St Helena is one of the most remote islands in the world, but the island has a rich history; Everyone from Darwin to Napoleon has lived here. A island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, St. Helena is one of the most inaccessible places in the world. Now, new non-stop flights from Johannesburg and Cape Town are making the world smaller for Saints. St Helena is so exciting, but do you know about things to do in St Helena Bay?
Saint Helena, known as a British Overseas Territory, is an intact island in the South Atlantic Ocean, 1,950km west of the southwest coast in Africa. The closest area to Saint Helena is Ascension Island 1,125km to the northwest, which is currently a support base for the Air Force. The most inhabited island in the world is called Tristan da Cunha, 2100 km south of Saint Helena.
When the Portuguese first set foot on the island in 1502, St Helena remained an uninhabited island until British troops stationed there. Before the commencement of the Suez Canal in 1869, St Helena was once an important stopover for ships from Asia and South Africa on their way to Europe.
Any tourist visiting this bay will be amazed by its majestic beauty. Inside St Helena Bay, visitors can also encounter many other beautiful landscapes. In this article, we will show the tourists the things to do in St Helena Bay.
What Tourists Should Visit When Come To St Helena Bay?
Hunting Lighthouse
Visitors can learn about the local history of St Helena Bay with a visit to Hunting Island Lighthouse. Make sure you don’t miss the wonderful lighthouse day in this relaxing destination.
Longwood House
The Longwood House is where the emperor Napoleon Bonaparte lived during his exile on the island of Saint Helena from December 10, 1815 until his death on May 5, 1821. The house is located on a field. windswept about 6 kilometers from Jamestown, the island’s main residential area.
After Napoleon’s death, Longwood became the property of the East India Company before being transferred to the Royal Family, and used for agricultural purposes. From 1854, France negotiated the transfer of ownership of it with the British government. In 1858, the house was transferred to the French Government along with the valleys and Napoleon’s tomb for a sum of £7,100. Since then, the house has been under the control of the French Foreign Ministry and the French Government representative living on the island is responsible for managing the property. In 1959, another property, Briars, where Napoleon had stayed for the first two months before living in Longwood, was handed over to the French Government by Mabel Brookes.
Over time, the house was damaged by termites, in the 1940s the French Government intended to demolish the building. The new Longwood house and the Balcombe house at Briars were demolished at the time, but Longwood was saved when the structure was restored. The stone steps in front are what remains from when the house was built until now.
Today, it is a museum owned by the French Government, and is one of only two on the island along with the Saint Helena Museum. In the house, there is still furniture and items from the time of Napoleon.
Jacob’s Ladder
Jamestown’s standout structure is Jacob’s Ladder, a staircase of 699 steps, built in 1829 to connect the town with the fortress on Ladder Hill. In addition, the island is also famous for Saint Helena Museum, Fort Knoll, two houses of Napoleon – Longwood House and Briars, his grave. If you look at the town of Jamestown, you can see it running along the valley between two great mountains. The island is volcanic in nature and this town is built on an old stream, which makes a lot of sense when you know it. Looking down from the top of the stairs. You can’t tell visually, but I’m confused and out of breath at this stage of the game. But the view from up here is amazing. The image below shows our boat moored in the harbor below.
Museum Of Saint Helena
The museum is managed by the Association of Heritage St. Helena is housed in a stone building at the end of the 18th century It was officially opened on May 21, 2002, is the anniversary of the day the island was discovered by Governor David Hollenby. The museum is one of the two museums on the island, and the museum remains a Longwood house.
High Knoll Fort
High Knoll Fort is 584 meters from the sea level and about 1 mile south of Lower Jamestown. Opened back on December 18, 2010, now it is an ideal destination, specifically those on cruise ships that arrive in the summer (from January to April).
It covers all of Jamestown. And it was built to support the protection of the island against potential invaders of France, is a debt to the people on the island. Original fort was built in 1799 as a round tower, so-called as Martello Tower which is along the lines of the tower in Simon’s Town in South Africa. The purpose of the tower is to protect the traffic. behind the battery approach at Ladder’s Hill.
Jamestown
Jamestown, known as the capital of Saint Helena Bay, is neatly arranged from the South Atlantic Ocean to many slopes of a small ravine. English colonists explored it in 1659, and named for James II, and Jamestown is home to many historical sites as well as handsome Georgian mansions.
Returning to town on a lower foot is one of many nods to Napoleon – a sign of him in full regalia standing on the 1st floor balcony in the hotel, overlooking a housed blue mansion. named after his nemesis. However, contrary to legend, the duke didn’t reside here during his trip – he wasted time in the Porteous House which was destroyed.
Half Tree
Visitors who climb Jacob’s Ladder past tropical red birds and red rock outcrops will reveal themselves in Half Tree, St Helena’s largest town (for those with lower stamina, cars and minibus en route from Jamestown). No matter how you arrive, the view – over the cliffs precipitated with the never-ending blues of the South Atlantic Ocean, down Jamestown and inland to the blue mountains – is breathtaking. Over half hollow trees are the long and broad round walls of the tall Knoll Fort, built as a stronghold against invasion in 1798.
History Of St Helena Bay
It’s hard to think of a piece of land more isolated and inaccessible than St Helena. After all, this seemingly lost island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean was chosen as Napoleon’s final exile. But there’s a lot here for visitors – traversing soaring bends and through alpine meadows, heading out to sea by boat, or exploring historic villages, chatting with the Saints (locals) welcome every passing.
A volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean, St. Helena is one of the most inaccessible places in the world. Thus, in the early nineteenth century, the British chose St. Helena to build a prison for Napoleon Bonaparte, who was exiled here in 1815. Napoleon died before he could get off the island.
Saint Helena, also known as an Overseas Territory, is one of the remote islands in the Atlantic Ocean, 1,950km west of the south west Africa’s coast. The closest area to Saint Helena is ascension island 1,125km to the northwest, which is currently a support base for the Air Force.
The most inhabited island in the world is called Tristan da Cunha, 2100 km south of Saint Helena. When the Portuguese first set foot on the island in the year 1502, St Helena remained an uninhabited island until British troops stationed there in the 17th century. Before the grand beginning of the Suez Canal in 1869 , St Helena was once an important stopover for ships from Asia and South Africa on their way to Europe.
As one of the volcanic islands in the Mid Ridge, the terrain is quite rugged, with vertical cliffs from 500 – 700 meters high. The only place where ships can dock is located on the northwest side of the island at James Island, from the bay is a small valley that has a length 2.4 km inland.The place in the midst of the steep cliffs of the valley is the port town of the capital of St Helena Bay.
Jamestown was founded in 1659 by the East India Company and named after James, Duke of York, future King James II of England. The town was built on a flint in a small area, stretched along the valley, highly populated with winding roads. Trees and bushes decorate the street corners. Terrain surrounding the rugged and steep Jamestown, occasionally falling rocks damaged buildings.
The most prominent feature in Saint Helena is the Jacob’s Ladder (Jacob’s Ladder) with 699 steps. Jacob was established in 1829, connecting the town of Jamestown with Ladder Hill (Ladder Hill). This step is quite famous and attracts tourists, at night the steps are illuminated and an annual short running competition attracts many participants from around the world.
How To Get To St Helena Bay
Before 2017, St. Helena had never been seen by any commercial flights. Years ago, the only regular link from the island to the outside world was the RMS St. Helena, every three weeks, on a five-and-a-half-day schedule from Cape Town. In 2016, while St. Helena was about to open her first airport when an unexpected obstacle was the South Atlantic wind.
South Africa’s Comair, a British Airways franchise, had planned to start flying to the remote island in 2016 using Boeing 737 and 800 aircraft, however, the plane had problems landing. Smaller planes can still fly to the intact island, but size and weight limitations make many airlines nervous about business performance.
Economy In St Helena Bay
As one of the most remote islands in the world, life on Saint Helena is quite difficult. There are only a few shops in town and usually close at 4pm. The shelves you can find in supermarkets are always in shortage of goods, waiting for the train to arrive, after that they continue to lack and run out. No mobile signal, no internet made Saint Helena’s economy grow very slowly and almost had to receive aid from the British authorities. Lack of jobs is an alarming problem, and a lot of people have to work in other countries.
To help you have a detailed look at St Helena Bay, we recommend you to watch this video:
In Conclusion: There Are Many Things To Do In St Helena Bay
St Helena Bay is a “forgotten” paradise. However, we believe that its beauty will gradually attract tourists and become a must-see destination. You can find a variety of things to do in St Helena Bay. If you are hesitant about visiting St Helena Bay, don’t worry, this tour will not disappoint.