Never heard of this little slice of the Caribbean in the Gulf of Guinea? You ‘re not only one. The two islands of Sao Tome and Principe comprise the smallest country in Africa, and one of the newest. These sleepy islands boast of deserted beaches, crystal-blue waters, rolling hills, jagged roc formations and lush rainforests. The Portuguese may have left little infrastructure after independence in 1974, but they did leave a strong culture legacy. Portuguese (as well as Forro, a form of Creole) is spoken throughout the islands and Roman Catholicism is the major religion.
June and September
Swimming at the secluded white-sand beaches with a lush jungle backdrop on the East Coast Exploring Sao Tome twon-a friendly, quiet capital city with scenic side streets and colonial architecture Snorkelling on the true tropical paradise of Principe Straddling the equator at llheu das Rolas Sipping on some of the best coffee you’ll ever taste Visiting the pleasant town of Trindade in the island’s interior’s where you can see the Waterfall Cascadas de Sao Nicolau nearby Hiking through rainforest and birdwatching Kicking back and relaxing under the palm trees
Read Former Portuguese Colonies by Herb Boyd which includes an historical overview of Sao Tome and Principe
Listen to Giberto Gil Umbelina, the most famous popular recording artist from Sao Tome and Principe
Eat fantastic fresh and a wonderful assortment of fresh fruit
Drink excellent coffee or the local beer, Creola
Ola (hello)
Where is this place?
The illiteracy rate on the islands is 90% The islands became the biggest sugar producers in the world shortly after the Portuguese founded the town of Sao Tome in 1485
Outsied the capital Sao Tomeans still live simple island lives, with agriculture and firshing being the main occupations. There’s a bit of activity early in the moring when the boats come in and the fish are distributed, a bustling market later in the morning and then a lazy siesta-a chance to avoid the afternoon heat and drink some imported boxes. ln the evenings people gather wherever there’s a TV set and a generator.