I had the privilege of spending a week on St Helena Island, one of the world’s most remote destinations. Lying roughly halfway between Africa and South America in the heart of the South Atlantic Ocean, this subtropical island is defined by mountainous terrain and shifting microclimates, which create an extraordinary diversity of landscapes.
Formed around 12 million years ago, when the tip of a volcanic mountain, part of a small chain of underwater volcanoes off the coast of Africa, broke through the sea’s surface, the island marked the beginnings of new life. The island remained isolated, evolving, uninhabited, and undiscovered, until the Portuguese stumbled upon it by chance in 1502. For much of the following century, it remained rarely visited. That changed in 1659, when the British East India Company took possession of the island and began fortifying it, leaving it strewn with old cannons and crumbling stone forts.
This ushered in an era in which St Helena’s busy port received more than 1,000 ships a year, owing to its strategic position for restocking and refuelling passing vessels. Over the centuries, the island’s niche qualities and location drew a range of notable visitors, including astronomer Edmond Halley to admire the night skies, Captains Cook and Bligh, naturalist Charles Darwin on more than one occasion, and British royalty.
Its isolation made St Helena a natural place of exile too, with the most notable being King Dinuzulu, Zulu Leaders, Boer Prisoners of war, and the most prominent of all, French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who died on the island. Slaves, ‘liberated Africans’ and Chinese indentured labourers also left a significant imprint on the island’s cultural heritage, traces of which remain woven into St Helena’s identity today.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 changed this dramatically, and the island became a quiet and increasingly forgotten outpost. The most isolated of British territories, it remained connected to the outside world primarily through the RMS St Helena, a dedicated passenger and cargo vessel that operated between Cape Town, St Helena, and Ascension Island from 1990 to 2018. As the island’s sole lifeline, the voyage took around five days each way, depending on conditions, carrying supplies, mail and the occasional intrepid traveller prepared to stay for weeks.
That all changed in 2017, when St Helena Airport opened, connecting a population of around 4,000 Saints (as St Helenians are known) with the world. Or more accurately, with weekly flights to and from South Africa, which is how I arrived, flying in from Johannesburg. Getting to St Helena remains very much part of the adventure, with the island now served by a weekly return flight from Johannesburg, with seasonal services from Cape Town in summer.
A stop in Walvis Bay, Namibia, for refuelling adds to the sense of distance, along with tightly managed, weather-dependent landings that can just as easily turn you back as bring you in. The approach, over nothing but open ocean to a landing strip perched atop a volcanic mountain outcrop, is part of the magic, leaving you with less of a sense of arriving at an airport and more of stepping into another world.
The return leg is direct, taking around six hours from Johannesburg and approximately four and a half hours back.
Once landed and having eased our way through customs at the small yet remarkably efficient St Helena Airport, we met our transfer to Jamestown. The drive provided an immediate introduction to what awaited us, as we passed through dramatic black volcanic landscapes, lush valleys, rural communities, and historic sites en route to the capital, tucked between steep mountains.
After checking in and settling, we joined a guided walking tour through the town, led by St Helena Tourism’s Sophia, to orient ourselves. We passed Georgian architecture, faded pastel buildings, the old fortified waterfront, and residents going about their Saturday routine. Fishing boats bobbed on the calm ocean, delicious aromas drifted from food trucks, and friends gathered at the local pub for song, conversation, and a leisurely afternoon together. Arriving on a weekend allows you to ease into island life before it springs back to life on Monday.
There is far more to do than you might expect, and a week passes easily
A drive around St Helena on our first full day had the island seeming much larger than it is, with winding roads revealing a landscape that shifts between stark volcanic outcrops, green valleys and unexpectedly lush, forested slopes. The island’s eight districts, Alarm Forest, Blue Hill, Half Tree Hollow, Jamestown, Levelwood, Longwood, Sandy Bay and St Paul’s, unfold in close succession, each with its own distinct character. Ferns, bougainvillaea, New Zealand flax, mature trees and grazing cattle give parts of the island a pastoral feel.
Tropical valleys sit alongside homes perched on high ridges; the surroundings are brought to life by our passionate guide and Saint Helenian Aaron Legg, one of the first to curate high-end experiences designed to showcase the island’s natural diversity. From Deadwood and Longwood to Sugar Loaf, Half Tree Hollow and the Gates of Chaos, place names feel almost mythical, perfectly suited to a landscape of black sand beaches, cloud forest and high fortifications overlooking the sea.
St Helena might not be the first destination that comes to mind for an active island holiday, but perhaps it should be. We hiked, kayaked, walked the pathways that encircle Jamestown, swam in the bay and snorkelled both a reef and a wreck in the warm, clear water. There is excellent hiking, with a collection of 25 Post Box trails to tick off your list; so-called for the small post boxes at the end of each trail, where a stamp can be found to add to your collection and to mark the achievement of completing the trail.
A highlight is Jacob’s Ladder, where the record ascent stands at 4 minutes and 40.75 seconds. Originally built in 1829 to move goods between Jamestown and Ladder Hill, it was restored in 1987 and remains one of the island’s most iconic climbs, offering sweeping views over the valley and harbour.
Napoleon may only have spent around six years of his life on Saint Helena, but his mark on the island’s storied history is undeniable. Exiled after his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, he arrived in October 1815 and was initially housed at Briars Pavilion, before being moved to the more secure and remote Longwood House, where he lived under close supervision until his death. He was buried in the peaceful Sane Valley, although his remains were later returned to France in 1840. A Napoleonic tour brings this chapter of the island’s history to life.
Afternoon tea at Plantation House is another highlight. Built in 1792, it remains home to the island’s governor and Jonathan, a Seychelles giant tortoise. The oldest known living land animal, he is believed to be around 194 years old. Brought to the island at around the age of 50 in 1882, he lives on the vast Plantation House lawns with three fellow tortoises and can be viewed daily, with limited weekly access to the grounds for a controlled closer look.
Saints have a deep-felt connection to the ocean. The surrounding waters are clear and warm, rich with marine life including turtles, rays and whale sharks, alongside eight accessible shipwrecks that add a historical layer to the underwater landscape. Sheltered bays make for easy swimming, snorkelling and kayaking, with exceptional visibility and an unhurried sense of space. Scuba diving is hugely popular and immensely rewarding here.
The Papanui wreck lies in shallow water in James Bay, its stern occasionally breaking the surface. Sunk in 1911, it offers a great snorkelling experience for those with all levels of experience. The wreck is now a sanctuary for marine life and can be reached by an easy swim from the shore. I missed the whale sharks on my visit, which are known to make these waters home between December and April, while humpback whales are prevalent in season too. All year, dolphins abound, and we had them playing alongside our boat while out on the water.
This is a destination for an adventurer as much as for a historian, where exploration feels rooted in geography rather than just an activity. Much of the island’s offering and character is revealed through its guides. I met a few, among them a brilliant politician who runs the e-biking, a passionate French historian whose life’s work is documenting Napoleon’s time on the island, and a remarkable woman running a Return Travel program for visitors seeking ancestral links with St Helena.
There’s Eddie of the National Trust, who has made protecting the islands’ endemic wirebirds and other red-listed species his life’s work. Conservationist Stedson, who has discovered plant species new to the world, and marine biologists who will go swimming with you, yet are always keeping a close watch on protected marine life.
Don’t miss the coffee. St Helena’s green-tipped Bourbon Arabica beans are world-renowned, grown from stock introduced from Yemen in the 1700s and still disease-free and unblended. Coffee tours offer a hands-on experience from harvest to cup, ending in a tasting that reflects the island’s distinctive character.
St Helena at a Glance: Icons & Landmarks
The Arch of the Castle was constructed in 1832. An imposing stone entrance that connects the waterfront Wharf to the town centre. It features historical markers, including records of past floods, and a painting of the island’s endemic Wirebird. Just behind The Arch and the government buildings, lies Castle Gardens, a peaceful, flower-filled, sheltered oasis with mature trees, endemic plants and topiary sculptures. Originally planted to supply fresh produce to the island’s early Governors, it is now ideal for relaxing and is home to Anne’s Restaurant.
Jacob’s Ladder is the 699-step gruelling staircase that rises steeply from Jamestown at a 40-degree incline. Built in 1829, it was originally designed to transport goods between Jamestown and the upper settlement of Half Tree Hollow. Over time, it evolved from a functional structure into one of the island’s most iconic and enduring landmarks. There’s a challenge in there, too, if you’d like to chase the record of 4:40.75 set by extreme sports athlete James Appleton in 2024.
The Heart-Shaped Waterfall is a seasonal waterfall that, after heavy rainfall, forms a distinctive heart shape — one of the island’s most photographed natural curiosities. Deadwood Plain is a high, windswept plateau known for its open landscapes and exceptionally clear night skies. The area was a major British internment camp that held nearly 6,000 Boer prisoners between 1899 and 1902.
The Wirebird, or St Helena Plover, is the island’s only endemic bird and a cherished conservation symbol. Found nowhere else in the world, this small wader is named for its delicate, wire-thin legs and admired for its quiet resilience in a fragile island ecosystem.
Napoleonic sites are scattered across the island. Briars Pavilion, Longwood House and Napoleon’s Tomb in the Sane Valley.
Peaks National Park, beyond Jamestown, the landscape shifts dramatically into the green, mist-laden cloud world where cloud forest, endemic flora, and winding trails create a completely different side of St Helena. This protected area is home to rare endemic flora and birdlife found nowhere else on earth, including remnants of St Helena’s ancient native vegetation.
St Helena Island speaks to the considered approach to travel, where slowing down does not mean doing nothing, but rather discovering the richness of place through its landscapes, its guides and its layered history.
Accommodation on the Island
My stay was at the Mantis St Helena, a 30-bedroom boutique hotel set in the original East India Company’s officers’ barracks dating back to 1774, just moments from Jamestown’s waterfront and main attractions. Its exceptional location opposite Castle Gardens made it easy to settle into island life, with plenty of time to wander Jamestown in the evenings, enjoy pre-breakfast swims, and pop out for coffee between activities. The hotel features a restaurant, cocktail bar, guest lounge, and a spacious outdoor terrace.
Among them are: Richard’s Travel Lodge in St Paul’s, Blue Lantern next to Mantis, Farm Lodge Country House and Jaye’s Guest House.
This is not a once-off destination, but a place to return to—a place that somehow feels like home, perhaps because, no matter where you are from, St Helena Island carries echoes of the world’s shared history.
In this remote part of the world, my week was shaped as much by time spent exploring its millennia-carved terrain and warm, marine-rich waters as by the encounters with islanders themselves, which felt familiar, generous and quietly unforgettable.
The Essential Details
Travellers to St Helena Island must hold a valid passport and obtain a visa, which is issued on arrival and is subject to prior approval by St Helena Immigration. A printed copy of the return air ticket must be presented to immigration officials upon arrival. Comprehensive travel and medical insurance is required, including cover for emergency medical treatment and aeromedical evacuation.
Airlink is the sole airline operating scheduled flights to St Helena Airport (HLE). Services run each Saturday between Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport (JNB) and the island, with an additional mid-week Cape Town flight during the summer peak season (December–March). As I’m based in Cape Town and flew in and out of Johannesburg, an overnight in Johannesburg was required on either side.
The official currency of Saint Helena is the Saint Helena Pound (SHP, £), which is pegged at a fixed 1:1 with the British Pound (GBP), and both currencies circulate interchangeably on the island. If you like, you can pick up a local SIM card on arrival, although many establishments have wifi. I’d suggest exchanging some cash at the airport too, as there are no ATMs on the island, and you are unlikely to see a card machine.
The more adventurous travellers can rent a car and explore the island’s winding roads that weave through lush valleys and forest-clad slopes.
If this sounds like a destination that you’d like to visit, do be in touch with us; I’d love to take you there. Reach out to me at dawn@amadijourneys.com or dawn@theincidentaltourist.com for more info.
You’ll find additional information on the St Helena Tourism website and social media channels, with their incredibly dynanic and brilliant team available to support at all times.
My visit was organised by Big Ambitions, and I was warmly hosted by St Helena Tourism throughout. I’m so grateful.
** A couple of pics supplied by SHT, the rest are mine.
