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Adventure by day, Luxury by night

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USA & Canada

Alberta in Canada

Canada

5 experiences you shouldn’t miss in Canada

From dazzling cities and great lakes to national parks and even rainforests, Canada is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to…

Meet Heather & Hubbie

We're a British couple who fit luxury adventure travel around our day jobs, and try to help you do the same! We love safaris and snorkelling, and have a slight obsession with Morocco. Where we have done neither!

First time here? Come and meet us!

POPULAR POSTS

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One of the best places to eat in Sao Tome is Roca Sao Joao do Angolares, which can be included in tours visiting the south and east of the island. Travellers who've visited the islands always rave about the restaurant at this restored colonial plantation house, so we just had to try it for ourselves. It was raining heavily, we were late (it was nearly 3pm when we arrived), but we were welcomed warmly, and given a table on the veranda overlooking the forest and distant town below. It's a set tasting menu with around 7 courses (we lost count), revolving mainly around different types of fish. The flavours were incredible, and totally new to us, so it was quite an assault on the senses. Apparently the owner is a famous TV chef! The Roca is also a guest house, and there are cooking workshops too, although unfortunately we didn't have time to try them.

#foodietravel #saotome #omalilodge #travel #travelblogger #luxetravel #luxurytravel #bestintravel #traveldeep #postcardplaces #travelpr #instatravel #lovetheworld #mynextholiday #hbdhotels #saotomeeprincipe #sustainabletourism #saotomeisland #africa #bestdestination #beautifuldestinations #beautifulisland #paradiseisland #natgeoyourshot #myfarandwild

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Settlements on Sao Tome tend to be based around the coast, where most of the community is involved in fishing. This is Porto Alegre (Happy Port), a fishing village just a couple of kms north of the southernmost point on the island, at the very end of the road. Life here is tough, and living is simple, but the smiles are warm and genuine, and we lost count of the number of children who waved to us as we passed by.

#portoalegre #saotome #omalilodge #travel #travelblogger #luxetravel #luxurytravel #bestintravel #traveldeep #postcardplaces #travelpr #instatravel #lovetheworld #mynextholiday #hbdhotels #saotomeeprincipe #sustainabletourism #saotomeisland #africa #bestdestination #beautifuldestinations #beautifulisland #paradiseisland #natgeoyourshot #myfarandwild

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Sao Tome & Principe were once famous for their cacao and coffee plantations (there were about 800), set up by the Portuguese back in the day. There are still a few in operation, producing world-class chocolate and coffee, but most have fallen into ruin. We visited Roca Agua Ize, one of the original 'Big Five' rocas (plantations), where the chocolate industry in the islands first began. The ruined buildings were kinda eerie, but are free to wander around.

We expected the plantation to be abandoned, but in fact there are several families living here. The structures are dangerous and the governor has tried to move the inhabitants on, but they have nowhere else to go. Children were running around playing games, women were hanging out their washing, and one young mother was singing a haunting melody whilst feeding her baby and tending a fire right in the middle of the corridor. It felt a little intrusive having a poke around, but no-one seemed bothered by our presence. There were pigs too. Always pigs.

This picture is the hospital, which was used for European settlers, and dates back to the 1910s.

#rocaaguaize #roca #plantation #saotome #omalilodge #travel #travelblogger #luxetravel #luxurytravel #bestintravel #traveldeep #postcardplaces #travelpr #instatravel #lovetheworld #mynextholiday #hbdhotels #saotomeeprincipe #sustainabletourism #saotomeisland #africa #bestdestination #beautifuldestinations #beautifulisland #paradiseisland #natgeoyourshot #myfarandwild

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If you've ever seen a picture of Sao Tome, chances are it'll have looked something like this. Towering above the mountainous interior of the island, Pico Cao Grande (Great Dog Peak) is a landmark needle-shaped volcanic plug, often enshrouded in cloud. It rains a lot here and as a result the islands are known for their dramatic broody grey skies and tropical jungle heat. We were quite privileged to see the peak momentarily before the mists swirled in again, leaving us with views of the surrounding giant ferns and palm plantations.

#picocaogrande #saotome #omalilodge #travel #travelblogger #luxetravel #luxurytravel #bestintravel #traveldeep #postcardplaces #travelpr #instatravel #lovetheworld #mynextholiday #hbdhotels #saotomeeprincipe #sustainabletourism #saotomeisland #africa #bestdestination #beautifuldestinations #beautifulisland #paradiseisland #natgeoyourshot #myfarandwild

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Sao Tome isn't all about beaches. Today we took a traditional canoe ride deep into the mangroves at Malanza, which cover about 240 hectares (we didn't explore it all!). It was so peaceful gliding through the mysterious little waterways, and we saw monkeys, lots of endemic birds, and even a pig! There are pigs everywhere on the island, wandering around miles from anywhere! Local children paddled wooden canoes, trailing fishing lines behind in the hopes of catching some supper. Some of them were quite successful!

#malanza #mangroves #canoe #saotome #omalilodge #travel #travelblogger #luxetravel #luxurytravel #bestintravel #traveldeep #postcardplaces #travelpr #instatravel #lovetheworld #mynextholiday #hbdhotels #saotomeeprincipe #sustainabletourism #saotomeisland #africa #bestdestination #beautifuldestinations #beautifulisland #paradiseisland #natgeoyourshot #myfarandwild

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This is Jale Beach on Sao Tome, again down in the south of the island. Have you ever seen such a picture postcard shot? This is one of the best places to come in season and see turtles nesting and witness the hatchlings make a mad dash down to the sea. On our visit it was just us and a few coconuts washing around in the gentle surf. We left our footprints in the sand and wished we could linger longer.

#jalebeach #jalesaotome #saotomebeach #omalilodge #saotome #travel #travelblogger #luxetravel #luxurytravel #bestintravel #traveldeep #postcardplaces #travelpr #instatravel #lovetheworld #mynextholiday #hbdhotels #saotomeeprincipe #sustainabletourism #saotomeisland #africa #bestdestination #beautifuldestinations #beautifulisland #paradiseisland #natgeoyourshot #myfarandwild

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