Not to miss

Northern São Tomé

This beautiful island is full of the oddly weathered, pillar-like remnants of extinct volcanoes, some of which rise 600m (196ft) straight up out of the jungle. The coasts are ringed with white sandy beaches and clear water. You can also visit the coffee and cocoa plantations not far from town.

North of town, there is some stunning scenery but not many beaches. The country dries out around the north of the island, where magnificent baobab trees grow among rolling hills. The road peters out into dense jungle just past Santa Catarina, which is as far as the taxis will go on the west coast.

The road south of town takes you past some of the island's best beaches. The poetically named Praia das Sete Ondas (Beach of the Seven Waves) is about 12km (7.4mi) south of town. The spectacular blowhole Boca de Inferno (Hell's Mouth) nearby is worth seeing.

Trinidade

Trinidade is a pleasant town in the island's interior, and you can visit the waterfall Cascadas de São Nicolau nearby. You can also hike up Pico São Tomé, the island's highest point at 2024m (6639ft). There are buses couple of hours from São Tomé, a trip of about 10km (6mi), or you can hitch.

Lagoa Azul

Just beyond the secluded beaches of Praia das Conchas and Praia dos Tamarindos is Lagoa Azul (Blue Lagoon), which has excellent snorkelling but only a rocky beach. The surrounding giant baobab trees are home to numerous bird species.

Ilhéu das Rolas

Ilhéu das Rolas is a small islet straddling the equator off the southern tip of São Tomé. It's an amazingly beautiful little island, home to the very upscale dive resort, Pestana Equador. If you're up for a splurge you can eat here and enjoy the beach, and they'll provide boat transport to and from their private dock north of Porto Alegre.

Príncipe

Smaller than São Tomé, Príncipe has a dramatic landscape of jutting volcanic mountains covered by virgin forest and ringed by clear-water beaches. The island boasts excellent snorkelling and fishing, and locals can provide boats or bikes, or guide you on pretty much any kind of tour you want; negotiate a price.

The island's capital is Santo António, which is about the size of a large European village. The town's architecture is similar to that of São Tomé town but more run-down.

The centre of action is the very upscale Bom Bom Island Resort, to the north of the island, which has brought improved infrastructure and some very well-off tourists.