As Airlink resumes flights to St Helena, here are 8 reasons why you should visit
St Helena’s tourism body has announced that Airlink’s scheduled service between South Africa and the South Atlantic Ocean island will increase from fortnightly to weekly as of October 15.
According to the body, the resumption of regular weekly flights to one of the remotest islands in the world, will boost accessibility to the island and enable travellers to discover the volcanic peaks, protected national parks, and world-class diving sites.
The tourism agency also said that the island is now fully open to visitors following St Helena Government’s decision to lift all Covid-19 entry regulations from August 2022.
Matt Joshua, head of St Helena Tourism said that they are delighted that weekly flights will resume to the island following the suspension during the pandemic.
“St Helena offers the perfect getaway for the post-pandemic traveller looking to escape the crowds and we look forward to meeting the demand from travellers wanting to experience one of the UK’s oldest overseas territories and most remote inhabited islands on the planet,” said Joshua.
8 Reasons why you should visit St Helena
The island is a British Oversees Territory in the middle of the South Atlantic and was first colonised by British settlers in the Seventeenth Century.
The small island is home to more than 4 000 inhabitants, known locally as Saints, who are famed for their hospitality and welcoming nature.
St Helena is a haven for walkers, with over 20 walks designed by the St Helena Nature Conservation Group along some of the most scenic and untouched areas of the island.
The island has strong ties to South Africa through history. King Dinuzulu and some 6 000 Boer Prisoners of War were exiled to St Helena, due to its remoteness.
Visitors will learn about the role of St Helena in fighting the slave trade and be able to visit key sites associated with Napoleon, who was also exiled to the island, and see his tomb.
There are eight shipwrecks around St Helena to visit, many of which are scattered with articles of marine archaeological interest such as cannons and anchors that divers visiting the island can explore.
Visitors who arrive between December and March can swim with whale sharks, while those who visit between June and December can glimpse humpback whales with their calves.
The island was named best eco-location and sustainable tourism destination in the 2022 World Commerce Review awards.
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