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Meridiela.

Roça Belo Monte

A restored Príncipe estate above Banana Beach, inscribed by UNESCO in 2026.

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UNESCO World Heritage

WherePríncipe
Nearest citySanto António
Best seasonJune to September
Time to allowOvernight
Getting thereIn Príncipe's northwest above Banana Beach; road from Santo António
EntryHotel charged

Belo Monte stands on a bluff on Príncipe's northwestern coast above Banana Beach, a cocoa estate whose main buildings were restored into a hotel while the rest of the complex was left as it was, so the two states sit side by side. The terrace looks down over the forest and the sea. UNESCO inscribed the estate in 2026 as one of six roças making up a property about the plantation system and forced migration.

What you actually see

  • The restored buildings - the estate house converted into a hotel.
  • The unrestored remainder - the rest of the complex left as it stood.
  • The bluff position - the terrace above the forest and the sea.
  • The 2026 inscription - one of six roças in the UNESCO property.

When to go

June to September is the drier gravana season. The hotel operates year round. Rain falls in most months on Príncipe.

Honest expectations

Access is essentially through the hotel and rates are high. The unrestored parts are unsafe. Getting to Príncipe at all means a small flight that is weather-dependent.

Nearby

Banana Beach is below, and Roça Sundy is north.

What to pack for Roça Belo Monte

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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