St Helena Island: Six hours from Joburg, a world away from everything else

St Helena Island sits in the South Atlantic, roughly equidistant between Africa and South America. It is home to 4 000 people (give or take), a 194-year-old tortoise, a celebrated coffee culture and a living history just waiting to be shared.

St Helena Island doesn’t fit neatly into any travel category. It’s a birder’s paradise and a diver’s dream. It’s a serious hiking destination with history and biodiversity woven into every trail. Remote and inaccessible for centuries, the island is now just a six-hour flight from Johannesburg – and for intrepid travellers looking for their next great adventure, the timing has never been better.

Jamestown, the island’s capital, is unlike any town you’ve visited before: narrow valley, colourful facades, Georgian buildings that have stood for hundreds of years. It was here that Napoleon Bonaparte lived out his final years at Longwood House. Where King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo was exiled by the British. Where thousands of Boer prisoners of war were held – a chapter of history that carries particular weight for South African visitors. At the Governor’s Residence, Plantation House, Jonathan the tortoise – officially the world’s oldest living land animal – spends his days with the unhurried confidence of someone who has witnessed all of it.

‘St Helena is history; you can’t separate the two,’ says Jonathan Passaportis, Head of Tourism for the St Helena Government. ‘The layers just keep revealing themselves. Maritime history, Napoleonic history, the Boer War, the legacy of the Liberated Africans and so much more. Local Saints also have their own stories and history and are genuinely excited to share all of it with you. It’s authentic. None of it was built for tourism and that’s rare in today’s world.’

An island for adventurers

Beyond the history, St Helena is building a serious adventure offering – and 2027 is shaping up to be the island’s most exciting year yet. The World’s Most Remote Marathon takes place on 28 February, with an unforgettable route that delivers dramatic ocean views before finishing on the historic streets of Jamestown. Four distances are on offer: a full marathon (42.2 km), a half marathon (21.1 km), a 10 km and a 5 km for family and friends. The race forms the centrepiece of Adventure Week – a broader programme of guided hikes, Jacob’s Ladder climbs (all 699 steps of it), open water swimming, and island exploration.

‘Whether you are a seasoned runner or an adventurous traveller, this event offers the chance to experience something truly special,’ says Passaportis. ‘With limited capacity on flights and accommodation, we encourage those interested to book early.’

Outside of race week, the island rewards the active visitor at every turn. Twenty-five Post Box Walks cover a wide range of difficulty levels, landscapes and coastal paths. Below the surface, warm, clear water (sea temperatures sit between 19°C and 25°C year-round) delivers humpback whales (June to December), whale sharks (typically January to April), and dives to eight shipwrecks within a 200-nautical-mile marine protected area.

Getting there

Airlink operates a weekly Saturday service from OR Tambo to St Helena, with a refuelling stop in Walvis Bay. Over peak season (December to March), additional Tuesday flights from Cape Town open up shorter itineraries. For the marathon specifically, dedicated Cape Town flights are scheduled for 23 February and 2 March 2027 – making it easier than ever to plan a race-and-explore trip.

‘There are very few places left in the world where you can truly switch off and immerse yourself in a different way of life,’ says Passaportis. ‘St Helena is one of them. Unspoiled, unhurried, and utterly unlike anywhere else – it gets under your skin in ways you don’t expect.’

For more information, visit sthelenatourism.com or enter the World’s Most Remote Marathon at racepass.com.

Author: Miriam Kimvangu/ Getaway