On Sunday, November 20th 2022, as I sat by the window seat of our car en route to São Tomé, I whispered to myself, ‘Finally, I’m going on an adventure I’m stoked for.’ São Tomé has always remained a wonder to me, especially because, as I like to believe, people hardly go there, and this was my chance to unravel the mystery myself. A significant factor in choosing São Tomé was my desire to find a destination that felt somewhat hidden and ‘untouched’ by the hordes of Instagram tourists. Little did I know, these islands are a quintessential example of human intervention and exploitation.
Every part of the island shows how São Tomeans live sustainably. Perhaps, this was what evoked my memories. On my way to Neves on the Northern part of the island, the sights of women and children washing and bathing in rivers and streams brought back images of my frolicking in rivers as a young boy in a village in my country, Ghana. Also, strolling past pastel-painted colonial buildings scattered along dusty streets reminded me of my primary school history lessons.
I saw people, young and old, male and female, go about their work quietly. For their transportation, they rely on the ubiquitous bright yellow vans, trucks, and motorcycles. I took one of those to Porto Alegre, a small island in the south primarily into farming and fishing, every corner of the island was a photo-worthy spot, and I couldn’t resist adding a few shots to my travel album. I was sure my Canon DSLR, strapped to my right shoulder, would preserve these moments. I also visited neighbouring islets, only accessible by motor-powered canoes. It took me about 20 minutes to get to Rolas Island, with a population of about 150 people.
On my last two days on the island, I stayed at Omali Lodge, part of a chain of sustainable resorts in São Tomé and Príncipe, HBD Príncipe. Omali Lodge is a boutique hotel close to Lagarto Beach. I had a long chat with Emma, the hotel’s sustainability manager, about how they pump investments and resources to develop and preserve São Tomé and Príncipe. ‘Eco-conscious travellers who patronise HBD Príncipe are paying for the experience and contributing to the overall development of Africa’s chocolate and coffee islands.’ I had the most fun here and even saw dolphins for the first time swimming right under my nose. Strapped in an orange life jacket with cookies by my side, I was sailing and dreaming on the yacht I never had on Ilheu de Cabras. But I couldn’t go any further to Tamarindo Beach because the weather got a bit messy.
Nonetheless, exploring this unique pocket of the world was exhilarating. Everywhere I looked was like a tropical postcard with banana, coffee, coconut and cocoa plantations lined beaches and turquoise waters beaming with life. I look forward to heading back.
Kofi Dotse is a Ghanaian social media marketing consultant, travel journalist and freelance writer. He specialises in travel, impact and culture writing and conducting research in Africa. Kofi has an extensive portfolio of clients globally. Some of his clients include Global Citizen, Fodors Travel, Jetsetter Magazine, Face 2 Face Africa, Okay Africa, and more. He highlights unique destinations and experiences across Africa while spotlighting sustainability, emerging and groundbreaking stories around culture and entertainment across the continent.