Visiting the Falkland Islands

Our Countryside Code exists to protect our environment, including our wildlife, so please ensure that you follow it when visiting the Islands, as failure to do so may constitute an offence and could result in a fine

You may have heard the term ‘Malvinas’ used to describe the ‘Falkland Islands’ – some people incorrectly believe that this is the Spanish or Portuguese translation, however it is a word that Argentina uses to assert their sovereignty claim over our home and therefore using it is considered highly offensive here; in Spanish please use Islas Falkland and in Portuguese Ilhas Falkland

Broadband in the Falklands can be very slow at times and you will generally not be able to access the internet on your phone unless you have a local mobile contract or connect to a WiFi hotspot.

WiFi hotspots exist in many locations across the Islands but are not free to use – you will need to purchase a local Wi-Fi ‘scratch card’ to access the service

‘Camp’ is the term used in the Falkland Islands to refer to any area outside of Stanley and is derived from the Spanish word ‘campo’ for ‘countryside’

Most areas within Camp do not have tarmacked roads, so if you choose to travel by vehicle you will be driving on tracks or off-road; alternatively, you may choose to fly around the Islands – see the ‘Travel’ section for more information

Weather conditions can change quickly in the Islands and it is not unusual for us to experience ‘four seasons in one day’ – so please pack layers of clothing in your luggage to allow for this, including the all-important waterproof jacket

For footwear, you will need strong boots if you want to walk outside of Stanley

Also don’t forget your face – sunscreen is essential as it is very easy to burn here

If you plan on bringing a drone with you, you will first need permission from the Civil Aviation Authority and must pay a fee of £50 – failure to do either of these is an offence here and could result in a fine

Also, as much of the land in the Falkland Islands is privately owned, if you wish to use a drone over private land then you will need permission from the landowner

Our electricity supply is 240v, 50hz and our sockets take a standard UK three-pin plug, so don’t forget to bring an adaptor if your appliances are not compatible

The Falkland Islands has a police force, and a fire and rescue service, both of which can be contacted by calling 999

The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) also operates an Accident and Emergency department which is open between 8:30am and 4:30pm from Monday to Friday. Outside of these hours the casualty nurse is on-call for emergencies or ambulance call outs, and can be contacted via 28052.

Our healthcare facilities are based at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital (KEMH) in Stanley where medical staff are qualified to UK standards and include a full surgical team and intensive care unit

Camp settlements and farms are equipped with medicine chests to take care of minor injuries

Visitors who are not UK residents are required to pay for any medical services received in the Islands and travel insurance (inclusive of medical evacuation) is needed to visit and to stay in the Islands

Over-the-counter medicines can be easily purchased in local supermarkets, but if you take prescribed medicine it is highly recommended that you bring sufficient supplies for your stay

The Falkland Islands have been officially ‘mine free’ since November 2020, however there is still the outside possibility that you may come across an unexploded device, for example if one has been brought in from the sea

If you come across a suspicious device that may be a landmine or other explosive device then please contact the Royal Falkland Islands Police on 999, providing the position if possible or using the What3Words mobile app for your specific location

It’s important to remember that no civilians have ever been injured or killed by a landmine in the Falkland Islands, so the chance of that happening is very remote

The official language of the Falkland Islands is English, but many nationalities are present in the Islands and so you will also hear people speaking Spanish, Filipino and Shona (a Bantu language from Zimbabwe)

If you have a contract phone, you may be able to use the local Sure mobile network with your own SIM, but first check their website for the list of their roaming partners

A pay-as-you-go service is a cheaper option if you are visiting for more than a day, but you will need a SIM-free unlocked mobile handset to use this service

Mobile coverage varies, but is generally good in Stanley and patchier Island-wide; Stanley has three public phone boxes which can be used with pre-paid local phone cards

The Falkland Islands has one cash point located at the Stanley Services refuelling station on Bypass Road, it is only available during usual business hours

We also only have one bank, Standard Chartered Bank, which is located on Ross Road opposite the police station, which is open on weekdays from 9am-3pm

At the bank you can change money, transfer funds and issue cash advances against Visa and Mastercard – charges apply and photographic identification is essential

Some local shops can provide you with cashback if you pay by card – the fee for this service is £3 in The West Store and Chandlery, but currently free in Kelper stores

Local currency has the same value as UK sterling and both are used freely and interchangeably in the Islands

US dollars and Euros can be used in some places, however Argentine pesos cannot; similarly, some credit and debit cards can be used at certain locations – it’s a good idea to check with the server at the till before you pay and carry cash where possible

The Falkland Islands has one post office which is located within the main Town Hall building on Ross Road, it is open from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and more information on their services are available on the postal services webpage

One of the ways people get around the Falkland Islands is via the local air service, which is called FIGAS (Falkland Islands Government Air Service)

FIGAS operates a fleet of Britten-Norman Islander aircraft, which are small two propeller planes – you will need to sit where the pilot tells you for weight distribution and please be aware that you may share your flight with livestock!

Your flight time will not be confirmed until the day before your flight, as the schedule is arranged according to passenger and freight demand on any one day, this means it may be an early start but you will know the timings the night before

There is also an inter-Island ferry service provided by Workboat Services and more information on their schedule can be found on by visiting www.workboat.co.fk

Alternatively, you can travel around the Falkland Islands by vehicle and there are a range of local businesses that provide car rentals, including four-wheel drive

Please visit the Falkland Islands Tourist Board website for more information on getting around the Falkland Islands: www.falklandislands.com/visitor-information/getting-around/figas-car-hire-ferry