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Travel
An airport at the end of the Earth
Important role: St. Helena has also played host to naturalist Charles Darwin and astronomer Edmond Halley — who made use of the island’s dark skies.Island in isolation: Once a strategic Atlantic shipping port of call, St. Helena was long isolated by the lack of an air connection.Sea links: Until 2016, reaching St. Helena involved passage on RMS Saint Helena, the mail ship that, every three weeks, covered the five-and-a-half day journey from Cape Town, South Africa.Mandatory month: Once on the island, travelers had to wait until the ship made its next visit before they could leave — meaning a month-long trip with no flexibility of dates, a luxury few travelers can afford.Atlantic airstrip: A new runway was completed in 2016 and a scheduled commercial air service started in October 2017, linking the island with Johannesburg.Napoleonic past: French emperor Napoleon was exiled on St. Helena almost exactly 200 years before work began on the air strip. The island’s isolation meant it was impossible for him to escape.Emperor’s appeal: The role played by St. Helena in Napoleon’s final years makes it an attractive destination for historically minded French tourists.Jamestown: It has a picturesque capital, Jamestown, and several historical sites, some connected to the island’s past role as a Royal Navy anti-slavery base.British heritage: St. Helena is one of the few remaining outposts of a once-mighty British empire, with many landmarks reflecting its ownership. These include St. Paul’s cathedral, built in the 1850s.Economic boost: Locals are gearing up for the economic boost that tourism can bring about, with plans to expand the island’s accommodation options and some operators working on special-interest tours.Tourism concerns: There may be concerns about the island’s ability to cope with a sudden influx of visitors, but even at peak capacity St. Helena is likely to remain a niche tourist destination.Vital connection: Just 4,500 people live on St. Helena, but regular flights provide a vital connection for more than 10,000 islanders living overseas, mainly in the UK.Export potential: St. Helena’s rich landscape produces a rare, high-quality coffee whose flavor was praised by Napoleon himself, and is currently appreciated by connoisseurs the world over.
