Roca Sundy

Roca Sundy is a restored colonial plantation estate on the northwest coast of Príncipe Island, approximately 8 km from Santo António by an unpaved plantation track, set within an active organic cocoa and vanilla estate whose origins date to the 19th century under Portuguese colonial cultivation. The property occupies a singular place in scientific history: in May 1919, British astronomer Arthur Eddington and his expedition team used the remote site's clear southern-hemisphere position to photograph the bending of starlight around the sun during a total solar eclipse, providing the first empirical confirmation of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. A permanent exhibition in the plantation's main reception hall documents Eddington's expedition with original photographs, historical instruments, and archival correspondence. The accommodation consists of rooms within the restored colonial manor house and in converted outbuildings, each fitted with period-influenced furnishings: wrought-iron beds, polished timber floors, and louvred wooden shutters, alongside contemporary bathrooms and air-conditioning added during the restoration. Dining is served in the plantation's main hall, with a menu drawing from the estate's own organic produce including cacao, vanilla, black pepper, and tropical fruit, combined with locally caught seafood and traditional Santomean preparations. A freshwater swimming pool is set within the formal plantation garden, flanked by century-old mango and breadfruit trees. A curated library of natural history texts and colonial-era volumes is available to guests for reading in the garden. Birdwatching from the estate is rewarding — Príncipe hosts several endemic species including the Príncipe thrush, Príncipe drongo, and Príncipe white-eye. Guided plantation tours lasting 1.5 to 2 hours walk guests through the cacao cultivation process from pod to fermentation to drying. Roca Sundy suits intellectually engaged travellers interested in colonial history, ornithology, and the island's distinctive plantation landscape as much as those seeking resort-style relaxation.