Roça Água-Izé- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Reviews of Roça Agua Izė

• M H

  5

  Reviewed: 2024-11-22

  We rather enjoyed our short tour of the main hospital building with impressive views and the vast palm oil factory, now an interesting gallery, definitely worth visiting. The school children (next to the church) were absolutely delightful, they stood up in class and greeted me very politely in unison, a credit to their teachers. Our Roça guide was Carlos Alberto who was quite knowledgeable with historical dates and names and even some funny facts. No price was agreed beforehand, he just asked to give him what we thought was right at the end. This is a deprived village and people live here as best as they can, it is not a dangerous nor threatening place, just a good dose of Sao Tomense reality. So, walk in with a smile on your face and make sure to greet people (Olá or Boa Tarde) and you will get the same back.

• Annika E.

  2

  Reviewed: 2024-09-23

  This was the first time on STP that I felt treated more like a bag of money, rather than a person. The local "guides" will attack you, before you even left the main road and parked your car. The Roça itself and its history is interesting, but first the guide refused to agree on a price, after I declared I would leave if he did not state a price, he said 10€. When I gave him even more than that after the tour, he still demanded more tip and tried the guilt strategy. The tour was not even an hour, his english was very basic, and for what I got, 300 Dobras was way too much already. I treat everybody with respect, and I wish to be treated the same way. I'm a solo female traveller, but you don't get to screw me over just because you think I will have it. This place sadly is a tourist rip off, so be prepared if you still want to visit.

• Justino Martin Muro

  4

  Reviewed: 2022-12-12

  Interesting place. It takes you to colonial times to imagine how huge was the industry in that time. It’s a pity to let go away such a place like that. 🤷‍♂️ Mandatory to visit palm oil factory, transformed by local association into a art gallery.

• thekman

  5

  Reviewed: 2022-11-25

  Really cool place of history. Much of the former roça still intact with hospitals, factories, storage rooms, railway tracks etc. The local people are living in the ruins however and don’t let you in some buildings. One palm oil factory has been converted into a museum with original machinery. There’s still an active plantation of cocoa beans, possible to visit. While walking around, bump into a friendly local and get a tour. They’ll walk you through and show you also the abandoned places where the locals now stay, like the rooms of the old hospital.

• Bartlomiej Piwecki

  5

  Reviewed: 2022-05-12

  The nature is step by step taking over this incredible place. You must see it before it is too late :( This will shortly fall into ruin - so sad... Real piece of Sao Tomean history.