Episode 4: The Ecotourism Builder - From Brazil’s Eco-Lodges to São Tomé’s Wild Frontiers

In this episode of Majlis, Ahmed sits with Bastien Loloum, an ecotourism builder whose path led him from Brazil’s early eco-lodges to a life rooted in São Tomé.What began as a one-year volunteer mission turned into decades of living, working, and building alongside nature and community — from sea turtle conservation and national parks to farming, vanilla, and quiet tourism far from the beaten path.A conversation about patience, responsibility, and what it really means to grow with a place rather than extract from it.Pull up a seat — you’re welcome in the Majlis.00:42 Introduction01:00 Leaving Home With No Plan03:33 Brazil Changed My Life09:45 When Tourism Destroys Paradise13:48 Why I Rejected a Normal Career16:15 The Country I Didn’t Know Existed21:00 Building Tourism Before Tourists28:55 Inside a Hidden Ecosystem38:00 One Year Became a Lifetime40:45 A small Deal That Changed Everything57:40 What Most Travelers Get Wrong About EcotourismStay on Bastien’s FarmVANHA Plantation Bungalowhttps://www.airbnb.com/rooms/684077743332900612VANHA Cottage at the Farmhttps://www.airbnb.com/rooms/567012024464664974The JamsDelícias das Ilhas — Jams, spices & local products from São Toméhttps://deliciasdasilhas.weebly.com/store/c1/Featured_Products.htmlSupport São Tomé’s NGOsPrograma Tatô — Sea turtle conservation and community engagement across São Toméhttps://en.programatato.org/Fundação Príncipe (Príncipe Trust) — Biodiversity conservation and sustainable development on Príncipe Islandhttps://www.programmeppi.org/en/beneficiaire/fpt-fundacao-principe-trust/More ReadingAhmed’s blog post: São Tomé, January 2026https://ahmedwarreth.com/travel-log/the-island-you-probably-never-heard-aboutsonbsptom