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THE FALKLANDS -ISLAS MALVINAS
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FALKLAND ISLANDS
Season: October to April.
Flight hours: Weekly flights from Punta Arenas take approx. 2 hrs, with LAN Chile and from Oxfordshire (Brize Nortn) to Mount Pleasant Airport (MPN) with the Royal Airforce: approx. 18 hrs.
Note: Travelling between islands in the Falklands is generally done using the Falkland Islands Goverment Airservice (FIGAS)
Recommendation: Warm clothes; trekking shoes; sun-block; sun glasses; rain coat; windsuit
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The Falkland Islands, 500 km / 310 mi east of the Patagonian coast,
may appear to be a somewhat unlikely paradise, but for adventurous
travelers who love to discover virgin lands full of wildlife they offer all
they have been looking for. With more penguins than people - almost
500,000 breeding pairs of penguins compared to a human population
of a mere 2,967 - along with lots of other migratory birds and
mammals, both on sea and land, the Falkland Islands is the ideal spot
hop off the tourist track and go on an independent discovery trip.
Despite a small populace, the Falkland Islands have a turbulent history
and land disputes have raged since 1766.
Today, Argentina claims the islands and labors to require the United
Nations to use both their Spanish and English names. The two biggest
and most populated of the over 200 islands are East Falkland and
West Falkland.
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The capital, Stanley, is located on East Falkland, as is
the international airport. There are four other airports on other islands,
one of which is paved, and flights are the only way to reach some of
the remote spots on the islands. The most popular reason to visit is for
the scenic beauty and to encounter local wildlife. Environmental protection
is high on the Island's agenda. Birds and marine species are
the most prevalent animals and include five species of penguins, four
species of seal, albatross, petrels, the Falkland Flightless Steamer duck
(Logger Duck) and other duck species, geese, hawks, falcons; the Striated
Caracara (Johnny Rook) is a rare bird of prey found only on the
Falkland Islands and some islands off Cape Horn. Porpoises and dolphins
are often sighted and occasionally whales.
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