Agua Izé was once the grandest of São Tomé's roças, the great plantation estates that made this tiny island, just north of the equator, one of the world's leading cocoa producers in the early twentieth century. It lies on the southeast coast, about thirteen kilometres from the capital, and the buildings tell the story: a big administrative house, long workers' quarters, a hospital, storehouses and drying platforms, all now peeling and softened by tropical growth. Walls are flaking yellow and ochre, and roofs sag, but the scale is unmistakable.
Behind the architecture lies a hard history. The roças ran on contract labour brought from Angola, Cape Verde and Mozambique, under conditions that were bitterly criticised abroad. Portugal's rule ended in 1975, and the estates were later broken up, leaving communities of descendants who still live in the old quarters. People hang washing from the verandahs, children play on the drying platforms, and the plantation feels like a village built inside a ruin. Be respectful when you wander, and ask before photographing people.
The riding is slow and sensual. The coastal road is paved in places and punishing in others, pitted with potholes that fill with rain, and traffic is a mix of minibuses, motorbike taxis and pedestrians who stroll along the edge. Mountains of dense rainforest rise inland, and palm trees lean over the sea. The humidity is heavy, so you will be sweating within minutes, and sudden downpours can drench you, especially from October to May. The drier gravana season, roughly June to September, is easier.
Fuel and food come from São Tomé town, a place of about fifty thousand, so fill the tank there before heading out. Along the coast you will find small shops and a few simple eateries serving grilled fish, breadfruit and fried banana. Cocoa still grows in the shade of taller trees, and in the drying season you may smell fermenting beans, rich and sour. Dark chocolate from the island is sold in the capital and is worth carrying home.