São Tomé and Príncipe

Is São Tomé and Príncipe safe to visit?

Yes. The two islands in the Gulf of Guinea are among the calmest places in Africa for a visitor. The US rates them Level 2, but for health alone, and in August 2026 it dropped a rule that its own staff needed special permission to travel there. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary calls crime generally low and advises against no part of the country. What deserves attention is the roads, malaria and the lack of medical care. We score São Tomé and Príncipe 67, above its mainland neighbours Gabon (60) and Equatorial Guinea (61), and just below the other Atlantic island state on our site, Cabo Verde (68).

The country has about 240,000 people, so the data is thin and old. The last UNODC homicide figure is from 2011, and the road and malaria figures are WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary.

Crime and politics

WHO's modelled estimate for 2021 is 5.8 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary people. The last national figure is from 2011: UNODC recorded 3.23 that year, and the average from 2006 to 2011 was 3.7. One year, 2008, reached 8.1, which shows how a handful of cases moves the rate in a country this small. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says burglaries and armed robberies can happen even though crime is low overall, so:

• do not wear expensive jewellery or carry large amounts of cash
• leave valuables behind when you go to the beach
• keep passports and documents in the hotel safe

Politics have been tense but peaceful. In January 2025 President Carlos Vila Nova dismissed the government of Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada, a decision the Constitutional Court later found unconstitutional. The presidential election on 19 July 2026 went off calmly, according to RFI, apart from low early turnout, two road blockades in the south of the capital and a boycott that delayed ballot boxes on Rolas islet and at Messias Alves beach. The FCDO says economic hardship and rows over investment projects occasionally lead to unrest. If you see a crowd gathering, go the other way.

Roads and getting around

WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 11.7 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, the figure we score on, in our middle road band. Its 2019 estimate was far higher, 27.9, and with so few people neither figure is precise. What is clear from the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary is that many roads are in poor condition and unlit, especially outside the capital, animals walk on them at night and landslides after heavy rain can block them.

Public transport is limited to shared taxis and motoqueiros, the motorbike taxis, which the FCDO says are often unsafe and in poor condition. Rent a car with a driver for trips to the south of São Tomé island or into the hills, travel by day and wear a seatbelt. To drive yourself you need an international driving permit as well as your licence.

Malaria and medical care

CDC says malaria is present everywhere in the country, including the capital. WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 30 cases per 1,000 people at risk in 2024, up from 10 in 2023, a reversal after years of low numbers. Take antimalarial tablets, use repellent and sleep under a net, and treat any fever after your trip as malaria until tested. CDC also says rabid dogs are common and rabies vaccine may only be found in larger towns.

This is the main reason for the US warning. Medical services are limited, there are no adequate trauma or ambulance services, and even minor problems may need evacuation at your own cost. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says many conditions are treated in Europe, South Africa, Ghana or Gabon. Bring enough prescription medicine for the whole trip and make sure your insurance covers evacuation, including from Príncipe.

Money and practicalities

Cards are not widely accepted and there are only a few ATMs, so withdraw cash at the main bank in the capital or bring enough with you. Drug offences carry severe penalties; pack your own bags and never carry anything for someone else. Same-sex relationships are legal, but the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says public affection may draw negative attention.

How we scored it

Health (38) is the weakest factor, for malaria and very limited medical care. Road safety (64) uses WHO's 2021 estimate of 11.7 deaths per 100,000. Conflict (85) is the strongest, as politics stay peaceful and there is no terrorism threat. Violent crime (72) follows UNODC rates that are now 15 years old and drawn from small numbers, so confidence is low.