Falkland Islands Flights:
Flights to The Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands is a British Overseas Territory situated in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South America. For many potential visitors their only knowledge of the Falkland Islands will be the short war between Argentina and the United Kingdom. This took place in 1982 when Argentina invaded and attempted to take control of the islands. Argentina was forced to withdraw and since this time the Falkland Islands have grown in popularity as a tourist destination.
Probably the main reason why the Falkland Islands haven’t become an even more popular tourist destination is the difficulty in reaching them as the number of airlines offering flights to Falkland Islands is very limited. International commercial flights land at Mount Pleasant airport (airport code: MPN), which also doubles as a military base, though there are also flights offered by the UK Royal Air Force between RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England to Mount Pleasant for commercial passengers. These only operate every 5 days, approximately six times a month, so careful planning is needed if arranging a flight to the Falkland Islands by this method. These flights are also subject to change at very short notice as they are primarily military and all flights on this route have a refuelling stop at Ascension Island.
The other, probably easier, option is to use the South American airline, LAN. From South Africa you can catch a flight with South African Airways to Sao Paulo, then change to a LAN flight to Santiago, then fly Santiago to the Falkland Islands. LAN only has flights to the Falkland Islands on a Saturday, so you would need to depart from Johannesburg on a Friday.
Book a Flight To Falkland Islands:
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The Tourist Attractions of Falkland Islands:
If you’re looking for a luxury holiday destination with plenty of 5 star hotels, lazy days sunbathing around a swimming pool and all the trimmings, then you should probably look somewhere else!
The major appeal with the Falkland Islands is their scenic beauty, the wildlife and the relaxed and somewhat quaint lifestyle you can experience here. This makes the Falkland Islands an ideal destination for nature lovers.
The Islands are made up of two large islands called East Falkland and West Falkland, and over 700 smaller islands, some of which can also be visited and enjoyed.
Stanley
Stanley is the capital and only major town on the Falkland Islands. Once an important port for the whaling industry, Stanley’s port now frequently hosts passing cruise ships and their passengers. The town is quite small and can be easily explored by foot. Those who are interested in learning more about the Argentine invasion can visit the Falkland Islands Museum which displays a history of the islands and exhibits on the wildlife and flora of the islands.
Christ Church Cathedral is the most southerly cathedral in the world, but perhaps more of a tourist attraction is the archway outside the cathedral which is made from the jaw bones of a huge whale!
Just outside the town is Gypsy Cove. If you’re only visiting the Falkland Islands for a short time this would be your best bet for seeing some of the island wildlife – penguins are commonly seen here.
Other Islands
Some of the larger additional Falkland Islands present the best opportunities for seeing wildlife. The aptly named Sea Lion Island is where you’ll see plenty of elephant seals and sea lions as well as numerous other species like penguins and cormorants. Also visit Pebble Island, Carcass Island, Saunders Island, West Point Island and New Island for further wildlife viewing opportunities.
When Should You Visit?:
The Falkland Islands main tourism season is between October or November and March. There are two reasons for this – one is that this is during the summer so the weather is better. And two is that these are the best times to see most of the wildlife on the islands.