One of the most remote destinations on Earth, the extraordinarily biodiverse and safe island comprises two extinct volcanoes which rise dramatically out of the South Atlantic Ocean 1,200 miles from Africa and 1,800 from South America. The British Overseas Territory has a population of just 4,439, meaning clients can roam about in peace (and fresh air). The tight-knit, melting-pot Saint culture has a refreshing lack of reliance on modern technology too, with mobile phone service only introduced in 2015.
Far-flung as it may be, St Helena’s connectivity is on the rise, with a weekly Airlink flight from Johannesburg boosted to twice-weekly over the peak season (December-March), and an additional connection to Ascension Island is included monthly. Some of the Airlink flights will also be via Cape Town from November. The island is accessible by sea year-round for yachting enthusiasts and cruise guests.
Clients can visit St Helena year-round, its temperate climate sustaining at 15-28°, but the slightly cooler months are generally June-September and the hotter December-March.
Further smoothing the travel experience, St Helena is English-speaking and uses GBP and the St Helena pound interchangeably. Clients should take GBP with them though, as there are no cash machines.
Accommodation must be booked before travel – from hotels and bed and breakfasts to guest houses and self-catered lodgings. A popular option is the centrally-located Mantis St Helena, built in 1774 as the original East India Company’s officers’ barracks.
BUCKET-LIST DESTINATION
St Helena is a great recommendation for clients looking for bucket-list inspiration – its very remoteness not only facilitating a fascinating culture and natural environment, but also a refreshing lack of crowds.
St Helena’s coastal waters are high-visibility and warm, with shipwrecks for affordable snorkelling and diving among Chilean devil rays and bottlenose dolphins. While the waters are protected, fishing trips can be arranged and fresh catches enjoyed with local guides. Humpback whales visit June-December and whale sharks December-March.
On land, the wirebird finds itself nowhere but St Helena, and birding tours are popular (peak nesting season is September to March). Clients can also visit Jonathan the tortoise, the oldest living land animal in the world (he’s over 190), while there are 21 ‘post box walks’ (hiking trails) available; e-biking; and 4x4 drives. Clients feeling particularly athletic can summit Jacob’s Ladder: 699 steps cut into the mountainside.
The island’s remote natural environment thrived undisturbed until it was inhabited by the British in 1659 as a strategically important shipping spot. Among the most notable exiles to the island was the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Nearly all of the island’s heritage buildings are freely accessible, and the capital, Jamestown, is described as “one of the best examples of unspoiled Georgian architecture anywhere in the world”.
SUSTAINABILITY AT HEART
St Helena is home to more than 30% of the endemic biodiversity in the UK and its territories, but many species are on the brink of extinction. The island is also home to the last remaining natural cloud forest on British soil and local and international conservation efforts are helping to combat invasive species.
St Helena Tourism remains heavily focused on attracting discerning travellers. Visitors can help protect endangered species by taking part in ongoing conservation and environmental projects.
There is little major development on St Helena, and its world-renowned dark skies are protected by local legislation. The Milky Way is so clear it can be mistaken for a cloud. Magical.
