How to visit Saint Helena island

Last updated September 7th, 2023.

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Welcome Prince Andrew. They’re not words you see an awful lot these days. Except on the South Atlantic island of Saint Helena. They’ve adorned the boundary wall of Ladder Hill Road in Jamestown since an official visit in 1984. Queen Elizabeth’s third child arrived by boat into James Bay, but things have changed for prince and island since then. So here’s my guide on how to visit St Helena island.

Where is Saint Helena Island?

You’ll need to take a careful look for Saint Helena island on a map. It’s about (but not quite) as remote as it gets.

Saint Helena sits in the South Atlantic Ocean. At 122 square kilometres, it’s three times smaller than the Isle of Wight and six times smaller than New York City.

The island lies roughly midway between the Brazilian coast 2,900 km away, and Angola, 2,000 km away. Blink and you’ll miss it.

In one way or another, St Helena has been part of the UK since 1657. In fact, it’s the UK’s oldest overseas territory after Bermuda.

Today, Saint Helena forms the biggest part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. It therefore has the largest geographic spread of any British Overseas Territory.

Being so far from the UK mainland, St Helena has its own council of ministers. They are responsible for day-to-day law an order on the island. The UK, represented by a governor, is responsible for foreign and defensive policy.

What is Saint Helena known for – things to do on St Helena

Saint Helena’s biggest claim to fame isn’t the visit of Prince Andrew in 1984. But rather the enforced visit (i.e. exile) of a certain Napoleon Bonaparte on Saint Helena from 1815 to 1821.

However, Saint Helena has an impressive number of attractions for an island as small as this one. Most visitors spend just a few days on the island. I think around a week on Saint Helena is long enough to get a sense of the culture.

You might like a few more days if you plan to dive or seek to swim alongside whale sharks given the unpredictability of sightings.

But the fundamental way in which any holiday to Saint Helena is organised is around getting there. More on that later.

Things to do on Saint Helena – a note

Tourist footfall on Saint Helena is limited, which means attractions don’t necessarily open every day. Most only open 2-3 times per week, and often require a minimum number of visitors for tours to go ahead.

That said, even as a solo traveller visiting when 10 days quarantine was still obligatory, I still managed to see and do everything on my upcoming list.

Particularly if your visit to Saint Helena is relatively short, a bit of planning will help ensure you don’t miss anything.

The tourist office in Jamestown is a really helpful source of the latest information. They carry print outs of opening times for all the top sights, alongside bus schedules and taxi information.

News broadcasts on the local radio stations, SAMS and Saints FM, are incredible sources of information. They cover pretty much all upcoming events, from birthday parties to the arrival of the next cargo ship.

Everybody listens – Saints are perhaps the most informed people I’ve ever talked too, no matter the subject. Be sure to mine them for information as you hit the sights.

1. Explore Jamestown, the capital

Jamestown is the island capital, tucked into an extraordinary narrow valley on the northwest coast. Just a couple of streets wide, it’s here you’ll find most of the island’s shops, restaurants, and hotels. It makes the obvious base for anyone on a visit to Saint Helena.

With the air of a long-forgotten tropical outpost of empire, calling it friendly and welcoming would do it a disservice. Colourful, and yes, quaint, its handful of streets manage to exude an incredible feeling of sociability and calm.

A mix of historic structures and modern apartment blocks, Jamestown is as picturesque as you’d imagine it would be.

Start at the water’s edge, where the capital meets James Bay, and move inland. Take in the church and town gate before stopping off in Castle Gardens.

Just opposite you’ll find the volunteer-led Museum of St Helena. It packs hundreds of years of history into a hall-like space which could easily take up a couple of hours of your time.

Following Main Street up, the next square houses the tourist information office and a handicraft store great for souvenirs. Many of its products have been produced by SHAPE, a charity helping the island’s disabled live fulfilling lives.

Then drift the short distance to the market, an iron-framed building imported from the UK during Queen Victoria’s reign.

Reminiscent of structures I’ve seen in Ghana and South Africa, it has a basic café inside. This doubles as one of just a handful of island Wi-Fi hotspots (paid).

2. Tour Longwood House

Longwood House was the island prison for Napoleon Bonaparte for six years.

After the defeat of his navy at Trafalgar (Spain) and then army at Waterloo (the Belgian one), Britain sought the remotest place they could think of to isolate the former French emperor.

Saint Helena was the place. He stayed in a number of properties on the island before settling into Longwood House.

It’s a building he hated, and died in. Gifted to the French state by Queen Victoria, it’s noticeable by the tricolour which flutters from its flagpole.

Its ground floor is open to the public, and filled with Napoleonic-era furniture including the bed the emperor died on. The detail comes from an informative audio guide.

3. Visit the Tomb of Napoleon

Napoleon is interred at Les Invalides in Paris, right?

Right enough. However, from his death in 1821 until his move to Paris in 1840 he was buried in a simple tomb on Saint Helena.

Despite being empty for more than 150 years, the tomb still exists. It’s just a short distance from Longwood House, and covered by plain paving slabs.

The story goes that the great man wanted his grave to be labelled ‘Napoleon.’ The idea was rejected by the governor, who wanted to add ‘Bonaparte,’ so the stones were eventually left unadorned.

It’s a shady spot to catch your breath before moving onto the next place on my selection of things to see in Saint Helena.

4. Sample the ‘Spirit of the Saints’ at Saint Helena Distillery

The self-proclaimed world’s remotest distillery is in the Alarm Forest region of Saint Helena. But, to be honest, each region is so small, it’s easy to mistake one for another.

A one-man enterprise (with a little help from family), the distillery’s owner is Paul Hickling. He regularly hosts guided tours of what’s basically his garage.

Even so, a trip to his distillery is well worth the (minimal) effort it requires. His selection of spirits (rums, gin, coffee liqueur, brandy, and limoncello) are ridiculously good.

If Paul’s not around, bottles are stocked in various stores in Jamestown. The (tiny) shop at the airport after passport control also has bottles.

5. Nosey around Plantation House and meet Jonathan the tortoise

An elegant two storey structure of slatted wood, Plantation House is the governor’s official residence.

Their office and home, it also plays host to distinguished visitors, including (you guessed it) Prince Andrew back in 1984.

Guided tours of the interior are led by the governor’s housekeeper-cum-chauffeur. They offer a rare insight into the lives of a governor. They have the tricky job of balancing the need of islanders with that of the UK.

Charmingly small, Plantation House is best thought of as a stately home in miniature. Tours include a visit to the library and dining room, as well as some of the guest rooms upstairs. They end with freshly made tea and scones.

Don’t disappear too quickly though, or you’ll miss your chance to meet the oldest land creature on earth. That’s Jonathan the tortoise.

Cataract ridden Jonathan turned 190 in 2022, meaning he missed a visit from Napoleon by just nine short years.

A giant Seychelles tortoise (probably from Aldabra Island) his domain is the lawn (paddock) in front of the house.

He shares his paddock with a handful of younger giant tortoises. They can all be seen from a path by the fence without having to visit the house. This is good news since house visits occur only a couple of times a week and have a minimum of around three people.

The small entrance fee goes to helping maintain the property and its historic treasures, including keeping Jonathan in lettuce leaves.

6. Swim with the fishes at Lot’s Wife’s Ponds

Lot’s Wife’s Ponds are definitely worth the effort to reach. Pools filled with warm ocean water and a bevvy of interested fish, they lie at the end of the postbox walk bearing their name.

There are 21 signposted postbox walks around the island. They’re named after the boxes containing a stamp and visitor book found at the end of each one.

The Lot’s Wife’s Ponds walk starts at Sandy Bay, one of the only beaches on St Helena. I have to say though, it’s not the most attractive, with the sand a little grey.

If you plan to stick around with a bucket and spade, you’ll also have to take everything you might need with you, from chairs to water.

Crossing the river, you’ll hike for around two hours (one way) over the barren ridges which typify Saint Helena’s coastline. There are warnings about the difficulty of the walk, but if you’ve done any hiking previously, and have good shoes, you shouldn’t have a problem.

Along the way you’ll have great views out to sea, as well as of the masked boobies which sit unperturbed on nests. Often just a couple of metres from the path, avoid getting too close so you don’t disturb them.

The hardest part of the walk is the final stretch leading down to Lot’s Wife’s Ponds. This involves a hair-raising climb down two steep banks with the help of ropes which have seen better days.

Even so, the only negative I can think of for visiting Lot’s Wife’s Ponds is knowing you have to walk back the same way. Creating a circular walk would be a huge improvement.

Outside of the weekend, you’ll probably have the place to yourself. So relax, and swim with the fishes.

7. See the Heart-shaped Waterfall in full flow

Walks to Saint Helena’s Heart-Shaped Waterfall were supposed to be one of Napoleon’s only pleasures during his exile.

It’s heart shape comes from the rocks immediately below the lip of the falls. If you’re short of time, you can get good views from Side Path at the landward end of Jamestown.

However, there’s also a pleasant walk beneath native trees which takes you from St Francis Plain in front of Prince Andrew School down into Jamestown via Side Path.

Doing it in this direction means you’re heading downhill, and the walk won’t take much longer than an hour.

When the falls are flowing, they drop in a single stream for 90 metres. Because a reservoir was constructed above the falls, they now only routinely flow when the reservoir reaches maximum capacity.

For that, you’ll need to be on a visit to Saint Helena in September and October. At the same time, the heart-shape of the rocks beneath it are present all year round.

8. Ascend and descend Jacob’s Ladder

If ridiculousness has a name, it’s Jacobs Ladder. Leading up to Half Tree Hollow (a mainly residential area) Jacob’s Ladder was created to ferry horse manure from Jamestown to the agricultural land above.

It operated as a mule-powered tramway (adding, no doubt, to the manure pile) but was later stripped back to its 699 steps.

It’s a right of passage for those on a visit to Saint Helena to tackle their 40° average incline. And it’s no easy feat – even for someone used to running half marathons.

The world-record ascent took five minutes and 17 seconds. This doesn’t seem too short a time until you try climbing for yourself. I’d suggest being pleased with a time of around 20 minutes, which is what I did it in. That includes a little sit down half way up…

Locals recommend walking up and then straight back down. Otherwise (as I can confirm) your leg muscles get seriously knotted.

The benefit of returning to Jamestown is the chance to claim your certificate from the museum. It will set you back £2.50.

Is Saint Helena expensive to visit?

Saint Helena is, unfortunately, one of the world’s more expensive destinations to visit. Much of this stems from the fact it’s just so far from anywhere.

Getting to Saint Helena is therefore not the cheapest thing in the world to do. And once you’re on the island, you’ll find food costs are also quite high.

Almost everything is imported in a small-scale way. So biscuits I buy in the UK for £1, were priced up as £3.40 in a Jamestown store.

Accommodation is also expensive – we’re sometimes talking one thousand pounds a night room only in Jamestown. The Mantis Hotel probably has the best reputation.

Pricing has led enterprising residents to set up AirB&B style stays. This way, a night’s stay can cost as little as £35 per night.

I stayed at Banana Tree Lodge, a contemporary single-storey one-bedroom stay. Surrounded by greenery it feels a part of the community. My neighbour even turned up one day with a massive bag of fruit from their garden.

Few places traditionally offered free internet access, as it reaches the island via satellite. There are various hotspots (mainly in Jamestown), costing £6.60 per hour for disappointing slow speeds. From late 2023, when an undersea fibre optic cable is plugged in, this should all start to change.

How to get to Saint Helena island

Pre-pandemic, St Helena recieved just 2,500 true tourists (those with no links to the island, like me) a year. Although a British Overseas Territory, there are no direct flights from the UK to Saint Helena. For most visitors to Saint Helena, this will mean a flight to South Africa and then another to Saint Helena. If you see websites suggesting there are, these date back to the time of coronavirus pandemic lockdowns.

There is hope such a UK-Saint Helena flight will happen again in future. For the moment, the only realistic way of reaching the island is via the Airlink flights to and from Johannesburg. There are hints they might start departing from Cape Town instead in the very near future.

Flights depart once or twice a week (twice during the peak period of November to March). Flights continue to Ascension Island, and book up quickly.

The only other public means of reaching Saint Helena is by ship. The RMS St Helena was retired when the airport opened in June 2016, and cargo ship with passenger berths MV Helena at the end of 2022.

However, you could visit Saint Helena as part of the crew of a private yacht. A handful of cruise ships also lay anchor between October and April. Due to a lack of docking facilities at James Bay, landings are by small boat and can be abandoned due to rough weather.

You’ll need proof of travel insurance including medical cover on arrival by whichever means.

How to get around Saint Helena

It’s often suggested visitors to Saint Helena rent a car. I don’t think this is strictly necessary, and only adds to the expense of a trip.

Jamestown is small enough for everyone to enjoy on foot. You can walk from one end to the other in around 20 minutes.

Jamestown is also the hub for the island’s bus (i.e. minibus) network. There are several different routes labelled after letters of the alphabet. Tourist information can tell you more.

Most trips cost £1, with the maximum being £1.50. Departures are limited to three or four times a day, and mainly for locals rather than tourists.

In other words, they’re designed to take people between home and work rather than tourist sites like Plantation House.

You can though ask the driver to stop you pretty much anywhere on the route, and don’t have to wait to reach the nearest stop.

Because transport is limited, you’ve got a 50-50 chance of being offered a lift by a passing local. You shouldn’t worry about accepting, and will likely learn things about the island you wouldn’t learn any other way.

For instance, a teacher from Prince Andrew School suggested it might be renamed Saint Helena Institute of Technology and Science – or SHITS.

All you need to know about a visit to Saint Helena island

Unique is a word used to sell many a destination. But when it comes to a visit to Saint Helena, it’s actually true. A world away (almost literally) from the pressures of home, with a fascinating culture and history, there’s nowhere else like it!