One of the world's most remote places became a little less isolated on Saturday, when the first commercial flight departed for St Helena, a South-Atlantic island that until recently was only accessible by boat. The island claims pride over Napoleon Bonaparte spending his last years in exile here.<br/><br/>The SA Airlink plane left Johannesburg on a six-hour journey to the British-ruled territory, which hopes to draw more tourists to its rugged landscapes, marine life and the novelty of visiting a spot far off the beaten track. <br/><br/>The governor of St Helena Lisa Phillips' social media posts have highlighted some of the volcanic island's quirkier fixtures, including a giant tortoise named Jonathan that is said to be 185 years old and Jacob's Ladder, a 699-step outdoor staircase leading from a valley to a hilltop in Jamestown, the capital.<br/><br/>Discovered by Portuguese mariners in 1502, St Helena was a way station for ships for centuries and was a key port for Britain's East India Company. It was also an ideal spot for the British to keep prisoners, including a Zulu prince and his retinue, thousands of Boer prisoners from South Africa's conflict near the beginning of the 20th century and, of course, Napoleon.<br/><br/> <br/><br/>