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Beautiful photos show what life is like in the world's most isolated settlement, which sits at the foot of an active volcano in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean

Beautiful photos show what life is like in the world's most isolated settlement, which sits at the foot of an active volcano in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean

Rachel Askinasi

The most remote settlement in the world is on a volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic.Peter Schaefer/EyeEm/Getty Images

The Edinburgh of the Seven Seas settlement has been dubbed the most remote settlement in the world, and can only be reached after a nearly week-long boat trip departing from Cape Town, South Africa.
The settlement is home to less than 300 residents and sits on the island of Tristan da Cunha, an active volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.
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Sitting on the island of Tristan da Cunha, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, one of the British Overseas Territories, has been dubbed the most remote settlement in the world.

Tristan de Cunha is actually an active volcanic island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. The last time it erupted was in 1961, which forced islanders to evacuate to England.

The island is only accessible by boat — many of which depart from the nearest city of Cape Town, South Africa — and the journey to Tristan de Cunha takes nearly one week to complete.

Less than 300 islanders and visitors live there, but the remoteness grants the lucky few plenty of tranquility and safety.

The economy relies on the export of crawfish, known as "Tristan Rock Lobster," but tourism also makes up a small part. However, there are no hotels on the island, so the government has created a homestay program for visitors.

Here is what life is like in the most remote settlement in the world.

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By November of 1963, all the islanders who chose to reject the swinging sixties in the UK had returned back to their settlement to carry on their legacy.

A boat filled with islanders returning home to Tristan da Cunha in 1963. Carl Mydans/Contributor/Getty Images

Beautiful photos show what life is like in the world's most isolated settlement, which sits at the foot of an active volcano in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean

Rachel Askinasi

By November of 1963, all the islanders who chose to reject the swinging sixties in the UK had returned back to their settlement to carry on their legacy.

An islander told the Redfern Natural History Productions reporter the first time he had ever ridden in a car was in England during the evacuation. He said he only really rides on donkeys on Tristan.

Islanders were forced to evacuate. Most went to England, where they got a taste of modern life.

It left behind a great deal of volcanic rock.

You can see here how close the lava got to the settlement. It stopped before it reached the buildings.

Tourists can climb the active volcano on their visit. This peaceful, quiet settlement was almost destroyed in 1961 when the volcano erupted and sent lava spewing down the mountains.

There's a museum called "Traditional Thatched House Museum" that's available as a guesthouse for one night for two people. The price includes tea, coffee, milk, sugar, candles, sleeping bags, and a "traditional Tristan cooked meal" for lunch.

Some islanders open up their homes to visitors on a homestay basis. They collect 75% of the guest fees while the other 25% goes to the government.

But for the tourists that do make it to the island, there are a few options when it comes to tourist accommodations.

While some cruise ships have added the port to their route from Africa to Latin America so tourists can have a peek into this style of remote life, it's generally not somewhere people just pass through.

... and make a limited amount through tourism.

They also sell postage stamps to collectors abroad ...

Their local economy depends largely on the harvest of rock lobster — which they sell internationally — and fish.

... and a few bars.

... bus stops where you can catch a ride to the potato patches ...

... a police force, although there's said to be just one police officer on the job ...

... several handy stores ...

... an internet cafe, since WiFi isn't so easily accessible ...

The settlement has all the basics you would expect from any small town today. It's got a supermarket ...

There's also a station that monitors radioactivity and seismic waves where scientists come to work as well.

Scientists visit the island to gather information on the rare plant and animal species living on the island among the volcanic rock.

Of the 253 people currently living on the island, 23 are not part of the permanent group of residents. And of the 246 permanent islanders, there are only nine different last names.

Roughly seventy families call Edinburgh of the Seven Seas home — they're reportedly all farmers.

"Whether family or not, a passing touches the hearts of the whole community, and this is when you see islanders not only as a community but as a family," wrote one islander, Dawn Repetto, on the community's website.

Islanders say they feel a sense of community while dealing with death just as much as they do while living and celebrating life.

Before the church was created, islanders held services in people's homes.

The church was built in 1923 and was the first on the island.

The residents also celebrate traditional Catholic holidays, including Easter.

Holidays also include Old Year's Night on December 31 to bring in the new year, and Queen's Day to celebrate the Queen's birthday.

After hunting in and around the potato patches, teams return to Prince Philip Hall to receive prizes and have a dance-filled celebration of the day.

Judges count the rats and measure the tails to decide which team wins.

On this holiday, men team up and compete to see who can catch the most, and the biggest, rats and mice — it was an idea thought up before mice repellent existed on the island.

In fact, it's such a problem that the islanders have an entire holiday dedicated to ridding the island of the vermin — Ratting Day.

The same boats that brought people to the island brought mice and rats as well. In killing the chicks of native birds, the rodents could be eradicating a number of species.

There are three different species of albatross native to the island, but the albatross are threatened by mice every year.

Animal life includes rare bird breeds and Northern Rockhopper penguins.

More than 40% of the island's territory is declared a nature reserve.

The numbers of livestock each family owns are controlled by the government to prevent overgrazing of the limited land — each household can own two cows, while a single householder can only have one.

They can also use the space to take care of their livestock and let them graze.

They harvest inside "walled patches" made from volcanic rock, and use hand tools rather than harvesting machinery.

Every family living on the island has a few fields to grow potatoes and other crops.

... and anyone can take the bus to get there.

There's one road that leads to the patches ...

The farming part of life in Tristan allows islanders to grow their own food without having to import.

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is a rural settlement, which sustains itself by growing mainly potatoes on patches of land about a mile away from the town.

He said there's an element of freedom he's able to get on the island that he didn't have when he spent time in England — freedom to roam around and explore the natural landscape.

Another native islander was asked about what it was like to grow up on Tristan. He joked: "Pretty good, as long as you can find something to do."

... and he says they don't lock their doors. Even if they travel out to where the potato patches are, they can leave all the windows open and nothing would happen.

He also said, "It's safe" in terms of criminal activity. Children can run around without supervision...

"Everyone on the island, we call them brothers and sisters," he said.

The islander said if someone kills a large animal for eating, they share it. If someone's home is destroyed, someone else will host them or help them repair it.

One islander told a reporter from Redfern Natural History Productions that it's one giant family-like community, and everyone is there to help each other out.

The settlement is known for its high levels of hospitality and will welcome all visitors after the long journey.

Two are fishing vessels provided by the fishing company Ovenstones, which only carry 12 passengers each.

Voyages are also listed on the South African National Antarctic Programme's schedule. The route isn't simple though and makes six stops in total. There are a handful of different ships, including the S.A. Agulhas, that cross the route.

The trip from Cape Town's port takes approximately six days, and the ships leave on an inconsistent schedule — sometimes they set sail multiple times per month and sometimes they skip a month entirely. The government suggests padding travel time in Cape Town with an additional two days.

The island is only accessible by boat across the South Atlantic Ocean — most trips leave from Cape Town, South Africa.

Once visitors have timing ideas, they need to email the Secretary to the Administrator and provide reasons for their visit and what they hope to do while on the island.

Before even booking a flight, prospective visitors need to get their trip approved by the Tristan government.

The island is so remote that the government actually recommends visitors start to plan their trips a year in advance.

Being the remotest settled island in the world is Tristan's claim to fame.

There are less than 300 islanders and visitors who currently live there, including descendants from original settlers to stationed researchers.

The settlement was named after the Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Victoria's second son, after he visited in 1867.

The island is one of Britain's 14 overseas territories.

The island of Tristan da Cunha is more than 1,700 miles (nearly 2,800 kilometers) off the coast of Cape Town.

It lies at the edge of an island, Tristan da Cunha, in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean.

Edinburgh of the Seven Seas is known as the most remote settlement in the world.

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