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São Tomé and Príncipe🇸🇹 | attractionsRoça Monte CaféCoffee museum, mountain mist, drying terraces, roasted beans | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Roça Monte Café
🌟 Highlightattraction ranked #2
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 22, 2026

Cool air is the first thing you notice here, a relief after the sticky coast, and the highland setting makes the trip worth it on its own. Roça Monte Café sits in the mountains southwest of the capital in São Tomé and Príncipe, at roughly 670 meters, where mist slides through the trees and the ground smells of wet earth and roasting beans. The old plantation is faded rather than polished: peeling pastel walls, rusting machinery, moss on stone. Crowds are almost nonexistent, often just you, a guide and a few chickens. Costs stay low, though the museum is small and you will see all of it quickly. The reward is the coffee itself, which you can taste close to where it grew, and a plain look at the island’s plantation era. Rain can sweep in without warning, so bring a light jacket and go in the morning.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #2 attraction in São Tomé and PríncipeWhy Roça Monte Café should be on your travel list

Roça Monte Café is where you can see how São Tomé’s coffee economy worked, in the very buildings where it ran. Coffee was the island’s second great crop after cacao, and this was among its biggest highland estates, so the coffee museum with its old drying and hulling gear gives you a tangible grasp of that story. Nothing is behind glass, and you can touch worn wood and cast iron.

The second reason is the cooler climate. At altitude, the cloud-forest air feels completely different from the coast, and the walk between the plantation buildings is easy and pleasant. It also makes a good break from beach days and is a natural stop on the mountain road toward Bom Sucesso and the botanical garden.

The third is the cup in your hand. Buying locally roasted beans and drinking a fresh coffee while … read more 👉
Roça Monte Café is where you can see how São Tomé’s coffee economy worked, in the very buildings where it ran. Coffee was the island’s second great crop after cacao, and this was among its biggest highland estates, so the coffee museum with its old drying and hulling gear gives you a tangible grasp of that story. Nothing is behind glass, and you can touch worn wood and cast iron.

The second reason is the cooler climate. At altitude, the cloud-forest air feels completely different from the coast, and the walk between the plantation buildings is easy and pleasant. It also makes a good break from beach days and is a natural stop on the mountain road toward Bom Sucesso and the botanical garden.

The third is the cup in your hand. Buying locally roasted beans and drinking a fresh coffee while looking out over green slopes gives you a souvenir that actually tastes of the place. You will not find a polished tourist complex here, and that is much of the appeal.

💡 HighlightsWhat this place is best known for

  1. Museu do Café: The main draw, with the old machinery used to dry, hull and sort the beans, plus photographs from the plantation years. The guides explain each stage of the process.
  2. Coffee tasting: A fresh cup, strong and aromatic, drunk where the crop was historically grown and processed. It is the best way to understand why São Tomé coffee has a following.
  3. Roasted beans from the shop: Bags of locally roasted coffee are sold on site, easy to pack and far better than anything at the airport.
  4. The drying terraces: Wide stone platforms where beans were once spread in the sun. Stand on them and the scale of the old operation becomes obvious.
  5. The colonial main house and square: The former administration buildings face an open central yard. Their crumbling pastel facades and shuttered windows make the
… read more 👉
  1. Museu do Café: The main draw, with the old machinery used to dry, hull and sort the beans, plus photographs from the plantation years. The guides explain each stage of the process.
  2. Coffee tasting: A fresh cup, strong and aromatic, drunk where the crop was historically grown and processed. It is the best way to understand why São Tomé coffee has a following.
  3. Roasted beans from the shop: Bags of locally roasted coffee are sold on site, easy to pack and far better than anything at the airport.
  4. The drying terraces: Wide stone platforms where beans were once spread in the sun. Stand on them and the scale of the old operation becomes obvious.
  5. The colonial main house and square: The former administration buildings face an open central yard. Their crumbling pastel facades and shuttered windows make the best photographs on site.
  6. Former workers’ quarters: The long, low rows where laborers lived are a sober reminder of who actually produced the wealth. Some are still lived in by local families, so be respectful.
  7. Mountain views and forest edge: Short walks around the roça open onto green slopes dropping toward the sea, with birdsong and the sound of distant water in the trees.
Roça Monte Café can be covered in about one to two hours, longer if you linger over coffee or wander the forest edges.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

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Ratings based on Tripadvisor reviews. When you book through this link, you support our work at no extra cost to you.

🌤️ When to go?Seasonal considerations and timing

  • Gravana (dry season, June to September): Roça Monte Café sits at roughly 650 m (2,100 ft) in the hills above Trindade, and the dry months bring clear mornings, 20 to 27°C (68 to 81°F) and the firmest trails. Cloud still gathers on the slopes by afternoon. This is the easiest window for walking the coffee terraces and the road up from the coast.
  • Main Rains (October to December): Expect heavy downpours, muddy tracks and 21 to 28°C (70 to 82°F). The coffee cherries ripen toward the end of the year, so the plantation is busiest with work then. Guesthouse prices stay flat.
  • Short Dry Spell (January to February): Showers ease and the air is drier, with similar temperatures. Few other visitors turn up.
  • Second Rains (March to May): The wettest stretch, with 22 to 29°C (72 to 84°F) on the coast and cooler
… read more 👉
  • Gravana (dry season, June to September): Roça Monte Café sits at roughly 650 m (2,100 ft) in the hills above Trindade, and the dry months bring clear mornings, 20 to 27°C (68 to 81°F) and the firmest trails. Cloud still gathers on the slopes by afternoon. This is the easiest window for walking the coffee terraces and the road up from the coast.
  • Main Rains (October to December): Expect heavy downpours, muddy tracks and 21 to 28°C (70 to 82°F). The coffee cherries ripen toward the end of the year, so the plantation is busiest with work then. Guesthouse prices stay flat.
  • Short Dry Spell (January to February): Showers ease and the air is drier, with similar temperatures. Few other visitors turn up.
  • Second Rains (March to May): The wettest stretch, with 22 to 29°C (72 to 84°F) on the coast and cooler air at altitude. Slippery paths and cloud often hide the views.
Daylight stays close to 12 hours all year, so start walking by 8 a.m. to finish before the afternoon cloud rolls in.


source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: fair for travelingAPRApril: fair for travelingMAYMay: highly recommended for travelingJUNJune: excellent for travelingJULJuly: excellent for travelingAUGAugust: excellent for travelingSEPSeptember: highly recommended for travelingOCTOctober: fair for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
when-to-go

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🛏️ Where to stay?How to pick the right area

Trindade is the practical base for Roça Monte Café, and it is where most budget travelers end up. The small town sits on the main road about 10 km (6 mi) from the plantation, with a handful of family-run guesthouses and a few simple eateries. It is walkable, feels safe after dark in the center, and you will meet other backpackers at the shared tables and on the shared-taxi stops (a few people often split a ride up the hill). Rooms here are the cheapest in the area.

São Tomé city, roughly 12 km (7 mi) away, is the better choice if you want a social scene. Hostels and guesthouses cluster around … read more 👉
Trindade is the practical base for Roça Monte Café, and it is where most budget travelers end up. The small town sits on the main road about 10 km (6 mi) from the plantation, with a handful of family-run guesthouses and a few simple eateries. It is walkable, feels safe after dark in the center, and you will meet other backpackers at the shared tables and on the shared-taxi stops (a few people often split a ride up the hill). Rooms here are the cheapest in the area.

São Tomé city, roughly 12 km (7 mi) away, is the better choice if you want a social scene. Hostels and guesthouses cluster around the waterfront and the central streets near the market, and there are more restaurants, bars and tour operators for arranging hikes. You can reach the plantation in a day trip by taxi or minibus, then return to a livelier evening.

Staying at Monte Café itself suits those who want quiet. Lodging in the hills is basic and limited, with cool nights, birdsong and almost no nightlife. Book ahead, because rooms are few, and bring cash since cards are rarely accepted.


Best quality hotels in São Tomé and Príncipe

👛 Costs (as of 22 October 2026)Money, prices, and spending tips

A day at Roça Monte Café costs about €34 to 65 for a backpacker, counting a guesthouse bed in high season, meals, a taxi up the hill and a plantation visit. Travelers pay in dobras, though euros are often accepted in tourist spots.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Accommodation (high season)€15 to 25Simple guesthouse room in Trindade; rates in low season drop slightly.
Plantation visit and coffee tasting€3 to 8Small fee for a guided walk and cup of the local roast; price varies with group size.
Food€6 to 12Local meals of fish, rice and beans cost less than meals at the museum café.
Transport€8 to 15Shared taxi or minibus from São Tomé city to the plantation, with a return leg often negotiated separately.
Extras€2 to 5Bags of beans or chocolate to take home, plus a tip for the guide.
Total Daily Budget€34 to 65About €50 for a typical day.


source: saotome-paradise.com
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

FAQFrequently asked questions about Roça Monte Café

Half a day is enough for Roça Monte Café, with about 2 to 3 hours for the plantation walk and tasting. Add another 1 to 2 hours if you hike around the surrounding hills or the nearby botanical garden at Bom Sucesso. From São Tomé city the ride takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes each way.
Roça Monte Café is worth the small fee, usually €3 to 8, if you like coffee or colonial history. You get a guided walk through the drying terraces and old processing buildings, followed by a tasting of locally grown beans. The cool air at roughly 650 m is a welcome break from the coast.
Reach Roça Monte Café by road from São Tomé city, about 12 km (7 mi) away, in 30 to 45 minutes. A private taxi costs roughly €15 to 25 each way, while shared minibuses to Trindade cost €1 to 2, leaving a short walk or taxi ride uphill. Renting a car or motorbike is possible, but the narrow, steep road is slick in the rainy months.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

Other São Toméan attractions near Roça Monte Café

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We 💚 feedbackWhat to keep in mind

Roça Monte Café is at its best in the morning, when the air is cool and the mist hangs low over the coffee slopes before clouds thicken in the afternoon. Aim for the drier months if you can, and carry a rain layer anyway. I would buy beans here rather than anywhere else on the island, and I would take time to drink a cup slowly.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on in-depth research, insights shared by experienced travelers, and feedback from the local travel community in São Tomé and Príncipe. While every effort is made to keep the information accurate and current, conditions can change — so if you spot anything incorrect or outdated, please get in touch.



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