Travel To The Pitcairn Islands

GENERAL INFO

The Pitcairn Islands are a British Overseas Territory of five islands situated about 3,500 miles from the coast of Chile in south America and 3,300 miles from the coast of New Zealand. The islands consist of the uninhabited volcanic atolls of Sandy, Oeno, Henderson, and Ducie and the inhabited main island of Pitcairn.

Pitcairn Island is just 4.6 square kilometers in size and has a population of only sixty one people. Henderson Island, due to it's rich source of endemic plantlife, an unknown species of endemic gecko, and being the breeding ground of the Green Turtle, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The island group was named after fifteen year old midshipman Robert Pitcairn, who first sighted the main island on the third of July 1767.

This once uninhabited island is renowned for being colonised by Fletcher Christian, John Adams, Mathew Quantrell , Ned Young and other HMAV Bounty mutineers and eleven Tahitian men and women in January 1790.

But by 1856 the island had become uninhabited again after the entire population had been transported to Norfolk Island by the British government, after storms had wreaked damage on the island, causing widespread food shortages and the island had become seriously over populated.

However by 1858 sixteen former islanders who had been living on Norfolk Island made it back to Pitcairn in order to repopulate the island, followed in 1863 by another twenty seven people. Today's population of sixty one people are the descendents of those forty three islanders.

The islanders make a living from bee keeping, wood carving, producing and selling unusual stamps and from a small tourist industry.

The predominant religion of the Pitcairn Islands is Christianity.

The currency of the Pitcairn Islands is the New Zealand Dollar.

The official language of the Pitcairn Islands is English, although it will probably not be understood by most English speaking people owing to it being a pure form of eighteenth century English known as Pitkern.

Pitcairn Island is served by twenty four hour internet and mobile phone connections, three satelite TV stations and a local radio station.

The Pitcairn Islands are located on time zone UTC + 8.

LOCAL TRAVEL

There are no air or sea port on the islands with residents having to rely on long boat to ferry them ship to shore from a small landing dock situated at the small harbour at Bounty Bay.

There is one 6.4 kilometer long paved road called the Hill of Difficulty from the harbour at Bounty Bay to the island's main settlement and capital Adamstown.

Pitcairn has one dedicated passenger/cargo ship chartered by it's government called the MV Claymore II, which sails from Pitcairn Island to Mangareva Island in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia eight times a year.

There are no taxis, car hire or public transport on the Pitcairn Islands, but locals will transfer visitors from Bounty Bay to their accommodation by quad bike.

Several cruise companies pass by Pitcairn Island but few choose to disembark their passengers owing to the

inaccessibility of the island.

ADAMSTOWN

Named after the HMS Bounty's former able seaman John Adams this small settlement houses a town square, a courthouse, a post office ,a library, a Seventh Day Adventist church and a general store. The store is supplied by ship from New Zealand just three times a year.

Beyond the settlement is the landmark known as Christian's Cave, the island's school, the resident teacher's school house and the Island's museum which houses several Polynesian artifacts and relics from the HMAV Bounty.

Also in Adamstown is the Town Hall where more relics of the HMAV Bounty can be found.

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

Pitcairn has a few isolated patches of endemic vegetation which host mainly tree ferns and Ailihow trees. It's rocky coastline has a globally important seabird population of Petrels and Rail.

There is a small tourist industry on the island of Pitcairn with three types of accomodation, home-stay with a resident, private 3 bedroom chalets and the island's governmental run Lodge House.

Activities on the islands include quad biking, fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, bird watching and hiking.

Other natural attractions of the islands include Gudgeon Cave, Down Rope Cliff, Garnet's Ridge, the graves of Fletcher Christian and John Adams, Flatland an area where volleyball and tennis is played and the Pitcairn Marine Reserve which is a haven for scuba diving and snorkeling.

At Bounty Bay, the original landing point of Fletcher Christian and his mutineers, there are a few underwater remains of HMAV Bounty.

Locals offer visitors craft making lessons, guided island walks, bird watching tours, fishing trips and guided quad bike tours throughout the year and whale watching trips during the months of June to October.

WEATHER / NATURAL PHENOMENA

The Pitcairn Islands are situated just south of the Tropic of Capricon which gives the islands an all year round temperature of between 25c and 35c. The islands have a humidity rate of around 95%. The Pitcairn Islands experience a rainy season during the months of November through to March which brings with it the threat of cyclones.

CRIME

Crime or the threat of terrorism on Pitcairn Island is low. The island is policed by one officer on a one year secondment generally from New Zealand.

HEALTH

It would be wise to undergo a vaccination program for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid and Dengue Fever before visiting the Pitcairn Islands. There is no chemist located on the Pitcairn Islands so visitors must bring any regular medications that they normally take at home with them.

A supply of your own plasters and pain killers may also prove to be beneficial in case of small emergencies.

Pitcairn Island has a small, two bed health centre with x-ray and dental facilities.

The island's resident nurse or medic will be either Australian or New Zealand trained and could well be accompanied by a visiting medical student from either of these countries.

Serious health conditions are dealt with by evacuation to New Zealand, which takes time and is very expensive therefore full travel and medical insurance must be obtained before admittance to the island is allowed.

FOREIGN CONSULATES

There are no foreign consulates situated on the Pitcairn Islands. Visitors who require consular help should contact their relevant consulate or embassy located in New Zealand.

VISA INFO

Visitors to the Pitcairn Islands who arrive by way of their own yacht can stay without the need of a visa. However visitors who arrive from Mangareva Island by way of the MV Claymore II must first write to the Pitcairn Islands government for admittance on to the island.

Due to the lack of transport to and from Pitcairn island all visitors must show proof of being able to fund their stay until they are able to leave.

There are no restaurants, fast food establishments or hotels on the island but there is a government run Lodge House which holds around eight people, but food is not supplied, so visitors must either bring their own food supplies or buy tinned goods from the local shop, but remember that supplies are limited.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

January 1 - New Year's Day.

January 23 - Bounty Day.

Good Friday.

Easter Monday.

July 1 - Pitcairn Day.

December 25 - Christmas Day.

INFORMATIONAL LINKS

For the Pitcairn Islands travel website, visit - www.pitcairntravel.pn

For the visit Pitcairn website, visit - www.visitpitcairn.pn

For the Pitcairn Islands governmental website, visit - www.government.pn

For Pitcairn Online, visit - www.onlinepitcairn.com

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