The equator islet: one foot in each hemisphere, crystal-clear beaches and a fishing village off the southern tip of São Tomé.
Ilhéu das Rolas
Just 15 minutes by boat from southern São Tomé, Ilhéu das Rolas is where the equator crosses the country. Walk up to the equator monument, swim at Praia Café and have lunch with freshly caught fish.
Trips in this destination
New trips for this destination coming soon.
Climate and seasons
Best time to visit Ilhéu das Rolas
Warm all year round and the sea is always warm. The difference lies in the sea, the sky and what you can see around the islet.
Nov · Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
Short dry season "Gravanita"
30 °C – 31 °C
The best time for the islet's beaches: more sun, turquoise water and usually calm seas in the channel, good for snorkelling. Turtle nesting season on the southern beaches and Christmas on the equator.
🐢 turtles · 🤿 snorkelling · 🏝️ beaches · 🎄 Christmas on the equator
Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep
Dry season "Gravana"
21 °C – 28 °C
Dry, cooler days, great for walking up to the equator monument and the lighthouse. The sky is often cloudy and the beaches less turquoise, but the water stays warm. From July to September humpback whales can be seen offshore.
🐳 whales · 🥾 walks · 🐦 seabirds
Apr · Oct (+ first half of Nov)
Wet season "Green"
28 °C – 30 °C
Short, heavy showers alternating with long sunny spells. The islet can still be visited, but the crossing depends on sea conditions: we always leave a spare day in the south.
🌿 lush nature · 🌧️ short showers · 🌅 sunsets
The temperature scale is the same in all three panels. May falls between seasons, with no fixed pattern of rain or sun.
Before you go
Practical information for visiting Ilhéu das Rolas
How to get to Ilhéu das Rolas
By car from São Tomé city to Porto Alegre and Ponta Baleia, at the southern tip of the island. In good weather, the drive can take up to 4 hours, with stops along the way.
From there, the boat crosses the Canal das Rolas in 15 to 20 minutes. Some lodges in the south arrange pick-ups around Praia Piscina. On our tours, the boat and the return trip are already booked.
How long to spend on Ilhéu das Rolas
Half a day to a full day on the islet is enough to walk up to the equator monument, swim at Praia Café and have lunch. The equator monument is about 15 minutes on foot from the jetty.
We do not recommend doing the islet in a single day from the capital: it means many hours on the road. Ideally, stay 2 or 3 nights around Porto Alegre, in southern São Tomé.
Where to stay to visit Ilhéu das Rolas
There is no tourist accommodation on the islet. The best base is the Porto Alegre area, at the southern tip of São Tomé, where there are a few small eco-resorts.
They are very basic, but good enough for 2 or 3 nights to explore the south at a relaxed pace and reach Ilhéu das Rolas without a long, rushed drive on poor roads on the same day. On our tours, the nights in the south are already included.
Where to eat on the islet
In the fishing village there are small bars serving the catch of the day, grilled. On our tours, lunch is already arranged.
Bring cash in dobras or euros: the small bars only take cash.
What to bring to Ilhéu das Rolas
- swimwear, towel and sunscreen;
- mosquito repellent;
- comfortable shoes for the walk up to the monument;
- your own snorkelling mask;
- water, at least 1 litre per person;
- cash in dobras or euros;
- a dry bag for your phone on the boat.
Sea and safety
The islet's beaches have no lifeguards and some areas have currents. Always ask your guide where to swim.
The boat crossing depends on sea conditions. With rough seas, it may be postponed to another day, so it is best to leave some slack in your itinerary. Take out travel insurance with medical evacuation cover: southern São Tomé is far from hospitals.
Ilhéu das Rolas is a small volcanic islet off the southern tip of São Tomé, crossed by the equator. It is the only place in the country where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere, at the equator monument (Marco do Equador), and it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the archipelago, such as Praia Café and Praia Bateria. You reach it by boat from the south of São Tomé, a 15 to 20 minute crossing. On this page we explain what to see, how to visit Ilhéu das Rolas, the best time to go and how we include it in our São Tomé and Príncipe tours.
Ilhéu das Rolas at a glance
- Where it is: off the southern tip of São Tomé island, in Caué district, separated from the main island by the Canal das Rolas.
- Size: about 2 km², with a small fishing community.
- What makes it unique: the equator crosses the islet, marked by the equator monument.
- How to get there: by car to Porto Alegre and Ponta Baleia, in southern São Tomé, then by boat in 15 to 20 minutes.
- How long: half a day to a full day on the islet, with 2 or 3 nights in an eco-resort around Porto Alegre.
- Best time: the gravanita, from November to March, for calm seas and turquoise water; the gravana, from June to September, for dry days and whales offshore.
The equator monument: one foot in each hemisphere
The highlight of any visit to Ilhéu das Rolas is the equator monument (Marco do Equador). It stands on the high ground of the islet, a short walk through the forest from the jetty, and has a large world map in mosaic on the ground, crossed by a line dividing the northern and southern hemispheres. This is where everyone takes the classic photo, with one foot on each side.
The story is Portuguese. Between 1915 and 1918, Admiral Gago Coutinho, navigator and geographer, led a geodetic mission to map São Tomé and Príncipe and confirmed that the equator crosses Ilhéu das Rolas. The resulting map was published in 1919. A detail few people mention: the actual equator runs slightly below the monument, closer to the coast. The monument was built on the high ground for the view.
Spending Christmas or New Year on the equator is something we do with groups: see our Christmas trip to São Tomé and Príncipe.
What to see on Ilhéu das Rolas
1. The equator monument
The monument, the world map mosaic and the view over the Canal das Rolas and the south coast of São Tomé.
2. Praia Café
Pale sand, clear water and coconut palms. It is the islet's most popular beach for swimming and relaxing after the walk up to the monument.
3. Praia Bateria
One of the most beautiful beaches in São Tomé and Príncipe, quieter and more secluded than Praia Café. Ask your guide about the best path and the tide.
4. Praia dos Pescadores and the village
Where the boats come in and the islet's small community lives. It is worth stopping to see the dugout canoes and try the catch of the day.
5. Snorkelling
Around the rocks near the beaches there are reef fish and, with luck, turtles. Bring your own mask: borrowed gear is not always in good condition.
6. The lighthouse and viewpoint
The islet has a lighthouse built in 1929 and a high point, Monte São Francisco, at 96 metres. The path up is on foot, through forest and plantations.
For a more detailed guide to the islet, with tips for the day of your visit, read our article Ilhéu das Rolas: how to get there, the equator monument and beaches.
How to visit Ilhéu das Rolas
The islet is about 47 km as the crow flies from São Tomé city, but the southern road is slow: in good weather, the drive to Porto Alegre can take up to 4 hours, with stops along the way. From there, the boat crossing takes 15 to 20 minutes. Some lodges in the south arrange pick-ups around Praia Piscina.
That is why we do not recommend visiting Ilhéu das Rolas as a day trip from the capital. Ideally, stay 2 or 3 nights in one of the small eco-resorts around Porto Alegre and enjoy the islet at a relaxed pace, with time for the beach, lunch and getting back before late afternoon.
Approximate timeSão Tomé city to Porto Alegre, by carup to 4 hours, with stopsBoat to the islet15 to 20 minutesJetty to the equator monument, on footabout 15 minutesRecommended time on the islethalf a day to a full dayIndependently or on an organised tour?
You can go independently, but you need to arrange transport to the south, the boat, the return time and lunch, and the southern roads call for a driver who knows them. On an organised tour, all of that is taken care of:
- 4x4 vehicle with driver and a São Toméan guide;
- boat booked, with return arranged;
- nights in the south, so you do not drive 8 hours in a single day;
- lunch and beach time with no rush, at the local "leve-leve" pace.
Ilhéu das Rolas is part of almost all our São Tomé tours, from 8 to 15 days, with or without flights from Lisbon. See dates and prices in São Tomé and Príncipe tours or contact us for a tailor-made trip.
Southern São Tomé around the islet
A trip to Ilhéu das Rolas is the perfect excuse to explore the south of the island, the wildest part of São Tomé. On the way and around the islet you will find:
- Pico Cão Grande, the volcanic spire visible from the southern road;
- Boca do Inferno and Roça Água Izé, on the way;
- São João dos Angolares, for lunch;
- Praia Piscina, a natural pool among the rocks, and the Malanza mangroves;
- fishing villages such as Porto Alegre and Monte Mário.
Frequently asked questions about Ilhéu das Rolas
Where is Ilhéu das Rolas?
Off the southern tip of São Tomé island, in São Tomé and Príncipe, separated from the main island by the Canal das Rolas.
How do you get to Ilhéu das Rolas?
By car to Porto Alegre, in southern São Tomé, then by boat, a 15 to 20 minute crossing.
Does the equator really cross Ilhéu das Rolas?
Yes. It was confirmed by Gago Coutinho's geodetic mission between 1915 and 1918. The equator monument marks it on the high ground of the islet; the exact line runs slightly below the monument.
How much time do you need to visit Ilhéu das Rolas?
Half a day to a full day on the islet. Because of the distance, we recommend staying 2 or 3 nights around Porto Alegre, in southern São Tomé.
What is the best beach on Ilhéu das Rolas?
Praia Café is the most popular for swimming; Praia Bateria is the most secluded and one of the most beautiful in the country.
When is the best time to visit Ilhéu das Rolas?
From November to March for calm seas and turquoise water, and from June to September for dry days and whale watching offshore.
Where to stay to visit Ilhéu das Rolas?
Around Porto Alegre, in southern São Tomé, there are small eco-resorts, simple but good enough for 2 or 3 nights to explore the area and reach the islet without hours on the road on the same day. The islet is visited during the day.