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Voykit pocket guide · Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
Jamestown
Jamestown is a single valley street: see the town in two easy mornings, climb Jacob's Ladder at dawn or late afternoon, and build the whole trip around the flight, not the sights.
Jamestown is Saint Helena's only town, a strip of buildings along one valley from the seafront up to the foot of Jacob's Ladder. Everything in it is within a 15-minute walk, so the constraint is not distance but access: flights are few and weather can delay or divert them, beds are limited and cards and cash machines are patchy. Four short clusters along the valley cover the town; the rest of the island needs a car or a taxi.
- Country
- Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
- Time zone
- Atlantic/St_Helena
- Stay
- 2 days: Seafront and museum, Main Street, Jacob's Ladder at dawn
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SHP
- Money
- Cash (sterling or Saint Helena pounds) for shops, cafés and taxis; cards at some hotels and shops (check). Bring enough for the stay.
- Daily spend
- Budget SHP 20–40 excl. bed · Mid SHP 40–90 excl. bed · High SHP 90+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Local operator SIM or plan, if available (check); Wi-Fi at guesthouses is limited by data allowance.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance, fire Ask your host for the current numbers (check)
- Plugs
- 230 V, 50 Hz; UK-style three-pin sockets (type G).
- Tipping
- Not expected; a small tip for a driver or guide is welcome.
- Water
- Tap water is generally safe; ask your host.
- Toilets
- Cafés, the museum, public buildings and the seafront.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee, café | SHP 2–4 |
| Cake or scone with tea | SHP 3–6 |
| Fishcakes or a light lunch | SHP 7–14 |
| Dinner main in a guesthouse or pub | SHP 12–25 |
| Beer, pub | SHP 3–6 |
| Short taxi ride in town | SHP 5–10 |
| Airport transfer | SHP 15–30 |
| Museum entry | SHP 3–8 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Saint Helena Airport (HLE)
- HLE to Jamestown: a pre-arranged transfer or taxi, about 30–45 minutes by road; there is no fixed timetable, so the transfer is the thing to arrange before you fly.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Saint Helena Airport (HLE) (Saint Helena Airport) | Scheduled flights, mainly from Johannesburg (check the schedule) | Transfer or taxi 30–45 min |
| Supply ship link (check) (Ship) | A cargo and passenger vessel between Cape Town, Ascension and Saint Helena (check schedule) | On the seafront |
| Your accommodation's transfer (Transfer) | Airport pick-ups and drop-offs | Already there |
Typical fares
- Airport to Jamestown, transfer or taxi
- SHP 15–30, 30–45 min
- Short taxi ride in town
- SHP 5–10
- Island tour with a driver
- SHP 80–150 a day
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk in town; taxi or hire car for the rest of the island. The town has narrow steep streets and the island roads are single-track in places, so drive slowly, on the left.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Walking | Free | Inside Jamestown |
| Taxi | Set fares; short ride SHP 5–10 (check) | Airport, upper island, evenings |
| Hire car | SHP 35–60 a day (check) | An island loop and the Napoleon sites |
| Guided island tour | SHP 80–150 a day (check) | A first visit without a car |
| Local buses | Low (check) | Local hops |
| Boat trips | SHP 40–100 (check) | Whale sharks and coastal sights |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Distances in town are short; a car is worth it for one island loop.
- Late at night
- No rail and no timetable-based night transport; arrange late rides in advance.
See and do
01Jacob's Ladder at dawn
The classic climb of 699 steps with a long view over the town.
Hours: best Dawn · Price: Free · Time: 45–90 min · -15.9269, -5.7160
02Museum of St Helena
The clearest one-hour account of the island's history.
Hours: best Morning · Price: SHP 3–8 · Time: 45–60 min · -15.9248, -5.7190
03St James' Church
The oldest Anglican church in the southern hemisphere.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 15–20 min · -15.9253, -5.7185
04Castle Gardens
A quiet garden by the old fort and government buildings.
Hours: best Late afternoon · Price: Free · Time: 20–30 min · -15.9247, -5.7196
05The Wharf and landing stepsJamestown Wharf
Where every arrival came ashore for centuries.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 15–30 min · -15.9243, -5.7199
06Main Street walkMain Street
A short stretch of Georgian buildings with shops and pubs.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 30–45 min · -15.9262, -5.7175
07Island loop by car: Longwood and Napoleon's Tomb
The story of Napoleon's exile in the place where it happened.
Hours: best Weekday morning · Price: Driver SHP 80–150 · Time: Half day
08Diana's Peak walk
The highest point and the cloud forest.
Hours: best Clear morning · Price: Free · Time: 3–4 h
09Fishcakes at the pub
A local lunch with local company.
Hours: best Lunch · Price: SHP 7–14 · Time: 45 min · -15.9264, -5.7172
10Whale shark trip (seasonal)
A rare encounter in Dec–Apr.
Hours: best Dec–Apr · Price: SHP 80–120 (check) · Time: Half day
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Longwood and Napoleon's Tomb | Car or taxi 25–35 min | Half day |
| Diana's Peak | Car then a walk | Half day |
| Plantation House | Car 10–15 min | 1–2 h |
| Whale shark trip | Boat from the Wharf | Half day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakery and shop picnic, Main Street | Bread, cheese and fruit from Main Street shops · Main Street | SHP 3–8 | Budget |
| Tea room, Main Street | Tea and a cake or scone · Main Street | SHP 3–6 | Budget |
| Fishcakes at a Main Street pub | Fishcakes and chips or a light pub lunch · Main Street | SHP 7–14 | Mid-range |
| Seafront café near the Wharf | Tea, cake or a light lunch · Seafront | SHP 4–12 | Mid-range |
| Guesthouse dinner with plo and local fish | A guesthouse dinner with local dishes · Main Street, Upper Jamestown | SHP 15–30 | Splurge |
| A hotel or restaurant dinner with fresh fish | Grilled tuna or wahoo with vegetables · Jamestown | SHP 18–35 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Hours are short: ask your host what is open.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | SHP 60–90 | Main Street and Upper Jamestown guesthouses | Guesthouses and self-catering rooms |
| mid | SHP 100–160 | Main Street | Hotels and larger guesthouses |
| splurge | SHP 180–300 | Jamestown and the uplands | Historic hotel, lodges and holiday homes |
Per room per night in SHP, 2026 estimate.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Good morning | Good morninggood morning |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| Islander | Saintsaint |
| How much is this? | How much is this?how much is this |
| What is fresh today? | What is fresh today?what is fresh today |
| Please take me to this guesthouse | Please take me to this guesthouseplease take me to this guesthouse |
| Is the Ladder safe to climb today? | Is the Ladder safe to climb today?is the ladder safe today |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greetings: Greet everyone you pass, in the street or on a path; the island is small and people expect it.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people and private homes.
- Church: Dress modestly and be quiet in St James' Church; it is a place of worship.
- Trails and land: Stay on marked paths, close gates and respect private land and endemic plants.
- Driving: Vehicles drive on the left; roads are narrow, so give way on slopes and blind bends.
- Tipping: Not expected; a small thank you for a driver or guide is welcome.
- Quiet hours: Sunday is a rest day: many places close and noise is unwelcome.
Red lines
- Greet people you pass in the street; the community is small.
- Ask before photographing people and homes.
- Respect private land and wildlife rules on the trails.
Scams and watch-outs
- Scams are rare; overcharged transfers are the main risk: book through your host and confirm the fare.
- Unlicensed boat or tour offers: use a licensed local operator and confirm inclusions.
- Prices in shops are fixed; do not pay more than the tag.
One and two days
1 day
A short stopover if a flight connects. Skip: Longwood and Diana's Peak: they need a car and a day.
- 06:306:30 AMJacob's Ladder
- 09:309:30 AMMuseum of St Helena
- 12:0012:00 PMFishcakes on Main Street
- 14:002:00 PMSt James' Church and Castle Gardens
- 17:005:00 PMSea view from the seafront
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Saint Helena Tourism (official): sthelenatourism.com/
- Saint Helena Government (official): www.sainthelena.gov.sh/
- Wikivoyage — Saint Helena: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Saint_Helena
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Jamestown
Please take me to this address
Please take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Jamestown WharfThe Wharf and landing steps
- Main StreetMain Street and the Georgian town walk
- Police, ambulance, fireAsk your host for the current numbers (check)
There are no embassies on the island; keep your embassy's 24-hour line and the Governor's office contact (check).
Give your driver the name of the guesthouse and the road.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/jamestown). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.