Isle of Man Travel Guide

Stretching across an area of 572 square Kilometers, the Isle of Man floats in the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland.

It is home to medieval castles, rugged landscape, and exciting coastal views. That is why travelers rush to the Isle of Man to taste something beautifully adventurous.

Things To Do In Isle of Man

Adventure seekers find a lot to their taste in the Isle of Man, The first is the Way of the Gull, it is a hiking trail of 150 km around the Island.

It is not just the rugged landscape that lures you but also the ancient monuments that please the eyes, such as a Neolithic Passage Tomb at Cashtal Yn Ard, Balladole Hill Fort, and Viking stone crosses at the Maughold church.

Snaefell Snaefell (Sniaull)

The central attraction of visiting during summer is you get to take the tram up Snaefell (highest point on the island). During the summer, from the summit, the visitor can see 6 Kingdoms (Scotland, England, Wales, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Heaven).

It is a unique experience in that from the summit you can see the whole Island and the bodies of water that surround it. There is also a hiking trail to the summit that takes only about half an hour.

Towns, Villages, & Must-See Destinations

• Silverdale Glen Manx National Glens – owned by the Manx National Trust, has well laid out paths that lead past small waterfalls and through dense woodland. Look out for the Medieval Monks’ Bridge in Ballasalla, which links Silverdale Glen to the historic Rushen Abbey, and the Monks Well which is a perfect place to throw in a few pennies and make a wish
• Calf of Man (Yn Cholloo) – a small island bird sanctuary
• Douglas (Doolish) – the capital and largest town on the island
• Ramsey (Rhumsaa) – beach and harbor for yachts
• Laxey (Laksaa) – a delightful village on the electric railway between Douglas and Ramsey. Noted for its water wheel (claimed to be the world’s largest in operation), its mines railway and an electric railway to the top of Snaefell
• Port Erin (Purt Çhiarn) – is a seaside village in the southwest

Port Erin, Isle Of Man

• Port St Mary (Purt le Moirrey) – a village in the southwest
• St John’s (Balley Keeill Eoin) – a small village, next to Tynwald Hill. The Isle of Man’s original parliament; thousands head here every Tynwald Day (July 5th) to witness the proclamation of new laws read in Manx and English
• Laxey Wheel, Laxey – a restored waterwheel operational during the summer months
• Castletown – the ancient capital of the Isle of Man, Castletown. Visit the impressive fortress of Castle Rushen and the Old House of Keys
• Peel – situated on St Patrick’s Isle, Peel Castle was originally a place of worship before becoming the fort of Magnus Barefoot – an 11th century Viking King of Mann. Also located on the Peel Quayside is the House of Manannan, a museum of the island’s story from Celtic times through the Viking period to 19th century
• The Sound Visitor Centre, near Port St Mary – one of the most picturesque points in the south of the island
• Cregneash, near Port St Mary – a preserved and restored small Manx crofting village in the far south of the island

Cregneash, Isle of Man

How To Get Here

There are two ways to get to the Isle of Man, With the help of Ferry of Airplane. Isle of Man Airport is in Castletown. You can reach Douglas (the capital city) with the help of buses that run during the summer season.

Flights from Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Geneva, and many cities reach the Isle of Man Airport.

Best Time To Visit

The winter season is mild, but there is a chance of snow blocking the paths in February and March. Summers tend to be cool, because of the regulating Gulf Stream.

Hence, the weather here is mostly British. In the summer season (June) the popular TT race takes place. So, Summer is an appropriate time to enjoy the race as well as the cool weather.

Culture

The Isle of Man is still a fairly socially conservative place, although some major social reforms (in line with the rest of western Europe) have been legislated for by Tynwald, the Manx parliament.

Capital punishment for murder was officially abolished as recently as 1993 – although no execution had taken place on the island for over 100 years. Corporal punishment has also been abolished – it was used for young male offenders until the mid 1970s.

People from the Isle of Man are known as Manx. The Manx are very proud of their identity; the Manx flag will be frequently seen. To dismiss the island as just a “tax haven” may cause annoyance; the finance industry is the major employer and considerable efforts have been made by the Manx authorities to improve the regulation and propriety of this industry.

Nevertheless, taxes are considerably lower than in the UK – although Valued Added Tax (VAT) is the same by agreement between the Manx and UK Governments.

Note: The UK is often referred to simply as “across”, and the more patriotic Manx residents may be offended if you call the UK “the mainland”.

Similarly, the island is very proud of its long history of autonomy and it should be remembered that the Isle of Man has never been part of the United Kingdom nor the European Union. Calling it “England” is likely to raise eyebrows.

Safety Tips

The Isle of Man is generally a very safe place, more so than much of the United Kingdom. In an emergency contact the Isle of Man Constabulary (the island’s police force) on 999.

Town centers have real glass in bus shelters and graffiti has become a thing of the past, even though birching as a punishment was abolished in 2000.

Health conditions are very similar to the UK. The island has a well-equipped modern hospital (Noble’s Hospital, near Douglas) but some complicated medical conditions may require removal to the UK.

Electricity & Plug Type

The standard voltage is 240 V, lower voltage devices need a converter. The Sockets are of Type C (two round pin) and Type G (Three flat pins). The Type G sockets use no alternative plugs but Type C uses Plug E, and plug F. Bring an adapter that fits the sockets.

August 14, 2019 2:08 pm Published by Staff Writer