Cruises from Port Stanley

Stanley or "Port Stanley", as it was formerly known; with its mere 2000 residents is the capital and main city of the Falkland Islands. It is located in one of the wettest parts of the island, on a slope facing north and is situated just south of Stanley Harbour. Although the city is the island`s capital it has not always been a popular choice. After the capital was moved north from Port Louis one resident went on record as saying, "Of all the miserable bog holes, I believe that they have selected one of the worst for the site of this town". The Governor at the time had decided to move the capital to Port Jackson, which was renamed "Stanley Harbour", after a survey considered Stanley Harbour to have a deeper anchorage for visiting ships.

Although Stanley and the Falkland Isles themselves are very small that doesn’t mean that they aren’t full of history. Most notable is the recent Falklands War, when Stanley itself was occupied by Argentine troops for about ten weeks during 1982 and renamed Puerto Argentino. Three civilians were killed in the war but after the British secured the high ground the Argentine army quickly surrendered and the war was brought to an abrupt end. The land around it was also heavily mined and some areas remain marked minefields. There are still many arguments as to what the town should be called, as names such as Port Jackson, Puerto Stanley, and Puerto Riviera are all still regularly used, which is probably why many of its residents simply call it “town”.

With Stanley being situated in the centre of East Falkland`s road network, it is the perfect location for the main shopping centre on the islands. Other tourist sites include the Falkland Islands Museum, Government House, built in 1845 and current home to the Governor of the Falkland Islands, a golf course, totem, pole, and numerous war memorials and shipwrecks located within the harbour. Within the small town you will find just four pubs, eleven hotels & guesthouses, three restaurants, and a fish and chips shop therefore there are not many venues for nightlife. One of the three churches on Port Stanley includes the Anglican Christ Church Cathedral with its whalebone arch. This church is the southernmost cathedral in the world. The natural beauty of Port Stanley, extensive wildlife, and obvious war history is now making it an ideal stop off for south sea cruises.

The islands have a cold maritime climate with an average of 2.8° C in the winter and 8.3° C in the summer. Humidity is constantly high with about 250 days of rain during the year. November is the driest month. The Falklands are very windswept, and have virtually no trees. Many attempts have been made to plant trees and other plants to help beautify the area but nothing seems to want to take hold.