Across the entire breadth of the United Kingdom, the months between November and April are generally wet, cold, and dark. Or are they?
Not if you’re in St Helena, a British Overseas Territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean, some 1,200 miles off the coast of southwest Africa. Here, the sun is shining, it’s warm enough to swim in the sea, and the island is bursting with life.
St Helena may be one of the most remote inhabited islands in the world, but it’s rich with adventure, cultural and historical experiences, and diverse landscapes that make it an outdoor lover’s paradise.
So, escape from mainland Britain’s dreary weather to the UK’s secret subtropical paradise where adventure awaits. Read on to discover some of the best things you can discover on the island of St Helena.
A world away
St Helena sits in a remote stretch of the South Atlantic roughly halfway between Africa and South America. Until a few years ago, the island was only accessible by ship, but a new airport means you can now fly there.
And despite the new fibre optic internet cable, the island’s population of around 4,000 remain very much non-reliant on digital connectivity, so you can truly disconnect and enjoy refreshingly authentic human interactions.
People stop and say hello to each other in the street, wave as they drive by, and take time to chat while they’re picking up their groceries. The remoteness of the island has forged a close-knit community and a strong ‘Saint’ identity, and you’ll be so warmly welcomed as a tourist that you’ll feel like you’re a local yourself within days.
Unique outdoors adventures
If you love the ocean, then St Helena offers world-class opportunities to enjoy the sea and experience marine life up close.
Whale sharks visit the waters surrounding the island between December and April each year, and you can swim and snorkel alongside them thanks to responsibly managed marine tours. During the whale shark season, you can expect the water temperature to be a bath-like 19-26C.
Aside from these impressive filter-feeding sharks, which are the largest fish in the sea, numerous shipwrecks, caves, and reefs offer fantastic opportunities for Scuba diving and snorkelling, with the clear waters providing excellent visibility of the colourful and intriguing marine life.
If you prefer land-based activities, St Helena is perfect for exploring on foot. There are walking and hiking trails suitable for everyone from families to experienced ramblers which cover some of the most scenic and untouched parts of the island.
Follow the ‘Post Box Walks’ which are a collection of hikes which traverse the lush, subtropical interior, the dramatic coastline, and the rugged mountains from St Helena’s violent volcanic past.
The volcanos which formed the island are long extinct, but they formed a unique island that’s a biodiversity hotspot – in fact, the island is home to an incredible 30% of the entire endemic biodiversity throughout the UK and its territories.
You can also try the challenge of climbing ‘Jacob’s Ladder’, a 699-step staircase built into the side of the mountain overlooking Jamestown that spans 924 feet. The ladder is the remains of an old funicular railway, and offers remarkable views over the city and out to sea.
A familiar yet distinct cultural experience
As a British territory since 1657, St Helena has a long history of British influence. However, the island’s remoteness and diversity of the population has developed into a unique culture that’s at once recognisable yet distinct.
The sense of Britishness is found in the buildings of Jamestown, which features some of the best preserved Georgian architecture anywhere in the world, and the tradition of a Sunday roast. Of course, Saints have given the the Sunday roast a twist of their own, often pairing it with a mouthwatering local curry. St Helena is also renowned for its coffee, said to be among the best in the world.
Saints also spend a lot of time outdoors, with lively festivals, colourful parades, community picnics, and adventurous after-work activities all part of daily life. And with good weather all-year round, why wouldn’t you?
Fascinating history to discover
The island of St Helena was first formed when volcanos rose out of the ocean between 12 and 8 million years ago, and after human life dawned millions of years later, it was still uninhabited by the time the Portuguese first discovered it in 1502.
The British created the first permanent settlement in 1659, and since then, St Helena has had a fascinating, and sometimes dark, history.
While it was a useful resupply spot for ships, the early settlement floundered, with the capital of Jamestown earning a reputation for bawdiness and alcoholism.
With the rise of the transatlantic slave trade, St Helena’s population grew as tens of thousands of slaves were brought to the island between 1659-1792.
After the abolition of slavery, Chinese indentured labourers were brought in to bolster the workforce, and it’s this mix of West African, Asian, and European heritage that has created such unique and vibrant people and culture in St Helena.
Charles Darwin visited for the island’s rich biodiversity while the astronomer Edmund Halley spent time there gazing at the firmament, with the island still boasting some of the clearest night skies you can find in the world.
The island was also used to hold prisoners of war, including King Dinuzulu of the Zulu nation, 6,000 Boer soldiers, and Napoleon Bonaparte, who was exiled to St Helena after his defeat at Waterloo and died on the island. You can visit the house where he spent his final years and see his tomb while you explore the island.
Of course, no visit to St Helena would be complete without meeting its most famous resident: Jonathon, the 192 year old giant Seychelles tortoise who holds a Guinness World Record for being the oldest living land animal known in the world. He arrived on the island way back in 1882 as a gift to the Governor and still remains there today, happily munching the lawn outside the governor’s residence.
Discover St Helena with Far and Wild Travel
If you want to discover St Helena’s unique island culture, incredible hiking trails through diverse environments, and fascinating history, Far and Wild Travel organises tours of the island that’ll help you get the most out of your visit.
Find out more at Far and Wild Travel’s website here.