'There is far more to see and do on the island than I ever envisioned'

St Helena hadn’t been a place I had previously considered for my clients, largely because I wasn’t aware of what it could offer as a tourist destination. I knew the island was known for its rich marine life but knew little else. I love off the beaten track, unusual destinations and St Helena certainly ticks those boxes! One of the world’s most remote inhabited islands (1,200 miles from south-west Africa) and home to just over 4,000 people, it is a stunning subtropical volcanic island that I wanted to explore. 

Since the airport opened in 2017, travelling to St Helena is so much easier. The flight departed from Johannesburg (a five-to-six hour flight), and from this December you can fly during the peak season from Cape Town twice-weekly. This gives a great opportunity to combine St Helena with a city break, safari or self-drive tour in South Africa.  

Flying into St Helena, you are met with dramatic barren clifftops, which quickly change to lush subtropical terrain, rolling green hills and majestic cloud forest – the island is full of spectacular contrasting environments. 

There were so many highlights it’s hard to know where to start. Snorkelling with whale sharks, watching a pod of over 100 dolphins swim alongside the boat and meeting Jonathan the Tortoise (the world’s oldest living land animal who’s just celebrated his 192nd birthday), were standouts. Others included sunset drinks at the pop-up bars along the quayside in Jamestown, soaking up stunning views from 21 Post Box Walks dotted throughout the island, and meeting many incredible "Saints" (as the islanders are known) who are all so passionate about their island home.