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Saint Helena Island [1] is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the world's most isolated islands. If you start crossing the Atlantic Ocean at the border between Namibia and Angola, Saint Helena Island will appear just less than half way to Brazil. As the most populous of the United Kingdom's territories in the South Atlantic, it governs the others: Ascension, Tristan da Cunha, Gough Island and their satellites.

[edit] Regions

• St. Helena Island
• Ascension
• Tristan da Cunha
• Gough Island
• Inaccessible Island
• Nightingale Islands

[edit] Cities

• Jamestown
• Georgetown (on Ascension)

[edit] Other destinations

[edit] Understand

Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th century (to be used as a refreshment station for ships travelling to and from the East). It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon Bonaparte's exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. Saint Helena has three smaller dependencies: Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield; Tristan da Cunha is home to a very small community reliant on fishing for income; Gough Island has a meteorological station.

Saint Helena's most famous resident, of course, was Napoleon, who was exiled there by the British. Apparently Elba was not far enough away. He died there, and you can visit his beautiful gravesite in a flower-laden glade, but his remains were disinterred and are now at Les Invalides in Paris. You can visit his two residences on the island. He stayed at The Briars for less than two weeks, and lived the rest of his life in a respectable house in Longwood. Both can be visited by appointment.

The grandest house on the island, however, is that of the governor. It looks like it was lifted straight out of 18th century England. There are marvelous land tortoises on the grounds, including one purported to be the oldest living vertebrate in the world.

The flora and fauna of the island are marvelous. Though many endemic species have become extinct, there are some left to be seen. Cabbage trees, gum trees and the local ebony can all be seen. The ebony was thought to be extinct until a local botanist found a specimen hanging off a cliff. It is being propagated and planted around the island. The islanders have also begun to restore the native forests of the island. The Millennium Forest has been planted by many volunteers and consists largely of local gum trees. Native, old growth forests can be found on the highest peaks of the island. High Peak and Diana's Peak have beautiful natural areas.

Two animals are of note. The giant earwig was the largest in the world. Truly a terrifying beast for those who fear earwigs, it was between two and three inches long. The species was made extinct by researchers who literally collected them all!

The second species is a happier story. Though endangered, with only about 300 remaining, the Saint Helena Wirebird is a plover-like bird with long beak and legs. It is a land bird, and can be found in open areas. The playing fields behind the high school are a particularly good place to look without having to take a longer hike. The Wirebird is Saint Helena's national bird.

[edit] Tourist Information and Assistance

The Tourist Office is in a quaint building with a beautiful bow window at the top of Main Street where it branches into Napoleon and Market Streets. Staff there can book tours for you and give you all kinds of advice about what to see and do on the island.

Official island tourism information can be gotten from: Discover Our Secret [2]

The tourist office's telephone is (+290) 2158.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Currently there are no airports on the island, although there are plans to build one to be ready for flights in 2012. However this has temporarily been put on hold.

[edit] By boat

The RMS St Helena [3] does regular round-trips from Cape Town to St Helena, sometimes via Walvis Bay. It also makes frequent trips to Ascension Island. Trips from the UK take approximately 2 weeks, whereas trips from Cape Town can take as little as 5 days. The other option is to take the boat from Ascension, which you can reach by flying on the Royal Air Force service there. This is a little complicated, but can cut significant time off the trip. The ship itself, however, is a fantastic experience. Filled with the locals traveling home and tourists, it is a great opportunity to meet some very interesting people and talk more about Saint Helena before you arrive. The staff have planned some fun activities that seem like a home-made version of what you might get on big cruise ships. These are truly charming. Cricket on the deck for the Curry Cup is a must!

[edit] Get around

There is regular bus service [4] around the island by a variety of routes. Stops are well marked, but a nice wave will also get the driver to stop! Rental cars are probably the more practical method of travel, but be sure to reserve one in advance. There are not too many, and when the boat arrives with its twenty tourists or more, the travel industry can be overwhelmed! Walking is wonderful, but mostly in the highlands in the center of the island. The cliffs all around the perimeter make it impossible to walk along the coast at most points. Though small, however, don't be deceived, distances can be great for a walker. Bring water and sunscreen, but the Saints on the way will be happy to provide a refill if your water bottle runs dry.

It is very hard to walk out of Jamestown. The city is in a deep canyon coming from the highlands down to the shore, and there are two roads out, one up either edge of the canyon. The other way to get to the highlands is via the vertiginous Jacob's Ladder, an extremely tall staircase, originally built as an inclined plane to bring goods in and out of town. Walking on the roads out of town would mean sharing narrow switchbacks with cars, lots of dust, and no sidewalks. If you walk, even once you climb Jacob's Ladder, you still aren't halfway to the green spaces at the top, and have to walk through the beautifully named, but not so beautiful to look at, Half-Moon Hollow. A rental car or the bus are much better options.

[edit] Talk

The official language of Saint Helena is English. Though the island culture is a melange of people from all over the world, immigration essentially ended long ago, and the Malay, Indian, African and other immigrants to the island have not maintained their original languages or cultures. "Intermarriage" has been the standard on the island for so long that there are no racial differences to be made, let alone linguistic ones.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Saint Helena is not a place for buying things. Everything on the island is brought in by boat. Of course, this makes things expensive. Pictures and memories are better.

There is one tourist shop on main street in Jamestown, and a few interesting things to buy at Longwood and in the hotels. The island museum has a very nice small gift counter. Tungi, a high-proof liquor made from cactus, is made on the island and can be purchased in the bar on the seafront.

Purchases are made in Saint Helena Pounds. The one bank on the island has ridiculously short hours, so be sure to plan ahead. Cash can be changed on the boat on the way to the island, however, so don't worry about changing in advance. The bank doesn't have an ATM, but they can use your ATM or credit/debit card to give you money. Make sure you read the edge of your one pound coins: they actually say Colony of Saint Helena. Where in this post-colonial world could you still see that proudly displayed on the coin of the realm?

[edit][add listing] See

[edit] Jamestown

• The Museum of Saint Helena is a great place to start your visit, though like most other attractions, the hours are very limited. The museum is located in an early 19th century warehouse at the foot of Jacob's Ladder in Jamestown. It has a variety of exhibits on the island's history and natural history. It was established in 2002, so the information is up to date and the installations are beautiful.

• The Cenotaph on the wharf in Jamestown includes the names of all Saints who died in the two world wars, including those who perished in a German U-boat attack in James Harbor in 1941.

• 

  

  Jacob's Ladder
  Jacob's Ladder is the somewhat misnamed staircase that rises from Jamestown to Halfmoon Hollow high above. It is said to have 699 steps. The "Ladder" was build in 1829 as an inclined plane to bring goods down from the farming areas in the center of the island, and manure up out of town. The planes are on either side of the steps, and the cart on one side was used to counterweight the cart on the other. The Ladder is a prodigious climb, and very few are the tourist who can climb it in one go. In addition to its length, it's stairs are somewhat high, making the climb all the more difficult. There are railings, but no landings for the entire length, and those who are afraid of heights may not want to look down! If you see a kid around, you might want to ask her to show you how to slide down the railings; they are reputed to have invented a way to do this scary feat without killing themselves. The Ladder is lit at night.

• The Castle was built by the British in 1659 shortly after they took over the island. It serves as the seat of government, and even if you are not on a tour, you can probably peek into the Council Chambers. The Archives and Administration of the island are also located in the Castle. Very near by is the Courthouse, which his a lovely building in itself and well worth a look. It houses both the Magistrates and Supreme Courts.

• The Post Office is in a rather disappointing building, that looks as though it could be much more interesting with a little help. It was apparently once an Officer's Mess. Of course, this is the place where you can buy one of Saint Helena's most famous exports: postage stamps! The Post Office sends out the stamps of Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha to philatelists all over the world.

• The Castle Gardens is an oddly shaped park behind the Castle. In addition to a wide variety of relatively pedestrian tropical plants, tourists can also see some of the island's endemics here. It is also a good place to see swarms of the songbirds that have been introduced to the island over the years hanging around in the huge ficus trees.

• Fortifications were built across the mouth of the James Valley where it meets the sea only after Napoleon was brought to the island in the 19th century. Apparently there was no entrance originally (!), but a lovely archway has since been built that frames the harbor in one direction and Jamestown in the other. Heading into Jamestown the coat of arms of the English East India Company can be seen above the archway. Upon exiting, you can see a plaque depicting the island's endemic Wirebird.

• Heart-Shaped Waterfall. You might be excused for thinking that the water itself falls in the shape of a heart, but really this waterfall is so named because of the heart-shaped rock over which it falls. It can be seen from the north road out of Jamestown.

• Saint James Church, is a rather dark church just inside the fortifications of Jamestown and across from the Castle. It is the oldest Anglican Church in the southern hemisphere, dating from 1774.

[edit] Longwood

• Longwood House, in the town of the same name, was the home in which Napoleon spent the great majority of his time on Saint Helena and also where he died. It has several wings and contains the type of furniture it would have when he lived there, though most of the originals have been carried off elsewhere. The house is run as a museum and maintained by the French government. It is set in a grounds filled with flowers, and the gardens are well worth some time on their own. Napoleon died at Longwood House.

[edit] Central Island

• Plantation House is the home of the Island's governor. The building looks like a georgian mansion plucked right out of England and plopped down in the South Seas. The grounds are lovely, and there is a nature trail through the park. A number of Seychelles tortoises inhabit the lawn, and one, Jonathan, is said to be the oldest know vertebrate on earth! Jonathan is joined by David, Emma, Fredricka and Myrtle.

• The Central Peaks include Diana's Peak (the highest point on the island), Mount Actaeon, and Cuckold's Point, and are home to the greatest concentration of endemic species. The Peaks are part of the humid cloud forest at the center of the island, and are a must-see for those interested in native flora and fauna. Conservation efforts are underway to make sure that these species can survive the many changes that have taken place on the island over the years.
  

  

  cabbage tree forest

• Clifford Arboretum is a small, largely underdeveloped arboretum that is home to some of the island's native fauna and has medium-term germ storage facilities. There are self-guided hikes through it.

• Saint Paul's Cathedral is the seat of the Anglican bishop of Saint Helena. It was built in 1856.

[edit] Southern Island

• Sandy Bay is a bit of a misnomer, since there are really no sandy beaches on the entire island. Situated at the bottom of one of the deep ravines that cuts from the island's interior to the coast, it is a favorite destination and a good place to begin hikes.

• Lot's Wife's Ponds are probably the best swimming spot on the island. They are large natural tide-pools, and though it can be a bit difficult to get there, it is well worth it. The hike starts from Sandy Bay.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Cooking for yourself is a great way to go. Visitors renting a room or a house on the island will find it easy to get what they need and fun to get along themselves. Tourists comment that it is surprising that on such a fertile island, there is no dairy or garden market. There are a very few vegetables for sale in the two grocery stores in Jamestown. Organization also does not seem to be the islanders' strong point. UHT milk actually runs out between RMS Saint Helena boat visits! Don't worry, though, you will be able to find a wide assortment of food in the two small stores and a nice butcher shop. Fish is also a funny thing. Despite being in the middle of the Atlantic, the only fish on sale seems to be tuna (though it is wonderful, deep red tuna). "Pilau" (pronounced "ploe") is a specialty of the island. It is "peasant food" in the best sense. A combination of rice, bacon and other ingredients, it is delicious and greasy!

• Orange Tree Oriental Restaurant, Association Hall, Jamestown. 5:00PM to late. Chinese food with set monthly menu. Take-away available.  edit
• Saint Helena Coffee Shop, Leisure Park, Jamestown. 10:00AM to 4:00PM. Coffee snacks and desserts available at this outdoor cafe. Very nice picnic tables on the lawn to take advantage of the ocean view.  edit
• Ann's Place, Castle Garden, Jamestown. 10:30AM to 8:30PM. Open air restaurant with a festive atmosphere overlooking the Castle Gardens. Open for dinner, but only if you call before noon.  edit
• Farm Lodge, Rosemary Plain, Saint Paul's, ☎ (290) 4040. Excellent country inn food in an elegant, small dining room of a private house. Call in advance for reservations. The day before is recommended.  edit
• Sally's Sandwich Bar, Association House, Jamestown, ☎ (290) 2990. 9:30AM to 2:0PM. Set daily menu. Carry out only.  edit
• Harris' Guest House, Main Street, Jamestown, ☎ (290) 2729. By appointment only. You can eat at this guest house if you call in advance to reserve a place at the table.  edit
• Cyril's Fast Food and Takeaway, Arch Gate Corner, Jamestown, ☎ (290) 2728. 11:30AM to 2:30PM. You can't miss this restaurant, even though it is only a window in a wall. That is because this window is directly next to the archway in the city wall. Takeaway only.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Consulate Hotel, Jamestown.

• The Standard, Jamestown.

• Donny's Place, Jamestown, is right down the way from the Leisure Park. It is a nice open air bar and you can buy some of the local Tungi there.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Self-catering is a great option. On the island's tourism website you can download a whole list of people who have rooms or small houses to rent. This is a great way to meet the locals that you rent from and see a little bit of what it is like to live on the island.
• Consulate Hotel, Main Street, Jamestown. The Consulate Hotel is the largest lodging facility on the island. It has a restaurant and bar, and all restrooms are en suite. The front porch under the wrought-iron balcony is a great place to sit with a Savanna cider in hand and watch the world pass by in downtown Jamestown.  edit
• Wellington House Hotel, Main Street, Jamestown. The Wellington House Hotel is in a beautiful, cobalt blue Georgian building located on the main street in Jamestown. Rooms are comfortable, boarding options are available, and a bar can sell liquor to guests. Bathrooms are not en suite.  edit
• Farm Lodge, Strawberry Flats, Saint John's. Farm Lodge is a wonderful country inn option. It is in the highlands in a beautiful 18th century farm house with lots of antiques and wonderful food. The views are spectacular. If you don't have a car, it is good for a night or two, but can be a bit isolated. A car or a short stay are the ways to go. There is a drinks cooler in the dining room that the owners say belonged to Napoleon.  edit

Some corrections to the section regarding Farm Lodge (from the owners : Stephen and Maureen.)

Farm Lodge is situated 5 miles from Jamestown, the Capital. It was built as an East India Company planter's house in approx 1690. It is set in it's own 12 acres of gardens and farmland. The correct address is Farm Lodge, Rosemary Plain, St Paul's, St Helena Island (South Atlantic Ocean) It is not as isolated as the article suggests. A hire car cost approx £12 ($18) per day and there is a local bus service to and from town costing £1 ($1.50) each way. The trip is less than 30 minutes. The farm produces fresh fruit and vegetables as well as meats, eggs, coffee etc for the dining room table. Farm Lodge is not a country inn but is a Country House Hotel. All the 5 bedrooms have ensuite facilities and full board is available. Dinner is 5 courses, and the majority is fresh organic food from the farm. The coffee is Green Tipped Bourbon Yemeni brought to the island in 1733 by the East India Company and was very much enjoyed by the Enperor Napoleon during his years of incarceration here. Guests have the option of B&B, Half Board or Full Board. The house is also open to non residents for morning coffee , lunches, afternoon teas and dinners. A fully stocked bar is available.

[edit] Work

Tourists shouldn't come to Saint Helena to work. A large number of Saints work off the island on the RMS Saint Helena, in the Falklands, or on Ascension. This is mainly to get a higher income.

[edit] Stay safe

The island must be one of the safest places on earth. Crime is practically non-existent, though there is a jail with a few inmates. You can feel comfortable walking at night anywhere on the island. There are no bugs or animals of concern (with the exception of scorpions). The only safety issue might be falls for those who want to do some climbing.

[edit] Stay healthy

While there is no particular health threat on the island (no special vaccinations are required), you don't want to get seriously ill. There is a hospital with trained staff available, however, there are no facilities to deal with very serious health issues. Any complicated medical issue must be dealt with off island, and that is a bare minimum of three days away if the boat to Ascension and the plane is just right. More likely you will have to wait several weeks for the boat to Cape Town.

[edit] Respect

[edit] Contact

Telecommunications are particularly expensive -- don't expect to be able to use the Internet for extended periods of time. Stamps can be purchased right across from the Consulate Hotel in Jamestown. The post office is famous among philatelists the world over and brings a significant amount of cash to the island by selling stamps from Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan.

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