

GEOGRAPHY

The Island
of So Tom
1

4
6

9
10

1. Blue Lake
2. So Nicolau Cascade

16

3. Boca do Inferno

4. Monte Caf
5. Botanical Garden

13

6. Monte Forte,
organic cocoa
8. Ilhu das Rolas

10

11

12

11

9. Chocolat Factory
Cladio Corallo

19

18 14

7. Ecotourism in Jal

2
3

15

17

12

10. City of So Tom

11. Pico Co Grande
12. Roa de So Joo

13. Lagoa Amlia

14. Roa de Bombaim
15. BomBom Islet

13

14

15

16

16. Ob Natural Reserve

19. Club-Santana
20. Equator Milestone

18

19

20

20

17. Banana Beach

 ombaim Cascade
18. B

17

The Island
of Prncipe

Board of Tourism
of So Tom and Prncipe
Avenida Marginal 12 de Julho
Cx. Postal n. 40
Rep. Dem. de So Tom & Prncipe
T. +239 222 15 42
F. +239 222 20 20
dturismostp@hotmail.com

www.stptourism.st

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