Beautiful British island hardly has any visitors despite being named ‘best’ place to visit | Travel News | Travel

As the weather gets warmer many people will be planning their next holiday, and your next destination should be this brilliant island hardly anyone has travelled to.

St Helena is a breathtaking island between Africa and Brazil on the South Atlantic Ocean and is a British territory, but is famously very remote as it used to take five nights to travel there by boat. 

However, there are now commercial flights to the island as an airport was built in 2017 making it much easier to access, but is still a complete hidden gem as only 2,100 tourists made their way to St Helena in 2023. 

This small island has a population of a village with only 4,000 residents but this paradise is worth the visit due to its incredible scenery, as it has golden sandy beaches and green forests with brightly painted homes nestled in a valley that looks out to the blue ocean. 

St Helena has been named one of the “best places” to visit in 2024 by CN Traveler who highly recommend a visit due to the island’s “rich history” as the island is known as the place Napoleon died after being exiled.

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CN Traveler said: “On land, trails cut through lush forests and up rugged hillsides; at the end, you might find a distinctive British red postbox with a notebook in which to leave a comment.” 

Any Brit who makes their way to St Helena will be right at home as the island uses pound sterling as its currency, meaning you can enjoy some classic fish and chips while looking out onto a gorgeous sunny island. 

St Helena’s cuisine has been influenced by British, African, Chinese, Portuguese and other cultures’ cuisines, which means you will find some traditional dishes as well as other delicious meals waiting to be discovered. 

One local dish tourists should try is Plo, a curry similar to Spanish Paella which can be adapted to personal taste but is generally made with meat, fish and vegetables. 

Another speciality on St Helena is coconut fingers, which are Mederia cakes that have been dipped in icing and then rolled in coconuts to make a sweet dessert. 

There are many international dishes enjoyed on the island such as a traditional Sunday Roast, but some other traditional dishes on the island are meat curries, battered tuna, fishcakes, and grilled wahoo steak. 

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However, St Helena is prized for its scuba diving, as it is known for its incredible underwater landscapes such as The Cathedral, an underwater cavern resembling a cathedral in which divers can encounter colourful reef fish. 

There is also the Atlantic Princess Wreck nearby where divers can explore the remains of a fishing vessel and can also encounter a diverse range of underwater creatures, and might even be lucky enough to see eagle rays, whales, and dolphins. 

Both dolphins and whales are common on St Helena between June and December, which can be spotted from the island or you can take a boat out for a better look. 

St Helena is also famous for Jonathan the tortoise, known as the oldest living creature on land and is believed to be 191 years old. 

Visitors can often see Johnathan on the grounds of Plantation House, the home of the Governor of St Helena where there are local historic tours as Napoleon is known to have stayed there. 

One of the most magical activities in St Helena is stargazing, as the area is one of the smallest sources of light pollution due to its remoteness, and the night sky is meant to be an unforgettable sight once you see it. 

No matter what there is plenty to explore on St Helena both on land and off, as this tiny island has plenty to offer due to its striking natural beauty, tasty cuisine, and rich history with many more attractions left to discover.