Sao Tome, West Africa

Hi,

I've just received news that I got funds for a scientific expedition to Sao Tome, in the Gulf of Guinea, west Africa. Has anybody been there? I am looking for advice on dive operators, hotels, etc.

Thanks for any info,

Luiz

Found this on PADI's website:

Club Maxel S-35150

Sao Tome CP 137

SAO TOME E PRINCIPE

Phone: (239) 904424

jean.louis.testori@clubmaxel.st

http://www.clubmaxel.st/

Cheers,

Mat

Thanks Mat, very informative! I didn't know they listed all the dive shops on the PADI site.

Luiz

They obviously only list PADI dive centres, but that's quite a fair number already.

Here's the link:

http://www.padi.com/english/common/search/dcnr/

Cheers,

Mat

Well I was there 2 years ago. Stayed at this resort called Boom Boom or Bomb Bomb as well as Jean Louis' place... Went with a bunch of french adventure scuba guys. It's pretty spartan at the hotels but they are having a boom now so to speak with the oil drillers coming in from this year I think. Typical west african fare with poor but like Ghana, there are very friendly people. Portuguese and french will get you further. I stayed on 8 days so I can't really tell you much except the diving is so so but there are no tourists! Something I needed to get away from.

The whales and dolphin watching here is pretty good, with decent viz. The humpies are there from Aug to Oct I believe. Dolphins are the atlantic bottlenose and also some spinners. I don't have my notes on my laptop so I can't tell you exactly ... I'll try to access my desktop in LA and see if I can find it.