São Tomé Sanctuary

Floating in the Gulf of Guinea, this two-island nation, Africa’s second-smallest, blends natural wonders with a gripping history. São Tomé & Príncipe remains safe and welcoming to visitors, particularly ecotourists, for whom the lush jungle is a delight. This is particularly true on tidy and unspoiled Príncipe, an island of just 7000 people. With vast canopies of green, only broken by spires of primordial rock, Príncipe is a magnificent Lost World, offering fantastic beaches, jungle exploration, snorkeling, fishing, bird watching, and a handful of interesting accommodations, with minimal tourist pressure. For many years the island country has had a vast network of commercial plantations and has been a center of global cocoa production in West Africa.