West Africa Tourism

WATO is proud to announce that our CEO, Ms. Ola Wright, has been appointed to the Board of A World For Travel, one of the world's leading platforms advancing sustainable and responsible tourism.

This appointment reflects both her outstanding contribution to tourism development and the growing recognition of West Africa's voice in shaping the future of global travel. We congratulate Ms. Wright on this well-deserved achievement and look forward to strengthening collaboration between West Africa and the global tourism community.

Imagine an island where the rainforest meets the ocean, volcanic peaks rise from the mist, and the coastline has barely been touched.

That island exists. Two of them, actually.

São Tomé and Príncipe sits almost exactly on the equator in the Gulf of Guinea and it remains one of Africa’s most unspoiled destinations. Lush biodiversity. Endemic bird species found nowhere else on the planet. Cocoa plantations that once made these islands the world’s largest producer of chocolate, earning it the nickname “the chocolate islands”.

This is slow travel at its most extraordinary. No crowds. No noise. Just the islands, as they are.

West Africa has a hidden gem and it has been hiding in plain sight.

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Did you know these things about São Tomé and Principe?

Hoje, celebramos São Tomé e Príncipe. Situadas no Golfo da Guiné, ao largo da costa equatorial da África Ocidental, estas duas pequenas ilhas vulcânicas carregam uma história de enorme coragem.

Em 12 de julho de 1975, São Tomé e Príncipe libertou-se do domínio colonial português, encerrando séculos de ocupação que remontavam ao século XVI. A liberdade não surgiu por acaso; foi fruto da determinação do Movimento de Libertação de São Tomé e Príncipe (MLSTP), que se organizou no exílio, negociou a soberania e conquistou para o seu povo uma nação própria.

Manuel Pinto da Costa tornou-se o primeiro presidente do país, liderando um povo finalmente livre para traçar o seu próprio destino nas suas ilhas. Cinquenta e um anos depois, São Tomé e Príncipe afirma-se como um dos destinos mais singulares e extraordinários da África Ocidental: um lugar de florestas tropicais exuberantes, picos vulcânicos, costas imaculadas e uma cultura crioula acolhedora, que é inteira e belamente sua. Na WATO, celebramos este dia com orgulho.

Governo de São Tomé e Príncipe

Aujourd'hui, nous célébrons São Tomé-et-Principe. Nichées dans le golfe de Guinée, au large de la côte équatoriale de l'Afrique de l'Ouest, ces deux petites îles volcaniques sont le théâtre d'une histoire marquée par un immense courage.

Le 12 juillet 1975, São Tomé-et-Principe s'est affranchi de la domination coloniale portugaise, mettant fin à des siècles d'occupation remontant au XVIe siècle. Cette liberté n'est pas le fruit du hasard ; elle est née de la détermination du Mouvement pour la libération de São Tomé-et-Principe (MLSTP), qui s'est organisé depuis l'exil, a négocié sa souveraineté et a offert à son peuple une nation qui lui est propre.

Manuel Pinto da Costa est devenu le premier président du pays, à la tête d'un peuple enfin libre de façonner son propre destin sur ses terres. Cinquante et un ans plus t**d, São Tomé-et-Principe s'impose comme l'une des destinations les plus singulières et extraordinaires d'Afrique de l'Ouest, un lieu fait de forêts tropicales luxuriantes, de sommets volcaniques, de côtes préservées et d'une culture créole chaleureuse, authentique et unique en son genre. Chez WATO, nous célébrons cette journée avec fierté.

Governo de São Tomé e Príncipe

Today, we celebrate São Tomé and Príncipe.
Nestled in the Gulf of Guinea, just off the equatorial coast of West Africa, these two small volcanic islands carry a story of enormous courage.

On July 12, 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe broke free from Portuguese colonial rule ending centuries of occupation that dated back to the 1500s. Freedom did not come by chance. It came through the determination of the Movement for the Liberation of São Tomé and Príncipe (MLSTP), who organised from exile, negotiated their sovereignty, and delivered their people a nation of their own.

Manuel Pinto da Costa became the country’s first president leading a people finally free to shape their own destiny on their own islands.
51 years later, São Tomé and Príncipe stands as one of West Africa’s most unique and extraordinary destinations, a place of lush rainforests, volcanic peaks, pristine coastlines, and a warm Creole culture that is entirely, beautifully its own.

At WATO, we honour this day with pride.

Governo de São Tomé e Príncipe

Cape Verde is proof that the ocean shapes more than coastlines, it shapes people, music, and identity. The islands have some of the most pristine and varied beaches in Africa, but what makes the coastline of Cape Verde truly special is the culture wrapped around it.

Cape Verde’s most famous cultural export is morna a deeply emotional music genre born on these islands, most recognized through the voice of the late Cesária Évora. In 2019, UNESCO inscribed morna on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Cape Verdeans call their spirit morabeza an untranslatable word that means something between warmth, hospitality, and the art of making people feel at home. It is perhaps the islands’ greatest natural resource.
Cape Verde is not just a place on a map. It is a culture, a sound, a feeling and it is part of the rich mosaic of West African identity.
At WATO, we believe Africa’s stories deserve to be told fully. This is one of them.

Cabo Verde oferece algumas das experiências de natureza mais diversificadas do Atlântico, e a maioria das pessoas nem imagina isso. Veja o que as ilhas oferecem além das praias:

▶️Trilhas — A trilha da Ribeira do Paul, em Santo Antão, serpenteia por florestas de altitude, terraços agrícolas e crateras vulcânicas. É uma das caminhadas mais cênicas de toda a África.

▶️Trekking em Vulcões — O Pico do Fogo é um estratovulcão ativo. Uma subida guiada até o cume (4 a 5 horas) recompensa você com vistas panorâmicas de todo o arquipélago.

▶️Desova de Tartarugas Marinhas — Entre junho e outubro, tartarugas-comuns (ou cabeçudas) chegam às praias do Sal, da Boa Vista e do Maio para desovar. Presenciar esse momento é uma experiência única na vida.

▶️Observação de Baleias — Baleias-jubarte migram pelas águas de Cabo Verde entre março e maio. Várias ilhas oferecem passeios de barco.

▶️Mergulho e Snorkeling — Águas mornas e cristalinas do Atlântico, com recifes de corais, moreias e raias. A visibilidade é excelente ao redor da maioria das ilhas.

▶️Windsurf e Kitesurf — A Baía de Santa Maria, na ilha do Sal, é um local de classe mundial que atrai competidores internacionais graças aos ventos alísios constantes. Em Cabo Verde, a natureza não é apenas um cenário; ela é a atração principal.

Le Cap-Vert offre certaines des expériences naturelles les plus variées de l'Atlantique, un fait que beaucoup ignorent encore. Voici ce que les îles proposent au-delà des plages :

▶️ Randonnée — Le sentier de la Ribeira do Paul, sur l'île de Santo Antão, serpente à travers forêts de nuages, cultures en terrasses et cratères volcaniques. C'est l'une des randonnées les plus spectaculaires de toute l'Afrique.

▶️ Ascension de volcan — Le Pico do Fogo, sur l'île de Fogo, est un stratovolcan actif. Une randonnée guidée jusqu'au sommet (4 à 5 heures) offre une vue panoramique sur l'ensemble de l'archipel.

▶️ Ponte des tortues marines — Entre juin et octobre, les tortues caouannes viennent pondre sur les plages de Sal, Boa Vista et Maio. Assister à ce spectacle est une expérience unique au monde.

▶️ Observation des baleines — Les baleines à bosse traversent les eaux cap-verdiennes entre mars et mai. Plusieurs îles proposent des excursions en bateau.

▶️ Plongée sous-marine et snorkeling — Les eaux chaudes et cristallines de l'Atlantique abritent récifs coralliens, murènes et raies. La visibilité est excellente autour de la plupart des îles.

▶️ Planche à voile et kitesurf — La baie de Santa Maria, sur l'île de Sal, est un spot de classe mondiale qui attire des compétiteurs internationaux grâce à la régularité des alizés. Au Cap-Vert, la nature n'est pas un simple décor, c'est l'attraction principale.

Cape Verde has some of the most diverse nature experiences in the Atlantic and most people don’t even know it.

Here’s what the islands offer beyond the beach:

▶️Hiking — Santo Antão’s Ribeira do Paul trail winds through cloud forest, terraced farms, and volcanic craters. One of the most scenic hikes in all of Africa.

▶️Volcano Trekking Fogo’s Pico do Fogo is an active stratovolcano. A guided summit hike (4–5 hrs) rewards you with panoramic views of the entire archipelago.

▶️Sea Turtle Nesting Between June and October, loggerhead sea turtles come ashore on the beaches of Sal, Boa Vista, and Maio to nest. Witnessing this is a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

▶️Whale Watching Humpback whales migrate through Cape Verdean waters from March to May. Several islands offer boat tours.

▶️Diving & Snorkeling Warm, clear Atlantic waters with coral reefs, moray eels, and rays. Visibility is excellent around most islands.

▶️Windsurfing & Kitesurfing Santa Maria Bay in Sal is world-class, drawing international competitors thanks to the steady trade winds.
Nature in Cape Verde isn’t a backdrop, it’s the main event.