Plan your trip to St. Helena Island

All visitors must have valid passports, return tickets and pre-booked accommodation. Entry permits will normally be granted for a period of three months but this may be extended up to one year.

Visitors arriving in St Helena may bring with them the following :

Spirits, strong liqueurs over 22% volume 1 litre and Wine 2 litres or Beer/Lager 340 bottle/cans 12 bottles/cans
Perfumed spirits & toilet water not exceeding 250 ml.
Cigarettes not exceeding 200, or
Other tobacco goods not exceeding in all 250 grams.

Persons under the age of 18 years cannot claim the duty free allowance of alcoholic liquors and persons under the age of 16 years cannot claim the duty free allowance of alcoholic liquors, cigarettes and other tobacco goods.

Firearms and ammunition unless accompanied by a valid licence. / Obscene items or pornographic literature, films or video tapes. / Fruit, vegetables and plant material unless accompanied by an import permit issued by the Chief Agricultural & Natural Resources Officer, St Helena and phytosanitary and export inspection certificates from the country of origin. / Animals unless accompanied by a permit issued by the Chief Agricultural & Natural Resources Officer, St Helena.

As St Helena has no airport the only mode of travel is by ship. The RMS St. Helena provides a regular service from UK (via Tenerife and Ascension Island) and from Cape Town, South Africa.

Most roads are single lane. Etiquette requires the driver coming down to make way for up-coming traffic. Drive on the left-hand side of the road. The drink drive laws are strictly applied with a limit of 5Omg of alcohol per l00 ml of breath.

Car hire can be booked via the Tourist Office or through your travel agent.

There is a taxi rank in Market Street, Jamestown.

There are three fully operational hotels : The Consulate and Wellington House in Jamestown and Farm Lodge in the country. There is also a range of self catering and Bed & Breakfast accommodation available in Jamestown and the country areas. Pressure on accommodation is at its peak during the traditional summer holiday months of December and January.

Popular ‘Saint’ dishes, such as curry, black puddings, pumpkin stew, and fishcakes, have derived from the various cultures that, at one time or another, inhabited the island and added their own brand of authenticity. Ingredients as varied as tuna, rice, potatoes, pumpkin, chilies, tomatoes, onion, parsley and most parts of the pig are used.

There is a strong Eastern flavor in many dishes, but conversely the traditional British Sunday roast is also now a St Helenian tradition, where it is frequently accompanied by a meat curry and rice.

There are eleven eating places on St. Helena each with their own special character.

There is no international bank in St. Helena.

The only way to get to St. Helena is by ship, as there is no airport on the island.

Last modification on June 5th, 2003.