São Tomé and Príncipe
Snorkeling and bird watching are two of the many attractions that the islands of Sao Tome and Principe have to offer.
From the 1500s until the 20th century Sao Tome was a Portuguese outlet for the cultivation of coffee, cocoa and sugar. Independence was achieved in 1975 with Manuel Pinto da Costa as president, presiding over a country left with virtually no skilled workers and a population that was 90 percent illiterate. To alleviate some of these problems, Sao Tome looked to western Europe as well as communist countries. Then, along with other African nations, Sao Tome embraced the democracy movement and elections were held in 1991. The most recent election, in 2001, brought Fradique De Menezes to power. The people of Sao Tome hope recent discoveries of oil offshore will help the country establish a better standard of living and that the new resources will lead to corruption and tarnish the nation’s democratic record.
Sao Tome and Principe sustains a small population just over 100,000. The official language is Portuguese and the major religion is Roman Catholicism. The diverse culture consists of Portuguese, West African and a little Latin influence. There is emphasis on song and dance as well as visual art.
There are a few options to getting to Sao Tome. One means is fly to London, Portugal or Gabon and catch a connecting flight to Sao Tome. The second and most popular option is to catch a cruise or a passenger boat to islands. Both the airport and the seaport offer minibuses and taxis, which are both relatively cheap to take you around the island or to your hotel. Also available for getting around are rental cars. When renting a vehicle, the best idea is to rent a four-wheel-drive to effectively navigate the nation’s roads.
Sao Tome offers a few local resorts, including the Hotel Miramar. It has an excellent restaurant and bar, and a swimming pool next to a beautifully manicured garden.