Just Landed in Sao Tome and Principe? Your First 7 Days

Mobile data is the practical way to get online, as fixed broadband is limited, expensive and slow. Coverage is decent in Sao Tome city but thins out fast in rural areas and on Principe, and reliability drops during power cuts. Buy a prepaid SIM, top up with data bundles, and do not expect consistent high speeds. The country connects to the world via undersea cable, but domestic infrastructure remains fragile.

Typical cost: A prepaid SIM costs around 80 STN with a little starting credit; monthly data bundles run roughly 200-500 STN depending on volume, and both CST and Unitel now offer 4G in the main urban areas.

The dobra (STN) is pegged to the euro at a fixed rate of 24.5 STN to 1 EUR, a peg in place since 2010 under an agreement with Portugal, so euros are informally accepted in some hotels and shops. Everything else is cash. Bring euros to change rather than US dollars, as euros are more widely recognised and get you a fairer rate closer to the official peg.

Opening an account: BISTP (Banco Internacional de Sao Tome e Principe) is the dominant bank, with the main branch network and the most reliable ATMs. Opening an account as a foreigner generally requires a residence authorisation, your passport and proof of address, and the process can be slow. A couple of smaller banks (such as Ecobank and Afriland) also operate, but BISTP is the practical default for newcomers.

Cash: Sao Tome is overwhelmingly cash-based. Carry dobras in small denominations for taxis, the market, minibuses and restaurants, as card payments and mobile money are rare and few vendors can break large notes. Withdraw cash while you have the chance, since ATMs occasionally run out or go offline.

Tipping: Tipping is not expected. Rounding up a restaurant bill or leaving 5-10% for good service is appreciated but never obligatory, and there is no tipping culture for taxis or everyday services.

Foreigners intending to stay beyond a short visit must regularise their stay and obtain a residence authorisation (autorizacao de residencia) from the Servico de Migracao e Fronteiras (SMF), the migration and borders service in Sao Tome. Address and residence registration is tied to this permit rather than being a separate town-hall step. Applications can be initiated online through the SMF e-Cidadao portal, which asks for a digitised passport valid for more than a year, and the service quotes a response window of around seven working days, though real-world timelines can be longer. Keep proof of your accommodation, as your address forms part of the application.

Deadline: Regularise within the validity of your entry visa or permit; the residence authorisation is applied for locally before that entry document expires.

Where: Servico de Migracao e Fronteiras (SMF), Sao Tome city, and its e-Cidadao online portal

Getting around means shared minibuses, shared taxis and private taxis; there is no formal public timetable and no ride-hailing app. Shared taxis and minibuses follow set routes for a few dobras and are the cheap local option, while private hire is negotiated per trip and settled in cash. Roads in the capital are reasonable but deteriorate quickly in rural areas, so many expats rent or buy a 4x4 for trips beyond town. Fuel stations are few, so fill up when you can.

From the airport: Sao Tome International Airport (TMS) is about 7 km from the city centre, roughly a 15-minute drive. Take a taxi (agree the fare in dobras before departing) or arrange a hotel or landlord pickup, as there is no shuttle bus or metered service. To reach Principe, you fly the short domestic hop from TMS on STP Airways or take a much slower cargo and passenger boat.

Most newcomers rent through word of mouth, local contacts or Facebook and WhatsApp groups rather than agencies, because there is barely any formal listings market. Furnished houses and apartments cluster in and around Sao Tome city, in areas such as the historic centre, Bairro do Hospital and residential zones toward Pantufo and Bombom. Supply is thin and turnover slow, so plan to start in a hotel or guesthouse while you search, and expect to view places in person rather than online.

Typical rent: A furnished apartment or small house in the capital typically runs from around 7,000-20,000 STN per month (roughly 300-800 EUR-equivalent), with expat-standard properties and sea-view villas costing considerably more.

Deposit norm: Expect one to two months' rent as a deposit, usually negotiated directly with the owner and paid in cash, often alongside the first month upfront. Written contracts exist but informal arrangements are common, so clarify terms clearly at the outset.

Healthcare is basic and capacity is minimal. Hospital Ayres de Menezes in Sao Tome is the main public hospital, but serious cases are routinely evacuated to Lisbon, Libreville or Luanda, which can be slow and expensive to arrange. Bring a personal supply of any regular medication and do not assume you can source specialist drugs locally. Dental and specialist care are especially limited.

How to access it: For minor issues use a pharmacy or a private clinic in the capital; for emergencies go to Hospital Ayres de Menezes or call 112. Care is limited and often requires up-front cash payment, so keep dobras accessible. Response times for ambulances can be slow, and many residents simply take a private car to hospital.

Insurance: There is no reciprocal health cover for foreigners. Carry comprehensive international health insurance that explicitly includes emergency medical evacuation, because local capacity for serious illness or injury is very limited and an evacuation flight to Lisbon or Libreville can cost tens of thousands of euros without cover.

• Greet people before getting to business; a handshake and a warm 'bom dia' or 'boa tarde' go a long way and skipping the greeting reads as rude.
• Learn a little Portuguese, even basic phrases, as English is rarely spoken outside a few hotels and effort is genuinely appreciated.
• Embrace leve-leve (take it easy); appointments and services run late, and pushing hard or showing visible impatience is seen as bad manners.
• Dress modestly in towns and villages, and ask before photographing people, their children or their homes.
• Accept hospitality graciously; being offered food or drink is common, and refusing outright can cause offence.
• Be patient and polite with officials and shopkeepers; a friendly, unhurried manner opens far more doors than assertiveness.
• Respect the strong role of family, community and church in daily life, and keep noise and behaviour respectful on Sundays.

• Malaria is endemic on both islands; take prophylaxis and use repellent and nets from day one and treat any fever seriously.
• Tap water is not reliably safe to drink; use bottled or properly filtered water for drinking and even for brushing teeth if unsure.
• Power and water cuts are common and unannounced; keep torches, a power bank, candles and stored water at home.
• Roads deteriorate fast outside the capital and are poorly lit at night; drive cautiously and avoid long rural journeys after dark.
• Sun and heat near the equator are intense year-round; stay hydrated, use sun protection and pace yourself in the humidity.