All travelers can enter São Tomé and Príncipe visa-free for up to 15 days. For longer stays, a visa is required and can be obtained online at www.smf.st or in person.

All travelers must have a passport valid for at least 3 months beyond entry, a return or onward ticket, and proof of sufficient funds.

A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required if arriving from an at-risk country.

E-Visas take up to 7 working days to process, and upon arrival, travelers must present the printed order code

Transit passengers staying less than 24 hours and not leaving the airport do not need a visa. Visa extensions can be requested in São Tomé. It’s recommended to apply at least one month before your trip.

Recommended Currency

• Bring euros or US dollars – widely accepted in hotels and tourist areas.

• Use Dobras (STN) for local markets, taxis, and small purchases.

ATMs

• Operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• Most machines accept VISA cards.

Banks

• Open Monday to Friday, from 08:00 to 15:00.

Credit Cards

• VISA cards are accepted at hotels.

• Cash is still essential for many everyday transactions.

Currency Limits

• Unlimited import and export of foreign currency, provided it is declared upon arrival.

• Dobras are not convertible outside the country.

Currency Exchange

• Street exchange is legal and can offer better rates than official services.

Traveller’s Cheques

• Accepted, preferably in euros or US dollars.

• Service fees may apply, but there are no major restrictions on usage.

Yellow and Typhoid fever vaccination is required for all travelers. Additionally, malaria is present in the region, so it is important to take appropriate preventive measures, such as using mosquito repellent and, if advised by your doctor, antimalarial medication.

Travelers are strongly encouraged to bring only their chronic medication, as most essential medicines can be found locally. Pharmacies in the region operate in a complementary way—some may carry specific items while others offer different medications.

In general, common medications, including pain relievers, antihistamines, and cold remedies, are widely available and easy to purchase. However, specialized or less common prescription drugs may be more difficult to find, so it’s advisable to bring those if needed.

Before traveling, be sure to check your health insurance coverage, especially regarding international medical care and emergencies.

To prevent waterborne illnesses, drink only boiled, bottled, or treated water—this also applies to brushing your teeth and consuming ice.

t is recommended to bring light clothes, including something to cover your legs and arms during the night. (It may be chilly and there may be mosquitoes). Also, waterproofs are recommended for the rainy season. Rainproof walking boots with good soles are important if you are planning to go hiking. A head torch, Wellingtons, binocular, a rucksack and a mosquito net are also good if you are going inland.

Snorkelling equipment and sun protection are essentials for the beach.

Where to go and when ?
The existence of different climatic zones will almost allow you to choose the climate you like the best according to the weather and season. There is high variation between the different zones, being divided into micro-climates.
If you come for the heat and the sun, then it is recommended to come during the rainy seasons, as the probability of blue skies and high temperatures are best. Some of the highest annual temperatures are registered during the month of December.
If you, one the other hand, come to do trekking or bird watching, the choice should be gravana, the dry season, as the climbing is easier without the rain. One of the best times of the year is gravanita, mid-January to mid-February.
It should be noticed that some birds are more vocal during gravanita, which is the nesting period, than in July-August, and so can be located more easily at this time of the year.

The most important differences between the geographic zones are:

• Northern and Western zone of the island of São Tomé : All year drier than the rest of the island.
• The Northern zone provides you the highest probability of finding a beach for sunbathing also during the rainy season.
• Eastern zone of the island of São Tomé : Semi-humid and rain-forest sheltered beaches.
• Southern zone of the island of São Tomé : Generally more humid and rainy than the rest of the island. During the rainy season, you may have the long stretches of beach all to yourself for a refreshing swim in the rain ! In the South-west of both islands it is prone to rain even in the supposedly dry season.
• Interior of the island of São Tomé : Almost European like temperatures for exploring the rain forest and the mountains. In general, cooler than the rest of the island. During the rainy season it is prone to rain about mid-afternoon accompanied by cold mist, whereas the morning and afternoon in general are sunny.

The official language of São Tomé and Príncipe is Portuguese, which is widely spoken by about 98% of the population. 

French is taught in schools and is understood by approximately 6.8% of the population. Although English is taught as a foreign language, it is spoken by around 4.9% of the people.

However, in most hotels, especially those that are internationally owned, English is spoken, making communication easier for visitors. 

First world tourists visiting a third world country…doesn't have to be heading for disaster...
When packing for your holidays, you may think of what you could bring from the richer part of the world to the poorer...
You may have clothes that you don't need any longer, your children toys they don't play with any longer, you may even think of buying a little extra for your travel pharmacy with the intention of leaving behind all that wasn't needed at the end of your stay...

No matter what you decide to do, the choice is yours and yours only, although we would like you to consider the following:

Doce, doce, doce…!
This cry you will probably hear when driving in the rural districts. It means 'sweets', and you will also most probably see both children and sometimes even grown ups begging for sweets along the road side. Why? Because over the last few years the contact between the populations in the remote areas and tourists has intensified. And someone got the bright idea of throwing sweets out of the window while driving by.

The same is happening to some of the plantation estates close to city.  For every sweet thrown, the problem of begging is increasing, thus creating a serious problem for one of the only sustainable economic sectors in the country: Tourism.

Tourists all over the world complain when they feel themselves treated like walking wallets. So, when you come to a place like São Tomé and Príncipe where you are treated like a person, keep in mind that it is also your responsibility that the place stays that way. Don't let your actions be governed by the urge to relief the feeling of guilt. There will only be more to feel guilty about afterwards, because you have not solved the problem of social injustice, only increased the problem of begging.

So what to do...
We suggest you make a donation either of things you don't need or money to an organisation that works in São Tomé and Príncipe.

If you have a good idea or you need the contact details of local helping organisations, we will be most happy to hear from you.

It would be really sad, if your good intentions turned São Tomé and Príncipe into a country of beggars.

DON´T STIMULATE BEGGING