St Helena Holidays
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St Helena is a remote island of just 47 square miles located 1,200 miles off the coast of West Africa, visited by less than 1,500 tourist each year
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Currently the only way to access the island is by sea as there is no airport
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The island is so remote the British thought this was the best place to exile Napoleon and it now houses an excellent museum, along with his tomb, although he was repatriated back to France
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The island offers excellent walking with exotic flora and fauna, including many endemic species and dense tree fern thickets
The remote island of St Helena can currently only be accessed by sea. There are ongoing plans to open an airport in the next few years, so now is the time to visit this virtually undiscovered mid Atlantic gem. The capital Jamestown has the atmosphere of an English Country village with a mixture of Colonial and Georgian architecture.
For those who enjoy natural history the island will not disappoint, with numerous endemic and endangered species. Of the 60 native plant species, 40 are unique to St Helena. Walk through ancient tree ferns and black cabbage trees in search of the endemic wirebird.
History buffs will know of the island principally as this was where Napoleon was exiled in 1815, however there is much more to the island’s history. Longwood house was Napoleon’s residence until he died there in 1821 and it now houses his museum.
First discovered by the Portuguese in 1502, it has been claimed by Portugal, the Dutch and the British, and it was very significant to the East India Trading Company. The British stationed a squadron at Jamestown in 1840 to enforce the abolition of the slave trade and some 26,000 freed slaves were brought to the island between1840 – 1872. There are a number of old military fortifications to visit along with the churches and the Knollcombes Boer War cemetery.
Alternative Suggestions
St Helena Cruise
A unique voyage to St Helena departing from Cape Town.
Cape Town
South Africa's jewel.