Roca Sundy
Roça Sundy is composed of two perfectly restored plantation houses. The feeling that you are living in a bygone era follows you around and you’ll share this extraordinary experience with the local inhabitants who still live, work and go to school on this unique plantation, where Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity was proven.
When staying at Roça Sundy you'll find yourself surrounded by history and authenticity. And that's because you'll be staying at one of the old Roças (Cocoa Plantation) that used to be the second largest on Príncipe Island. Not only that, you'll get to meet the local community that lives, works and goes to school in the surrounding area.
Roça Sundy’s place in history was to take an unexpected turn when it became linked to one of the most important scientific discoveries of the last century. In May 1919, Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity was proven here by Sir Arthur Eddington, an English astronomer, physicist and mathematician, while observing a solar eclipse (His conclusions were based on the curvature of light rays, or the deflection of light, which proved that space and time were not absolute, as Newton had claimed).
Exquisitely restored, the property features 15 comfortable rooms: nine in the Cacao House and six in the Eclipse House. The Eclipse House, the main house of the old Roça times, is home to the hotel facilities including the restaurant and bar. Meals are served on a beautiful, romantic veranda with the most wonderful view. At the Cacao House, the style is more contemporary but with the same level of comfort and splendid views overlooking the tropical forest. However, it’s not just the old memories and fantastic preservation of the historical heritage of Roça Sundy Cacao House that will make your experience unique; it’s the fact that you share all of this with the local inhabitants still living on the plantation. Where else can you start up a conversation with a local farmer, greet children on their way to school, dance, or sit at the banco da má língua (the griping bench) and speak your truth?
Exquisitely restored, the property features 15 comfortable rooms: nine in the Cacao House and six in the Eclipse House.
Explore Principe
You know you will fall in love with Príncipe the moment you set eyes on the Island and encounter its luxurious green forests, golden beaches, and emerald sea. And so, you will want to know more, learn about the culture, taste the food, embrace the smells and immerse yourself in this Paradise. This ride through Príncipe Island is the best way to get in touch with all of it, driving from the capital city of Santo António, through some of the most important Roças (Plantation Houses) – Paciência, Belmonte, Porto Real, Nova Estrela, Sundy – and to the small traditional fishing village of Praia Abade. Tour - Full Day | 8 hours
Birdwatching
Príncipe Island is famous as a Natural Paradise, and birdwatching is certainly an activity you’ll want to experience when you decide to visit this corner of heaven. Príncipe Island is famous as a Natural Paradise, and birdwatching is certainly an activity you’ll want to experience when you decide to visit this corner of heaven. There are between 21 to 29 endemic species of birds registered in São Tomé and Príncipe that are lucky enough to live in these highly preserved forests.
Birds play an important role in the conservancy of the eco-system and are thus protected by the locals. Their different calls, bright colors and happy vibes make Príncipe Island an even better place for all who have the good fortune to live there. So, whether you are an experienced professional birdwatcher – and for that reason you will already know that you are close to paradise – or just someone who can’t resist the appeal of the songs, take your binoculars and camera and let yourself be guided by the rhythms and the tunes. Tour 2-4 hours.
Cocoa Route
Cocoa is so deeply rooted in the history, day-to-day life and culture of São Tomé and Príncipe that it’s almost impossible not to have a “cacao” experience involving this peculiar fruit or the tasty product it is transformed into chocolate.
During this experience, on a trip through the plantation, you will be able to learn how the Cacaueiro tree is planted, cultivated and grown. And from there, we will be visiting the old dryers and learning all about the transformation process. The tour ends with another type of journey: a voyage through the flavors, while tasting several cocoa-based products. Tour - Half Day | 4 hours
Cooking Workshop
You have to cross a wooden, 140 meter long, bridge to get to this cozy and relaxed restaurant.
Cooking is a good way to express your love for food and those who will be lucky enough to try it. In a place filled with exquisite flavors and so many different types of fresh exceptional produce, you will surely want to discover all the secrets of the local cuisine. And you’ll want to take those flavors home with you!
Try out your cooking skills with this workshop and learn how to get the best from the local produce, learn a little bit more about the ingredients, and enjoy a good time experimenting like a five star Chef. And immerse yourself in the culture of the welcoming people of Príncipe Island, with whom you already share long lasting memories.
Diving
People say that diving is an easy and interesting way to have a good time and relax. But it is also the perfect opportunity to explore a completely new world. Beautiful and unique, filled with all the colors of the wonderful and peculiar creatures swimming around you. Príncipe has a wide range of diving sites, where you may encounter diving buddies like funny-looking fish, nice sea turtles and a curious seahorse or two. Add warm water and a calm sea to create the perfect conditions for this amazing sport. Just let yourself go with the flow! Enjoy the silence and let your body and mind be immersed in a sensation of peace. Whether you’re a beginner, or a pro, our PADI Dive Center can help you make the most of your time on the island. Join us for a dive trip, or to improve your diving skills, with courses ranging from Discover Scuba Diving all the way up to Dive Master. Tour – Full Day
Snorkeling
It’s fun. That’s the best way to put it. But also one of the simplest techniques. Explore the luxurious marine wildlife of Príncipe Island. You just have to put on a mask and a snorkel, add a pair of flippers and swim on the surface of the water and watch the magical world that opens up below. Then explore, swim, enjoy and who knows discover how fascinating and enchanting life is in the water. Because it is so easy, it’s also a good activity for a first contact with underwater wildlife and it’s recommended for all ages. We are quite sure that just like we did, you will fall in love with this unique and heavenly realm.
Explore the South
Starting at the only town on Príncipe Island, Santo António, the smallest capital city in the world, the next stop is the traditional fishing village of Praia Abade. A place that will give you an idea of how important fish and the ocean are to this exceptional Island. And from there, the road leads us to some very beautiful and unique panoramic spots, such as the Nova Estrela (New Star) Viewpoint from where you may just have the best view of the Ilhéu Boné de Jóquei (Jockey Cap Islet), or the Terreiro Velho viewpoint with its spectacular sight of the national park to the east and small village of São Joaquim, to the west. Tour - Half Day | 4 hours
Infante Plantation House
A walk through nature and green landscapes, but also, a way to travel back in time. Abandoned for almost 50 years, nature followed its course and the vegetation settled around the old house giving a new life to this empty space.
The Roça is about 18 km from the capital of Príncipe, Santo António. Along the way, enjoying the company of birds, plants and flowers, you will be able to visit another plantation house, Roça Ribeira Fria, and admire some of the rocky formations that populate this volcanic island. And what about taking a peek at the old harbor used by the Roça to dispatch its produce at Praia General Fonseca? Unforgettable. Tour 19,08 km | 7-8 hours | Medium Difficulty
Kayak or Piroga
Enjoy a sail along the coast, looking for that very special spot you find yourself drawn to and want to see up close.
Sailing, at your own pace, on a Kayak (which means man's boat or hunter's boat) or a Piroga, a traditional African canoe, still used today by the island’s fishermen, is an experience you shouldn’t miss at Príncipe. Or, if you prefer to be guided by a professional, you can rent this type of small boat with a crew.
Either way, enjoy a sail along the coast, looking for that very special spot you find yourself drawn to and want to see up close, because, as we’ve said many times before, it’s from the sea that you can get some of the best views of the Island. Or just enjoy the ocean breeze, the heat of the sun and the relaxing sound of the waves.
O Quê Pipi Waterfall
It’s not just the beautiful, tall, impressive natural waterfall. It’s also the lagoon that instantly invites visitors to a fresh swim. But let’s not get ahead of things. To get there, you walk along a narrow hiking trail, surrounded by very tall, hollow kapoks, palm and coconut trees, that create a green dome above you and seem to be there just to protect you from the strength of the sun. As you approach Príncipe's Biosphere Reserve you will see the O Quê Pipi Waterfall, with its sweet, transparent water, a wonderful sight that will make you just want to dive, relax, and let a sense of peace invade you in this quiet, almost empty and astonishingly beautiful place. Tour 2,27 km | 3-4 hours | Easy/Beginners
Parrot Peak
Located in the center of the Island, visible from the capital city Santo António, Parrot Peak is one of its most famous mountains. Volcanic in origin and approximately 700 meters high. This walk to the top will take you through a luxurious tropical forest, deep inside the National Park, giving you the opportunity to see a wide variety of beautiful plants, mainly orchids and medicinal plants. You also share the walk with monkeys, and birds that almost seem to guide you with their singing.
And when you get to the top of the Parrot Peak, you know for sure why you decided to come here in the first place. The trail is wonderful, the surrounding forest unique, but there is nothing like the view you get from this height. Saying it’s wonderful, breathtaking, awesome and incredible seems like an understatement to what you will feel when you are there. Tour 7,18 km | 3-4 hours | Medium Difficulty
Plantations Tour
The best way to get to know the Roças (Plantation Houses) and how life was once and still is in some of these very important places in the past, present and future of Príncipe Island. Starting at Roça Paciência, currently an organic farming plantation, where HBD Príncipe grows and produces a wide range of products used in the Hotels, such as jams, tropical muesli, toiletries and beauty products. Then continuing on to Roça Belmonte (beautiful mountain) whose name gives you an idea of the beauty of the place and then to Roça Porto Real, visiting the empty but still impressive old hospital, main house and workshops.
The tour is completed by a visit to the lovely town of Santo António, the world’s smallest capital city, to enjoy a bit of the local life, maybe tour the market or visit the Governor’s Palace. Tour - Half Day | 4 hours
Recycle and Reuse Local Initiative
A fundamental part of the Island’s sustainable development is the involvement of the local communities. That’s why this project is so important and would benefit from the participation of those who visit Príncipe.
Created locally, this inspiring cooperative is a means to provide financial independence to the women and to help the growth of the community. Here, women produce and sell jewellery made from reused glass that would otherwise be sent to the trash. They also recycle organic waste into natural compost for farming. Let yourself be moved by this eco-friendly and sustainable project and come along to meet these motivating women.
Santa Joaquina
The fact that it was once the largest Roça (Plantation House) on Príncipe Island, is only one of the many reasons to visit Santa Joaquina. There are so many more. But the best way to fully enjoy this journey through nature and history is to put on some comfy shoes and come along.
You’ll find that whenever you walk around Príncipe Island, you’ll have some lively encounters with the local fauna, see trees almost as old as the world, smell the earthy scent of the ground and admire the plants and flowers that seem to be stretching out just to say hello. And along the way, visit the lookout point for ships and enjoy a picnic with the best view over the town of Santo António. Tour 8,69 km | 5-6 hours | Easy/Beginners
Spawning & Hatching of Sea Turtles
Sea turtles are quite an enigmatic species and there are still many unanswered questions about their habits, life cycle and many other details. We do know that they are an endangered species that needs to be protected, and here at Príncipe Island we have set up some programs to help preserve these amazing creatures.
Every year, between September and April, thousands of sea turtles leave the ocean and take a journey around the beach to lay their eggs. About 100 of them! This is a unique moment for those who are lucky enough to be around at the time. Then approximately two months later, it is possible to see baby turtles hatching from the eggs and finding their way to the sea. Witnessing them running to the water is something you will never forget. And on Príncipe Island, among many other adventures and unique moments, you get to experience all of this. Tour - 3 hours
The beaches of the northeast by boat
This trip is designed for Sea and Beach lovers. Discover Príncipe’s most beautiful beaches on the northeast of the island.
Trail Ribeira Izé
Take over the space men left empty behind them. Walking though the tropical forest, listening to the sound of the leaves, watching the shapes of the sunlight criss-crossing through the shadows of the trees, and dancing with the singing birds is an experience you will keep with you for a long time.
This trail that goes through Príncipe Island’s first town, takes you to the ruins of an old Catholic Portuguese Church, whose ruins remain standing in the middle of the local jungle that over the years has taken over the space men left empty behind them. Tour 2,4 km | 3-4 hours | Easy/Beginners
Visit the Bay of Needles
Right at the edge of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Baía das Agulhas (Bay of Needles) is a place like no other. It gets its name from the phonolite towers rising up from the skyline. During this three-hour boat trip, you’ll be able to enjoy some of the most spectacular views of the western side of the Reserve and explore several stunning beaches, some of them almost secret. It’s not hard to guess that the best of the journey is probably the fact that you are watching nature at its purest. You feel both amazed and at peace.
The trip starts on the North tip of the Island at Ribeira Izé beach, and goes right to the edge of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, crossing seven other wonderful beaches - Sundy, Margarida, Furada, Ióla, Esprainha, Caixão, Lapa - and ending at Maria Correia, a very beautiful and almost empty beach, right in the middle of the Bay of Needles. Tour – 3 hours
