Visitors to the Falkland Islands mostly come from cruise or expedition ships and usually only stay a few hours in the settlements on East or West Falkland. Stanley is often part of the travel program. Half a day is enough for a first impression of the capital, but there is almost never enough time for the surroundings.
Airplane : For visitors to the Falkland Islands who are not coming on a cruise, the airplane is the most practical form of transport due to the limited road network. The Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) flies with four small aircraft (8 seats). There are around 40 landing strips on grass or on the beach in the Falkland Islands. Some are rarely used, others can only be landed if the aircraft are not fully loaded. FIGAS normally flies from the airport 3 miles east of Stanley. There is a paved runway here. With the exception of the shuttle flights mentioned below, there are no regular departure times; the flight schedules depend on demand. The flights are rarely fully booked.
FIGAS offers shuttle flights from Stanley Airport. Shuttle flights depart daily between October and March and five times a week between April and September. The East-West Shuttle (departure time in southern summer 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.) flies between Stanley, Chartres, Darwin, Dunnose Head, Fox Bay, Mount Pleasant, Port Howard, Shallow Harbor and Spring Point.
The Northern Shuttle (departure time in southern summer 10:30 a.m.) flies between Stanley, Carcass Island, Darwin, Douglas, Hill Cove, Mount Pleasant, Pebble Island, Port Howard, Port San Carlos, Roy Cove, Salvador, San Carlos and Saunders Island.
The Southern Shuttle (departure time in southern summer 2 p.m.) flies between Stanley, Albermale, Bleaker Island, Darwin, Fox Bay, George Island, Lively Island, Mount Pleasant, North Arm, Port Edgar, Port Stephens, Sea Lion Island, Speedwell Island, Walker Creek and Wedell Island.
Ships and boats can be rented for day trips in Stanley and other parts of the island.
Rental car The settlements on both West and East Falkland are easily accessible via roads / slopes. Outside of Stanley there are mostly slopes and ATVs are best. Rental companies are Falkland Islands Company and Stanley Services Ltd (Travel Division).
Since off-road driving is strictly forbidden on the islands, numerous sights of the Falkland Islands cannot be reached with a rental car. Most of the attractions near Stanley can be visited with a local guide who knows the locations in depth.
Bus: There are bus connections in Stanley, to the surrounding area of the capital and to the airport. There are also taxis in these regions.
Money in the Falkland Islands
Local currency: 1 Falkland Islands pound is equivalent to 100 pence. The British pound is also valid currency in the Falkland Islands. The Falkland Islands Pound is tied 1: 1 to the British Pound. With around 5,000 users (of which around 4,700 are residents of the Falkland Islands or military personnel permanently stationed here), the Falkland pound is the world’s smallest independent currency.
Currency abbreviation: FI £, FKP
Banknotes are issued in denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 50 FI £, coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 pence as well as 1 and 2 FI £.
Currency Exchange: the only bank in Stanley is the Standard Chartered Bank, here you can exchange money.
Before leaving the Falkland Islands, Falkland Pounds should be exchanged as they are difficult to change outside the islands.
Falkland pound exchange rate
Currency converter at OANDA
Credit Cards: Visa and MasterCard are most commonly accepted, American Express, Diners Club and Eurocard less often.
There are no ATMs on the Falkland Islands, but you can withdraw cash with credit cards at the Standard Chartered Bank.
Travelers Checks: accepted everywhere.
Foreign exchange regulations: no restrictions on entry and exit.
Bank opening times: Mon – Fri 8.30 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Falkland Islands – Important Addresses
Falkland Islands Tourist Board and Falkland Islands Development Corporation :
Falkland House, 14 Broadway, London SW1H 0BH, UK
Phone: 0044 20 72 22 25 42 Hours of Operation
: Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – 5.30 p.m.
Falkland Island Development Corporation:
PO Box 580, Shackleton House, West Hillside, Stanley
Phone: 27211.
Falkland Islands Tourist Board :
Shackleton House, Stanley
Phone: 22215
The Falkland Islands belong to Great Britain and therefore do not have their own diplomatic representation. If visas are required to visit the Falkland Islands, they can be applied for at the British embassies.
Falkland Islands Landmarks
According to smber.com, most tourists come to the Falkland Islands for the rare flora and fauna there. Most of the time, the Falkland Islands are connected to rocks populated by penguin colonies. First and foremost, that is also correct. Several rare species of penguin can be seen on the islands.
But penguins are not all the Falkland Islands have to offer. There are also various sea birds, as well as whale and dolphin species to be seen here. Sometimes you get to see sea lions too.
Sport fishermen and fishing enthusiasts particularly like to come here to let their passion run wild. But on the islands, every caught fish is put back in order to avoid overfishing and also to guarantee the existence of the local fish processing industry.
But there are not only natural attractions to see here, the cities are also worth a visit. The capital Stanley and Port Howard in particular should not be missed. An insider tip here is Bertas Beach. This is a beautiful white beach with absolutely picturesque views of the South Pacific. You can also observe many different sea creatures on the beach.
Those who want to admire the full splendor of the Falkland Islands can do so from Bulls Point. The viewpoint is located in the south of the main island. From here you can also watch Magellanic penguins and sea lions particularly well.
If you like hiking or cycling, you can do this particularly well in Cape Pemproke. Cape Pemproke also has another attraction to offer, namely a lighthouse that is over two hundred years old.
The Falkland Islands are ideal for vacationers who love nature.
