I went to Saint Helena Island alone and spent two days there.
Why there?
I was fascinated by history since my childhood at school, it was my favorite subject. I read a lot of history books, but I delved more and more into one topic related to a great historical figure – Napoleon Bonaparte. I even elevated it to the rank of hobby, collecting and reading books by authors of different eras about Napoleon. And in the era when there was no real Internet, you drew descriptions of people, battles and historical places from books, thereby developing your imagination. This also concerned the island of Saint Helena, where the Emperor rested.
According to Napoleon’s own description, the island where he was sent into exile was a prison for him, which is not surprising for a man who owned almost all of Europe. And looking at it on an atlas, he can’t immediately show and find where this piece of land is.
And it was lost almost in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, 2000 km from the nearest African continent, which made it one of the most inaccessible and remote of the islands.
Getting there – at the time of my childhood, adolescence, unlike other places associated with Napoleon, for example, Paris or Corsica – was my almost impossible dream. There was no airport and only part of the transatlantic cruise liners sailing from Cape Town to America called at this island for 2-3 days. But the price of these 20-30 day cruises seemed exorbitant, especially when the goal was not a cruise, but a visit to a specific island.
The Island itself is a British possession, which is why, thanks to funding from London, an airport with a small runway practically between the rocks was opened in 2015. Only narrow-body aircraft with up to 100 seats could land there. And starting from the opening of the airport, I began to work out the possibility of getting there by this type of transport. It seemed that in 2019-2020, having studied the flight and connection map, I would be able to get there, but Covid isolated the island from tourists for almost 2 years, so I had to wait.
Then, according to the scenario, a difficult political period began, when it was unclear whether Ostrov would issue me a visa.
Despite the fact that the Island is a British possession, they have their own currency – the St. Helena pound and the visa here is issued electronically.
I filled out the application form on the website: https://evisa.sainthelena.gov.sh (can work through VPN), where within two months from the date of submission I was asked for additional documents. The list of documents is similar to those submitted for a visa in the UK, however, I was additionally asked to send a statement of cash flow for six months in English (T-Bank helped here), as well as extended insurance with coverage of at least 100 thousand euros and mandatory repatriation risk. And, of course, all air tickets and proof of residence must be on hand.
Road
Since there is only one direct flight to this Island, which flies once a week from Johannesburg with a technical stop in Namibia, I had to get there first.
In Johannesburg I spent the night in a hotel, choosing it closer to the city center and here I made a big mistake. Since this city is essentially divided into prosperous and not so prosperous areas, the city center turned out to be criminalized and quite marginal. At night I even heard gunshots. For accommodation I read later that you need to choose the Sandton and Brixton areas.
But I didn’t fly to Johannesburg to see it, so the next morning I went to the airport, from where I was supposed to fly to the Island with Airlink. When boarding the plane, they check your visa and insurance.
The flight to the island takes about 6 hours, and 3 hours after takeoff the plane makes a technical stop in Namibia (Walvis Bay), and then there is only the ocean.
Housing
It should be said right away that there are no ATMs on the Island, they don’t accept bank cards, there is only one bank with several branches that are closed on weekends 😉 Therefore, it is better to stock up on cash before going there.
I chose accommodation on Agoda (Richard Travel Lounge), but specifically chose a house instead of a hotel. I contacted the owner, Derek, in advance and made an advance payment via PayPal. That’s why he was the one who met me at the airport with a sign.
Having learned the purpose of my visit here, he took me straight from the airport to the most important historical places of the Island – Longwood House, where Napoleon lived, and then to the tombstone where he was buried (his ashes, by the way, were later transported to France). It is worth noting that these two small territories belong to France under a lease agreement.
The most convenient way to get around the island is by car; there are no taxis.
Impressions from the trip
Since the Island is famous primarily for Napoleon Bonaparte, the main attractions are related to him, namely the tombstone and Longwood, the house where he lived.
There aren’t many places to eat here, so I had breakfast, lunch and dinner in the company of the owner of the house, Derek.
I flew in for only two days, because the option was either this or stay here for a week. I must say that a week may seem like a lot, because you can see the whole island in 1-2 days.
But it should be noted right away that you can’t get around here without a car, so if you’re planning a trip, it’s best to immediately discuss the possibility of an excursion and meeting at the airport, since there are no taxis here either. Diving is well developed, there are even sunken ships, but again, it’s best to discuss everything in advance.
At the same time, there are a number of disadvantages, but for some, advantages – there is no entertainment (2-3 pubs that work until late on Friday and Saturday), very expensive communications and Internet (even home WiFi is limited and amounts to 30-50 GB per family per month, and the connection often disappears), problems with fresh water, which is very economical, with the delivery of goods (3 days by ship from Namibia or up to 3-4 months from the UK), expensive gasoline, which is not always available, the climate and winds are very changeable here.
There are many difficulties to live in, but people here are very happy and ready to help. Because there is not even a police force, but there are people’s militias, that is, collective responsibility and security.
Expenses
Tickets Munich-Johannesburg-Munich with a transfer in Dubai – 1300 € Tickets Johannesburg – St. Helena – Johannesburg – 750 € Visa – 80 pounds Accommodation – about 200 pounds for two nights Meals – about 200 €
Even if you are not keen on Napoleon’s biography, this island is suitable for those who want to immerse themselves in unity with nature without gadgets and the Internet. After all, even Bonaparte, in good weather, loved, as always, to get up early and drink coffee, admiring the local nature and the waters of the Atlantic.