Ecolodge on theSouth Coast

The bungalows at Praia Vanha sit on a hillside above the bay, each with a view out over the ocean and down to the beach below. The setting is quiet and remote: the south coast of São Tomé sees far fewer visitors than the north, and the pace here is different. Mornings are calm, the water is clear, and the nearest town is a short drive away.

The estate belongs to Delícias das Ilhas, a Santomean producer whose Bio-certified vanilla plantation at Porto Alegre grows some of the finest vanilla in Africa, harvested and cured by hand. Staying here means you are on the plantation itself, a short walk from the vanilla vines and the processing shed where the pods are dried and sorted.

On-site there is also a restaurant serving local food prepared with produce from the estate, and an artisan distillery run by Bastien, where Vim Pema Gin and a range of fruit liqueurs are produced using botanicals grown on the property. Guided tastings and plantation walks can be arranged on request. Both are worth your time, though neither is the reason to book: the lodges and the location are.