The Tristan da Cunha archipelago is truly off the beaten path, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, halfway between Africa and South America. The main island, Tristan da Cunha, is recognized in the Guinness Book as the most remote inhabited island in the world.
This group of islands includes six islands: Tristan da Cunha, Inaccessible Island, Nightingale Islands, Middle Island, Stoltenhoff Island, and Gough Island. Of these, only Tristan da Cunha is inhabited, with a population of 267 people and an area of 72 square kilometers.
When you look at it on a map, you can see just how far it is from everything. Its nearest inhabited neighbor is St. Helena, which is 2,440 kilometers away. Beyond that, it’s 2,805 miles to Cape Town, South Africa, and 3,900 miles to Montevideo, Uruguay.
The archipelago is part of the British overseas territory of Saint Helena, where its governor lives. Notably, Napoleon was exiled to Saint Helena from 1815 until his death in 1821.
Although discovered by Portuguese sailor Tristão da Cunha in 1506, the islands remained uninhabited until the late 18th century, when American whaling companies established the first settlements. It became British territory in 1816 after British soldiers arrived to prevent the French from using it as a base to free Napoleon.
All current inhabitants are descendants of the original settlers who arrived between 1816 and 1908. Despite their diverse origins from Scotland, Ireland, England, Holland, the USA, and Italy, only seven surnames remain.
The only recorded eruption of Queen Mary volcano was in 1961, prompting a complete evacuation of the island’s population to Cape Town and then to England. Remarkably, despite the close proximity of the lava to Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, the island’s only town, no homes were destroyed, and residents returned two years later once the volcano became dormant.
Television arrived on the island in 2001, followed by the assignment of a UK postcode in 2005, and full Internet access in 2006, making the island slightly more connected to the outside world.
In recent years, cruise liners have started offering stops in the archipelago, and it’s even possible to travel there independently. You can sail for six days on one of the boats that periodically leave from Cape Town, South Africa. Once in Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, various accommodations are available at relatively affordable prices.
If you’re looking to completely disconnect in one of the most isolated places on Earth that offers accommodation, would you consider spending time on this remote island in the Atlantic?