In May 2020, a group of us had planned to travel to the Isle of Man via Liverpool on a ferry. However, the Covid-19 pandemic cancelled those plans. Only in 2023 did I get another chance to travel to the Isle of Man. This time we decided to fly, as we didn’t have a lot of time over a long weekend. We lucked out with the weather and had mostly sunny days for exploring. The public transport is amazing, and taking the trains was a fun way to get around. We had great views all along the journeys and made stops to see different towns. For food, the fish and seafood were excellent, as well as the local ice cream.
The biggest impression I had from the visit was the friendliness of everyone on the island. People were so kind and helpful! Two short stories that exemplify this… The first is when I went to the Nobles Parkrun, which had been relocated to the Conrhenny Plantation. I took a taxi out to the start and had a great chat with the driver. However, on the way back there seemed to be no taxis available. The locals quickly started to ask all visitors who needed a lift back to town. Normally, I would not accept a lift from a stranger but this seemed to be normal. I ended up getting a lift back with other visitors who had also volunteered to drive anyone who needed a lift. They were so nice and dropped me right near my hotel.
And another story is when we were on the train at any road crossings. We looked out the windows and locals were waving to us from their cars. They were not annoyed at having to stop for the train. We were happily shocked as we waved back!
This is an overall guide for travel to the Isle of Man, and I will write individual posts for some of the areas where we spent more time: Douglas, Castletown, Port Erin, Ramsey, Snaefell Mountain and Laxey.
Highlights
- Douglas, the municipal borough and capital
- BeeGees statue
- TT (Tourist Trophy) motorcycle race
- Castletown
- Port Erin
- Peel Castle
- Nobles Park and Nobles Parkrun
- Steam train on the southeast coast
- Electric Train on the northeast coast
- Snaefell mountain railroad and the summit
- Victory Cafe
- Laxey and the Great Wheel
- Local foods including kippers, ice cream and scallops (aka Queenies)
- Ramsey seaside town
- Fynoderee Gin Distillery
Before you go
- The Isle of Man is not part of the UK, and it is a British Crown Dependency
- People and things from the Isle are referred to as Manx
- Manx and English are the two official languages
- Weather is variable and can affect travel
- The TT (Tourist Trophy) is a famous cross-country motorcycle race around the island
- On a clear day from Snaefell Mountain summit you can see the so-called ‘Seven Kingdoms of Man’: Isle of Man, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Heaven and Manannán (the sea)
- The Isle of Man Government Welcome Centre is near the sea ferry terminal
Transport
- The main airport is Ronaldsway Airport and it located between Douglas and Castletown. There are many flights from London, though not always daily so check schedules
- From the airport, you can take a bus to Douglas (1, 1H, 2, 2A, 11 and 11A)
- You may consider a Go Card for unlimited travel via IOM Transport (1, 3, 5 or 7 days). This includes buses, the horse cart, and trains. We bought our passes at the airport, and found this to be easy and great value. Don’t miss riding the horse tram along the promenade!
- Another way to reach the Isle of Man is by Steam Packet ferry from Heysham, Liverpool, Belfast & Dublin
- Taxis are available but there are not many, so leave some time if you need to book one.
Accommodation
- My friend and I booked rooms at two different hotels, because they got busy and we couldn’t get two rooms at the same place. However, that means I can give reviews of two hotels!
- I stayed at HQ Hotel, which was very central in Douglas. They have several buildings and breakfast is served in the main restaurant. My room was small but comfortable and clean. Breakfast was delicious and was either a buffet or from a menu. Everyone was very friendly and helpful!
- My friend stayed at the Welbeck hotel, just across the street. Her room was bigger and had a big window. It was about the same price but did not include the breakfast.
- As usual I recommend checking reviews on Booking.com or using AirBnB
Currency
The currency in the Manx pound and it is equivalent to the British pound. However, the notes look different and have Isle of Man Government at the top.
I recommend to check the currency conversion just before you leave as this fluctuates
Food
In general, seafood and fish are very popular on the Isle of Man. They have delicious small scallops called Queenies. And kippers, smoked herring, are a Manx specialty. Of course, you can always find fish and chips.
Breakfast is similar to an English breakfast with bacon, sausage, black pudding, eggs, baked beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and toast. In addition, my hotel also offered smoked salmon and eggs as an option.
On the warmer days, we tried the local brand of ice cream, Davison’s. Yummy and lots of flavours!
There were plenty of bakeries around with tasty sweet or savoury treats.
Finally, there are a number of breweries and distilleries on the Isle. We tried gins from Fynoderee and Seven Kingdom. Luckily, you can also find these at the airport shop if you would like to take some home.
I will recommend some places in the specific posts about towns that we visited.
FAQs
Q: Do I need a tour guide?
A: No, it is easy to find your way around the island
Q: Do people speak English?
A: Yes, everyone speaks English as it is one of the official languages
Q: Can I travel solo?
A: Yes, it is safe and friendly on the island. And public transport is very good
Q: How easy is it to send postcards?
A: It is easy to find postcards at shops and stamps at the post office. See Sending Postcards from Abroad for details on cost and the time it took to reach the USA.
Go to Country Map