How many days to spend on Príncipe Island: the short answer, why two days are not enough, day-by-day 3, 4 and 5-day itineraries and how many days to allow for São Tomé and Príncipe in total.
How many days on Príncipe Island? Three nights is the minimum that makes sense, and four or five are ideal. With three nights you can see Roça Belo Monte, Praia Banana and Santo António and take a boat trip. With four or five you add Baía das Agulhas at a relaxed pace, a forest hike and time to do nothing at all. A full trip to São Tomé and Príncipe, covering both islands, needs 9 to 11 days.
Would you rather have everything arranged? Our Príncipe Island and São Tomé trip includes flights from Lisbon and between the islands, the Bom Bom Resort, half board and a guide, in 9 days from €2,950.
The question sounds simple, but on Príncipe the answer depends on the plane. There are no domestic flights on Tuesdays, the first and last days are partly taken up by flights and there are few rooms. In this guide we give you the short answer, day-by-day itineraries for 3, 4 and 5 days and how to fit Príncipe into a trip from Europe.
Praia Banana, Príncipe's best-known image, fits into any itinerary of three nights or more. Photo: Príncipe Collection
▶ Video: Príncipe Island's beaches from the air, from Praia Banana to Baía das Agulhas. Watch the video on YouTube. Footage: Príncipe Collection
In this article
- How many days on Príncipe Island: the short answer
- Why two days are not enough
- 3-day Príncipe Island itinerary
- 4-day itinerary
- 5-day itinerary
- How many days for São Tomé and Príncipe in total
- When to go and how long to stay
- Frequently asked questions
How many days on Príncipe Island: the short answer
| Nights | Recommendation | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Not recommended | Only one full day left |
| 3 | The minimum | Santo António, Roça Belo Monte and Praia Banana, a boat trip along the north coast |
| 4 | The right balance | Add a boat day around Baía das Agulhas |
| 5 or more | To switch off | Add the Natural Park forest, birds, turtles and Macaco and Boi beaches |
Why two days are not enough
The flight from São Tomé to Príncipe takes about 40 minutes, but arrival and departure days are partly lost to transfers, check-in and waiting. With two nights you get a single full day, and if it rains or the sea is too rough for a boat trip, you miss the most beautiful part of the island. Paying for the domestic flight for so little time is rarely worth it. We explain flights, days and baggage in how to get to Príncipe Island.
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Sao Tome and Principe Island Holiday: 9 Days with Flights9 days / 8 nightsfrom 2,950 €
3-day Príncipe Island itinerary
For those short on time who want to see the essentials.
- Day 1: morning flight from São Tomé, arrival and a walk around Santo António, the tiny capital. Late afternoon on the beach by your accommodation.
- Day 2: up to Roça Belo Monte for the view over Praia Banana, then down to the beach for a swim. In the afternoon, a boat trip along the north coast.
- Day 3: free morning on an empty beach and flight back to São Tomé.
Santo António can be explored on foot in a morning: it is one of the smallest capitals in the world. Photo: Príncipe Collection
4-day Príncipe Island itinerary
The format we recommend most. It adds Baía das Agulhas, best seen from the sea.
- Day 1: flight from São Tomé, check-in and an afternoon on the beach.
- Day 2: Santo António, Roça Belo Monte and sunset over Praia Banana.
- Day 3: boat day around Baía das Agulhas, with stops for swimming and snorkelling in coves reachable only by sea.
- Day 4: a short forest walk or a free morning, and the flight back.
Baía das Agulhas, on the west coast: the day that makes the fourth night worthwhile. Photo: Príncipe Collection
5-day Príncipe Island itinerary
For those who want the whole island and some time for the «leve-leve» pace.
- Day 1: arrival, check-in and beach.
- Day 2: Santo António and Roça Belo Monte, with a walk down to Praia Banana.
- Day 3: a full day by boat around Baía das Agulhas, with lunch on a secluded beach.
- Day 4: a guided hike in the forest of Príncipe Natural Park, among abandoned plantations and birds found nowhere else.
- Day 5: free morning at Praia Macaco or Praia Boi and the flight back.
With five days there is time for the southern forest and the plantations that nature has reclaimed. Photo: Príncipe Collection
Featured trip
Sao Tome and Principe Island Holiday: 9 Days with Flights
Both islands in one trip: São Tomé plus an extension to Principe Island, with the inter-island flight, five guided excursions and a 4x4 with driver included.
There are no domestic flights on Tuesdays, so these itineraries always adjust to the days the plane flies. If you arrive on a Monday, for example, your stay stretches to Wednesday.
How many days for São Tomé and Príncipe in total
From Europe, the maths works like this:
- 1 day travelling from Lisbon to São Tomé, with a night in the capital.
- 4 to 5 days on São Tomé island: cocoa and coffee plantations, the south with Pico Cão Grande and Rolas Islet.
- 3 to 4 nights on Príncipe.
- 1 day for the return.
In practice, 9 days is the minimum for both islands and 10 to 11 days is ideal. Our trip Holidays in São Tomé and Príncipe Island covers both islands in 9 days, with TAP flights from Lisbon, the domestic flight and nights at Bom Bom, from €2,950 per person. For other formats, see our São Tomé and Príncipe itineraries.
When to go and how long to stay in each season
- June to September (gravana): the dry, cooler season, best for hiking and whale watching. Four nights are plenty.
- December to February (gravanita): more sun, beaches and turtles. Four to five nights.
- March to May and October to November: short, heavy showers. Allow five nights to leave room for rainy days.
Month by month in the best time to visit São Tomé and Príncipe.
Evenings on Príncipe deserve time: the best reason not to go for just two days. Photo: Príncipe Collection
Frequently asked questions about how many days to spend on Príncipe
How many days do you need on Príncipe Island?
Between three and five nights. Four is the right balance to see the plantations, the capital and Praia Banana and to take the boat trip to Baía das Agulhas.
Is it worth going to Príncipe for a weekend?
No. Between flights and transfers there is little useful time left. If you only have two days, make the most of the south of São Tomé island instead.
How many days for São Tomé and Príncipe with both islands?
At least 9 days from Europe; 10 to 11 days is ideal.
Can you do a day trip to Príncipe from São Tomé?
In theory there are morning and afternoon flights on some days, but we do not recommend it: you get only a few hours and no margin for delays.
Which day of the week are there no flights to Príncipe?
Tuesday. On Saturdays there is usually only the morning flight.
How much do three nights on Príncipe cost?
From about €550 per person for a simple version to €2,000 or more for luxury, including the domestic flight. Details in how much a trip to Príncipe Island costs.
Príncipe already built into your trip
The hardest part about Príncipe is matching your days with the flights and available rooms. On the trip Holidays in São Tomé and Príncipe Island that is already taken care of. To know what to do each day, read our guide Príncipe Island: things to do and our comparison of hotels on Príncipe Island.
