Visit A Galaxy Far Far Away... or Skellig Michael 8 Miles Off the West Coast of Ireland

If you’re like me and you're a massive fan of Star Wars, you’ll be well aware of the significance of Skellig Michael off the west coast of Ireland.

This unique and stunning Island played home to Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, but it has so much more to offer it's visitors.

The Islands are home to 6th-century monastic settlements and one of the largest gannet colonies in the world. It is also one of Ireland’s three Unesco world heritage sites and has a large colony of Puffins.

There are two options when visiting the Skellig's, the 'Eco Tour' and the 'Landing Tour'. The 'Eco-tour' does not allow you to land on the island to minimise the environmental impact of tourism, especially after filming Star Wars there.

The Eco boat tour gets up close to both islands where you can see the wildlife and take stunning photos of the islands. These tours have multiple departure times daily.

The Landing tour has a very specific departure time of 8.30 am (weather permitting) and arrives back at 2 pm. Spaces are extremely limited on this tour, again the intention is to minimise the impact tourism has on the ecology of the island.

You should wear rain gear and ensure you have good footwear as the climb to the monastery is quite steep. Children under 12 years old are not permitted on the Landing Tour.

These tours are extremely popular and should be booked well in advance by tourists so our advice is to make sure that if you are planning a visit to Skellig Islands, go to their website as early as possible to ensure you get your space.

It is such a unique and stunning grouping of Islands that are completely remote and drenched in history (and rain) and is a truly unforgettable Irish experience.

Price:

The Eco Tour - Adults: €40 / Students €35 / Children: €30, Family: €130 (2 adults + 2 children), Each additional child: €25

The Landing Tour - Adults €100 + Booking Fee

Opening hours:

Eco Tour (Apr 17th - Oct 6th 2019)

Landing Tour (May 18th - Sept 30th 2019)

Official Website: https://skelligislands.com

Email: skelligislands@gmail.com

Google map location: Skellig Michael