Useful Information

There are a small number of hotels and guest houses in Port Stanley. Outside the city, accommodation is in lodges and guest houses, usually with a small number of rooms and offering full-board. These book up quickly in busy periods, so talk to WILDFOOT early to be assured of space when you wish to visit.

Stanley:

• Malvina House Hotel - a first class hotel with bar, restaurant and all modern facilities.
• Waterfront Hotel - a friendly, mid-range, comfortable hotel with restaurant.
• Lafone House - a friendly B&B with a mix of en-suite rooms and ones with shared facilities. Owned and run by Arlene Betts, who has been welcoming visitors to the Islands for many years.

All of WILDFOOT's Falklands tours include accommodation and throughout your tour you will be staying in some of the most beautiful, comfortable and remote accommodations in the world. On the larger islands you will be staying in guest houses, hotels or B&Bs which offer all of the amenities one would expect from their hotel stay, whilst on the smaller islands you will be staying in managed lodges which are run by local wildlife experts and which offer a unique experience of living amongst the day to day lives of the Falkland residents, both human and non human!

Photography

There are endless opportunities for photography in the Islands. These are most notably of wildlife, but also include diverse land and seascapes, enhanced by the amazing clarity of the air. Wildlife encounters are unlike those in most parts of the world in that birds and mammals have no fear of humans and close proximity, whilst observing guidelines, is generally possible.

Some tips for photography:

• Weather is changeable in the Falklands, so waterproof carry bags are essential
• Much wildlife photography will be on beaches where fine sand will be blowing in the wind, so have lens cleaning cloths available and be prepared to brush loose dust and sand from moving parts of cameras and tripods.
• Keep batteries fully charged and carry spares, since recharging facilities will be limited
• Always have spare memory cards, even if you are using high capacity versions
• If you intend to back-up/download each day, you must have your own laptop or similar since computers are unlikely to be available at lodgings for simple transfers to memory sticks, etc.
• Beware of wildlife - in the Falklands particularly, there is the striated cara cara, known locally as the 'johnny rook', which is both inquisitive and acquisitive and will quite happily pick up lens caps, covers and sunglasses if you are not vigilant.

Clothing - What to Wear

The islands are renowned for their unpredictable weather, so visitors should be prepared for wind (at most times), rain and snow showers and sunshine. The ozone layer above the islands is particularly thin, so high factor sunscreen is advisable at any time. Temperatures range from a maximum of 25°C in Summer (Dec-Feb) to -5°C in Winter (Jun-Aug). Spring (Sep-Nov) and Autumn (Mar-May) can be any combination!

Currency and banking

Currency is the Falklands Pound, which is interchangeable with the British Pound Sterling, although Falklands' notes and coins cannot be used outside the Islands. Some establishments may take US dollars or Euros. The only bank is Standard Chartered with a single branch in Port Stanley. The bank conducts all normal banking activities and will change major currencies or arrange cash advances against credit cards. There are no ATMs anywhere on the Islands.
Credit cards are accepted in larger shops, restaurants and hotels in Stanley only (Mastercard and Visa widely accepted, American Express only limited acceptance). Sterling cash is the best payment option outside Stanley.
Departure Tax - There is a tax of £22 per person payable on departure at Mount Pleasant Airport. This must be made in cash - credit cards and foreign currency are not accepted.

Plugs and electrical appliances

Voltage is 240 and plugs are standard British square pin.

Post Office

There is just one post office, on Ross Road in Stanley. This conducts normal postal services and has a philatelic bureau. Postage stamps are available from a number of outlets and the Falkland Islands Tourist Board shop also sells pre-stamped post cards.

Wi-Fi

Available at main hotels and accommodation in Stanley and main settlements by purchase of an access card sold in £10 denominations and valid for 100 minutes.