São Tomé North Coast
São Tomé and Príncipe · Gulf of Guinea
São Tomé sits on the equator in the Gulf of Guinea — frontier Atlantic diving with humpback whales (in season), whale sharks, and reefs barely touched by other divers. Logistics are involved; rewards are real.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Equatorial Atlantic — unique fauna, limited monitoring. Macro and topography more than coral cover.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
No unusual heat right now.
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is fairly quiet.
Sources · GCRMN reef surveys · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
Coral cover over time
Live coral cover, by survey year
Across surveys in 2014 and 2024, live coral cover here has fallen from 33% to 27%. Every point is a real survey reading, never a projection.
Live coral cover, percent by year
| Year | Coral cover |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 33% |
| 2024 | 27% |
What you will see
6 species across the dive sites here
Dive sites
What divers say
Equatorial Atlantic diving with humpbacks in the background. There's nowhere else quite like São Tomé.
Good to know
Combine with Príncipe
Smaller, even quieter sister island for biodiversity and turtles.