Sao Tomé city center is very run down
Sao Tomé is the main island in the country by the name of Sao Tomé and Principe. The country has about 200 000 inhabitants and is laying right on the equator, in the “armpit” of West Africa.
The cathedral is one of the few landmarks in the city
The capital is also called Sao Tomé and does not have much to offer other than a couple of markets and some run down colonial buildings. An old military fort on the waterfront did some thorough explanaition of the history and biodiversity of the country and was well worth a visit.
The fortress and national museum
Coming back to the same place in the evening and on the weekend was a completely different experience. The place was packed with people drinking beers, listening to music and eating street food while children were swimming on the beach.
The beach below the fortress is packed with people on evenings and weekends
Some buildings in the city had an art deco like architectural style
From the capital we drove North and didnt stop until we had reached one of the most famous spots on the island called Lagua Azul.
The baobab trees by lagua azul can fit people in them!
The colors of the water in Lagoa Azul were a deep blue and very beautiful.
In a country on the equator, with stability, cheap prices and a good climate all year around I was surprised to not see any tourists at these places. Most of the tourists who come here are retired Portuguese, French and Italians who stay in their resorts.
Praia Tamarindo is popular among locals, but I didnt see a single tourist
Also Praia Tamarindo, which is one of the most famous beaches on the island had any other tourists, but it was full of locals who come there on weekends which was good to see.
Kids doing flips on the beach near Praia Tamarindo