Adamstown

Get in

thumb|Location of Pitcairn in the world The remoteness and ruggedness of Pitcairn's geography, the insularity of its bureaucracy, and the scarcity of its resources conspire to make it a very difficult place to visit. But with enough time, money and flexibility, the Silver Supporter vessel (see below) makes it rather easy to visit Pitcairn.

No visa is needed if you intend to stay 14 days or less on Pitcairn and arrive and depart on the same vessel.

Visitors staying on the island for longer require permission from the governor, because the irregularity of transport means they're effectively residents of the island for the next several weeks or even months. To get permission requires an application in advance, meeting various conditions and a NZ$300 fee;

Get around

There is now one short paved road on Pitcairn (up the Hill of Difficulty from the landing at Bounty Bay to Adamstown), but most routes around Pitcairn Island are dirt trails, generally very rugged. Walking and personal all-terrain vehicles are the main ways to get from one place to another, and a bike is usually available for rent.

See

The remains of the Bounty are in Bounty Bay. The ship was deliberately burned and sunk by the mutineers, and it's been well picked over by divers in the meantime, but there's still an allure to seeing (what little is left of) the vessel of the true tale that made "Captain Bligh" and "the Bounty" household names. The Bountys anchor is on display in front of the Public Hall in the town square, where the library/post office building, and the Adventist church can also be found. The Pitcairn Island Museum in Adamstown contains artefacts from the Bounty (including Fletcher Christian's Bible), stamps, issues of National Geographic featuring the islands, and other items of local interest. One of the ship's four cannons is planned to be displayed here. The island's school lies up in the western "suburbs" of Adamstown. The grave of John Adams, the last surviving mutineer who first Christianised the community, the only one with a preserved grave. Fletcher Christian's cave, past the school and further up, is where the lead mutineer is said to have watched for approaching ships and/or hid from his ruthless fellow settlers when necessary. A Galapagos tortoise named Mr Turpin was left on the island in the early 20th century, and now lives in Tedside on the northwest shore of the island. Taro Ground in the south of Pitcairn is the largest flat area on the island and site of the island's traditional link to the outside world: its ham radio station. Flatland is a smaller plateau at the upper e…

Do

thumb|270px|Adamstown Church If the ocean is calm enough, go swimming in St Paul's Pool, a picturesque tidal pool nestled among the seaside rocks in eastern part of Pitcairn. (Swimming in the ocean itself generally isn't safe due to the rocky shoreline.) Sail yourself or perhaps travel with the locals to another of the islands. Oeno has sandy beaches suitable for swimming, Henderson offers rare opportunities for birdwatching and exploration of ancient caves and both are good for snorkelling or scuba diving among coral reefs and a few shipwrecks. Ducie is over 300 miles (480 km) away, out of range of the islanders' boats, and therefore rarely visited, but is also good for seeing rare birds. Every year on 23 January, "Bounty Day" is celebrated with a huge community dinner and the burning of a model of the Bounty.

Eat

There is a small co-operative general store which stocks imported foodstuffs from New Zealand and French Polynesia, mostly ordered by customers in advance. It's open 3 mornings a week for an hour. The local cooking relies heavily on seafood. Deep-fried nanwi (bluefish) is a local favourite, with red snapper, tuna, whitefish, grouper, wahoo and others also being common. Pilhi is made from puréed fruit (such as banana, sweet potato, or breadfruit) with sugar and milk, then baked to custard consistency. Food staples grown on the island include arrowroot, sweet potatoes, beans, tomatoes, cabbages, pineapples, melons, citrus fruits, bananas and breadfruit. Some families keep poultry and goats.

Other places on island: thumb|270px|Adamstown

Drink

Alcohol was prohibited on Pitcairn prior to 1991, but is now legal. There is one café and bar, Christian's Café open on Fridays from 18:30 until late.

The Government Store on the island sells alcohol and tobacco at duty free prices.

Sleep

There are 2 types of accommodation on Pitcairn. Private self-contained bungalows.

thumb|270px|Bounty Bay For all travel, bookings and accommodation enquiries go to Pitcairn's official travel site or contact the Pitcairn Island's Tourism Coordinator ([email protected]).

If you are staying longer than 14 days, visa requirements dictate that you have your accommodation organised before arrival.

Jacq's Place offers accommodation and professional Polynesian massage and acupuncture treatments.

Stay healthy

There is a New Zealand doctor on the island. Previous medical practitioners have come from Australia, Canada and New Zealand. The island has a small health clinic with dental and X-ray equipment and emergency medications, but is not equipped to deal with major problems, which may require waiting days or weeks for a nearby passing ship to provide evacuation to a medical facility. The island is out of range of all evacuation helicopters. This is no place to have a heart attack, stroke, or other serious condition. A full medical check-up a couple weeks before arrival is strongly recommended. Additional ultrasound and basic EKG screening (not generally covered by insurance or universal health care) is a good idea for those over 40, or anyone at extra risk.

Respect

thumb|270px|Remote Henderson Island, [[UNESCO World Heritage List|UNESCO World Heritage site ]] The population are mostly members of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, following mission work in the late 19th century. Although religious observance has declined, church doctrine strongly influences both public practice and civil law. For example, alcohol was legally prohibited until 1991; dancing, public displays of affection and cigarette smoking are frowned upon; and the Sabbath (Saturday) is consistently considered a day of rest (if not worship). Reasonably modest, climate-appropriate western clothing is worn.

The trials of several Pitcairn men in 2004 and 2005, including the former mayor and much of the island's workforce, on sexual abuse charges have been very difficult for the close-knit island community, with everyone being a friend or family of at least one of the victims, the suspects, or the convicted. The incident has also brought to the surface tensions over Pitcairn's sovereignty, such as unfamiliar UK laws being adjudicated by New Zealand courts. Strong feelings should be expected, and statements expressing any opinions beyond an acknowledgement of how difficult this has been for the islanders stand a high probability of upsetting someone in your audience.

Don't bring bees or bee keeping equipment. The island's bee population has been certified as disease-free and Pitcairn honey is becoming an important economic activity.

Connect

Each household now has their own private telephone and most also have internet. The country code is +64, the same as New Zealand. Using the old code of +870 may significantly increase the cost of the call.

In 2017, the British Government implemented a 4G LTE mobile network in Adamstown with shared speeds of 5 Mbit/s across all islanders.