Roça Água-Izé, Colonial plantation ruins in São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe.
Roça Água-Izé is a plantation ruin in southern São Tomé, where buildings scatter between palms and tropical plants. The complex includes decaying structures, among them a former hospital and various farm buildings that trace the outlines of a former working system.
The plantation started in the late 1800s and soon ranked among the five largest cocoa producers on the island. It played an important role in the region's export trade until economic importance faded after that industry declined.
The buildings show how Portuguese settlers adapted their homes and work areas to island life. You can still see how local materials and European building styles mixed together to handle the tropical climate.
The site sits south of São Tomé city along route EN-2 and is open to visitors during daylight hours who explore the southern areas. You should wear comfortable shoes and prepare for uneven ground and thick brush, since the buildings are spread far apart.
Near the coast by the plantation stand the remains of an old pier that once allowed direct shipment of cocoa. This structure shows how the island connected to the wider world through sea routes and trade links.
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