LEGAL · PRIVACY
Privacy Policy
How we collect, use, and protect your information when you visit São Tomé Life.
Effective Date: May 27, 2026
01 · WHO WE ARE
About São Tomé Life
São Tomé Life ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website at saotomelife.com (the "Site"). We are an editorial and travel-planning platform focused on São Tomé and Príncipe.
We are committed to protecting the privacy of visitors to our Site. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have regarding your information.
If you have questions about this policy, you can reach us at saotomelife@gmail.com.
02 · WHAT WE COLLECT
Information We Collect
We collect information in three main ways:
Information You Provide to Us
When you contact us through our Plan My Stay form, email, or WhatsApp, you provide information such as your name, email address, travel dates, group size, and any details about your trip preferences. This information is collected only when you choose to share it.
Information We Collect Automatically
When you visit our Site, we (and our third-party service providers) automatically collect certain technical information, including:
- →IP address and approximate geographic location
- →Browser type, version, and language settings
- →Device type and operating system
- →Pages you visit, time spent on pages, and links you click
- →Referring website or source (e.g. Google search, social media)
- →Date and time of your visit
- →Cookie identifiers (see Cookies section below)
Information from Third Parties
When you click an affiliate link on our Site and complete a booking with a partner (such as Booking.com or GetYourGuide), the affiliate network providers their tracking data to confirm the referral. This data does not include personally identifiable information about you, but it does include transaction details necessary for commission tracking.
03 · HOW WE USE IT
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- →To respond to your inquiries: When you contact us through Plan My Stay, WhatsApp, or email, we use your information to respond, plan your trip, and coordinate bookings.
- →To operate and improve the Site: Analytics data helps us understand which content is useful, where visitors come from, and how to improve the Site.
- →To deliver and measure affiliate referrals: When you click an affiliate link, tracking cookies allow us and our partners to verify the referral so we earn commission on completed bookings. This does not change the price you pay.
- →To comply with legal obligations: We may use or disclose information to comply with applicable laws, respond to lawful requests, or protect our legal rights.
- →To prevent fraud and abuse: We may use technical information to identify and prevent fraudulent or abusive activity on the Site.
We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
04 · COOKIES
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We and our third-party service providers use cookies and similar tracking technologies (such as pixels, web beacons, and local storage) to operate the Site, analyze traffic, and track affiliate referrals.
Types of Cookies We Use
- →Essential cookies: Required for the Site to function (e.g. caching, security). Cannot be disabled.
- →Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the Site (e.g. Google Analytics, if installed). Anonymized and aggregated where possible.
- →Affiliate tracking cookies: Set by our affiliate partners (CJ Affiliate, Impact, GetYourGuide, Booking.com) when you click an affiliate link. These cookies expire after the partner's standard window (typically 30 days for GetYourGuide and Booking.com), and allow the partner to attribute completed bookings to our referral.
- →Functional cookies: Remember your preferences (e.g. language, region, recently viewed pages).
Managing Cookies
You can manage your cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner when you first visit the Site, or at any time by clicking the cookie settings link in our footer. You can also disable cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the Site may not function correctly without them.
To opt out of common affiliate tracking, you can visit:
05 · AFFILIATES
Affiliate Disclosure
São Tomé Life participates in several affiliate programs. When you click an affiliate link on our Site and complete a booking or purchase with our partner, we may earn a commission. This comes at no additional cost to you: the price you pay is the same whether you book through our link or directly.
Our current affiliate partners include (but may not be limited to):
- →Booking.com: for hotel bookings, via CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction LLC)
- →GetYourGuide: for tours and activities, via Impact platform
- →Other partners may be added over time, and will operate under the same affiliate model
These affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial recommendations. We feature properties, tours, and experiences based on quality and fit for our readers, not commission rates.
Our recommendations are independent. We may decline to feature properties we don't believe in, even if they offer higher commission rates.
06 · THIRD PARTIES
Third-Party Services
We use the following categories of third-party service providers to operate the Site. Each operates under their own privacy policy:
- →Hosting and content delivery: Our Site is hosted on standard WordPress infrastructure with caching layers. Server logs may include IP addresses and request data.
- →Analytics: Google Analytics (or equivalent) may be used to measure Site traffic and behavior. Data is generally aggregated and anonymized.
- →Affiliate networks: CJ Affiliate (Commission Junction LLC), Impact, and individual affiliate partners (Booking.com, GetYourGuide) place tracking cookies on visitors who click affiliate links.
- →Communication tools: WhatsApp Business is used for direct communication with travelers who reach out via our WhatsApp links. Messages are subject to WhatsApp's own privacy policy (Meta Platforms).
- →Email: We use standard email services to respond to inquiries. Email content is stored according to the email provider's policies.
- →Fonts and assets: Google Fonts may be loaded by our theme. This may transmit IP address to Google.
We do not control how these third parties collect, use, or share information beyond the data they receive through our Site. Please review their privacy policies for details.
07 · YOUR RIGHTS
Your Rights and Choices
Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:
If You Are in the European Union or United Kingdom (GDPR)
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- →Access the personal data we hold about you
- →Request correction of inaccurate data
- →Request deletion of your data (right to erasure)
- →Restrict or object to processing
- →Receive your data in a portable format
- →Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent
- →Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
Our lawful basis for processing is generally legitimate interests (operating the Site and responding to inquiries) and consent (for cookies and tracking where consent is given via our banner).
If You Are in California (CCPA)
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the right to:
- →Know what personal information we collect about you
- →Request deletion of your personal information
- →Opt out of the sale of personal information (note: we do not sell personal information)
- →Be free from discrimination for exercising your rights
Exercising Your Rights
To exercise any of these rights, email us at saotomelife@gmail.com with the subject line "Privacy Request." We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.
08 · DATA SECURITY
Data Security and Retention
We take commercially reasonable measures to protect the information we collect from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls on backend systems, and regular software updates.
However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
Data Retention
We retain information for as long as needed to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements:
- →Inquiry data (Plan My Stay form, emails, WhatsApp): retained for up to 3 years from your last interaction with us, then deleted unless required for legal reasons
- →Analytics data: retained for up to 26 months in standard configurations
- →Affiliate tracking data: retained per the affiliate network's policy (typically 12-24 months after the cookie window expires)
09 · CHILDREN
Children's Privacy
Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 16, please contact us at saotomelife@gmail.com and we will delete it promptly.
10 · INTERNATIONAL
International Data Transfers
São Tomé Life is operated by a US business. By using the Site, you understand that your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries that may have data protection laws different from those in your country.
Where required by law, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses) for transfers of personal data from the EU/UK to the United States.
11 · UPDATES
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will update the "Effective Date" at the top of this page and, where appropriate, provide additional notice (such as a banner on the Site).
We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
12 · CONTACT
How to Reach Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact us:
- →Email: saotomelife@gmail.com
- →WhatsApp: +239 9802159
We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 30 days.
QUESTIONS?
We're a small team. We answer.
If you have questions about how your information is handled, we'd rather hear from you than have you guess. Email us directly.