West Point Island Cruise Port

West Point Island sits off the northwestern tip of West Falkland in the Falkland Islands archipelago, covering nearly fifteen hundred hectares of pristine wilderness. Operating as a remote Antarctic and Sub-Antarctic port of call, access is strictly via expedition vessels during the Southern Hemisphere summer season. With no deep-water piers or commercial port infrastructure, passengers come ashore aboard Zodiacs or tender boats onto grassy shores. Highlighting the coastline, dramatic west-facing cliffs, the highest in the archipelago, rise sharply to Cliff Mountain at 381 meters above the turbulent waters of the South Atlantic Ocean.

The island holds a special place in regional polar travel, dating back to February 1968 when pioneer Lars-Eric Lindblad brought the first commercial tourists ashore, launching Falklands cruise tourism. Still operated today as an active family-owned sheep farm, the island is world-famous for its traditional island hospitality. Visitors walking from the landing beach toward the main settlement enjoy neat gardens featuring roses, foxgloves, and rare introduced trees alongside native Felton's flower blooms. Farmstead hosts welcome arriving expedition passengers with hot tea and an impressive spread of homemade baked goods and cakes.

Identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, West Point Island shelters extraordinary wildlife colonies along its coastal bluffs. A scenic hike across tussac grass trails leads visitors to dramatic cliffside rookeries where thousands of Black-browed albatrosses nest side-by-side with feathery Southern Rockhopper penguins. Coastal waters host playful Commerson's dolphins, while shorelines support Magellanic penguins, Falkland steamer ducks, and striated caracaras. Ocean lookouts provide breathtaking vistas over crashing waves, sheer rock faces, and wheeling seabirds soaring along the prevailing Antarctic wind currents.

Visitors enjoy traditional Falkland farmstead tea, freshly baked scones, homemade cakes, local jams, and warm brewed coffee inside the historic settlement house.

This Sub-Antarctic haven is ideal for expedition travelers, birdwatchers, and wildlife photographers eager to witness albatross colonies, rockhopper penguins, and rugged polar landscapes. Sailed to West Point Island on a cruise? Track your voyage on your account on The Cruise Globe!