The Falklands: The complete guide

Eight thousand miles - why?

To see some extraordinary landscapes, and to visit a place etched on many memories. The archipelago comprises two main islands, East and West Falkland, and more than 700 smaller islands. In total they cover an area roughly half the size of Wales, with a distance between the most easterly and westerly points of nearly 150 miles. Mount Usborne on East Falkland is the island's highest point at just over 2,000ft.

More than 2,000 people currently live on the Falkland Islands, the majority in the capital, Port Stanley (always truncated to Stanley). Although thousands of miles from the UK, the islands still feel very British, and are a dependent territory of the United Kingdom – which is what the war 20 years ago was all about. Argentina claims the islands as well, which lie 300 miles off its coast, and which it calls Las Malvinas.

The main attraction?

Wildlife. A common misconception is that the islands are wind-blasted and desolate. Although the weather can be cold and wet at any time of year (rather like Britain), the lasting memory is more likely to be of the deepest blue sea and sky, white sand and golden brown grassy heaths gently waving into the distance. The clear air brings distant mountains so close that one feels able to reach out and touch them. And for the wildlife enthusiast there are few better spots.

It is debatable who is the more curious, the young gentoo penguins pulling your shoelaces or the tussac birds inspecting your camera bag. Penguin colonies are fascinating places, real hives of activity. By mid-summer the adults returning from the sea are pestered by their young to be fed as soon as they reach the edge of the colony. Watching rockhopper penguins climbing the almost sheer cliff faces to get to their rookery at the top is totally enthralling, especially when a big swell is washing them back into the sea whenever they pause for breath.

The windy conditions and the lack of trees and other tall vegetation have created a unique environment, and thus unique flora and fauna. Five species of penguin breed on the islands, and in recent years a sixth has summered on Pebble Island to the north of the archipelago. Almost the first bird you see upon leaving the airport is the upland goose. The striking black-and-white males, usually accompanied by a female and a small party of young, can be seen almost anywhere. The small pools and shoreline are home to a wide range of waterfowl, including the shy but very attractive black-necked swan.

The lack of tall vegetation means that few land birds have settled on the islands, although the house sparrow managed to hitch a ride from Montevideo many years ago and has become established around the larger settlements, including Stanley. The most colourful land bird is the long-tailed meadowlark, better known on Falkland as the military starling. The gleaming red front of the male bird shows up well as they forage in the green grass of the sheep paddocks.

Any visit to the islands should include a trip to one of the colonies of black-browed albatross found on the western side of the archipelago. To sit near the edge of a colony of these elegant seabirds is an unforgettable experience. As they glide by on their six-foot-plus wingspan they tilt their heads as if to say "and who have we got here?" This impression of style and grace is rather spoilt by the comical, fluffy youngsters sitting on their mud-pot nests.

Besides the birdlife?

The elephant seal is truly a magnificent beast. A breeding male can weigh up to four tons, so to see two of these rearing up into the air ready to lunge at each other in a battle over a few yards of beach is a memorable sight. Sea Lion Island, a half-hour flight south-west of Stanley, is the place to see them. Southern sea lions also breed here, but they cannot be approached as they have a well-earned fearsome reputation. Fur seals are present, but are not as easy to see.

Dolphins are frequently seen around the islands' more sheltered coasts. Peale's dolphin can usually be found cruising along the edge of the giant kelp beds that fringe much of the coastline. The black-and-white Commerson's dolphin is more unpredictable, but can be seen almost within touching distance when playing alongside a fast moving boat.

Those taking trips out from Port Howard on West Falkland come back full of stories of how many dolphins they have spotted and how high they were leaping alongside the boat.

Do penguins really fall over backwards while watching planes fly overhead?

No. This myth has reappeared at regular intervals since the mid-1980s. A study of the effects of aircraft on the breeding penguins was published last year, finally refuting this long-running rumour.

Most birds on the islands are remarkably tolerant of human activity, although the guidelines on approaching wildlife published by Falklands Conservation should be followed at all times.

But isn't it dangerous with all those minefields?

Only if you ignore all the warnings and climb over the well-marked fences. Only a tiny percentage of the islands contain minefields, but they still loom large in the public perception of the Falkland Islands. The military give a short minefield and ordnance lecture in the arrivals hall of the airport while you wait for your bags to appear.

Driving from the main airport at Mount Pleasant towards Stanley you encounter a few well-marked minefields. Away from the Mount Pleasant area there is not a great deal of evidence of military activity. There is a small bomb-disposal office in Stanley where you can get hold of a minefield map, but other than that the occasional plane or helicopter in the distance is often the only sign of the military base on the islands. Having said that, it is a good idea not to pick up any strange-looking objects.

How do I get there?

Go to Swindon, and turn north for Brize Norton RAF base. Every five days an RAF Tristar takes off for the long haul. It is one of the most expensive flights you can make from Britain. An economy return is £2,439 if you book less than a month ahead; plan ahead, and an Apex of £1,504 is all yours. Book through Falkland Islands Government Office, 14 Broadway, London SW1H 0BH (020-7222 2542). The plane touches down at Ascension Island. Stopovers are possible here, but you need permission from the island's Administrator (administrator@atlantis.co.ac, 00 247 6311, fax 00 247 6152) and to have accommodation booked in advance. A much cheaper way to the Falklands is via Chile. South American Experience (020-7976 5511) can get you to Stanley from Heathrow, flying Varig to Santiago and onwards on LanChile, for £924 return.

Many visitors to the Falklands come from the increasing number of cruise ships that include the islands in their itineraries. These cruises usually spend only a few days on the islands before departing for South Georgia and the Antarctic. As a result, passengers see only a very small part of the islands. To get a real flavour it is worth travelling around for a couple of weeks, staying on some of the outlying islands as well as in Stanley for a while to visit some of the sites close to the capital. The most memorable of these is the king penguin colony at Volunteer Point, a must on any itinerary.

Travel around the islands is by small fixed-wing planes run by the Falkland Island Government Air Service, known as Figas. These give superb views as they visit the many settlements on their way around the islands.

When's the best time to go?

Now, or at least by March. The wildlife is at its best in the summer months, which begin in October. Many people imagine that the islands are covered in ice and snow; in fact they lie no closer to the South Pole than we do to the North Pole. The long southern summer evenings come as a welcome relief for those visiting from the northern hemisphere. Earlier this month temperatures reached 20C. Summers are generally shorter than in Britain. The main difference between the weather in the Falkland Islands and that in Britain is the strength of the wind. Calm days are a rarity, especially during the summer.

Who lives there and what do they do?

Falkland Islanders, sometimes known as "kelpers", are essentially of British stock (with a scattering of other nationalities thrown in). The economic backbone of the island has for years been sheep. Although there are still large numbers of sheep on the islands, the low price for wool resulted in many farms, known as settlements, having to lay off a lot of their workers or diversifying into other areas such as tourism.

The boom in the islands' economic growth since the war in 1982 is largely due to the military presence, plus the income generated by the selling of annual licences to fishing boats. The potential for oil has also resulted in the setting up of a mineral department to regulate exploration. Much of the income has been spent on improving the islands' infrastructure. There is a continuing road-building programme, and settlements that in the past could only be reached by plane or a lengthy trek overland are now within an hour or so of each other. The increase in wealth, in particular in Stanley, has meant a steady migration from the outlying areas into the capital.

Three-quarters of the population now live in and around Stanley, with the remainder scattered over the rest of the archipelago. In recent years an increasing number of people from St Helena and Chile have come to work on the islands.

What is there to see in the capital?

Stanley is small enough to explore on foot, and its sights will not delay the visitor long. There's the Jubilee Villas and the mast of the SS Great Britain along the sea front, and the house with a Union Jack-painted roof that is so beloved by film-makers visiting the islands.

Where do I stay?

There is a limited range of accommodation in Stanley from two good hotels, through to smaller guesthouses and bed-and-breakfast establishments. Booking is essential.

Away from the capital, most of the accommodation is either in purpose-built lodges or converted farm manager's houses. Those basing themselves on the islands usually start and finish their trip in Stanley. The most popular locations away from the capital are Pebble Island in the north-west, Sea Lion Island in the south-east and Port Howard on West Falkland. Saunders Island, only a short day trip from Pebble Island, has self-catering accommodation.

Do any companies offer trips?

Plenty. Hosking Tours (01728 861 113, www.hosking-tours.co.uk) specialises in wildlife photography holidays; this year's trip (7 November to 4 December) costs £4,230 per person, including full-board accommodation, international and inter-island flights, and tuition. Wildlife Worldwide (020-8667 9158, www.wildlifeworldwide.com) can organise tailor-made holidays; a 15-day trip costs around £3,995 including flights, full-board accommodation, local transfer and guides.

As its name suggests, Go Fishing Falklands (020-8742 1556, www. tourism.org.fk/windows-on-the-wild.com) offers fishing holidays to the islands; a 10-night trip with return flights on LanChile and full-board accommodation costs from £2,616 per person.

A 12-day voyage around the Falklands with Quark Expeditions (01494 464 080, www.quarkexpeditions.com), visiting some of the remotest islands, costs from $4,895 (£3,400) per person, based on two sharing. The price includes pre-cruise B&B accommodation in Argentina, full-board accommodation on the cruise, and a programme of lectures by naturalists.

Unlike some companies offering botanical and birdwatching holidays, Naturetrek (01962 733 051, www.naturetrek.co.uk) conducts its tours on foot and emphasises spending time with the wildlife rather than ticking off as many species as possible. It is organising an 18-day trip to the Falklands this year (12-29 November) from £3,995 per person; the price includes flights, full-board accommodation and guides

Finally, there is a military history tour to mention: in lateMarch/early April, Steppes Latin America (01285 885 333) has a fortnight's trip led by Major General Julian Thompson, for £3,750 including flights via Chile and accommodation.

Should I mention the war?

It's difficult to avoid. In Stanley, the capital, it does not take long to find Thatcher Drive or Holdfast Road. The latter is named after the order of Major-General Jeremy Moore to the Land Forces to "hold fast" at that point until he had obtained the Argentine surrender. Holdfast Road is home to the Falkland Islands Museum, a good starting point for all aspects of the islands, including shipwrecks, farm life and natural history, and many artefacts from the war in 1982.

Why did it start?

Controversy over the South Atlantic goes back to a papal edict in 1494, which divided up the New World between Portugal and Spain and was disputed by the English. The Royal Navy made the first recorded landing on the islands, which at the time were uninhabited, in 1690. There followed almost three centuries of scuffling for sovereignty. In 1713 the Spanish were granted control as part of the Treaty of Utrecht. Later the French claimed sovereignty after establishing a small settlement, Port Louis, on East Falkland in 1764. Unaware of the French presence, the British established Port Egmont on West Falkland the following year by raising the Union Jack and planting a vegetable patch.

The Spanish regained control of the islands in 1790. However, after gaining independence from Spain, Argentina asserted itself, appointing its first governor of Las Malvinas in 1823. After a dispute over hunting seals, the Argentinians were driven out by the US around 1829. The islands were declared "free of all governments". Re-enter the British. On 2 January 1833 the British claimed sovereignty again. Stanley was founded in 1845. The Falkland Island Company was established in 1851, and sheep farming became an important industry. But for half a century the sea was a rich source of cash; Stanley grew to become one of the busiest ports in the world, serving the sea lanes that linked the East and West Coasts of the United States. Its residents earned a good living repairing ships that had been damaged while rounding Cape Horn. Then, in 1914, the Panama Canal opened, and Stanley's importance dwindled almost overnight.

Argentina continued to dispute the sovereignty of the islands and in 1965 the United Nations General Assembly called for talks to settle the matter. However, the two sides failed to reach a resolution. In December 1981 General Leopoldo Galtieri took office at the head of the Argentinian junta and began planning to retake Las Malvinas. The first the public knew of any trouble in the region was when Argentine scrap-metal workers landed on South Georgia on 19 March 1982, followed by armed military personnel. Talks between the two countries in New York failed, Margaret Thatcher ordered contingency plans in case of hostility directed at the Falklands.

Galtieri decided upon action to capture the Falklands on 26 March and an invasion force set sail two days later. His troops reached the islands on 2 April and invaded that day.

After a brief defence by a detachment of Royal Marines, the Falklands' Governor, Rex Hunt, surrendered. The next day Mrs Thatcher announced that a task force would be sent to liberate the islands.

Royal Marines recaptured South Georgia on 25 April. The conflict in the Falklands began on 1 May, when British warships and fighters attacked Port Stanley and exchanged fire with Argentine Mirage fighters. Over the following weeks aerial and naval battles continued, with the loss of the General Belgrano and the crippling of HMS Sheffield.

British ground forces arrived at San Carlos Water on the western side of the East Falklands on 21 May. Although a number of British warships were damaged, 5,000 men were entrenched by 24 May. Over the next few days members of the Parachute Regiment won critical battles at Goose Green and Mount Kent and had Stanley surrounded by 31 May.There were further landings at Bluff Cove, followed by victories at Mount London, Mount Harriet and the Two Sisters, and then Wireless Point and Mount Tumbledown. On 14 June the Argentinian forces surrendered to Major-General Moore, and in the next few days more than 10,000 Argentinian troops were brought to Stanley. General Galtieri was removed from power on 17 June and his successor, General Bignone, announced a ceasefire four days later.

Online information

Falkland Tourist Board, www.tourism.org.fk; Falklands Government, www.falkland. gov.fk; Falklands portal, www.falklandislands.com

William Wagstaff is the author of 'Falkland Islands: The Bradt Travel Guide', (£13.95)