Planning a trip to visit Skellig Michael? Skellig Michael is located 12 miles off the south coast of Kerry, it is a spectacular place, with a history that dates back as early as the 6th Century! Home to a Christian Monastery situated 130 m above sea level, you will climb the 618 steps built by the monks, see the beehive huts that still stand their to this day and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
Here are our top tips when your planning your visit:
Book Your Tickets Early – Only 180 people are allowed to visit the 
island daily so book early to avoid disappointment
Dress For The Weather – The boat ride out the the island takes approximately 50 minutes, ensure you have proper rain gear, sunscreen, sunglasses ready before you go.
Appropriate Footwear – Climbing the 618 steps to the ancient monastary is not always straight forward, the steps are all slightly different sizes so its important to wear sturdy footwear for the journey
Puffins – Skellig Michael is home to a colony of Puffins, they live on the island from Mid-April to Early August, if you want to see the puffins make sure you book your trip during that time
Bring Your Camera – From the moment you leave the harbour you will want to make sure you have your camera close to hand, you are in for spectacular views that you will want to capture.
Have a Back Up Plan – Landing on Skellig Michael is very dependent
on the weather, approximately 30% of landing trips do not go ahead. Make sure you have a back up plan for what to do if you trip doesn’t go ahead. We recommend a trip to the Skellig Chocolate Factory!
Pack a Lunch – There are no facilities on the island so make sure you pack a lunch and take all your rubbish with you!
Toilets – There are no toilets on the island so make sure you do your business before you leave Portmagee!
Exploring the Monastery – Your reward for safely navigating the 618 steps to the monastery is a chance to explore the amazing historical beehive huts, there are guides who are at the monastery to tell you the history of the Island, the monastery, the lighthouses and the various inhabitants of the island over the centuries
We were lucky enough to visit Skellig Michael in 2018 and we could not recommend it enough! Talk to us about basing yourself at Kingstons Boutique Townhouse while you are exploring Kerry.
