Plan Your Next Vacation At One Of The Most Isolated Islands On Earth For Ultimate Relaxation
After French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte's momentous final defeat at Waterloo in June 1815, his British captors needed to find somewhere suitable to put him. Somewhere very far away, where he couldn't possibly get up to any more mischief. Elba, less than 10 miles from the Italian mainland, hadn't been distant enough. Although he was exiled to the island by a victorious coalition of European allies in 1814, it didn't take him long to raise an army, escape to France, and regain power. This time around, the Brits found just the place: St Helena, one of the most remote islands on the planet.
Bonaparte died on the island in 1821, and it remained a pretty tricky location to get to or leave for almost 200 years until things were made a little easier when its small airport opened in 2016. Now, commercial flights from Johannesburg to the capital, Jamestown, only take around six-and-a-half hours. Even so, St Helena still maintains its mystique as a very hard-to-reach place, situated in the South Atlantic, around 1,200 miles from the South African coast and 1,800 miles from South America. Otherwise, the nearest landfall is Ascension (807 miles away), another tiny island that, along with Tristan da Cunha, is lumped together with St Helena as the same British Overseas Territory. In other words, it's still a great spot to relax and get away from it all.
Life on St Helena
Measuring just 47 square miles, St Helena is roughly the same size as Disney World in Orlando and is home to around 4,400 people. Its largest city, Jamestown, has a population of just over 600 as of 2021 and also serves as the capital of the British Overseas Territory overall. As far as capital cities go, Jamestown is pretty laid back, comprising just three main streets running along a steep valley to the port. The official language is English, but, like the similarly far-flung Pitcairn Islands (another British Overseas Territory), the locals have developed a distinct dialect that can sound unusual if you're not used to it.
Jamestown is the hub of island life, and despite its distant location in the southern hemisphere, the Georgian architecture gives the town a distinctly British feel, as do special events like Pancake Races along the main street on Shrove Tuesday. St Helenian cooking also blends British influences with flavors from other cuisines. While Brit classics like Sunday Roast, black pudding, and corn beef hash are popular, local dishes make the most of ingredients from Africa, India, and China. As in Britain, the pub is a cornerstone of the community, and Jamestown has several places to sup a few cold ones. If coffee is more your thing, the island produces some of the best in the world, endorsed by Napoleon Bonaparte himself.
Things to do on St Helena
History buffs will no doubt want to follow in the footsteps of Napoleon Bonaparte, who spent his last years on St Helena. You can visit his abode at Longwood House and his tomb amid lush foliage not far away in Sane Valley. His mortal remains are no longer there; however, after 19 years, he was moved and re-buried in Paris. Other historical sites include St. Paul's Cathedral and the Castle Gardens in Jamestown. For splendid views, visit High Knoll Fort, perched on a high promontory to the southwest of the city, or tackle the 699 steps of Jacob's Ladder, running vertiginously up the steep valley side.
Beyond the very modest hustle and bustle of the capital, St Helena is a rich and verdant place with many natural attractions to check out. One great way to see it is to take a 4x4 tour or hire a car to explore under your own steam. For a small place, it has a diverse range of activities for lovers of the outdoors, ranging from whale watching and snorkeling with whale sharks to hiking to the summit of Diana's Peak National Park, which offers wonderful vistas of the surrounding area. Stargazers might enjoy a visit to the site of Halley's Observatory. There isn't much to see other than a commemorative plaque, but the island's status as a Dark Sky candidate means it is an atmospheric spot to observe the cosmos on a clear night.