Säao Tomâe & Prâincipe (Third edition)

Bradt's São Tomé & Príncipe is the only standalone guide to Africa's second-smallest country, considered by some to be the centre of the world as it is the site of the closest point to the intersection of the Greenwich Meridian and the Equator.

In this comprehensively updated third edition, Kathleen Becker - regular tour leader for a major tour operator on São Tomé - provides priceless insider information to the best spots for sleeping, eating and drinking, hiking, watersports, turtle watching and rainforest hikes. Since the previous edition of this guide, a wider choice of accommodation has become available: trendy guesthouses, a surf lodge, a homestay and new plantation tourism on Príncipe to name a few options.

Maybe the biggest surprise to visitors is the gourmet food available here, from the 'best chocolate in the world' to the freshest fish, straight from the beach alongside the Equator mark.

Meanwhile, Príncipe, São Tomé's jewel sister island, is now a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and offers watersports opportunities such as stand up paddle and surfing lessons. Bradt's São Tomé & Príncipe is the perfect companion for independent travellers, wildlife enthusiasts, trekkers, foodies and anyone interested in colonial history and African developments.

This indispensable guide to one of Africa's most important biodiversity hotspots offers sections on background and practical information, followed by four easy-to-follow chapters on São Tomé and a dedicated chapter on Príncipe.

It shows the way to plantations lost in time and an organic cocoa cooperative, and also includes local expressions, advice on cultural and medical issues as well as on how to get by on a budget in a destination without backpacker infrastructure.

All budgets are catered for, from luxurious chic boutique resorts to city apartments and budget guesthouses.

It also includes additional contributions by local experts on wildlife, politics and economy, controversies and tourism.