Santa Margarida

Santa Margarida lies hidden in the green labyrinth of the Mé-Zóchi district at the edge of the Obô National Park and is one of the most remote settlements in São Tomé's interior. The hamlet emerged as a small outpost of Roça Bombaim and remained, even after the decline of plantation agriculture, a forest-bound community. Characteristic is the almost complete fusion of architecture and nature: corrugated-iron roofs poke out of the canopy, cinnamon trees, breadfruit trees and giant ferns grow right against house walls. A few kilometers away, one of the midlands' highest and most impressive waterfalls, Cascata São Nicolau, plunges over black lava rock into a deep gorge. Santa Margarida is also a significant center for research on traditional São Toméan medicinal plants: research teams from Lisbon and Coimbra work here with local mestres de pó to document the knowledge of plants such as bom-pé, pau-três and mucambo. Guided tours lead visitors deep into the most pristine parts of the national park.

Nearby cities

Milagrosa

Milagrosa bears its name as a tribute to the miracle of nature which has blessed this place with incredible fertility.

Almas

Almas sits on the gentle plateaus of Mé-Zóchi where the souls of ancestors seem to whisper in the ancient coffee trees.

Bombom

Bombom is a place of bustling activity on the outskirts of the capital where urban life and rural tranquility are balanced.

Bombom (Plateau)

The Bombom plateau in Mé-Zóchi is a place of wide views and fertile hills where life proceeds at a steady pace.

Trindade

Trindade, the capital of Mé-Zóchi, sits proudly in the fertile midlands of the island where the air is cooler and the soil is deep black.

Batepá

Batepá is a place of painful historical significance where the memory of the 1953 massacre deeply shapes the identity of its people.

Madalena

Madalena is a quiet suburb of Trindade where the gardens bloom so lushly they look like small jungles.

Caixão Grande

Caixão Grande is a bustling town shaped by its location at an important transport hub in the midlands.

Bombom (Mé-Zóchi)

Bombom in the Mé-Zóchi district is a place of fertile hills and warm encounters.

Monte Café

Monte Café sits majestically in the cloud mountains of Mé-Zóchi, a historic center of coffee production that has preserved the charm of a…

Nature

São Nicolau Waterfall

São Nicolau Waterfall is one of the island's most famous and photogenic waterfalls, nestled in the cool mountain forests of the Mé-Zóchi …

Lagoa Amélia

Lagoa Amélia is not an ordinary lake but a rainwater-filled volcanic crater in the mountains of São Tomé, which now houses a fascinating …

More places

Mé-Zóchi Cloud Forest

In the higher elevations of the Mé-Zóchi district lies the mysterious cloud forest.

Bago-Bago Mineral Water Plant

In the cool highlands of Mé-Zóchi, the Bago-Bago mineral water plant uses pure mountain springs to bottle high-quality drinking water.

Nova Moca Coffee Plantation

High above the cloud forests of Mé-Zóchi lies the historic Nova Moca plantation, world-famous for producing high-quality Arabica coffee.

Roça Plancad

Roça Plancad is located in the cooler highlands of the Mé-Zóchi district and specialized in the cultivation of high-quality coffee and co…

Roça Tras-os-Montes

Located amidst the steep mountains of Mé-Zóchi, Tras-os-Montes was known for cultivation under extreme conditions.

Roça Novo Destino

As the name 'New Destiny' suggests, this plantation in Mé-Zóchi represented the hope for economic expansion in the late 19th century.

Pico Carvalhal

Located in the heart of the Mé-Zóchi district, Pico Carvalhal is a symbol of Central São Tomé's mountainous landscape.

Roça Bemposta

Roça Bemposta was a significant plantation in the central highlands of São Tomé.