Falkland-Malvinas Islands Travel Guide

Falkland (Islas Malvinas) is famous for the war Argentina and the United Kingdom had over the islands. Thatcher's iron hand made sure the region is still firmly under British Rule.

More recently the islands were in the spotlights again, this time because of the behaviour their Penguin inhabitants supposedly showed when jets flew over.  Urban legend has it that our feathered friends tumble and fall when an airplane flies by, because they try to follow the fast bird with their eyes.

Apart from penguins, the Falklands have a lot of sheep and rather few inhabitants, less than 5,000.

Stanley is the capital of the Falkland Islands and is the usual starting point for visits. It is in many ways like an English village, but with Government House, a Cathedral and a wide range of amenities and services. Stanley has a few historic buildings as well as a few ships form the days when great sailing ships and early steam vessels called on their journeys around Cape Horn.

From Stanley you can easily visit Cape Pembroke (birdlife, lighthouse), you can make a boat trip around Stanley Harbour - (contact Dave and Carol Eynon, South Atlantic Marine Services Ltd., PO Box 140, Stanley, telephone 21145. E-Mail: sams@horizon.co.fk), or drive to Darwin (Argentine cemetery, the old Darwin cemetery, the memorial to Colonel H Jones, the grave of Flight Lieutenant Nick Taylor and the memorial to the Parachute Regiment).   One of the most southerly suspension bridges in the world, Bodie Creek Bridge, can also be visited.