Planning an Isle of Man Holiday : The Basics

If you are planning an Isle of Man holiday, read our Isle of Man guide to make sure you get off on the right track.

How To Get To the Isle of Man

First, how do you get to the Isle of Man? You can either fly or take the ferry to the Isle of Man.

EasyJet has flights to Isle of Man from Liverpool, Manchester and London Gatwick to Ronaldsway Isle of Man airport. Logan Air flies from London City Airport, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool. British Airways has Isle of Man flights from London Heathrow.

Ronaldsway airport is close to Castletown and a twenty-minute taxi to Douglas. You can also take the local bus to both destinations from outside the terminal – staff will gladly point you in the right direction.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet runs regular ferries to Isle of Man from Heysham, Belfast and Dublin. There is also a summer ferry to Isle of Man from Liverpool (typically April to October). To book the Isle of Man ferry click here.

Isle of Man Hotels and Other Accommodation

The Isle of Man capital Douglas is a great example of a Victorian esplanade. The stand out property on the front is The Claremont, alternatively Sail Lofts has excellent stylish self-catering accommodation.

You can also stay in Peel, Ramsey, Port Erin and Castletown. If you wish to get away from it all why not go on an Isle of Man retreat at The Mill House, set in the most delightful spot next to the river. This offers yoga sessions and has the most wonderful alfresco jacuzzi. The excellent Visit Isle of Man website has an extensive list of hotels on the Isle of Man and other accommodation options from Isle of Man camping to B&B.

Getting Around Isle of Man

Hop on a bike, put on those hiking boots or take the highly recommended Isle of Man bus. There are so many ways to get around the Isle of Man. Train enthusiasts can choose between the Steam Railway from Castletown to Port Erin, which apparently inspired William Awdrey to write the Thomas the Tank Engine series of books, or the Manx Electric Railway. The latter runs from Douglas to Derby Castle often hugging the coastline, and is incredible value for money. There is also the Snaefell Mountain Railway and Douglas Bay Horse Tramway. Regular buses run throughout the island – click here for the Isle of Man bus timetable.

Isle of Man Weather

The Isle of Man is set in the Irish Sea so you are hardly likely to come here for its Mediterranean climate. Having said that, the island is far more temperate than you might imagine, although it can be somewhat blustery. On a clear day they say you can see the seven kingdoms from the Isle of Man – the isle itself, Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, as well as the Heavens and the Sea. For the current weather for the Isle of Man, forecast and warnings, click here.

Isle of Man Festivals

From the Isle of Man TT to tin bath racing, The Isle of Man has an amazing array of festivals, details of which you can find at 5 Isle of Man Festivals.

How Big Is the Isle of Man?

It is 33 miles long and 13 miles long.

Isle of Man Population

The population of the Isle of Man is approximately 82,000.

Isle of Man Flag

The Isle of Man flag is a triskelion, consisting of three legs with gold spurs, set on a red background.

Isle of Man Speed Limit

There is no national speed limit in the Isle of Man.

Currency on the Isle of Man

Despite not being part of the UK, the Isle of Man uses the pound. The Manx pound is equivalent to the UK pound, and both are interchangeable.

Isle of Man Entry Requirements

There is no passport control between the UK / Ireland and the Isle of Man, which forms the Common Travel Area with the Channel Islands. If you are not from the UK / Ireland then you will have to comply with the entry requirements for the UK or Ireland before entering the Isle of Man.

Things To Do on Your Isle of Man Holiday

For further inspiration for your Isle of Man holiday, we suggest you go to the Visit Isle of Man website. Or you can try our 13 Things to Do on the Isle of Man.

Images (apart from the flag) supplied by Visit Isle of Man.