Stanley (Falkland Islands)



Stanley, formerly known as Port Stanley, is the capital of the Falkland Islands. This city was founded in 1843, and as of 2016 the town had about 2,500 inhabitants, about three-quarters of the archipelago's inhabitants.

Understand
Prior to the construction of the Panama Canal, Stanley was a major repair stop for boats travelling through the Straits of Magellan. The rough waters and intense storms found at the tip of the continent forced many ships to Stanley Harbour, and the ship repair industry helped to drive the island economy. Later, support for the Antarctic sealing and whaling boats became a major industry. Today, the vast majority of the town's residents are employed by the government, with tourism also being a major source of employment; on days when two or more large cruise ships discharge their passengers by tender, the tourists may outnumber the local residents.

In 2022 Stanley received official city status, as part of the celebration of the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth.

Climate
It's rainy and cool around the year with strong westerlies, so pack warm and weatherproof clothes. Located in the Southern Hemisphere, seasons are inverted from Europe or North America, however hot summer days or double-digit negative temperatures during the winter are practically unheard of. Also, monthly amounts of precipitation are pretty much the same with 11 to 17 rainy days each month.

Get in
Arrivals to Stanley either come by boat or from the airport. Most large cruise ships will discharge their passengers by tenders (the lifeboats) near the centre of town and allow passengers time to roam the city and possibly take trips by vehicle to nearby wildlife sites.

When arriving by air, passengers will come in from, which is 56 km from town. As of 2016 LATAM flies there from Santiago, Punta Arenas and Rio Gallegos and the Royal Air Force also takes passengers on their flights from Brize Norton, Oxfordshire via Ascension. Taxis and a shuttle bus can drop passengers off anywhere within the town.



By foot
Stanley is a small town, so walking is probably the best option for seeing the sights.

By taxi
There are two taxi services operating within Stanley that service the town and the surrounding area.

Buy
The majority of shops in central Stanley cater to the huge number of cruise ship passengers that pass through the town in the summer. There are a lot of souvenir shops.



Sleep
Compared with nearby South America lodging in Stanley can be quite expensive. If you are on a strict budget inquire about pitching a tent; if allowed by the land owner the costs are often considerably less than paying for a room.



Respect
Due to lingering tensions from the 1982 war with Argentina, Spanish-speakers should avoid using Spanish names for places (for example "Puerto Argentino" or "Islas Malvinas"), as doing so will undoubtedly be offensive to the locals.

Go next

 * . Home to a small colony of Gentoo and King penguins, as well as several Magellanic penguins.
 * . A white sand beach that is home to King, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins.
 * Pretty much anywhere else in the Falkland Islands; Stanley Airport just outside the town is the hub for Falkland Islands Government Air Service, flying to numerous places all over the archipelago:
 * Goose Green, midway down East Falkland accessible by road or air, the site of a battle in the 1982 conflict.
 * Carcass Island, a small island to the west of West Falkland
 * New Island, a small island to the west of West Falkland
 * Pebble Island, an island to the north of West Falkland
 * Port Howard, on West Falkland, accessible by air or by road then a ferry
 * Saunders Island, an island to the west of West Falkland
 * Sea Lion Island, the most southerly inhabited island in the Falkland Islands
 * West Point Island, a small island to the west of West Falkland
 * Go further south to South Georgia and then Antarctica, possibly on a cruise ship