The Antarctic islands are those islands lying south of the 60th parallel, close to the continent of Antarctica. They have a marine polar climate: very cold, but not as extremely cold as the mainland, so the sea only freezes over in the very depths of winter. That makes them more approachable by ship, and they're often the first or last points of call of cruises into Antarctica. They all are governed by the Antarctic Treaty, which (as on the mainland) seeks to protect the fragile environment, forbids military use, and sets aside national claims. Thus, various nations own and operate bases here and have hypothetical claims to territory which they waive. References to nations on this page should be understood accordingly. The Treaty restricts commercial activity but doesn't affect fishing on the open ocean.
This page doesn't cover islands which lie closer to the mainland (often welded to it by thick ice) and are described on those relevant pages. Along the Antarctic Peninsula these include Anvers and Wiencke islands, with Port Lockroy; on the other side of the continent is Ross Island, with McMurdo base and Scott base.
Nor does this page cover the South Sandwich Islands; lying north of the 60th parallel, they're not governed by the treaty.
Antarctica has no immigration or border controls, but visitors to any land or sea south of 60°S need permission from an Antarctic Treaty member country. Your tour / cruise organiser will take care of this but those travelling independently should apply six months in advance. Individual, non-governmental visitors can contact the Antarctic Policy Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Private Bag 18901, Wellington NZ. Phone: +64 4 439 8000 Fax: +64 4 439 8103
By plane: Villa las Estrellas (IATA: TNM). on King George Island, 150 km north of the Antarctic Peninsula, has a gravel, all-seasons runway suitable for large, wheeled aircraft. Flights from Punta Arenas take about 4 hours. There are no commercial scheduled flights, but there are air tours, and transfers of visitors joining small-ship cruises.
By boat is the only way to reach the islands beyond King George. Cruises to the Peninsula and nearby islands usually start from Ushuaia, take a couple of weeks and cost over US$5000 per person.
Antarctic Islands are small compared to the great continent near them but that doesn't mean that they are all small by any means. While some of the islands are compact, others would take a couple days to hike across.
You need a boat to get from one island to another, as the sea seldom not frozen.
See Antarctica#Eat.
This is not the place for wild camping. You (or your trip organiser) must negotiate access to a base, or bring a heavy-duty self-sufficient expedition. Air tours to King George have their own campsite.
See the general advice for Antarctica on staying safe and healthy.
Surprise surprise, there's no mobile or Wi-Fi signal in these remote waters. Ships use satellite phones and charge for brief access.
There's a Post Office at Villa Las Estrellas on King George Island.