In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé
São Tomé town is a walk-in-the-morning, rest-at-noon place: do the fort, cathedral and market before 11:00, eat fish on the waterfront at dusk, and pre-arrange every airport ride because taxis are few and the flights land at odd hours.
The capital is small and low-rise on one bay. Sights are short walks apart, but pavements are broken, midday heat is heavy, cards work at very few places and ride-hailing does not exist. Four walking areas cover a first visit; the plantation roças and the south coast are separate car days outside this line.
- Country
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
- Time zone
- Africa/Sao_Tome
- Stay
- 2 days: Civic centre and market, fort and waterfront
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- STN
- Money
- Cash is the default: dobra (STN, 1 EUR = 24.5 STN, fixed) and, at some hotels and drivers, euros. Cards work at a few hotels and shops but machines and links fail; keep a cash reserve.
- Daily spend
- Budget STN 600–1,200 excl. bed · Mid STN 1,200–2,500 excl. bed · High STN 2,500+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Buy a local SIM at the airport or an operator shop in town with your passport; data is cheap, coverage is best in the town and along the coast (confirm).
- Emergency
- Police / ambulance / fire Ask your hotel for the current numbers on arrival and save them offline · Your hotel desk Write it here before you go out
- Plugs
- 230 V, 50 Hz; European-style round-pin plugs (types C and F, check); bring an adapter.
- Tipping
- Not expected; rounding up or 5–10% for good service at a restaurant or a driver's full day is welcome.
- Water
- Do not drink the tap water: use bottled or treated water and ask for it without ice unless the ice is made from purified water.
- Toilets
- Hotels, cafés and a few public places; carry tissues and hand gel.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (short, local) | STN 15–35 (about EUR 0.6–1.4) |
| Local beer, bottle | STN 30–60 |
| Plate of the day at a local eatery | STN 100–200 |
| Hotel restaurant main course | STN 250–500 |
| Bottled water 1.5 L, shop | STN 20–40 |
| Short taxi ride in town (agree first) | STN 50–150 |
| Airport to centre by taxi (agree first) | STN 150–350 |
| Driver and car for a day | STN 1,500–2,500 plus fuel (confirm) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- São Tomé International Airport (TMS)
- TMS to the centre: one pre-arranged hotel pickup or an agreed-fare taxi, 10–25 minutes; the risk is a flight that lands with no ride arranged, because few taxis wait after the last arrival.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| São Tomé International Airport (TMS) (Aeroporto Internacional de São Tomé) | Lisbon and regional African hubs; domestic flights to Príncipe (check current airlines) | Taxi 10–20 min, STN 150–350 |
| Shared taxis and minibuses to island towns | Trindade, Santana, Neves and other island towns on fixed routes | Already in town |
| Hire car with driver | Roças, mountains, south coast, beaches | Already there |
| Fast boat to Príncipe | The sea link to Príncipe (limited or seasonal; check) | Taxi 5–10 min |
Typical fares
- Airport to centre
- STN 150–350, agree before you sit
- Short taxi ride in town
- STN 50–150 (2026 estimate)
- Driver for the day
- STN 1,500–2,500 plus fuel (confirm)
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside an area by day; take a taxi between areas and after dark. There is no ride-hailing and no timetable transport that suits visitors, so a hotel-booked taxi or a driver is the reliable default.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside the civic centre, along the Marginal by day, the market quarter early |
| Street taxi | STN 50–150 across town; STN 150–350 to the airport (agree first) | Between areas, bags, evenings |
| Hotel-booked taxi | STN 100–300 across town | Late evenings and airport runs |
| Shared taxi or minibus | A few tens of dobra per seat (confirm) | Cheap short hops if you know the route |
| Motorbike taxi | Cheap (confirm) | Nothing worth the risk |
| Car with driver | STN 1,500–2,500 a day plus fuel (confirm) | Roças, beaches, mountains |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Agree the fare before you get in; hire a driver by the hour for roças and the south coast.
- Late at night
- No rail. Taxis are few after dark: ask the hotel to book the ride back before you go out.
See and do
01Fort São Sebastião and National MuseumFortaleza de São Sebastião
The best single hour on colonial and cocoa history, with a sea view from the ramparts.
Hours: best Morning · Price: STN 50–150 (check) · Time: 1–1.5 h · 0.3325, 6.7395
02Sé CathedralSé Catedral
The city's church on the square; a calm quarter of an hour and a landmark for every taxi.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 15–30 min · 0.3357, 6.7265
03Municipal marketMercado Municipal
Where the town eats and shops; fruit, fish and spices at their freshest.
Hours: best 07:00–10:00 · Price: Free · Time: 30–60 minHours: best 7:00 AM–10:00 AM · Price: Free · Time: 30–60 min · 0.3350, 6.7340
04Bay waterfront walkAvenida Marginal 12 de Julho
The free evening walk with fishing boats and sea air.
Hours: best 17:00–18:30 · Price: Free · Time: 45 minHours: best 5:00 PM–6:30 PM · Price: Free · Time: 45 min · 0.3427, 6.7256
05Fish landingPraia dos pescadores (confirm locally)
Boats coming in with the day's catch, best early or late.
Hours: best Early morning · Price: Free · Time: 20–30 min · 0.3385, 6.7335
06Palace squarePraça do Palácio
Shade, benches and a look at the seat of government from a respectful distance.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 15 min · 0.3365, 6.7295
07Roça Monte CaféRoça Monte Café
A former coffee estate in the cooler hills; the best half-day out of town.
Hours: best Dry season morning · Price: Driver plus small entry (check) · Time: Half day · 0.2900, 6.6300
08North-coast beachesPraias do norte
The nearest sand and palms, a taxi ride from town.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: Taxi STN 250 each way (confirm) · Time: Half day · 0.3720, 6.7220
09A calulu lunchRestaurante de calulu (confirm locally)
The signature dish of the islands, best eaten slowly at a table.
Hours: best Lunch · Price: STN 180–350 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 0.3368, 6.7290
10Chocolate and coffee stopCafé e chocolate local (confirm locally)
Taste and buy the island's best-known exports.
Hours: best Afternoon · Price: STN 40–250 · Time: 30–45 min · 0.3348, 6.7300
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Roça Monte Café and the highlands | Car with driver, 30–45 min each way (confirm) | Half day |
| North-coast beaches (Praia Lagarto area) | Taxi, 15–25 min | Half day |
| South coast and Ilhéu das Rolas | Car then boat, 2–3 h each way | Overnight |
| Príncipe | Domestic flight (check) | 2–3 days |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market-side lunch | Rice, fish or chicken and fried banana · Market quarter | STN 80–150 | Budget |
| Neighbourhood pastelaria (morning coffee) | Bread, pastry and coffee · Civic centre | STN 40–100 | Budget |
| Bay-front grilled fish | Grilled fish with rice and salad · Waterfront north | STN 150–300 | Mid-range |
| Restaurant for calulu (sit-down lunch) | Calulu (fish or chicken stew with vegetables and palm oil) · Civic centre | STN 180–350 | Mid-range |
| Coffee and chocolate cafe | Local coffee and chocolate · Civic centre | STN 40–120 | Mid-range |
| Hotel terrace (seafood and grills) | Seafood and grills on a bay terrace · Waterfront north | STN 350–700 | Higher |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate in dobra. Venue lists change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | STN 600–1,200 | Civic centre | Guesthouses and simple hotels |
| mid | STN 1,500–3,500 | Civic centre, Waterfront north | Mid-range hotels and small resorts |
| high | STN 3,500+ | Waterfront north | Larger hotels and lodges |
Per room per night in dobra, 2026 estimate (1 EUR = 24.5 STN).
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Good morning | Bom diabom DEE-ah |
| Good afternoon | Boa tardeBO-ah TAR-deh |
| Thank you (m / f) | Obrigado / Obrigadaoh-bree-GAH-doo / -dah |
| How much is it? | Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOS-ta |
| Please take me to | Leve-me paraLEH-veh meh PAH-rah |
| A bottle of water, please | Uma garrafa de água, por favorOO-ma ga-HAH-fa de AH-gwa poor fa-VOR |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Say bom dia (morning), boa tarde (afternoon) or boa noite (evening) before anything else; a handshake and a smile go a long way.
- Dress: Casual and neat; cover shoulders and knees for church, offices and the market, and keep swimwear for the beach.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, market traders and children; do not photograph the palace, police or soldiers.
- Church and Sunday: Sunday morning is for church; be quiet near the cathedral during Mass and do not walk through a service with a camera.
- Time: Lunch and appointments run on 'island time'; a booked pickup can be 15–30 minutes late, so confirm by message and be ready early.
- Bargaining: Light and polite at the market and with drivers; agree the price first and pay the price agreed.
- Left hand and gestures: Hand over money and food with the right hand or both; a firm point at a person is rude, so use an open hand.
Red lines
- Ask before photographing people, and do not photograph the presidential palace, police or soldiers.
- Cover shoulders and knees when entering the cathedral.
- Do not swim where currents are strong; ask locally first.
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxis and drivers: no meter, so agree the fare before you get in and pay the agreed price.
- Unofficial guides at the fort or market: politely decline or agree a price first.
- Souvenirs and craft: prices for visitors are higher; ask the price and compare with a shop first.
One and two days
1 day
A long layover or a short stopover. Skip: Beaches and roças: they need a half day and a driver.
- 07:307:30 AMCathedral and palace square
- 09:009:00 AMMunicipal market and fish landing
- 10:3010:30 AMFort and National Museum
- 12:3012:30 PMGrilled fish or calulu lunch
- 17:005:00 PMBay waterfront and a beer at the bay
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- São Tomé and Príncipe government portal: www.gov.st/
- UK FCDO travel advice — São Tomé and Príncipe: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sao-tome-and-principe
- US State Department — São Tomé and Príncipe travel advisory: travel.state.gov/
- Wikivoyage — São Tomé (city): en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Tom%C3%A9_(city)
- Wikivoyage — São Tomé and Príncipe: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/S%C3%A3o_Tom%C3%A9_and_Pr%C3%ADncipe
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
São Tomé
Leve-me para
Please take me to
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Fortaleza de São SebastiãoFort São Sebastião and National Museum
- Sé CatedralSão Tomé Cathedral (Sé)
- Mercado MunicipalMunicipal market
- Avenida Marginal 12 de JulhoBay waterfront walk
- Praia dos pescadores (confirm locally)Fish landing on the bay
- Praça do PalácioPalace square (Praça)
- Police / ambulance / fireAsk your hotel for the current numbers on arrival and save them offline
- Your hotel deskWrite it here before you go out
Many countries have no embassy in São Tomé; check your government's page for the office that covers the islands and write the number here.
Carry small euro and dobra notes; nobody can change a large note on a short ride.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/sao-tome). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.