Tristan da Cunha is a group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the most remote inhabited areas on earth.
Regions
The main island Tristan da Cunha is the only inhabited island in the archipelago. Nearby there are the uninhabited islands Inaccessible Island as Nightingale Island and some smaller islands. Far to the south lies Gough Island, which is currently only populated by scientists.
places
The only place on the entire archipelago is the town Edinburgh of the Seven Seas on the main island.
Other goals
background
Tristan da Cunha has been known since the first major Atlantic expeditions, but it was not settled by whalers from the USA until the end of the 18th century. A few years later, Great Britain took possession of the archipelago for strategic reasons. Today's settlement is mainly due to shipwrecked people who landed on Inaccessible Island in 1821 and later transferred to the main island. Even if many decided to go home, a small part stayed on the island permanently.
The archipelago is of volcanic origin and the volcano is still active, so the entire island population had to be evacuated to the motherland in 1961 because of an impending volcanic eruption. Although Great Britain would have liked to give up the economically worthless and costly island, the islanders decided in a referendum to return to Tristan da Cunha and so they returned after it turned out that the island was habitable again.
The approximately 250 islanders are still proud of their island and despite all the adversities, there is no medium-term task in sight.
language
English is widely spoken on the island. However, the dialect can be very incomprehensible to foreigners.
getting there
The journey to Tristan da Cunha is only possible by ship. There are no passenger ships that call at Tristan da Cunha, but you can secure a place on one of the supply ships that call at Tristan da Cunha about every month. However, you have to be aware that as a tourist you have absolutely the lowest priority and that the place can be canceled at short notice in the event of unforeseen events if the limited number of places on the ship are otherwise required. This also applies to the return journey, so that you cannot expect to be home again on a fixed date.
The crossing is carried out by both British and South African ships from Cape Town, and in good seas you can reach the island within six days. The journey is a costly affair and you have to calculate with around 500 US dollars or 4,500 South African rand for a one-way trip (double that for a return trip).
Entry must be applied for in advance by email from the local head. In addition to personal data, you have to show a police clearance certificate, sufficient financial resources and international health insurance for a possibly necessary return transport to Cape Town.
mobility
Mobility on Tristan da Cunha is only possible on foot, anything else would be completely nonsensical due to the size of the island. Sturdy shoes are strongly recommended as most of the streets in the village are unpaved.
There is a single road about 3 km long that leads out of the village. It leads to the Potato patches, an agricultural field. The service is free of charge on this road, which is probably the only bus route in the South Atlantic, mainly for elderly residents of the island who can no longer cope with the short distance on their own. Tourists, on the other hand, are asked to pay properly.
Tourist Attractions
- Inaccessible Island: The island is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its unspoiled nature. A crossing to the island is only possible as part of guided tours. Gough Island is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but there is no way to get there, entering the island is strictly prohibited.
activities
- Ascent of Queen Mary's Peak: The 2000 m high volcano is the highest point on the island. An ascent is only possible as part of a guided tour with two companions. It is best to travel in larger groups, as the costs for the companions are flat rates, regardless of the size of the group.
shop
Unlike other British overseas territories, Tristan da Cunha does not have its own currency; the British pound sterling is used instead. Credit or debit cards are useless on the island, so you should definitely bring enough cash with you. Foreign currencies can be exchanged on the island.
You won't have many shopping opportunities anyway. There is a small souvenir shop where you can buy souvenirs to take home, otherwise not much is available on site.
kitchen
Even in the most remote corner of the world there is - typically British - a pub where you can have a casual chat with the locals over a beer. If you don't want to get drunk, you can also visit the café in the tourist information.
Apart from that, one is largely dependent on self-sufficiency on the island. The locals do agriculture, tourists can use the only supermarket on the island.
nightlife
accommodation
There are no real hotels on Tristan da Cunha. However, there are some holiday homes for tourists from which you can choose one when applying for entry.
Learn
There are no opportunities for outsiders to learn on Tristan da Cunha. For the few school children on the island there is a school that teaches up to the GCSE (equivalent to the German secondary school leaving certificate), students who aspire to the GCE or even want to study have to leave the island and attend boarding schools in Great Britain or South Africa.
Work
There are practically no opportunities for work on Tristan da Cunha, the island is economically completely dependent on Great Britain and the inhabitants live on a subsistence basis. The only larger job is the lobster factory on the island, which alone already accounts for 80 percent of the island's economic output.
security
Crime is unknown on Tristan da Cunha.
Even if it looks tempting, you should avoid swimming in the sea, on the one hand because of the unpredictable ocean currents and on the other hand because there are numerous sharks there.
health
There is a small hospital on the island. You have to be aware, however, that you can only work with what exists on site and that, due to the isolation of the island, it can take a long time in an emergency to e.g. B. receives important medication or more complex medical treatment on the mainland. It is therefore essential to be in good physical condition and not have any previous illnesses that could cause problems on the island.
Practical advice
There is also a small post office on the island. You can send postcards home from there, but it does not make much sense, as the post is also transported on the same supply ships that you use to travel to and from. However, the post office is interesting for philatelists - Tristan da Cunha has its own postage stamps, which are considered an absolute rarity outside the island.
There is no cellular network on the island, instead satellite phones are common. Internet is available, but not particularly fast (there is only one 3Mbps satellite connection for the entire island).
climate
Tristan da Cunha has an oceanic, humid climate. Temperatures above 25 degrees are rare, and there is only frost on the top of the volcano.
literature
Web links
- http://www.tristandc.com - Official website of Tristan da Cunha
