São Tome e Príncipe - General Information
- Official Name: Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe
- Capital: São Tomé
- Area: 1001 Km² (São Tomé – 859 Km², Principe – 142 Km²) plus smaller isles
- Climate: Equatorial, with a hot season (September-May) and a cool season (June-August); average annual temperatures range from 21.4ºC to 29.4ºC
- Population: ~153,000
- Languages: Forro, Lunguye, Angolar, Portuguese
- Religion: Mainly Roman Catholic, also Protestant and Adventist
- Currency: Dobra
- Measurements: Metric system
- Time Zone: GMT
- Electricity: 220 Volts
- Public Holidays: January 1, February 3, May 1, June 12, September 6, September 30, December 21, December 25
- Work Hours: Public services: 07:00-15:30, Financial institutions: 07:00-17:00, Stores: 08:00-12:00 and 15:00-17:30 (Weekdays), 08:00-13:00 (Saturdays)
Visas:
- No visa required for stays under 15 days.
- Visa exemption for up to 15 days for passport holders from CPLP, EU, USA, Canada, and those with a valid Schengen or USA visa, provided their passport has at least three more months of validity.
- Visas for stays over 15 days can be obtained from the Sao Tome and Principe embassy in Lisbon via their website or by requesting an application form
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Getting there
International flights to São Tomé
You can fly to São Tomé using the following routes:
- Lisbon (Portugal) - São Tomé
- Luanda (Angola) - São Tomé
- Libreville (Gabon) - São Tomé
Way to go from the UK
Flights by TAP Air Portugal, which flies from Gatwick to São Tomé via Lisbon from around £650 return (including an optional stopover of up to three nights). Inter-island flights from São Tomé to Príncipe start at £150 return
Domestic flights to Principe
There are no direct flights to the island of Príncipe, and airlines only reach the island of São Tomé. Air travel to Pricipe is carried out by the national carrier STP Airways .
STP Airways - Operates on Mondays and Fridays, departing São Tomé for Príncipe at 9:00 am and arriving at 9:30 am. Check-in takes place in São Tomé from 7:30am. Ticket price varies between 260 and 270 euros (return)
Telephone: International dialing code: 00239. Cell phones only work with phone cards, which can be bought from 10 euros.
Time difference: Berlin 12 p.m. = São Tomé 10 a.m. (in winter only minus 1 hour difference).
Money: 1 euro = approx. 23,200 Dobra; 10,000 Dobra = approx. 0.45 euros. Take cash with you (otherwise only available from banks by credit card), as there are no ATMs. Cash withdrawals in São Tomé and Príncipe can only be carried out at banking institutions and with your credit card.
Hotels accept euros, dollars and credit cards. → Currency converter
The purchased Dobras must be spent in their entirety in the country, as its exchange to another currency is difficult.
Best travel time: from May to September and December to February. Average annual temperature: 26 degrees, high humidity.
Visa for São Tomé and Príncipe
Entry: Visa (30 days, 60 euros) is only available from the EU embassy (send passport): Embaixada de São Tomé e Príncipe, Av. de Tervuren 175, B-1150 Brussels, Tel. 0032-2-734 89 66, ambassade@saotomeeprincipe.be.
→ List and address of Embassies from São Tomé and Príncipe
Visa regime : Citizens of EU Member States (Schengen area only), of the United States and also citizens holding a visa for any of the aforementioned destinations are exempt from applying for a visa, provided that their stay in S. Tomé e Principe does not exceed the two weeks.
Other visa applications must be requested at least 7 days in advance, at an Embassy or Consulate of São Tomé and Príncipe. Visa applications for entry into the country by members of international organizations must be requested at least 72 hours in advance.
As of June 15, 2016, a tourist tax in the amount of 75,000.00 Dobras (equivalent to approximately €3.5 per tourist per night) came into effect, to be charged at hotels and cruise ship travel agencies.
This fee is in addition to the airport tax of €20.00 that is paid when leaving S. Tomé and Príncipe, at the international airport.
According to the legislation applicable in São Tomé and Príncipe, the validity of the Passport must exceed at least 12 months the duration of the foreseen entry. For tourism purposes, the validity of the passport must be at least 3 months in relation to the planned stay.
Vaccination: A yellow fever vaccination is mandatory (not older than 10 years). Because of endemic malaria, preeventive measures are advised. For COVID Information click here.
How to get there: Star Alliance partner Air Portugal (TAP) flies weekly from Lisbon. Prices from 870 euros return (www.tap.com). Portugal's capital is served by many German airports (e.g. Lufthansa). Air São Tomé e Príncipe flies three times a week between the main islands. Price there and back approx. 90 euros.
National language: Portuguese; French is more widely used as a second language than English.
On the go: The best means of transport on São Tomé are the yellow shared taxis or rental car.
Communication: The internal and international telephone network works well. There are two networks of telecommunications operators (CST and Unitel)
Embassies & Consulates in S. Tomé and Príncipe
- Consular Sector of Angola Embassy in Sao Tome, São Tomé e Príncipe
- Consulate of Italy in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Consulate of Morocco in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Consulate of Belgium in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Consulate of Sao Tome and Principe, Maputo
- Honorary Consulate of Sao Tome and Principe, Madrid
- Honorary Consulate of São Tome and Príncipe, Coimbra
- São Tomé International Airport, Sao Tome Island
- Immigration and Customs Service - Serviço de Imigração e Fronteira
- Honorary Consulate of Switzerland in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Embassy of South-Africa in Sao Tome
- Embassy of France in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Consulate of Cape Verd in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Consulate of Spain in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Consulate of Netherlands in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Consulate of Great Bretain in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Embassy of Portugal in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Republic of China/Taywan Diplomatic Mission in Sao Tome
- United States of America Diplomatic Mission in Sao Tome
- Embassy of Nigeria in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Embassy of Gabon in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Embassy of Equatorial Guinea in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Embassy of Brasil in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
- Embassy of Angola in Sao Tome, Sao Tome and Principe
Public Holidays in Sao Tome and Principe
January 1st - New Year
January 4th - King Amador Day
January 17 - Holiday in Príncipe Island (Discovery of Príncipe Island)
February 3rd - Martyrs' Day
April 29 - Holiday on the Island of Príncipe (Autonomy Day)
12th of July - Independence Day
August 15th - Holiday in Príncipe Island (São Lourenço Day)
September 6 - Armed Forces Day
September 30th - Agrarian Reform Day
December 21st - São Tomé Island Discovery Day
December 25th - Christmas
Sao Tomé and Principe Universities
This is a list of universities in São Tomé and Príncipe are:
- Universidade Lusíada de São Tomé e Príncipe
- Instituto Superior Politécnico
- National Lyceum
