From the humid tang of cocoa fermenting under banana leaves to the salty spray of the Gulf of Guinea on the beaches of Ilhéu das Rolas, São Tomé’s scents and textures stay with you long after you leave.

Morning markets such as Mercado Municipal de São Tomé spill with glossy cocoa pods, sacks of Monte Café beans, and piles of fresh tuna are an olfactory map of the islands’ history in spice, sea and shade-grown plantations.

Walk the shady alleys of a colonial roça like Roça Sundy or Monte Café and you’ll feel the grain of hand-carved wood, see raffia fibers being braided into baskets, and hear the rhythmic sorting of coffee cherries.

Small artisan stalls in Santo António on Príncipe sell shells and woven hats beside jars of vanilla and rum; the islands’ Portuguese and West African influences are threaded through every handmade piece and edible keepsake. Here’s what to buy in Sao Tome and Principe to bring a piece of its spirit back home.

1. Single-origin São Tomé chocolate and cocoa beans

Why pick this up:
São Tomé is one of the world’s classic cocoa islands; its beans produce chocolate with deep, fruity and floral notes that reflect the volcanic soils of Roça Sundy and Água Izé. Buying chocolate or raw beans supports small plantation producers and preserves an agricultural tradition.

What to look for:
Seek bars labeled with the roça or estate name (Monte Café, Roça Sundy), minimal ingredients, and clear fermentation notes; for beans, look for well-fermented, glossy nibs. Avoid shiny, mass-produced packaging that hides origin.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 150–700 for chocolate bars; Db 300–1,200 for small sacks of beans.

Where to find it:
Roça gift shops, Mercado Municipal de São Tomé, Santo António market (Príncipe), and airport gift stores at Aeroporto Internacional de São Tomé.

2. Monte Café and other island coffees

Why pick this up:
Shade-grown Arabica from Monte Café and neighboring plantations offers bright acidity and cocoa undertones—coffee is part of São Tomé’s plantation heritage. Fresh-roasted beans make a vivid souvenir for the coffee lover.

What to look for:
Whole-bean roasts with roast dates, estate or roça names, and small-batch labels; avoid pre-ground supermarket blends when possible. Ask vendors if beans were sun-dried or washed for flavor clues.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 200–900 per 250–500g bag.

Where to find it:
Roça Monte Café, specialty stalls in Mercado Municipal de São Tomé, local cafés in São Tomé city, and shopfronts in Santo António.

3. Raffia and palm-woven baskets, mats and hats

Why pick this up:
Handwoven items made from raffia and palm are both practical and decorative, reflecting centuries of island weaving techniques. They make lightweight, packable souvenirs that carry the texture of São Tomé’s coast and countryside.

What to look for:
Tight, even weaving with natural dyes; sturdy handles and reinforced bases for baskets. Beware of machine-made pieces with overly uniform stitching or synthetic fibers.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 200–2,000 depending on size and intricacy.

Where to find it:
Street stalls around Mercado Municipal de São Tomé, weekend markets in Neves, artisan vendors in Santo António (Príncipe), and village craft cooperatives near roças.

4. Hand-carved wooden utensils and bowls

Why pick this up:
Local carvers turn sustainably harvested hardwoods into spoons, bowls and chopping boards with a warm, tactile finish that ages beautifully. These items mix African carving motifs with Portuguese utility—perfect kitchen mementos.

What to look for:
Smooth, hand-sanded finishes with visible tool marks and tight grain; ask about the wood source and prefer sustainably harvested pieces. Avoid lacquered or mass-produced kitschy items.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 300–3,500 depending on size and craftsmanship.

Where to find it:
Craft stalls in São Tomé’s markets, roça craft shops, and markets in Santo António.

5. Vanilla pods and island spices

Why pick this up:
São Tomé grows aromatic vanilla and island spice blends that reflect plantation-era cultivation. Vanilla and spice jars are easy to pack and immediately useful back home.

What to look for:
Long, flexible vanilla pods that are glossy and slightly oily; spices sold in small glass jars or tied bundles rather than loose, dusty sacks. Check for origin labeling to ensure local harvest.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 150–700 for vanilla pods; Db 100–400 for spice jars.

Where to find it:
Roça stalls (particularly on Príncipe), Mercado Municipal de São Tomé, and small spice vendors in Neves.

6. Locally distilled rum and sugarcane aguardente

Why pick this up:
Island-made rum (ponche) channels São Tomé’s sugarcane legacy and is often infused with local flavors like vanilla or coconut. A bottle is a convivial souvenir that tells the story of local distillation.

What to look for:
Small-batch bottles with estate names or simple labels; prefer darker, barrel-aged expressions for depth. Be wary of unlabeled homemade spirits for customs and quality reasons.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 300–1,500 per bottle.

Where to find it:
Local liquor shops in São Tomé, Santo António markets, roça stores, and airport duty-free.

7. Embroidered linens and Portuguese-influenced textiles

Why pick this up:
Embroidery and linen work show the islands’ Lusophone heritage blended with African motifs—tablecloths, napkins and small wall hangings carry that cross-cultural charm. Textiles are lightweight and make elegant gifts.

What to look for:
Hand-stitched motifs, natural linens or cotton, and uneven stitch length that signals handwork. Avoid perfectly uniform machine embroidery sold in tourist malls.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 500–2,000 for table linens; Db 200–800 for smaller pieces.

Where to find it:
Museums and artisan booths in São Tomé, Santo António craft markets, and roça gift shops.

8. Shell and seed jewelry

Why pick this up:
Necklaces and bracelets made from local shells, seeds and coconut elements capture the island’s shoreline colors and are made by many local artisans. They’re light, wearable reminders of beach days on Príncipe and São Tomé.

What to look for:
Natural shells with minimal drilling, secure clasps, and designs that feature local materials like tagua or coconut seed. Avoid uniformly glossy plastic imitations.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 100–600. Where to find it:
Beach stalls at Ilhéu das Rolas, Santo António markets, and Mercado Municipal de São Tomé.

9. Dried and canned tuna (conserva) and smoked fish

Why pick this up:
Fishing is central to island life; preserved tuna and smoked fish are intensely flavored, travel well, and echo the Portuguese conserva tradition. They make savory souvenirs for adventurous eaters.

What to look for:
Tins or vacuum-packed products with clear packaging dates and sanitation marks; smoked products in sealed, labeled packages. Avoid suspiciously cheap, unlabeled jars.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 150–700 per tin or pack.

Where to find it:
Fish stalls around the waterfront markets, Mercado Municipal de São Tomé, and fisheries in Neves.

10. Terracotta pottery and simple ceramics

Why pick this up:
Local potters produce terracotta for everyday use—planters, bowls and candle holders that carry earthy glazes and island motifs. Pottery reflects both utility and craft traditions on the islands.

What to look for:
Hand-thrown irregularities, smoky kiln marks, and functional glazing; ensure pieces are fully fired and not crumbly. Avoid ultra-polished, imported ceramics.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 300–1,800. Where to find it:
Village potteries around São Tomé, artisan stalls in Santo António, and museum shops.

11. Natural coconut oil, soaps and beauty products

Why pick this up:
Coconut oil, handmade soaps and balms use local coconut and fruit oils—simple, fragrant products that capture the islands’ tropical botanicals. They’re easy to pack and make thoughtful personal gifts.

What to look for:
Short ingredient lists (coconut oil, shea, essential oils), clear labeling, and small-batch packaging; avoid heavily fragranced or chemical-laden bars. Check seals for travel safety.

Price bracket (2025):
Db 150–600. Where to find it:
Local markets, roça shops, Santo António craft stalls, and airport boutiques.

Quick tip: Haggle gently at open-air markets—start around 20–30% lower than the asking price and smile; respect fixed prices at museum shops and roça stores. 🧺

Local Shopping Culture & Traditions

Shopping in São Tomé and Príncipe is woven into daily life. Markets at dawn are where fishermen, farmers and artisans meet to trade fresh fish, cocoa, coffee and crafts.

The roça system (colonial plantation estates such as Roça Sundy and Monte Café) still shapes production and sales: many estates sell single-origin cocoa, coffee and preserves directly from their shops.

Santo António on Príncipe has a relaxed artisan culture, while Mercado Municipal de São Tomé is the island’s bustling heart for both foodstuffs and handicrafts.

Bargaining is common in open-air stalls but less so in established roça shops, museum stores and airport boutiques, which tend to have fixed prices.

Weekend markets and village craft cooperatives are good for seeing artisans at work and picking up woven, carved or sewn items; visiting an estate offers context and often a chance to buy ethically from the producer.

How to Spot Genuine Local Souvenirs

Look for provenance: labels that list a roça, estate or village name indicate local production (for cocoa and coffee, this is especially important).

Handcrafted items show small irregularities like uneven weaving, visible tool marks, or hand-stitched seams which are signs of authenticity. Materials to favor include raffia, palm, natural coconut, terracotta clay, and estate-named cocoa and coffee. Avoid synthetics or glossy, perfectly uniform goods that mimic handcrafted styles.

For food items, check packaging dates, seals and any sanitary stamping; small-batch chocolate and coffee should indicate roast or fermentation details. Ask sellers where wood or fibers were sourced, responsible vendors will know and often point to sustainable practices or cooperative origins.

Where to Shop in Sao Tome and Principe

• Mercado Municipal de São Tomé (main open-air market)
• Santo António market (Príncipe island artisan stalls)
• Roça gift shops and estate stores (Roça Sundy, Monte Café, Água Izé)
• Neves and coastal fish markets for seafood preserves
• Aeroporto Internacional de São Tomé gift shops (for last-minute, airport-friendly items)
• Weekend craft fairs and village artisan cooperatives near plantation towns

FAQs

Q: Are souvenirs in São Tomé and Príncipe expensive?
A: Prices vary widely—local markets and roça shops offer affordable goods, while specialized single-origin chocolate, aged rum or fine linen can be pricier; expect reasonable bargaining room in open markets.

Q: Is bargaining common in São Tomé and Príncipe?
A: Yes, in open-air markets and with street vendors bargaining is customary; be respectful and start lower, but accept when prices feel fair—roça stores and museum shops typically have fixed prices.

Q: How do I know if food items are allowed through customs?
A: Packaged, sealed goods (tins, vacuum packs, factory-sealed chocolate and coffee) are usually fine, but check your home country’s rules for meat, fish and unprocessed plant materials; always keep receipts and labels.

Explore the markets, roças and shoreline stalls to discover the tastes, textures and stories of Sao Tome and Principe.

Let me know in the comments if you have any other top ‘what to buy’ ideas!

About the Author

Colin is the founder of SouvenirsIdeas.com and a passionate traveller with a soft spot for ceramics, markets, and food tours. He writes practical, first-hand guides to help you bring home souvenirs that actually mean something — not just more clutter!