The Falkland Islands are Islands off the coast of Argentina and Stanley is the capital. Things to do in Stanley Falkland Islands include;
- Port Stanley
- Iconic British red phone boxes and letterboxes
- Rockhopper penguins tour
- Gentoo / King Penguins tour
- Majestic Penguins tour
- Falklands Battlefield tours
Port Stanley Falkland Islands offers a few hotels if you’re staying a few days.
Port Stanley Falkland Islands
The Falklands Islands are famous because of the Falklands war during the 80’s, the Argentinian army invaded and occupied the islands for a short time. Argentina still claim the Falkland Islands belong to them but upon visiting the islands the people are British, use British Pounds, eat British food and speak English with British accents. I have been to Argentina and the people are great. Additionally, I’m sure there are lots of Argentinians who have enjoyed time in the mainland UK. In conclusion, the governments of each country are the ones with the conflicts not the people.
British Cultural Icons
Port Stanley is the capital city of the Falkland Islands. You’ll find British pubs, restaurants, supermarkets, cars and the locals speak English with a British accent. I did hope to get a Falkland Islands £1 note but I was told they are not in circulation anymore. If you are lucky enough to come across one, the Queen was a lot younger when they were in circulation! You’ll also find lots of British cultural icons in Gibraltar, an island off the south of Spain.
Thatcher Drive
On a walk along the promenade of Port Stanley you’ll pass a few interesting sites, including a church, cathedral, Falklands museum, Thatcher drive and the Government house.
Falklands Conflict
For those interested in the Falklands conflict there is a tour to the Falklands battlefields which leaves from Port Stanley and involves off road driving.
Day Trips from Port Stanley
You can take a tour to Cape Bougainville where you’ll potentially see up to 300 Rockhopper penguins. The reason I chose to take the Rockhopper penguins tour is because I am a fan of the movie Happy Feet and especially the Robin Williams character Lovelace which of course, is a Rockhopper penguin.
To get to Cape Bougainville involves off road driving and once you get there it’s exposed to the elements which are pretty unpredictable on the Falklands. I would recommend taking warm clothes and a raincoat so you can enjoy the penguins without worrying about the weather. You can get very close to the penguins, within 5-10 meters, closer if they approach you.
If I was to take another penguin tour in the Falklands I would have chosen the King penguins tour which takes you to Volunteer Point. I would have taken this tour because when I was growing up I used to eat chocolate bars, called the penguin bar, which featured the King penguins on the wrapper.
How to get from Falkland Islands to Puerto Madryn
Celebrity Infinity Cruise Ship
From the Port Stanley cruise port, Falkland Islands I returned to the Celebrity Infinity and sailed onwards towards Puerto Madryn which took around 36 hours in rough seas. What do you do for 36 hours on a cruise ship you may ask? The answer is eat, eat and eat!
36 hours?? wow. That feels like a short yet long time… depending on what activities you have on the cruises! Love to eat but definitely can’t eat for the full 36! Also didn’t know about that penguin in Happy Feet haha they look insanely adorable with those tufts of hair on their head!
Wow! When you think of UK, you normally think of Europe and not an island off Argentina!!! Its interesting that they’ve maintained the same English culture and authentic English things like the accent, those red telephone booths etc, all the way Falkland! Watching those penguins would be just perfect!
The Rockhopper penguins are so cute! I want to go watch the penguins there. And I would have to add the King penguin tour, too.
The only thing I have ever really known about the Falkland islands is that the ruled by the United Kingdom and that they are at the bottom of South American. I love penguins and seeing that Rockhopper penguins would be amazing for me. I also think it is pretty cool that there was a £1 note once. I will definitely keep it, if I ever come across one 🙂
Wow, I am so jealous of your trip! Touring around the Antarctic waters is a dream of mine. Those pinguins are absolutely the cutest I’ve ever seen, funny how an animation movie can inspire your travel plans!
A really fascinating insight into an all too often forgotten corner of the UK. Certainly, as a Brit myself, my knowledge of the Falklands extends only to the war and the continued hostilities with Argentina over them but clearly, there is a lot more to see the some might expect. I must have been very strange to come across red post boxes, penguins and British accents but I suppose that is just part of the Falklands very unique appeal
I would love to visit the Falklands. I too would enjoy seeing the Rockhopper penguins. I think it is wonderful that they have the red phone boxes. You only imagine that in what I think of as my home. Thanks for inspiring me to head over that way
wow! It’s so nice that you can see the Rockhopper penguins. I did not know that there are many things related to British culture there though. I want to go on the cruise so bad!
Penguin tours itself seems a good enough reason to visit these tiny islands. I too am fan of Happy feet and would love to go on all these penguin tours. They looks so cute. Falkland islands in general look a quite, peaceful place.
The Falkland Islands are not part of UK tho. They are technically Crown Dependencies.
Hi Marcelo – yes that’s true 🙂