11 fun facts about São Tomé and Príncipe
Here is a list of fun facts that brings more texture to life on the islands, which we wanted to share as they are not commonly mentioned in guidebooks.
1) ‘Leve Leve’ is the country’s unofficial motto, meaning “take it easy” or “slowly, slowly”. It embodies the local laid-back, stress-free, and relaxed way of life, and is often used as a greeting or a gentle reminder to approach things with lightness and without rushing.
2) One of the best things about São Tomé and Príncipe is the lack of ethnic, tribal, or religious strife. The saying goes that the English and French colonisers made enemies, and the Portuguese made babies!
A warm welcome awaits from the locals – Photo credit Scott Ramsay
3) São Tomé and Príncipe is the second smallest country in Africa after the Seychelles, but its size doesn’t limit its vast range of experiences, things to see, and rich culture. Hiking through jungles, discovering waterfalls and remains of plantations while listening to the calls of its endemic wildlife, and experiencing local traditions and delicacies in fishing villages and colourful cities, this tiny handful of islands offers it all.
The towering point of Pico Cão Grande
4) With only 20,000 visitors per year, São Tomé and Príncipe is the second least visited country in Africa after Equatorial Guinea. Most of its visitors are from Portugal due to the only direct flight from Lisbon. Travel to the islands and discover for yourself Africa’s best kept secret.
5) With a population of 2,500, Príncipe’s capital Santo Antonio claims to be the smallest city in the world. This close-knit population adds to the island’s strong sense of community and undiscovered exclusivity.
A local fisherman
6) São Tomé and Príncipe has the highest density of endemic birds worldwide and provides nesting sites for five endangered species of turtle, including the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, green turtle and leatherback. The islands claim to provide nesting sites for the largest number of turtle species in Africa – it is no surprise the country is sometimes referred to as ‘The African Galápagos’.
São Tomé kingfisher
7) The verb ‘roça’ in Portuguese literally means to clear land of forest. In colonial times when plantations covered the islands for cacao, coffee, and sugarcane production, cleared land stretched from the hill to the sea to allow for the high altitude needed to grow premium products.
The Rocas
8) South African tech billionaire Mark Shuttleworth’s company HBD (Here Be Dragons) has invested a significant amount in Príncipe, turning the dilapidated Roça Sundy and Belo Monte (due to open April 2026) into luxury boutique resorts, building hotel Sundy Praia and updating Bom Bom Beach Resort. Mark Shuttleworth funds the Faya Foundation, a non-profit organisation which focuses on preserving the unique biodiversity of Príncipe and has the concession of large areas of pristine rainforest to stop it being turned into palm oil plantations. The Foundation’s Natural Dividend programme aims to create a sustainable development model for the future to ensure that conservation and community go hand in hand. Once the programme meets its goals on Príncipe, it will be expanded globally to help develop a widespread sustainable future.
Roça Sundy
9) In 1908 the major chocolate manufacturers in Europe including Cadbury’s and Rowntree’s boycotted the purchase of STP cacao because of the conditions of effective slavery under which contract workers were employed, which had a major impact on the economy of the islands. The story of the colonial rivalry between Portugal and Britan is told in fictionalised form in Miguel Sousa Tavares novel Equador.
Photo credit – Adrien Marsaud
10) Around 10% of São Toméans, around 20,000 people, live in east London
11) Boris Becker’s third wife Lillian de Carvalho Monteiro is from São Tomé.
What next?
Managing Director, Alice, has been on the ground, personally exploring these stunning islands. Based on her trip, she’s designed two Aardvark Safaris suggested itineraries that she feels truly capture the absolute highlights of São Tomé and Príncipe.
- Explore the best of both islands in 14 days
- Short on time – this 8 day itinerary gives you a good rounded experience of both island
Read more: The idyllic beaches of São Tomé and Príncipe – Highlights of São Tomé and Príncipe – A guide to São Tomé and Príncipe.
Listen: Our Managing Director, Alice, recently joined the Action Packed Travel Podcast to discuss one of Africa’s best-kept secrets: the enchanting islands of São Tomé and Príncipe.
Camel safari, Kenya, Laikipia, 
Luxury safari accommodation Waterberg, South Africa, 
Hippos on a walking safari, South Luangwa, Zambia, 
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