The onetime prison of choice for the British powers that be, Saint Helena has hosted Zulu kings and Napoleon Bonaparte over the centuries. It was something of an obvious choice for a jail, located nearly 2,000 kilometers from the nearest continental land, far out in the wild swells of the central Atlantic Ocean. A brand new airport has made the far-flung speck on the map more accessible than ever though, and today there are Saint Helena tour guides aplenty, just waiting to showcase the curious beauties of their home in the tropics. And what beauties they are! Volcanic in origin, the backcountry here soars high in dusty mounds from the sea. Jacob’s Ladder in Jamestown is a testimony to how long the locals have battled with this steep and unforgiving topography, while the strings of pretty Georgian townhouses belie the long connection with England. The cliffs and craggy inland mounts host a curious array of fauna too, with gum trees inhabited by stalking wire birds, misty cabbage tree cloud forests hiding feral dogs and oodles more besides. Don’t miss the imperial castle either, or the old home of the governor and Longwood House – the erstwhile brig of Napoleon.