Where is Sao Tome? Sao Tome and Principe are two small islands located off the West Coast of Africa.
About the Islands The twin islands of Sao Tome and Principe make up Africa's smallest state.
These lush tropical islands sit in the Atlantic atop what was once an active ridge of volcanoes.
There are none of Africa' more famous wildlife here.
The attractions are the beaches, friendly locals and an almost complete lack of tourism.
The islands were a Portuguese discovery and that is still the language spoken.
English is sparse, so a bit of local lingo will be needed to get around.
The country has been independent since 1975 and held their first democratic elections in 1991.
The country is presently stable, but its residents extremely poor.
There is a major oil reserve just off the coast, but this has yet to be exploited and whether the locals would see any benefit if and when it does is questionable.
The risk of violent crime is low compared to other African destinations.
The biggest threat is contracting malaria if you don't take the right precautions.
The cool sounding Dobra is local currency.
There are no ATMs on the islands so you need to bring cash in Euros or US dollars to exchange.
Why Go? Currently there are only 20 or so tourists a week on the islands.
If you really want to get off the beaten track this is the place.
The beaches are worth seeing, the people generally friendly (you will need some Portuguese to get the most out of the trip) there's great diving and the rumour of some decent surf at the right time of year.
Getting There The easiest access to these islands is via direct flights from Portugal with TAP Air.
You can also fly from Libreville, Gabon.
There's a well used shipping route to the Islands but going via freighter is not recommended due to safety concerns.
Currently a return flight from Portugal to the islands is around 1200 Euro on the TAP website.
This is and expensive fare but not out of reach if you are already working or travelling in Europe.
Ask a travel agent if they can get you there.
If they can, stick with them.
Most people, including agents, will not have heard of Sao Tome.
This might just be the best reason to visit.
About the Islands The twin islands of Sao Tome and Principe make up Africa's smallest state.
These lush tropical islands sit in the Atlantic atop what was once an active ridge of volcanoes.
There are none of Africa' more famous wildlife here.
The attractions are the beaches, friendly locals and an almost complete lack of tourism.
The islands were a Portuguese discovery and that is still the language spoken.
English is sparse, so a bit of local lingo will be needed to get around.
The country has been independent since 1975 and held their first democratic elections in 1991.
The country is presently stable, but its residents extremely poor.
There is a major oil reserve just off the coast, but this has yet to be exploited and whether the locals would see any benefit if and when it does is questionable.
The risk of violent crime is low compared to other African destinations.
The biggest threat is contracting malaria if you don't take the right precautions.
The cool sounding Dobra is local currency.
There are no ATMs on the islands so you need to bring cash in Euros or US dollars to exchange.
Why Go? Currently there are only 20 or so tourists a week on the islands.
If you really want to get off the beaten track this is the place.
The beaches are worth seeing, the people generally friendly (you will need some Portuguese to get the most out of the trip) there's great diving and the rumour of some decent surf at the right time of year.
Getting There The easiest access to these islands is via direct flights from Portugal with TAP Air.
You can also fly from Libreville, Gabon.
There's a well used shipping route to the Islands but going via freighter is not recommended due to safety concerns.
Currently a return flight from Portugal to the islands is around 1200 Euro on the TAP website.
This is and expensive fare but not out of reach if you are already working or travelling in Europe.
Ask a travel agent if they can get you there.
If they can, stick with them.
Most people, including agents, will not have heard of Sao Tome.
This might just be the best reason to visit.
Source...