Tristan Da Cunha: Life in the World's Most Isolated Settlement

Updated

2025-06-04T18:15:43Z

The Edinburgh of the Seven Seas settlement is considered the most remote settlement in the world.
The settlement, which is on the island of Tristan da Cunha, is home to just over 200 people.
It can only be reached after a nearly week-long boat trip departing from Cape Town, South Africa.

Forget summer 2025 — if you want to visit the world’s most isolated settlement, it’s time to start planning for summer 2026.

That’s because the government of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas — one of the British Overseas Territories on the island of Tristan da Cunha, which is in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean — recommends planning at least a year ahead if you want to make the trek.

After all, you’ll need to find a boat to take you, most likely from the nearest city of Cape Town, South Africa. Then you need to write to the Tristan government, seeking their approval to visit. Once permission is granted and you’ve shared details of any criminal history, you can begin your boat journey … which will take a week to complete.

Tristan da Cunha is an active volcanic island. The last time it erupted was in 1961, which forced islanders to evacuate to England, according to the website of the Tristan da Cunha Government and the Tristan da Cunha Association.

Now just 209 people live there, but the remoteness grants the lucky few plenty of tranquility and safety.

The economy relies on the export of crawfish, known as Tristan rock lobster, but tourism also makes up a small part. However, there are no hotels on the island, so the government has created a homestay program for visitors for £65 a night, or around $88 a night, according to the island’s website.

Here is what life is like in what its residents call “the most remote settlement in the world.”

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is known as the most remote settlement in the world.

All residents prefer to just call it “the Settlement.”

maloff/Shutterstock

Source: Smithsonian, Tristan da Cunha

It lies at the edge of an island, Tristan da Cunha, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.

A red marker indicates the location of Tristan de Cunha. — A red marker indicates the location of Tristan da Cunha, which is actually an active volcanic island.

Google Maps

The island of Tristan da Cunha is more than 1,700 miles (nearly 2,800 kilometers) off the coast of Cape Town.

signage TDC — The volcanic island sits 6,500 feet (2,000 meters) above sea level.

David Forman/Getty Images

The island is one of Britain’s 14 overseas territories.

GettyImages 809248002 — A ship leaves Portsmouth Harbour in England to patrol the waters around Britain’s territories in the South Atlantic.

Chris Ison/PA Images/Contributor/Getty Images

Source: Britain’s Treasure Islands, BBC

The settlement was named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria’s second son, after he visited in 1867.

GettyImages 463977799 — The town was named for the Duke of Edinburgh.

Print Collector/Contributor/Getty Images

As of May 2025, 209 islanders and visitors are living there, including descendants from original settlers and stationed researchers.

1997 01 22T120000Z_205304118_RP1DRIEDLPAA_RTRMADP_3_NODESC.JPG — The settlement is home to full-time residents and visitors.

Reuters

Being the remotest settled island in the world is Tristan’s claim to fame.

A sign in Edinburgh, Tristan da Cunha, the world's remotest settlement. — A sign in Edinburgh, Tristan da Cunha, the world’s remotest settlement.

maloff/Shutterstock

The island is so remote that the government actually recommends visitors start to plan their trips a year in advance.

GettyImages 96169164 — Visiting the island is not easy.

Geoff Renner/robertharding/Getty Images

Prospective visitors need to get their trip approved by the Tristan government. They need to email the Secretary to the Administrator, providing reasons for their visit.

British Governor residency in Edinburgh, Tristan da Cunha — The British governor residency in Edinburgh, Tristan da Cunha.

maloff/Shutterstock

The island is only accessible by boat across the South Atlantic Ocean — most trips leave from Cape Town, South Africa.

tdc — Arriving to the island after a nearly week-long journey must feel incredible.

Mark Hannaford/Getty Images

The trip from Cape Town takes six days, and boats leave on an inconsistent schedule — sometimes they set sail multiple times per month and sometimes they skip a month entirely.

The settlement is known for its warm hospitality and will welcome all visitors after the long journey.

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas town, Tristan da Cunha. — The settlement does not have hotels, and most visitors stay with local residents.

maloff/Shutterstock

Of the 209 people currently living on the island, 25 are not part of the permanent group of residents. And of the permanent islanders, there are only 11 different last names.

GettyImages 125210255 — Animals graze on communal pastures.

Mark Hannaford/Getty Images

One native islander was asked about what it was like to grow up on Tristan. He joked, “Pretty good, as long as you can find something to do.”

Boats on Edinburgh of the Seas, Tristan da Cunha.

maloff/Shutterstock

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is a rural settlement, which sustains itself by growing mainly potatoes on patches of land about a mile away from the town.

Vegetable patches, Tristan da Cunha.

Getty Images

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

The farming part of life in Tristan allows islanders to grow their own food without having to import.

Potato patches, Tristan da Cunha.

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images

There’s one road that leads to the patches …

The main road to the agricultural area in Edinburgh of the Seas.

David Forman/Getty Images

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

… and anyone can take the bus to get there.

The bus on Edinburgh of the Seas.

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

Every family living on the island has a few fields to grow potatoes and other crops. They harvest inside “walled patches” made from volcanic rock, and use hand tools rather than machinery.

Fields on Tristan da Cunha.

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images

Each family can own livestock, but the government controls the numbers to prevent overgrazing of the limited land. Currently, each household is allowed to own one breeding cow.

Sheep on Tristan da Cunha, near Edinburgh of the Seas.

David Forman/Getty Images

More than 40% of the island’s territory is declared a nature reserve. Animal life includes rare bird breeds and Northern Rockhopper penguins.

Rock-hopper penguin near 'Edinburgh of the Seven Seas' port, Tristan da Cunha. — Rock-hopper penguin near ‘Edinburgh of the Seven Seas’ port, Tristan da Cunha.

David Forman/Getty Images

Source: Britain’s Treasure Islands

There are three different species of albatross native to the island, but the albatross are threatened by mice every year.

Yellow-nosed albatross — Pictured above is the yellow-nosed albatross.

David Forman/Getty Images

Source: Island Conservation, Tristan da Cunha

The same boats that brought people to the island brought mice and rats as well. In killing the chicks of native birds, the rodents could be eradicating a number of species.

GettyImages 578261746 — Tristan islanders call the penguins “pinnamins.”

Auscape/Contributor/Getty Images

Source: RSPB, Tristan da Cunha

In fact, it’s such a problem that the islanders have an entire holiday dedicated to ridding the island of the vermin: Ratting Day.

tristan da cunha ratting day — Teams of men compete on Ratting Day to remove the troublesome rats.

Courtesy of Tristan da Cunha Photo Portfolio

On this holiday, residents team up and compete to see who can catch the most, and the biggest, rats and mice — it was an idea thought up before mice repellent existed on the island.

Judges count the rats and measure the tails to decide which team wins. Teams then receive prizes and have a dance-filled celebration.

The residents also celebrate traditional Catholic holidays, including Easter.

GettyImages 575397495 (1) — Residents at Saint Mary’s Anglican Church on Easter Sunday.

Kent Kobersteen/Getty Images

The church was built in 1923 and was the first on the island.

St. Mary's Church on Tristan da Cunha — The island has four churches in total.

David Forman/Getty Images

Before the church was created, islanders held services in people’s homes.

inside of church TDC — The church is a way for islanders to come together in one communal space.

David Forman/Getty Images

Islanders say they feel a sense of community while dealing with death just as much as they do while living and celebrating life.

GettyImages 575397497 (1) — If there is a death during the week, usually the workday will be cut short.

Kent Kobersteen/Getty Images

“Whether family or not, a passing touches the hearts of the whole community, and this is when you see islanders not only as a community but as a family,” wrote one islander, Dawn Repetto, on the community’s website.

GettyImages 575397499 (1) — Women on the island usually collect flowers and make wreaths.

Kent Kobersteen/Getty Images

Scientists visit the island to gather information on the rare plant and animal species living on the island among the volcanic rock.

TDC plantlife — There are plenty of rare botanic species for scientists to study.

David Forman/Getty Images

The settlement also has all the basics you would expect from any small town, such as a supermarket, a bar, an internet cafe, and bus stops.

bus stop TDC — A small bus stop to wait in.

David Forman/Getty Images

Source: Redfern Natural History Productions

There’s also a school, St. Mary’s, for students aged between 3 and 16. It has five classrooms, a library, a hall with a stage, a computer room, and a science room.

School in Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha. — The school in Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Tristan da Cunha.

David Forman/Getty Images

The local economy depends largely on the harvest of rock lobster — which they sell internationally — and fish.

lobster boats tdc — Lobster boats docked along the coast of the island.

David Forman/Getty Images

They also sell postage stamps to collectors abroad and make a limited amount through tourism.

tdc — Collectors worldwide are interested in buying stamps.

RFStock/Getty Images

While some cruise ships have added the port to their route from Africa to Latin America so tourists can have a peek into this style of remote life, it’s generally not somewhere people just pass through.

port at TDC — Tourists get a chance to see unusual and rare birds.

David Forman/Getty Images

Source: Smithsonian, Lonely Planet

But for the tourists that do make it to the island, there are a few options when it comes to tourist accommodations.

A view of Edinburgh Of The Seven Seas. — A view of Edinburgh of the Seven Seas.

Peter Schaefer/Getty Images

Some islanders open up their homes to visitors on a homestay basis. They collect 88% of the guest fees while the other 12% goes to the government.

TDC — Homestays are a great option to immerse yourself in the island culture.

Peter Schaefer/EyeEm/Getty Images

There’s a museum called “Traditional Thatched House Museum” that’s available as a guesthouse for one night for two people. The price includes tea, coffee, milk, sugar, candles, sleeping bags, and a “traditional Tristan cooked meal” for lunch.

Shepherds' huts on Tristan da Cunha island. — Shepherds’ huts on Tristan da Cunha island. The museum is not pictured.

David Forman/Getty Images

Tourists can climb the active volcano on their visit. This peaceful, quiet settlement was almost destroyed in 1961 when the volcano erupted and sent lava spewing down the mountains.

Tristan da Cunha.

David Forman/Getty Images

You can see here how close the lava got to the settlement. It stopped before it reached the buildings.

Islanders were forced to evacuate. Most went to England, where they got a taste of modern life.

GettyImages 50358403 — When the islanders evacuated, the UK government assumed it was permanent.

Terence Spencer/Getty Images

By November of 1963, all the islanders who chose to reject the swinging sixties in the UK had returned back to their settlement to carry on their legacy.

GettyImages 50658773 — A boat filled with islanders returning home to Tristan da Cunha in 1963.

Carl Mydans/Contributor/Getty Images

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Tristan Da Cunha: Life in the World’s Most Isolated Settlement

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is known as the most remote settlement in the world.

It lies at the edge of an island, Tristan da Cunha, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.

The island of Tristan da Cunha is more than 1,700 miles (nearly 2,800 kilometers) off the coast of Cape Town.

The island is one of Britain’s 14 overseas territories.

The settlement was named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria’s second son, after he visited in 1867.

As of May 2025, 209 islanders and visitors are living there, including descendants from original settlers and stationed researchers.

Being the remotest settled island in the world is Tristan’s claim to fame.

The island is so remote that the government actually recommends visitors start to plan their trips a year in advance.

Prospective visitors need to get their trip approved by the Tristan government. They need to email the Secretary to the Administrator, providing reasons for their visit.

The island is only accessible by boat across the South Atlantic Ocean — most trips leave from Cape Town, South Africa.

The trip from Cape Town takes six days, and boats leave on an inconsistent schedule — sometimes they set sail multiple times per month and sometimes they skip a month entirely.

The settlement is known for its warm hospitality and will welcome all visitors after the long journey.

Of the 209 people currently living on the island, 25 are not part of the permanent group of residents. And of the permanent islanders, there are only 11 different last names.

One islander told a 2016 documentary that the island is one giant family-like community — residents will share food and help each other with fixes to their homes.

One native islander was asked about what it was like to grow up on Tristan. He joked, “Pretty good, as long as you can find something to do.”

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is a rural settlement, which sustains itself by growing mainly potatoes on patches of land about a mile away from the town.

The farming part of life in Tristan allows islanders to grow their own food without having to import.

There’s one road that leads to the patches …

… and anyone can take the bus to get there.

Every family living on the island has a few fields to grow potatoes and other crops. They harvest inside “walled patches” made from volcanic rock, and use hand tools rather than machinery.

Each family can own livestock, but the government controls the numbers to prevent overgrazing of the limited land. Currently, each household is allowed to own one breeding cow.

More than 40% of the island’s territory is declared a nature reserve. Animal life includes rare bird breeds and Northern Rockhopper penguins.

There are three different species of albatross native to the island, but the albatross are threatened by mice every year.

The same boats that brought people to the island brought mice and rats as well. In killing the chicks of native birds, the rodents could be eradicating a number of species.

In fact, it’s such a problem that the islanders have an entire holiday dedicated to ridding the island of the vermin: Ratting Day.

On this holiday, residents team up and compete to see who can catch the most, and the biggest, rats and mice — it was an idea thought up before mice repellent existed on the island.

Judges count the rats and measure the tails to decide which team wins. Teams then receive prizes and have a dance-filled celebration.

The residents also celebrate traditional Catholic holidays, including Easter.

The church was built in 1923 and was the first on the island.

Before the church was created, islanders held services in people’s homes.

Islanders say they feel a sense of community while dealing with death just as much as they do while living and celebrating life.

“Whether family or not, a passing touches the hearts of the whole community, and this is when you see islanders not only as a community but as a family,” wrote one islander, Dawn Repetto, on the community’s website.

Scientists visit the island to gather information on the rare plant and animal species living on the island among the volcanic rock.

The settlement also has all the basics you would expect from any small town, such as a supermarket, a bar, an internet cafe, and bus stops.

There’s also a school, St. Mary’s, for students aged between 3 and 16. It has five classrooms, a library, a hall with a stage, a computer room, and a science room.

The local economy depends largely on the harvest of rock lobster — which they sell internationally — and fish.

They also sell postage stamps to collectors abroad and make a limited amount through tourism.

While some cruise ships have added the port to their route from Africa to Latin America so tourists can have a peek into this style of remote life, it’s generally not somewhere people just pass through.

But for the tourists that do make it to the island, there are a few options when it comes to tourist accommodations.

Some islanders open up their homes to visitors on a homestay basis. They collect 88% of the guest fees while the other 12% goes to the government.

There’s a museum called “Traditional Thatched House Museum” that’s available as a guesthouse for one night for two people. The price includes tea, coffee, milk, sugar, candles, sleeping bags, and a “traditional Tristan cooked meal” for lunch.

Tourists can climb the active volcano on their visit. This peaceful, quiet settlement was almost destroyed in 1961 when the volcano erupted and sent lava spewing down the mountains.

You can see here how close the lava got to the settlement. It stopped before it reached the buildings.

Islanders were forced to evacuate. Most went to England, where they got a taste of modern life.

By November of 1963, all the islanders who chose to reject the swinging sixties in the UK had returned back to their settlement to carry on their legacy.

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