2 weeks in São Tomé from Douala: budget or luxury?

Do you have a Cameroonian passport and dream of an island right on your doorstep? São Tomé and Príncipe, in the Gulf of Guinea, is doable in two weeks. Djo goes on a tight budget, every franc counts. Ebelle goes in luxury: lodge, beach, the works. Here are their two budgets, item by item.

The budget at a glance

Ebelle spends five times more than Djo. And her accommodation alone costs almost 15 times Djo's.

The flight from Douala

No direct flight between Cameroon and São Tomé: you need a stopover, usually in Libreville, Gabon. Count on about 8 hours of travel at best.

• Djo books his ticket early: about 600,000 FCFA return.
• Ebelle keeps her dates flexible: about 900,000 FCFA.

Prices depend a lot on the date: book several weeks in advance.

Visa and taxes

• E-visa to apply for online, on the migration service website: the application is free, then you pay €20 in cash on arrival. Cameroon is not one of the visa-exempt countries.
• A €25 tourist tax, paid at the airport since March 2026, plus €10 more if you go to Príncipe (that's why Ebelle's line costs more).
• A yellow fever vaccination card is mandatory.

Accommodation

• Djo: a guesthouse in town, about $30 a night. That's about 245,000 FCFA for 14 nights.
• Ebelle: 10 nights at Omali Lodge, on the beach near the capital, then 4 nights on the island of Príncipe, at Sundy Praia. Total: about 3.6 million FCFA for one person (Sundy Praia's rates are per person).

The craziest part: since 2025, the whole country has been a UNESCO biosphere reserve. São Tomé and Príncipe is the first country in the world to be classified in its entirety.

Food and getting around

• Djo eats local (fish, rice, plantain): about 140,000 FCFA. He gets around by shared taxi, with 3 days with a driver to tour the island: about 165,000 FCFA.
• Ebelle: restaurants, a private driver and the flight to Príncipe: about 1.2 million FCFA.

Outings

The must-sees: Ilhéu das Rolas, sitting right on the equator, the old roças (cocoa plantations) and Pico Cão Grande, a needle of volcanic rock rising out of the forest.

• Djo: boat trip and visits, about 65,000 FCFA.
• Ebelle: diving, a private boat and excursions, about 400,000 FCFA.

When to go?

The dry season (the *gravana*) runs from June to September. October opens the rainy season: greener, but with showers. For the beach and boat trips, aim for the dry season.

Your own budget

The visa, flights and budget for São Tomé are on the Travora guide, from Cameroon. And you: budget or luxury?

Looking for other easy-to-reach destinations? Here are the 90 countries you can visit without going through an embassy with a Cameroonian passport.