Why travel to St. Helena?
St. Helena combines the history of Napoleon's final exile with a flight connection only opened in 2017 that replaced a 5-day sea voyage, and with Jonathan, according to Guinness World Records the oldest living land tortoise in the world. The island is green and mountainous, a contrast to the barren neighboring island of Ascension.
Napoleon lived from December 1815 until his death on 5 May 1821 at Longwood House, which today belongs to the French state and is open as a museum. His remains have not been on the island since 1840, but rest instead at Les Invalides in Paris; the original grave in Sane Valley remains a destination for visitors nonetheless.
Travelers today mostly fly from Johannesburg; only one monthly connection continues on to Ascension. The island itself is steep, green at higher elevations and dry along the coast, with Jamestown as the only larger settlement, in a narrow gorge between two fortress hills.
What is St. Helena like?
St. Helena is a 122 km² volcanic island with steep relief: from the dry coast at Jamestown, the land rises above 800 m to a green highland often wrapped in cloud. Around 4,400 people live spread across several villages, most in and around Jamestown.
The East India Company founded the first settlement in 1659 and used the island for centuries as a supply station on the sea route to India. After the Suez Canal opened in 1869, St. Helena lost this role and fell into economic isolation, an effect still felt today in the limited number of jobs and the emigration of young people.
The official language is English, spoken with the distinctive accent of the "Saints," as islanders call themselves. Roads outside Jamestown are winding and narrow, with tight switchbacks on the steep hillsides.
Sources: Wikipedia
What does affiliation with Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha mean?
St. Helena is the seat of government for the whole British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha (SHACT): the Governor resides in Jamestown and is also responsible for Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, even though each territory has its own entry rules.
For travelers, this means St. Helena is the only place in the group with its own international airport, while Ascension can only be reached via St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha only by ship. Anyone wanting to visit all three territories needs a separate permit for each and must carefully coordinate the different, infrequent transport connections.
Sources: Wikipedia
Which places on St. Helena are worth visiting?
Jamestown with Jacob's Ladder is the starting point of any trip, Longwood House and the grave in Sane Valley show Napoleon's exile, and Diana's Peak National Park offers cloud forest with endemic tree ferns at 818 m. The island is small enough to combine the main sights in a week.
Jamestown
The capital, founded in 1659, lies in a narrow gorge between the fortress hills Ladder Hill and Munden's Hill. Main Street, with over 100 listed buildings, is considered one of the best-preserved Georgian streetscapes in the world; St James' Church, built in 1772, is the oldest Anglican church in the Southern Hemisphere. From the coast, Jacob's Ladder, a staircase built in 1829 with 699 steps, climbs up to the former fort on Ladder Hill.
Longwood House and Napoleon's grave
Longwood House was Napoleon's residence from December 1815 and has belonged to the French state since 1858, which maintains it as a museum; only the stone front steps are still original, the rest having been restored after termite damage in the 20th century. Nearby, in Sane Valley, lies the original, now empty grave: Napoleon's body was returned to France in 1840 and has rested at Les Invalides in Paris since 1861.
The Briars
Napoleon lived at this country estate near Jamestown during the first two months of his exile, before Longwood House was fully furnished; the property also passed to France in 1959.
Plantation House
The Governor's official residence lies above Jamestown, and its garden is home to Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise who was already living on the island when he was brought there around 1882 and, by estimate, hatched in 1832. This makes Jonathan the oldest known living land animal in the world.
Diana's Peak National Park
At 818 m, Diana's Peak is the island's highest point; since March 1996 a national park has protected the cloud forest with its endemic cabbage trees and tree ferns. A trail connects Diana's Peak with the neighboring summits Mount Actaeon and Cuckold's Point.
When is the best time to visit St. Helena?
St. Helena has a mild, subtropical climate without extreme seasons; the warmest months, December to April, are also the best for whale sharks off the coast. At higher elevations around Diana's Peak it is cooler and damper than on the coast at Jamestown.
Jamestown: average daily high and low temperatures (°C) and monthly rainfall (mm)
| Jamestown (St. Helena) | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 24 |
| Low °C | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Rainfall mm | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station ST. HELENA IS. (5 km, 436 m), auf 6 m umgerechnet. Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.
Station data show mild temperatures year-round between 17 °C and 27 °C with moderate rainfall; larger variations arise more from elevation than from season. From December to March, the southern summer, young whale sharks and pregnant females gather off the coast, making St. Helena one of the few places where even mating among these animals has been observed.
Because the flight operates only once a week, trip length is governed more by the flight schedule than by season; the airline adds extra flights during high season.
Hikes in the highlands are possible year-round, but around Diana's Peak they are often wetter and cloudier during the southern winter between June and August. Anyone specifically wanting to see whale sharks should book dive dates months in advance, since the boats are small and demand is high in season.
Sources: St Helena Tourism
What do you need to enter St. Helena?
Swiss, German and Austrian nationals do not need a visa in advance, but according to St Helena Tourism should clear their trip beforehand via an online portal; on arrival a fee of £20 is charged in cash. Other nationalities are subject to their own rules.
Required are a passport valid for at least six months beyond departure, travel and health insurance with coverage of at least £175,000, a return ticket or proof of sufficient funds, and accommodation arranged in advance. The Austrian Foreign Ministry describes entry as a visitor's permit granted on arrival for up to six months, while the German Federal Foreign Office refers to a visa-free "visitor's pass" for up to 90 days; in practice it is best to check the current requirements directly before booking.
Other nationalities are subject to their own entry rules from St Helena Immigration. The current information from the FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office, the BMEIA and St. Helena's immigration authority before departure is authoritative.
Sources: St Helena Tourism · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Federal Foreign Office, Germany
What vaccinations and precautions does St. Helena require?
No vaccination is mandatory; the CDC recommends the standard vaccinations for the territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, plus hepatitis A and B for unvaccinated travelers. Yellow fever vaccination is not required.
St. Helena's hospital in Jamestown is the territory's only emergency facility; serious cases are evacuated by air to South Africa, which is why the mandatory minimum insurance coverage of £175,000 is notably higher than for many other destinations. Anyone who regularly needs medication should bring enough for the entire trip, since pharmacy selection is limited.
Which vaccinations make sense in individual cases should be discussed with a doctor before the trip; the clear air and sun exposure on the coast make sun protection important even in a mild climate.
Sources: CDC Travelers' Health · St Helena Tourism
How safe is St. Helena?
On St. Helena itself, crime is considered very low; for the current situation, check the FDFA, the Federal Foreign Office and the BMEIA. The greatest practical risks are steep, winding roads and terrain while hiking.
Hikers should stay on marked trails, as some cliffs become slippery in rain; on the mountain roads, caution is advised because of tight bends and narrow lanes without guardrails. The German Federal Foreign Office does not publish a separate assessment for St. Helena.
Sources: Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Federal Foreign Office, Germany
How do you get to St. Helena?
Airlink flies once a week between St Helena Airport (HLE) and Johannesburg (OR Tambo), a flight of about 6 hours, with extra connections in high season; once a month the flight continues on to Ascension. Until the airport opened in October 2017, the only way in was the supply ship RMS St Helena from Cape Town, a voyage of around five days.
The airport was built between 2011 and 2016; on 14 October 2017, Airlink began scheduled service with a smaller Embraer E190, with reduced passenger numbers because of the wind conditions at the runway. The supply ship RMS St Helena was later retired.
This shift marked a historic break for the island: journeys that previously took a week shrank to a single day of flying, and dependence on a single, infrequent ship ended. Travelers today book via Airlink, usually with a connecting flight from Europe to Johannesburg.
Getting around the island
Rental cars and taxis can be arranged in Jamestown; the island's only ring road has tight bends and steep sections, so travel times between places are often longer than the raw distance suggests.
Sources: Wikipedia · St Helena Tourism
What currency applies, and how do you pay on St. Helena?
Payment is in Saint Helena pounds, pegged 1:1 to the British pound; pound sterling is also accepted. In Jamestown, most shops take cards, while smaller villages tend to require cash.
The Bank of St Helena operates branches and ATMs in Jamestown; outside the capital the offering is thinner. Other currencies such as euros or US dollars are not accepted in daily life, and anyone heading to the highlands or the villages is better off withdrawing cash beforehand in Jamestown. Because goods are almost entirely imported, prices for imported items exceed British levels, while local fish and coffee remain comparatively affordable.
Sources: Wikipedia
Where do you stay on St. Helena?
Jamestown has small hotels and guesthouses, while outside the capital there are mainly holiday apartments and rooms with private hosts. Because the total number of beds is small, booking early is worthwhile, especially around the weekly flight.
St Helena Tourism and the booking platform Travel St Helena arrange rooms and holiday homes across the whole island; full board is rare in smaller properties, and most visitors cook for themselves or eat in the nearest village. In Jamestown itself, most addresses are within walking distance of or near Main Street, which is practical for travelers without a rental car.
Sources: St Helena Tourism
What do you eat on St. Helena?
The cuisine mixes British, South African and West African influences with local fish such as tuna and grouper. St. Helena coffee, grown on the island, is also well known and counts among the rarest and most expensive varieties in the world.
Jamestown has pubs, cafés and simple restaurants; typical dishes include fish curry, "plo" (a rice dish with meat or fish) and pastries served with tea. Fresh vegetables come partly from smallholders in the damper highlands, and partly by plane or ship from outside.
Sources: Wikipedia
How do people live on St. Helena?
Around 4,400 "Saints" live on the island, many with roots dating back to the East India Company era and origins in Britain, West Africa, India and China. Daily life is closely tied to the weekly flight, which brings mail, goods and visitors.
After the Suez Canal opened in 1869, the island lost its role as a supply station for ships, leading to emigration and a small, tightly connected community that persists today. Many younger Saints work abroad for periods, for example in the Falkland Islands or Britain, and later return.
St James' Church, built in 1772, and the Georgian architecture of Main Street shape Jamestown's townscape; church festivals and the annual race up the 699 steps of Jacob's Ladder are fixtures of the yearly calendar.
What can you experience on St. Helena?
At the center are the Napoleon sites Longwood House and Sane Valley, hikes through the cloud forest of Diana's Peak, and diving with whale sharks between December and March. Added to that is a visit to Jonathan, the oldest known living land tortoise in the world.
Divers and snorkelers encounter young and pregnant whale sharks off the coast; mating among these animals has even been documented twice at St. Helena, a globally rare observation. The island is therefore regarded in the scientific literature as a habitat of particular importance for the species' reproduction.
Hikers on St. Helena combine history and nature: from Jamestown up Jacob's Ladder to the high plateau, on to Longwood House, and, for those with time, up to the three peaks around Diana's Peak.
- Longwood House and Sane Valley: Napoleon's residence and his original grave.
- Jacob's Ladder: 699 steps from Jamestown to the former fort on Ladder Hill.
- Diana's Peak National Park: a hike through cloud forest at 818 m.
- Whale shark diving: December to March off the coast.
- Visiting Jonathan: the giant tortoise in the garden of Plantation House.
How do you travel responsibly on St. Helena?
When diving with whale sharks, keep a sufficient distance and do not touch the animals, since St. Helena is one of the few known breeding sites for the species. In the national parks, stay on marked trails so as not to damage the endemic vegetation.
Because the native wirebird population (St Helena plover) is under pressure from traffic, feral cats and habitat loss, avoid driving vehicles across open grassland away from the roads. Hikers should carry their rubbish out with them, since the island lacks large-scale waste infrastructure.
Sources: Wikipedia
What can St. Helena be combined with?
The simplest combination is with Johannesburg and South Africa, since the weekly flight starts there; once a month the same connection extends to Ascension. There is no direct connection with Tristan da Cunha or the Falkland Islands, only via separate journeys.
Anyone wanting to see both SHACT islands should plan the trip around the monthly Ascension connection and will need a separate entry permit for each island. A round trip covering several British South Atlantic territories in one journey is possible only with a lot of lead time, given the infrequent connections.
Sources: St Helena Tourism
Who is St. Helena suited for, and who less so?
St. Helena suits history enthusiasts, hikers and divers looking for a remote, green island with Napoleonic history who can build a once-a-week flight into their planning. It is less suited to travelers with a tight time budget or a wish for lively nightlife.
- Good fit: history enthusiasts interested in Napoleon, hikers in the highlands, divers during the whale shark season, travelers with a week or more.
- Less of a fit: travelers with a short time window, since the flight operates only once a week; anyone expecting extensive entertainment or nightlife won't find it in Jamestown.
Sources: St Helena Tourism